Alex's 67th email from Chile 11/28/11

Santa looks the same in Chile.

Alex, Elder Mlazgar, Elder Braddy, Elder Carcamo & Elder Sousa

Hola Familia!

This was a good week. Although we didn't have 258 contacts again we still had a decent week. We were just wiped from the other week and now we both are pumped and ready to go for this week. Just a cool little thing, the hottest pepper here in Chile is called the pucha madre and I ate it this last week it was pretty hot but I held my composure way better than everybody else even the latins. I was proud of myself. Hey mom, I was just walking one day in the street and started think about the Turnwall's. How are they doing? I don't know, could you go visit Hermana Turnwall this week? If you do how is Nate doing?

This week we taught Rocio a ton and I came to a conclusion. Mom, she reminds me a ton of you. Obviously I didn't know you when you were 16 but I would say you were probably alot like Rocio. She is awesome and maybe something that helps is that she plays on a all guys basketball team, but its more than that. She has such a strong testimony and has been waiting for the gospel in her life. This week we were preparing her for her baptismal interview and we told her she can't have her belly ring and so she took it out and gave it to us haha. (hey did you get the pictures I sent last week I was having problems sending them. There was a picture of Rocio and me) Well part of the deal is I told her if she gave us her belly ring I would give her something of mine and I know that you probably sent me my package mom but if you could could you send me another basketball practise jersey. I have at least 3 or 4 hopefully but I think she would love it seeing that she plays basketball. Well she had her baptismal interview this Sunday and passed! My zoneleader who did the interview told me that she was the most prepared investigator he has met and that the interview was awesome and Rocio asked me to baptize her!!! I am soo pumped! She is so tight has such a strong testimony and just ready for her baptism. I told her she needs to find Alan and get married jaja My two golden baptisms married that would be tight.

Alex & Rocio

During this week random story we saw a dead guy. He jumped from a 5 story building and we happened to just walk by right after it happened so that was weird. But also this week I had to give my first chewing out as district leader.  So that wasn't fun for me but it had to be done.

The district t-shirts he talked about last week. 

I think this group is pretty serious about their ball skills. What do you think?

For me it's not weird having a hot Christmas. I have never really had a cold one in my life so I don't know it's normal. We have lost contact with Giovanni :(  We have met with like 2 or 3 of our new contacts from last week. Rocio is getting baptized this Saturday and I am pumped! at 1 o clock. No there are no weird bugs here only in the campo but even then not alot there really is nothing here. Elder Braddy yes is still the district leader. Also remember Elder Merchan from Spain, when I was in La Islita? He is the new zone leader here! So we are pumped. I am reading the Bible in Spanish and I only have like 60 pages left!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will try and finish it this week. I have not gotten any packeges yet :( hopefully this week.

So I have officially decided that if someone is worthy, giving a blessing is one of the coolest and most spiritual experiences and things you can do. I absolutly love it. I gave a blessing this week to a lady in our ward who had surgery and it was awesome. To just feel like you really are standing in for Jesus Christ, because if he were here he would be doing the same excact thing, healing and blessing the people. To be a vessel of Gods love here on earth is just something I have grown to love and appreciate alot. To literally feel like you are doing his work, the things he would do, trying to help all of his children here on earth work, learn, and progress towards their celstial home where God is waiting for them. I love this work and I am so happy to be here. To be doing the same things Christ would do. Everyone says in the church they want to become like Chirst. Well I think the fastest path to do that is the missionary work. It is something so special and if someone feels they are needing to align their lifes road a little closer to the one Christ gave us as an example, they need to just share the gospel and show the love God has for all of his children here in this world. I am so happy to be a missionary and participate in the Most Important Thing that is happening on the face of this planet which is sharing the plan that God has prepared for all of us to come back and return with him in celestial glory. To reign with him as the Princes and Princesses we are to the most High King, our Heavenly Father. I love you all and pray for you everyday. I miss you, Love you, and will talk to you next week.

Con Mucho Amor,

Elder Alexander Thomas Leavitt