Alex's 90th email from Chile 5/7/12

I love this dog. It's the beagle of my ward mission leader.

Hola Familia!!

This week has been awesome but sad at the same time. One, numbers wise we didn't have a very effective week but we have had meetings like crazy so that gives an excuse a little.First off Elder Wardell has changes :(  I am going to be training a new ZL the ropes before I end the mission this change, Pres. says he is awesome so lets see, I will get him tomorrow.

Elder Grow, Elder Leavitt & Elder Champion 

- Saying good bye to Elder Grow & Elder Champion they ended their missions today.

This week I got to see Davis alot I dont know if I told you about him. I interviewed him for his baptism when I was in Republica. Well his girlfriends family lives in my ward and we work alot with them and he is always around the house and what not it is pretty neat. We got him to leave with us one day to make a visit. Thursday we had concilio where all the Zone Leaders go to Presidents house talk about numbers baptisms and new ideas for the mission. They are cool but super long. We wake up at 6:30 a.m.to get there and got home at like 7:30 p.m. Wednesday I got an easter package from you guys THANKS! Friday we made a visa run for Elder Wardell. It went super quickly because I am now a master visa runner. I know all the short cuts and some people who work there and will attend me before other people hahaha.

Elder Florez (hijo), Elder Leavitt & his newly born grandson

This week we have also been super tired. We have been waking up early and working hard this last week. Saturday we left early again to meet with the Stake President so we could plan together how the missionaries were going to apply the new mission vision to their wards. It was good and came to a sweet conclusion and I am going to be presenting it to the missionaries this Thursday. Also the rules of baptism have changed in our mission again. Now a youth cannot get baptized unless he assists the church for a straight 2 months, kids cannot get baptized unless they are someone firm in the church that will bring them and support them, and part member families cannot baptize unless someone else in the family is active. Pretty strict but we don't want people getting baptized unless they stay in the church and endure to the end.

Elder Leavitt & Elder Wilcox - both from San Diego :)

Speaking of baptism Lucas was baptized this Sunday. Elder Wardell did it which is cool because now he has changes and I will confirm him next Sunday legit!! Also Sunday was way cool we had stake conference right and I got their an hour late! Elder Wardell brought Macarena to church and I left to go pick up an old guy in a wheel chair. I carried him down with the Bishop and two other youth frickin 3 flights of stair from his appartment building to the car and then to the chapel. It was intense but worth it. He was happy. First time in 5 years he could go to church. Also we are starting to reactivate a super family! The Familia Castro came to church for the first time in 4 years. Before they went inactive he was the stake secretary and she was the stake young womans president. They went inactive because they felt they were really the only ones doing stuff and got tired of working so much while everyone else did nothing. Well we have been sharing with them and their words not mine and I don't believe them. They said that we were the most powerful and spiritual missionaries they have met and felt the spirit so strong in our appointments they new it was time for them to come back and that God specifically sent us to them at this time. Now we know that's not true because nobody who knows me would use those words. I told Elder Wardell they were talking about him jaja. but it was truly humbling and cool they felt that way.

 Elder Leavitt, Lucas, & Elder Wardell

It was cool to see Rocio and she assured me everything was fine and her mom said that since I left she saw what impact I had made in her family and is working to come back to the church cool huh? Fabio and Jennifer are fine they are literally the cutest couple ever such nerds :) We are going by Cristopher tomorrow so we shall see whats up there.

Elder Leavitt & Elder Sosa

And Sunday I will call at 8 Oclock Chilean time ok? So you guys see what you need to do to be on at that time and from prior experience a little before.

Ok guys I love you all so much and will talk to you Sunday. I am super excited to talk to you guys!

Con Mucho Amor,

Elder Alex Leavitt