Alex's 96th email from Chile/San Diego 6/18/12

I had Alex sit down and write an email to me about his last week in the mission field :) Later this week I will post his homecoming and I have a sweet video and lots of pictures to share. Enjoy his last week in Chile :)

The "Go Homers" at the Temple with President & Hermana King

(Sis. King refers to the missionaries that go home as 'go homers')

So I am just writing about my last week in Chile.

So it was a week of mixed emotions. We worked alot with Makarena. She has been passing through a difficult moment in her life. I had my last p-day my last district meeting. It was a week of lasts and it was way weird for me cause everytime someone would say something "Hey Elder Leavitt, this is your last Tuesday in Chile," "Hey Elder Leavitt, this is your last District meeting." It was tough.

On Thursday I got to do divisions with Elder Barco for the day which for me was way cool because me and Elder Barco are good friends from when we lived in the same pension in Lo Ovalle. So we just talked about the mission shared stories and talked about how awesome the mission had been.  On Friday we woke up early and we went to Maipu to meet up with Elder Nielson and his companion so that we could head to the temple. Everyone who goes home in the mission has the opportunity to go the temple one last time with President and Hermana King. I got permission from pres. King to go even early to finish up some iniciatory work for Rocios grandfather. It was an amazing experience and after we got to participate in a sealing. After we went to President King's house ate lunch it was delicious. Don't ask me what it was called but it was good. We talked about the mission, shared funny stories, and President King asked us to talk about our favorite sector and why. Then when we all finished eating we went up stairs and then we had a testimony meeting which was amazing. After we went home and that was our day which was just fantastic.

The couple whose sealing they were able to attend.

On Saturday was when the goodbyes started. I had a ton of people that wanted me to come say goodbye and then the same on Sunday it was actually way sad. In church on Sunday they had me share my testimony seeing it would be the last time I do so in Chile.

On Monday I had my exit interview with President King. It was cool. We talked about my progress, my goals, plans for my life, and things that I need to be doing. It was just weird and unreal. It had not truly hit me yet that I was going home. After we ate some lunch and then we had people arriving to come say goodbye from us from all our different sectors. I had a huge group of people come say goodbye to me it was something special. To actually see that you had left a mark in the life of another person. I had converts from every sector come say goodbye, families that I helped reactivate and members that just felt like saying goodbye. It was like the moment in my mission where it was like "Wow, I actually did make a difference here in the last two years." Just seeing how many people remembered me and wanted to come say thanks it was something different and amazing. Then I had to get in the car wave goodbye and we headed off to the airport. I flew to Lima and then Lima to Los Angeles. On that flight I was sitting next to a lady from Peru who lives in Los Angeles and we just talked the whole way and we started talking about religion and she then asks me what's the difference between you guys and the Catholics. That was my Golden ticket and I just went off talking about the restoration. It was cool. She was way interested and I took down all of her information and she wanted me to come by and keep teaching her. But it was fun. Then I flew home to San Diego. It was insane. I was in shock and just out of it when I saw my family. I can't even begin to describe the emotions I was feeling. It was something else. Well from there I went to President Ellsworth's office and was released from my calling as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints.

Meal at President & Hermana King's home.

'Go Homer' Hermana's with Hermana King. 

Women think differently than men....we don't have a picture with Pres. King with the Elder's :)

'Go Homer's' with President & Hermana King.

Alex's 95th email from Chile 6/11/12

This could very well be our last email from Alex in the mission field. He leaves Chile next Monday evening and is unsure if he will have time during the day to get to a computer. He's not sure exactly what will be happening that day with their departure activities. Keep a look out for a great post sometime that week. I will have him sum up his last week of the mission and we will of course post the homecoming :) I have mixed emotions right now. I am so excited to see my boy but sad because he is our last missionary. We are so proud of him and the man he has become. He has been an excellent missionary. I can't wait to hug him and kiss him! Every letter he has sent home he has told us he loves us and will talk to us next week. This week he said he will "see" us next week. It made me smile :) It just doesn't seem real. The two years has just flown by!!!

Hola Familia!!

This has been a heck of a week. On Wednesday we had interview with President King. They went really well we ended up talking more about the zone and the other missionaries than but then again I will be having interviews with him again this week soo it makes sense. I also came up with a sweet iniciative about doing more contacts and what not it was cool. Then I went on divisions with Elder Gomez a missionary from Ecuador it was fun. We ate soo much food! I swear everyone here is trying to fatten me up before I get home and it is working. The funny thing is is that I have had people tell me they are trying to fatten me up.

Then Friday we got a call from the asistents and wanted one of us to go over to another sector because they were having problems with spirits and what not and couldn't sleep at night. So then we had to go over and see if something was actually going down. Well nothing happened so it was just a fun division. A missionary from Colombia gave me a sweet jacket! It's almost as cool as my llama one.

Makarena is doing awesome she is so ready to get baptized but she wants to do it right she says and will be baptized the first week of July. Her and her boyfriend are no longer sleeping in the same room and in fact they are broken up now. But she needs to wait till July for their contracts to expire and she can move out! She is doing awesome and is sharing the gospel with everyone and has given away a total of like 3 or 4 Books of Mormon!! She is a baller.

This last week we got to go to medico cause my companion got sick which meant I dropped by the Temple and bought 3 of the 50yrs dvds no worries mom :) Hey but when I was there I looked for some CTR rings but in Spanish and don't have any besides the green primary ones and I promised Rocio a cool one so if you can look for one mom that would be cool.

Today I got my temple recommened, my last one expired this month. Crazy it's been 2 years eh? President King said he was forced to rip it but I talked him into only ripping it in half and then giving it to me. I want to keep all of my temple recommeneds. I don't know thought it would be cool when I am older to look back and have them all.

My suits are actually doing awesome just dirty they need washed. My other pants, every single ones has a ton of holes, so I am debating on just leaving them. Michelle didn't call me so no I didn't see her. Cristobal has kinda disapeared but Lucas is awesome him and his mom have the goal to go to the temple soon sweet! Lorena is good she is progressing slowly but surely :) With the contacting we did way better like way better than before but still not as good as I would have liked. Yes I sent the letter to President King last week. The other two elders in my pension are ballers they help me out alot. The zone is doing awesome the numbers are all going up in the zone.

Well familia I love you all. We shall see if I will be able to write next Monday or not. I have no idea they don't tell me anything. But I love you and will see you all next week :)

Con Mucho Amor,

Elder Alexander Thomas Leavitt

Alex's 87th email from Chile 4/16/12

Elder Wardell & Elder Leavitt

Hola familia!!

I am sitting here not very sure about how I should feel about Sarah´s engagement. I feel very strange and have mixed emotions the main thing keeping me together is what you said mom about Dad´s feelings. I always wanted to interview the guy first and when I get back he is still going to have my blessing first. Also it's weirding me out I am going to be the only single in the family.

 A place in my sector

But besides that I am doing Great!! So this week has been just awesome. It's weird,  we feel like we are working so hard and nothing is coming out of it and just when we are getting tired God just shows us just how much he really is watching over and caring for us and we see blessing galore. Macarena Is doing awesome, we taught her the last lesson she needs tithing this week and then the next day she calls us and says, "Elders I am ready for baptism, I have a testimony I know it's all true now please just focus on Heraldo." He is her ex-communicated boyfriend. He is coming back to the church but is having problems smoking etc. Also they live together and he is scared of marriage for past reasons and so Macarena wants to be baptized so bad they are seperating!! She is awesome.

The Chilean weather is starting to go bi polar on me. It can be cold one day and just blazing hot the next. It's rediculous. I just want the cold to come already. Also Elder Wardell and I are trying something new. Well we have been trying to work super hard with the ward and it is going over well. We printed off a list of the converts over the last 10 years, 150 in total, and we have been hunting them down this entire week. We have actually have seen some pretty good success from it as well. We have been talking with people who have been inactive for years. And we have found like 3 new investigators in families who have been inactive for awhile. The cool thing is is that all are converts and you can remind them of the feelings they once had. That or they never had a testimony and it just makes you super sad to see how far someone can fall after baptism.

It's funny, remember how I told you how this sector is super wealthy in comparison to my past sectors? Well aparently the people notice I have a flaite background. Everyone says the way I talk and my mannerisms are ghetto or flaite jaja I thought it was funny.

and this family was just stunned because this cat doesn't like anybody and attacks everyone but it just came in jumped on me and fell asleep jajaja

Well awesomeness! On Friday we had a zone conference but a special one. We all went to the temple to do a session with President and Hermana King. It was awesome!!!!! I love the temple. We also had a guess speaker from the temple presidency talk to us and was given the theme from President and guess what it was? Marraige. This guy and Hermana King were all pounding marraige on us. Holy smokes between them and the general authorities it sounds like if I don't get married soon I am sinning. But dont worry i am not marriage crazy yet jajaja. But it was tight. Something weird hit me the while I was there it was my last zone conference! And I was asked to say my goodbye testimony!! I got up there and just blanked. I was like "oh no I am going home", and was just rushed with things to say. It probably sounded weird. ahhh

Elder Leavitt in front of the Santiago Temple

Zone Conference

In the picture the other lady is Hermana Denisse she is awesome and helped us alot. Yes mom it was Carolina and part of her family from la Islita and Marcos is from Carlos Valdovinos Elder Tognetti and I baptized his wife Caroline. Luckas is doing awesome he came to church last Sunday and if everything goes well should be having his baptismal interview next Sunday!!! We have been doing well with our contacts and news we found another 5 this week! The zone overall is a little down don't know what's up. We plan on visiting every sector before the change ends to talk to them all and see how we can help. Pdays normal we play soccer jaja and hymns if you can hi to kolob, be still my soul, and how great thou art. awesome!!

My sector 

Well family I love you guys and I can't wait to talk to you next week. Hope you are all good and I am praying for you daily :)

Con Mucho Amor

Elder Alex Leavitt

Alex's 30th email from Chile 3/14/11

Happy Birthday Alex!!!

Hola Familia!!

This week was amazing. So first off though I had my first thing where someone was a real jerk to me situation happen. We were walking on a crowded sidewalk one day and this lady just spits a fatty lugy thing all over me and my comp it was disgusting. Interesting story we were walking and this shirtless man walks up to us and starts telling us how he trusts us knows we are good people and act in the name of Christ.  Then says if we were true servants of Christ we would help unload this huge truck filled with stuff so us being true disciples of Christ helped this guy unload a truck of a ton of stuff haha.  My shirt was soo dirty afterwards. Hey speaking of Japan I was going to ask you how the missionaries are doing there cause I have a really good friend serving his mission there in Sapporro. 

Alex, Juan, Elder Diaz & Alan at the Santiago Temple.

(look how tan Alex is!!)

Alan was excited to tell me that we were friends on facebook and that he was your friend too haha. SO BEST PART OF THE WEEK. So we went to the Temple again with Alan and this time Juan too but not for a tour or anything.  Alan and Juan went to do Baptisms!!!  And we were allowed to go and watch them! But even cooler was even though we were not allowed to do the baptism we were allowed to do their confirmations!  So I did my first confirmations in Spanish!! Oh it was soo cool.  I loved it!  The Spirit was so strong and it was just a neat thing to be able to do with our converts. I have been so amazingly blessed while on my mission with cool opportunities like this. There was a temple missionary there named Elder Workman. He thinks we are related because we come from Canada.  He said he was going to call you guys.  Let me know if he does. Something really cool about the temple was that as like highlights on the inside there is this stone called Lapiz Lassuli or something like that.  This stone is soo pretty, it is blue and it is unique to only Chile and the middle east it is just super pretty.  I loved it. After we went to the CCM  again for Alan. (The CCM is the missionary training center in Santiago).  He wanted to go and say hi to the missionaries and take a picture.  It was cool for them too because we went the first time before he was baptized and that batch of missionaries had just gotten there and they are there for 3 weeks.  Well when we went they were just ending their time there and Alan had been baptized received the holy ghost and went to the temple way neat!

 

Elder Nielsen & Elder Leavitt MTC companions now in the same zone and at the Santiago Temple.

 

My Birthday was awesome! Elder Nielson bought me a present.  I love that guy now he has changed and grown a lot. He bought me a recorder.  One of the plastic flute things haha so I can play hymns. Alan and his family threw me a birthday party!  It was super nice of them to do.  It was way fun.  We had cake and dinner and I brought the brownie mix you sent me and shared it with them.  It was just super awesome.  I love that family. Awesome news though! Jessica, Alan's mom is now an active member of the church.  God has blessed that family soo much and Samantha should be getting baptized here in the next little bit.  I am super pumped about it.

Jessica & Alex making the brownie mix I sent for his birthday.

So Tomorrow is transfers and Elder Diaz is now leaving me.  So I have another change here at least which I am happy about because I still feel like the work the Lord has for me here in Lo Ovalle is not done yet.  I still feel like there is someone else I need to find.  I don't know who but I know he is there.  I have not had a feeling like this before its weird. Elder Champion has changes.  I am sad about that but oh well. 

 

Yes they have daylights saving here in Chile I don't know when it is though haha. Yes the Key chain is for you and I am glad you enjoyed the box there is some cool stuff in there. Elder Champion is from California and he was in the MTC the same time as me but in a different part.  He has one more change than I do. Ya and Elder Nielson is in my zone.  The ward is doing amazing.  They are growing and on Sunday we had the best assistance and numbers for the ward in the entire time I have been there.  It is awesome just watching this place grow and strengthen.  I love it.  

 

The weather is starting to change but like fast this last week it has deffinantly changed to autumn.  Man I can't spell.  It is starting to be colder in the mornings and for longer it doesnt get hot until like 1 in the afternoon now its crazy.  I am happy I bought that Llama jacket.

Well I love you guys and pray for you every night.  It is awesome to be here in Chile and doing what I am doing.  It is an amazing feeling to actually know you are being used as a tool and instrument in the hand of the Lord.  It is a feeling I will never forget.

Con Mucho amor.

                            Elder Leavitt

. 

Alex's 28th email from Chile 2/28/11

 Alan & Alex February 27, 2011

Hola Familia!

Psh I get on and have a couple messages from mom saying I hope we get a better response than that. I was like "what?"  I thought I sent a pretty good letter haha.  Then mom apologizes later haha (This is in reference to last week because we got his longer email two hours after the short one where he said he didn't have time to answer our questions)

But this week was flippin spectacular!  I don't know how the weeks can keep getting better.  Especially better than this past one.  So we had a pretty legit multi zone conference and it was awesome.  I really enjoyed the lessons President King taught us about being better teachers and how we need to ask heaven inspired questions to open up the investigator and to really listen to the response.  Also that same day we heard that Elder Champion (my buddy) was going to the temple with their investigator and we were like "what! we want to go with Alan" so we asked and got special permission from President because of how awesome Alan is. So we went to the temple and Alan loved it and is soo excited.  He was like "when is the quickest I can go to the temple?" and we told him and he is like "I want to go that day and do baptisms."  I cannot even explain to you how special Alan is.  

 

Elder Diaz, Alan & Alex at the Chile Santiago Temple & MTC

(MTC = Missionary Training Center)

If you didn't know the Chile MTC is on the temple grounds or like connected to it. Elder Diaz made good friends with the teachers there and we got special permission to bring Alan and Elder Champion's investigator in to get a tour and meet all the missionaries.  We walk in and Alan leans over to me and Diaz and says "there is something special about this place I can feel it."  The teacher asked Alan to share the reason why he was getting baptized. Alan shares this awesome testimony and had all of the hermanas crying.  This kid is awesome. So that was awesome.

 

Elder Diaz, Alan, Alex, ?, ?, Elder Champion

Then friday we helped this family move into our ward and we were moving this huge entertainment center and the two other guys dropped it on me!!  I bruised up my arm so bad but no worries now it was fine but i was like "psh you are not even gonna warn me!"

But I know you are all waiting to hear about sunday.  I couldnt even wait for Sunday to come.  I felt like some little kid on Christmas eve.  The night before I had everything ready, my white pants, my long white sleeve shirt ironed and ready, white tie rolled up, Alans clothes all folded and in plastic bags.  I was ready to go. Alarm goes off, I shoot out of bed, pray, shower, totally just ready like an 2 hours before church starts.  We go to church. Everyone is offically back from break school starts this week. Alan shows up with his great grandmother I learned.  She is awesome she said during a class that she is the happiest grandmother on earth being able to watch her great grandson get baptized.  Oh! during the sacrament meeting Juan was confirmed and I got to stand in the circle.  That is always the coolest feeling to do that.  After the classes ended Alan's dad showed up.  He drove 3 hours to come to his baptism and he cried through the whole thing. It was pretty neat to watch.  Me and Alan changed, took pictures, Diaz gave a short talk and then I baptized Alan Gino Canales Guzman. It was sooooo cool.  That is something I will never forget and I am soo happy that Alan was my first one I did cause he is just so special.  He truly was one of the Elect of God waiting for the gospel to find him.  Then we changed and ended the meeting.  It was super cool.  All the youth stayed to watch and greet him after.  Some people asked me if I was worried about him when me and Diaz leave.  I said "no", he truly is special and will be a huge blessing to the church one day I can feel it.  He just has this spirit about him that I can't explain. 

 

Elder Diaz, Alan & Alex February 27, 2011

Haha funny story,  there is this inactive kid in our ward.  He told us he was baptized because the he was told to by the missionaries.  Some people are dumb, but ya we have gotten him to come to church the last two weeks but the kid has an earring and me and Diaz took it form him and now I've got it one my desk.  I am keeping a collection of the first of something I took from people.  Like I got the first box of cigarretes and coffee and now earing haha.  

Today for pday we did something special.  We went to the Santa Lusia.  It is like this mountain palace slash castle thing.  It was pretty cool and took some legit pictures.  I got a ton of pictures this week.  Also I bought myself the most awesome jacket.  I will take a picture and show you next week but I am super excited about it haha.

Questions, I think the average is about 2-3 changes (I asked Alex what the average length is for missionaries to stay in specific areas).  This is elder Diaz 3rd change here.  It's like 3 changes in an area and 2 with the same comp.

I think with Alan and everything here his brother Billy will get reactivated or at least I pray so cause he is soo legit.  All he told me was that all he wants was to go to the temple with his mom and brother.  Gabriella is good just hard to get in contact with she is never home.  The other lady is good.  We have had one lesson with her.  Her husband is going to be a problem though which is a bummer.  My eye is fine totally healed :)  Tell dad to look up La Cisterna Gran Avenida with Santa Clara and right there where they both meet is the pizza hut  I will try to get the excact adress for him.

Well I love you all enjoy the pictures love you!!

Elder Alex Leavitt

Alex's 17 email from Chile 12/13/10

Hola Familia!

So craziest week of my life ready? This will probably be the longest email I send cause it has been ridiculous. So on Thursday in the morning while getting ready Elder Pedraza was crying that my shirt was wrinkly, but in reality he is the type of person that irons their shirt like twice each morning and at night and I had like one wrinkle. To be completely honest my shirt was fine but he was freaking out. He is like "in the manuel misional it says this" and called the district leader. Finally I was "whatever", there is no point in having a mad companion because of my shirt so I ironed my shirt. But he was still mad at me and didn't talk to me for like an hour. Finally he says to me that we are not going to the temple because of my attitude (our temple is out of our mission and we don't ever get to go, but we got permission from President because we had like 13 investigators that wanted to go with our ward). I was like "whatever you can't just decide that." He then goes off and starts packing his suitcases. He called the assistants and told them he is leaving! Finally the district leader comes over takes me and leaves his companion while we waited for the assistentes to show up. Finally they show up, talk to us individually, and then together. Elder Pedraza like refused to talk and was not participating whatsoever. Finally he agreed to try and we went to the temple. It was awesome we had 14 investigators show up. There were exhibits of nativities from all over the world and it was awesome. We took photos with our investigators and it was just a way neat experience.

On the way home Elder Pedraza started to feel sick on the bus and I thought it was just him getting car sick. We got off the bus and he was like "I need to sit down" and just plopped himself on the sidewalk. Me and a family we were with were like "well at least sit on a bench" so we helped him up and walking over he just lost all his strength and crashed. He couldn't breathe and was flipping out. He threw up twice and was just bad and passed out. I called our bishop for a ride to the hospital. Finally he came and we carried my companion into the car and started off. In the car he was in and out of consciousness like 12 times and was talking to someone. It sounded like he was talking to and old friend from Mexico it was way weird. In the hospital after a while the doctors told us that everything checked out fine and it was all emotional. We took him to the bishops house after to get something too eat but he was too out of it to eat anything. From there we went to Maipu where the assistants live and stayed in their apartment for the night. I carried Elder Pedraza so much that night my arms were sore in the morning it was crazy.

The next day we slept in cause I flippin went to bed at 3 in the morning and he had a meeting with the mission psychologist. After the doctor comes out and tells me I have my hands full with Elder Pedraza and remember anyone can handle the easy ones. So after we go home and we're told to just relax and take it easy but elder pedraza wanted to go out and see a family. But I told him that president told us to stay. So he calls president and convinces him to be able to go out and see one family. We leave and on the way back to our house he has another attack! He just drops can't breathe and lost all his strength. So I waved down the Chilean equivalent of a taxi ( a colectivo) and got a ride to our pension. Turns out the driver was a member of another ward and didn't charge us so that was cool. I carried my companion upstairs and put him on my bed cause I have bottom bunk and I didnt want him falling from the top. Elder Pedraza had calmed down and was just sleeping so I left the room to change and for some reason elder Pedraza decided to get up and try going downstairs so he ended falling down the stairs cause he had no strength and was out of it. So I go check make sure he is ok and called my leaders. He was fine, no broken bones or anything, but he was gone on some other planet. He was not making sense. He kept trying to get up, lose strength and whack his head on the floor. So I brought down our mattresses from upstairs and put him in bed. I thought it was better to sleep downstairs so he wouldn't wake up in the middle of the night and fall again but he kept trying to get up and go to work. He kept saying ¨ elder leavitt we are late, we have appointments¨ "Ëlder Leavitt we need to meet with carlos come on we are late¨ Basically every time he tried getting up I pushed him back into bed. Luckily I had the number of the doctor and was talking to him the whole time. Finally he went to sleep and I finally went to bed at like 4 or 5 in the morning.

The next day we were told not to leave until president came. They also sent our district leader to come help me watch Elder Pedraza until president showed up. Finally president showed up, talked with us for a little, took us to lunch, and after a ton of crying and asking Elder Pedraza convinced president to let him go out to one appointment and that he would be home by 9. Well we went out and Elder Pedraza by 9 oclock refused to leave so we got home at 10 and by then he had another little attack. I got a ride with a member back to our place and put him to bed.

In the morning he was feeling way bad and couldn't even get up stairs without my help. But we had the baptism of Carlos on Sunday and needed to go. So our bishop picked us up and brought us to church. At church elder pedraza had another attack. The assistants came and picked us up and took us to the big hospital in Santiago. We missed the baptism of our investigator :( Once again they told us it was just stress and emotions.

After we were taken to basically the jail apartment of the mission where we waited for president. He came and elder pedraza was asleep so I told him everything that happened. We then went to the mission home to have lunch. It was awesome! Highlight of the week, I made a ginger bread temple with hermana king and her daughter while my comp slept. We then went back to the jail of the mission and spent the night there. I am told we will probably be there for 2 to 3 days. I am so bored cause we are not allowed out of the pension with exception to email today. We have another doctors appt. for elder pedraza. So ya that has been my week.

So I have gotten 3 packages; yours, grandma's and the one from sister bessey and the ward and I am in process of writing them back - haven't had too much time with things. The temple was awesome like I said. We didn't do a session cause we were with investigators and I didn't meet the Leavitt's but it was just so awesome and next week I will try to send photos. About transfers I will find out the Sunday before so I think that should be next Sunday. Crazy! time is starting to speed up and this week went by fast! Scripture reading is ok. I am not too far behind, sounds like I will have a ton of time to catch up though. (This is in response to the question I asked Alex in regards to their mission challenge to read the Book of Mormon in the amount of time it took Joseph Smith to translate it. He was reading it in both Spanish & English to surprise President King)

This has just been a crazy hard and stressful week for me. I am tired of just sitting around and babysitting all day but he is my companion right? And this could easily be the reason I am with him because from what the doctor has told me was that he could not have given me better instructions than what I have done to help him and the calmness I have had through it all. So that made me feel cool. It just sucks how I can't teach, meet with my investigators, and I kinda lost a p-day. I guess I am just learning patience right now right? Well I love you all, miss you, and will talk to you next week.

Love,

Elder Alex Leavitt

*I think it would be great if all of us could remember Elder Pedraza in our prayers.

Alex's 16th email from Chile 12/6/10

Hola familia,

So I had a crazy but good week. Well for the first time this change me and Elder Pedraza really clicked and I am so grateful. It has been so hard for me. But despite all this we finally clicked and have been rocking and getting along really well. It has been great and really because of it my Spanish has just started to really skyrocket. I am starting to have conversations with people. It is so awesome. One example which was a really neat experience for me was with a kid named Yair. He is the daughter of one of our investigators with a baptismal date and has been struggling with testimony and everything. So I pulled him aside one day and him and me just had a talk. He just opened up like I've never heard before. I have been teaching him and his family since I first got here and it was awesome. Without help or anything I had such a neat conversation with this kid. It was just awesome. We made goals and everything to help with his doubts and building testimony.

The family Gonzales has been having trouble. Their dad has been out of work for a long time and in January they were going to have everything cut; power, water, gas, everything and they didn't even have money for bread. Well the Lord has once again has shown his hand in our work. We have been praying for them for so long now and they are doing everything to become an eternal family that this week he found work that is even better than the job he had before.

Awesome news, we have so many investigators and in fact we have 5 fechas and 13 progressing investigators that we have gotten permission to go to the temple this Thursday with our ward. We have 11 investigators that said they will go and that is why we get to go. I am soo excited! oh speaking of 5 fechas, Carolina this past week committed to baptism. It just has been soo crazy how well everything is going.

I had told president about everything that happened between me and Pedraza and his email this week made me feel way better. Elder Pedraza puts on this strong face and makes lots of jokes but in reality he is crazy sensitive and can take things the wrong way. So I have just been working really hard not to say anything that he can take the wrong way, although I guess this morning I was trying to say something and dropped one of the worst swear words here in Chile haha oops. Luckily it was just to him in the pension. It has just been good this week.

Carolina's kids had a birthday Sunday and they invited us so we went and it was awesome. They also gave us presents, both Elder Pedraza and I, but said we can't open it until we leave Malloco. I love that family. Carolina also asked me to baptize her but I probably won't be here in Malloco :( It was so sweet, she was like "you have the authority to baptize right?" I said "yes" and she was like "oh ok good, so you can baptize me then" it was awesome.

Elder Leavitt with Carolina & her kids at their birthday party

Crazy news fricking biggest Rincon in our pension!!!! Seriously biggest spider I have seen inside a house. I have pictures :)

This is the best of two pictures he sent. Alex was right, this spider is huge!!

To answer your questions, yes Carlos is getting baptized this Sunday by Elder Pedraza. We had 5 investigators at church. Garcias could not make it they were getting the house and everything ready for the birthday party. I will most likely have transfers. Sucky, I just wish transfers were not so close to Christmas.

Sad story, Sunday morning we were going picking up our investigators for church and there was this kid probably 16 and he had blood all over his hands and was bawling. He was totally high on something and just saying "help me! help me!" saying he has kids and no family to help him and all this stuff and all we could do was just try and ignore him and walk away. It was so sad. I didn't know what to do. Well but besides that everything is great. I am loving my mission so no worries! ok I love you all and will talk to you later.

Love,

Elder Leavitt

I like these pictures Alex sent because it shows us what his surroundings look like.

Alex writes: that hat photo is a kids of one of our investigators he wrote Leavi on it so he can remember me ha!ha!

Alex's 15th email from Chile 11/29/10

Elder Leavitt & Elder Pedraza
(I can't tell you who the family is because it came from Alex's companion who posted it on facebook. He tagged Alex in it and I copied and saved the image.)

Hola familia!

This was a hard week for me. Alex asked me not to share the rest of what he wrote except with family and close friends. I just wanted you to know that he had a hard week and is struggling a bit and could you use some prayers in his behalf. Thank you in advance for your thoughts and prayers.

So I will give you a rundown of me week now that I am done talking about that. So Monday my companion almost died. Well not really, but while we were shopping he stops, has a blank stare, kinda wobbles a little, leans up against the wall, puts his hand to his nose and there is blood. He just said he is fine and nothing has happened since weird.

Mario told me he will be baptized before I have changes if by that week I can have a fluent conversation with him. I said "yes!" and I am studying my butt off so this can happen.

So I dont know if I told you this but everyone here in Chile kisses each other on the cheek when they are saying Hi or goodbye. Well I have gone my whole time here in Chile without some close calls but I have been good. Well somehow this week I got kissed twice! Once by a sweet grandmother so it's not that bad and the other one by the daughter of a member! It caught me so off gaurd that is how it happened. I just wasnt expecting it. Elder Pedraza got peed on by a puppy just all over. It was hilarious. He was holding it when it happened. Our investigators are doing amazing we had 9 show up to church on Sunday.

So apparently there is a married couple serving in the temple here named Leavitt from Utah - weird. Also I am close to done with my journal but have that other one that you accidently bought me is that one fine?

Yes we are having a party on the 24 or 23 can't remember. Just sucks cause I will probably have transfers a couple days before Christmas. We find out tonight if 2 of our investigators with baptismal dates divorces went through. We only have one for sure baptism on the 12th - Carlos, and are inviting 2 more investigators tonight to be baptized. I am stoked.

Well I love you will talk to you later bye!

Love,

Elder Leavitt

Alex's 11th email from Chile 11/1/10

Hola Familia,

So I had a crazy week! So to start off I have some sad news. We went to go visit Eugenio this last week and he told us he is no longer interested in meeting with us. We asked him why and he just said he is happy with the catholic church which we know is bogus because he told us he didn't like the catholic church. After a lot of questions and prying we found out a lot of his friends have been feeding him anti-Mormon literature and have been talking bad about the Mormons. So I was pretty upset about it but we are still going to visit him every now and then. It is just so sad cause he was so ready for the gospel in his life.

I had my first zone conference this last week and it was pretty sweet. We learned about the difference of having faith and acting on faith. Hermana King talked on gratitude which made me happy because I had just given her her chocolate and thank you note for my pants.

On Thursday there was a tornado in Conception which I guess just doesn't happen here. It was sooo crazy windy it was ridiculous and then also it started pouring on us! We got soaked but it was kinda fun at the same time.

Friday Elder You got to go to the temple with President and Hermana King. So I was put in a threesome. I was excited about it until I got there and all they did was ignore me or when they did say something to me they were just giving me crap. It sucked and I did not have fun.

Saturday was pretty fun though. Elder You got to visit all of his old sectors and I got to go with him so I got to see a lot of the mission I have not seen yet. It was awesome because a lot of people complimented on how well my Spanish was and the people were awesome. So I guess during the earthquake the catholic chapels took the most damage. We walked by one and all the angels on the side of this chapel fell off except for the wings. It looked pretty strange just seeing these holes in the side of the building and wings just chillen there. In Chile it turns out there is a decent German population and actually some German colonies. I say this because Saturday was Oktoberfest haha and I didn't know we had a German colony in Malloco because I have not seen any white people but there was a huge Oktoberfest that went down. Then today I saw these two white guys with Oktoberfest hats on in the grocery store while shopping. They walked up to me and started talking to me in German. I guess they saw a white guy and thought I was German haha. It was funny. Halloween is here in Chile but not big. There were some tricker treaters but not a lot. Also I guess it just gives people an excuse to stay up all night and party.

Today our zone and the Talagante zone rented a big field and played soccer it was awesome and I dominated. I had four goals. Also thanks for the second package I got that this last week

Transfers are next Tuesday and we go to the mission office and have a little meeting then go back to our sectors. Not excited about next Monday because I will probably be with the same two elders that were jerks to me. Elder you goes home next Monday. We didn't have a curfew for Halloween because it really is not all that big here. I am a little behind in the Book of Mormon because of all the traveling I did this week so I need to catch up. Malloco is a ward and we have on average about 80 people show up. Recently it has been a little lower but on average about 80.

I love you guys and i will talk to you later :)

Elder Alex Leavitt

Alex Arrives in Utah & at the MTC (Missionary Training Center)

Alex at the Salt Lake Temple

We left for Utah a few days before Alex was to report to the MTC (Missionary Training Center). This allowed us time to finish up a few things we needed to do for him and also allowed us to visit with our kids who are up there. I know Alex enjoyed those couple of days.

On Sunday we went to church with Alycia & Trevor and Alex & Sarah went to Marie's Stake Conference. They both commented on what a wonderful meeting it was. After church we headed back to the Sanchez home where Brandon, Serene and the girls are staying while he has his internship in Salt Lake City. We had some of our family for dinner - Fred's brother Greg, his wife Gaylia, their son Damon, Robert, Byron and his wife Shelly and their new baby Allan. It was great to see them. Marie was able to be there with us also :)

Monday we headed to Provo and finished up some of what we needed to do for Alex. We of course stopped and ate at the creamery and got our chocolate milk :) While we were there we were able to see two former missionaries that we were particularly close to while they served here. They married after their mission and just had a sweet baby boy. I also ran into one of the girls from my trek family :) That night we had an FHE (family home evening) barbeque. We invited family & friends. Some of the friends we invited used to live in Rosemary & area when we were there. We were happy that Marie was able to spend FHE with us. Fred picked up Aunt Nola and it is always wonderful to see her. Luetta (Baxter), her husband Doug and their girls came. It was so fun to have them there. Sadly none of our other Rosemary friends were able to make it. The Gallup's who live in the Sanchez's ward came over. Dan is from Cardston and Fred went to school with his sister. He is also related to Aunt Nola so that was fun for her to go over genealogy. They showed us their "Canada" basement. It was pretty neat. (They are also related to the Gallup's from Rosemary)

Tuesday we headed into Salt Lake. We went to the University first where Alex talked with an advisor about registering for classes before he gets home from his mission. From there we picked up Marie and we all headed to the Church Office building that Brandon works in. We ate lunch in the cafeteria. It was great! We had hoped to have a tour of where he works but we were to pressed for time. We were meeting Alex's friend Harrison Hinz at the Temple. Marie was a sweetheart and hung with Sarah while we were at the Temple. Sarah had a blast and they bought matching sunglasses :)

Marie & Sarah

It was a wonderful experience to go through the Salt Lake Temple with the boys. After the session was done I saw Alex hugging this lady in the Temple. It turns out it is Sis. Calder who is the wife of the counselor in his University Ward bishopric. Her husband is the counselor that worked closely with the Elder's Quorum presidency that Alex was in and he got to know them quite well. They also hosted many FHE's at their home. It was fun to meet her. Alex introduced her to me as his "Salt Lake Mom." What a treat for Alex to see her in the Temple. We were very happy to meet her.

Alex & Harrison

Alex & Brandon

After the Temple we quickly, and I mean quickly, went and saw an amazing model of the Salt Lake Temple that is in the South Visitor's center. You can see all the rooms inside etc. It was pretty amazing! I wish we had had more time but we had to go and pick up Marie & Sarah from the mall so that we could get to Alex's setting apart. We picked the girls up, drove Marie home, talked with her parents for a few minutes and said our good-bye's.

We then headed to the Stake President's home. We knew we were in the right area but couldn't find the final street to turn onto. Alex's Bishop lived on the main street and he had pointed it out to us. He told us to turn around and he would see if the gate to the Bishop's cul de sac was open. His plan was to go ask them how to get to the Stake President's home. Alex had just got to the gate when a car pulled up and guess who it was? It was his Bishop!! What are the odds?! He gave Alex a great big hug and then had us follow him over. He was not able to stay and gave his apologies. It was wonderful how throughout our day these people that Alex knew so well this school year kept showing up where we were to give him hugs and show their love & support.

We were able to visit with the Stake President for about 10 mins. while we waited for Alycia & Trevor to arrive. We found out that he was a former mission president. He gave Alex some counsel & advice that only someone who has been a mission president could do. What a blessing! It was also a blessing to have some of our children there to support Alex. Sarah, Brandon, Aylcia & Trevor were able to be there with us. The setting apart was amazing and the spirit was so strong. When it was over I had a wave of emotion sweep over me as the realization hit "He's now a missionary." I looked at him and you could see the change and the mantle that had been placed upon him. We are so proud of him and know that he will be an amazing missionary.

Alex & President Douglas Rees

Our Family at President Rees' home

The next morning we got up and started getting ready to go. We had time to go and get some lunch before dropping him off. Alex chose to eat at the Brick Oven. It was great as usual and it was fun to see other missionaries in there that were getting ready to leave just like Alex. They gave him a "companion dessert" bag to take to the MTC. There were some goodies for him & his companion. How cool was that? Why didn't we know this for our other two boys?

Lunch at the Brick Oven

We got to the MTC and parked across the street and then stood in line for our turn to take our pictures in front of the MTC sign. Then we walked back to the car and drove back to the MTC driveway. That's where they directed us to our spot on the curb where would unload his luggage and say our goodbyes. There were two Elder's there waiting for us. They helped with the luggage and said "Hello" to us and asked Alex where he was headed. I had heard a lot of complaints about the new "drop off" system and was quite curious as to what it would be like. I can honestly say that I liked it more than our other experiences. Our other experiences were wonderful but this one was much better in the fact that it was much more intimate, personal & private.

Elder Alexander Thomas Leavitt

They give you your space for your good bye, unlike the airport where you have the security people telling you you have to hurry and move your car. They allow you to take as little or as long as you want to say your good bye. Then one of the missionaries takes your missionary with luggage in tow and they start walking towards the front of the MTC. Then you leave.

There weren't hundreds of people around with a lot of crying, laughing and talking. It was just us. Our own little family having our own special private goodbye. I really did love it and prefer it over all the other experiences I've had. It was amazing and a little surreal. It's hard to believe he's gone. We are now anxiously awaiting that first letter.

Alex's Mission Farewell - Part 3

Our family outside the San Diego Temple after the session; Brandon, Kira, Sharley, Ben, Alex, Me, Alycia, Fred & Trevor

Monday was Memorial Day and we had two big events. The first thing we did that day was attend the Temple with Alex. This was his first time through and he chose to wait for all of his siblings to be here when they came for his farewell. As I sat in the Temple with 5 of our 6 children I was overcome with joy, love & gratefulness to my Heavenly Father for sending me such sweet spirits. My cup truly overfloweth. I know that someday in the future we will all be there with our "Sweet" Sarah. We were very blessed to have some dear friends and my cousin & her husband attend with us also. The support for Alex & our family has been amazing! We really missed having Serene & Justin with us but they were there in spirit. The Utah car had to leave immediately after the temple and Kira and Justin had to rearrange their schedules due to a conflict, but we were happy they all made it work and were willing to make the sacrifice to be there for Alex.

Kira & Alycia

Alex & Alycia - part of the "Blonde" family

After the Temple session we took some pictures outside and then we had a once and a lifetime opportunity of attending the setting apart of Alex as a Temple Ordinance worker. We had the privilege of being in the Temple President's office and Fred was able to assist. What an amazing opportunity to be in President Olson's presence and hear him speak with Alex and then bless him. He's an amazing man. He has a replica of a doorknob from the Salt Lake Temple on his desk. He has had some amazing experiences with his job in the church in regards to Temples etc. Fred could tell you all more about that since he works closely with him at the Temple.

Alex in an epic picture of the Temple with all of it's scaffolding. Imagine the stories he can tell his children someday about his first time through the San Diego Temple.

Kira posing while her brothers pose in the background. The Temple had several weddings cancel and move to other Temples because of the scaffolding.

Ben & Sharley's 2nd wedding anniversary was this day also.

After the Temple we headed home to change so that we could head over to our ward Memorial Day picnic at the park. Alex was anxious to get over there to see everyone. There is always great food and fun games. There is always a volleyball net set up and a soccer game going. There is a park for the kids to play in and they had bubbles and other fun things for the kids to do. We really enjoyed ourselves. I came home exhausted from the weekend. Kira, Sarah & Alex went thrift store shopping while Fred & I both napped on the couches.

I almost forgot to mention something that happened when we got home from the Temple. The night before I was too tired to clean up after the open house so I just left everything. When I walked in the door after being gone all morning I walked into not only two happy little boys that Sarah had been tending but my entire house cleaned, with the dishwasher going, the floors swept, the garbage emptied and......she had also cleaned the back yard and had got the hose out and was washing down all the chairs and tables. I was so overcome by it all I started crying. She really is so incredibly sweet and thoughtful.

Ben & Sharley visiting with Kira & Evan. Kira was glad they came to the picnic since she doesn't get to see them often because she lives in Canada.

Sarah & the Jafek boys: Alex, Sam & Timmy

Cassie & Landon. Landon loved the attention and Cassie was a great little babysitter.

Landon, Cassie, Alex, Sarah & Sam

Silly Evan with chocolate all over his face.