Alex's 6th email from Chile 9/27/10

Samuel, Elder Leavitt & Sweet Old Man from the ward

(that's how Alex referred to him in an email. I'll try and get his name:)

Hola Familia!

Hey first off Mom I was wondering if you could do me a favor. Could you send me Gladiator and Braveheart soundtracks if at all possible if not that's fine and make sure to send a jump rope. I feel like I am asking for a lot so if I am just ignore it haha. (Alex is asking for the classical soundtracks of those movies for workout music. When Ben was on his mission I sent him a jump rope for exercise for a good cardio workout. Not every companion likes to run)

So AMAZING week. I have so much that happened I hope I can remember it all. Well I am pumped. Our baptism with Samuel went through! I am so blessed to have a baptism within my first change. I attached the photos I took. Hope you don't mind I am just so excited and even more driven now to work hard. So my whole life for some reason kids just kinda are drawn to me. It is insane. I don't know why? Maybe they see me as one of them but I have always been ok with it because I have fun with them and that has not changed here in Chile not at all. All the kids in the ward are always wanting me to play with them haha and for some reason I always somehow get drawn into playing with them. I can't help myself. I never thought it was a bad thing but never did I think it would actually benefit my job as a missionary. I was worried about new investigators because it has been hard trying to find them and we have not been real successful in finding. But I think we have some promising looking people. We had a part member family randomly show up to church Sunday and I hit it off with their 6 year old son. He loves me so hopefully that will help somehow. It was funny, I don't know why I do this, but when a kid is sitting in front of me during sacrament meeting I love messing with them. Usually they love it and apparently this kid did too. It was awesome, after sacrament meeting he jumps off his bench and just comes running over to me so I talked with him all the usual stuff, walked him back over to his family, and got to know them. It was just an awesome experience. We are going to try and go over sometime this week.

Elder Leavitt, Samuel, Sweet Old Man & Elder You

I also had another first this past week. I had my first earthquake! It was legit. It only lasted like 5 seconds but things were moving and it was awesome. It was during a zone meeting with President King so I was not too worried about dying thinking the Lord would protect his Mission President. Best part of this is that the earthquake hit right when President King held up his book of Mormon to emphasize a point.

On Friday I went on divisions with Elder Coria. He is from Argentina and it was the first time I was with a native Elder by myself. Not gonna lie I was a little worried about it but surprisingly it went way well! He knew a little English so that helped but overall I did way good at just communicating in Spanish. I had a blast. I would love to be companions with him at some point in the mission. We got a lot done. I anointed in a blessing of an inactive member they have been working with (in Spanish might I add). Then when we had finished all our visits we were walking and some flaites started yelling at us. Now Flaites are the only people missionaries have to worry about. They are the gangster guys haha. Now me being bigger, I am not too worried about it and for the most part they have yet to mess with me. They just yell swear words and what not usually. But this group started challenging us to play soccer. We had 3 youth with us from Elder Coria´s ward and that's why I think they were challenging us because they had like 6. So if anyone knows anything about me I was pumped and ready to go. I was the first one to say yes haha. We DOMINATED the flaites it was like 8-3. And I especially kicked trash. The Flaites play with no rules so they were pushing and shoving and so I played the same. I took out this one kid so hard it was ridiculous. The youth now call me "King of the Flaites" it was awesome. Best part of it was the Flaites like me now at least in El Sauce Elder Coria´s sector. Over all it was awesome.

I just had an amazing week and feel so amazingly blessed. It is crazy to think I have been out here in Chile almost as long as the time I had in the MTC. It is crazier to think I have a baptism. As far as Spanish is coming I am able to now read out of the Book of Mormon and basically know what is going on. It is awesome. Of course I am still reading both English and Spanish while studying but I think I will do that for a very long time. Funny story, I am now in 2 Nephi 30. I started over again to start it in Spanish. A couple nights ago I had a dream that I was explaining the Isaiah chapters to mom. If I was not a missionary before I am now if you are dreaming about the scriptures. It was just so random. Especially the Isaiah part cause I still don't fully understand what is going on there but somehow I was explaining them to mom. But AHH I am just so pumped and excited to be a missionary. I am so happy it is ridiculous and I love it. Hopefully next week can be as good as this week. Love you all and talk to you next week.

Love, Elder Leavitt

P.S. in response to dad I forgot to add this in my original letter, Yes the toilets flush the opposite way haha and all missionaries listen to general conference in their native language that is given to us by the prophet himself. I am assuming they don't want us missing anything. Also you should send me everyone's rosters in fantasy so I can see why Brandon is doing so well haha cause that doesnt seem right.

Elder Leavitt & Samuel