Alex's 84th email from Chile 3/26/12

Several hours after I got Alex's email last week picture attachments came (his email from March 19th) Even though these pictures don't go with this weeks email I'm posting them anyway.

I have no idea where this is but it's a pretty cool picture

Hola Familia!

Well I am writing late because we had a change in the mission. Changes are now done on Mondays so I am now sitting here in my new sector with my new compañion Elder Wardell. You may have seen him before actually seeing that he was my zone leader in Talagante. Which leads me to the other part I have been made a zone leader crazy eh? It was a surprise for me too. Although I am just happy to be away from my companion. I have had a few things stolen from me including that memory adapter so I cannot send pictures this week. I will try and get one for next week sorry.

Elder Sosa, Elder Leavitt, Elder Brow

This week was good but sad. We had interviews this week with President King, always love those they were very good. But I had the call that I will have changes and saying goodbye to people sucks. Especially with Rocio. It was weird for me. I think that was the hardest goodbye I have ever had to do. I had been working with her since day 1 I got to Republica. Taught her everything, baptism, everything. She just had her interview Sunday to get her patriarchal blessing :) All Sunday she was just crying at church and when I said goodbye to her Sunday night. It was way hard for me. Especially when she was telling me how grateful she is that I was so persistent with her. If you don't remember it took us awhile to get in to teach her but I kept calling her like everyday to see how she was doing. She said it was because of me and my persistence that made the difference and I was a key factor in her baptism and the change she has had. She really focused on how much she has changed since being baptized and how happy she is. It was just soo awesome and the thing every missionary wants to hear. I am just so happy right now and tearing up writing this ( but dont worry I will hold in, plus I am in public) but it is this moment and this type of feeling that I love most in the mission. To know you have genuinly helped someone and have made the difference in their lives. I will never forget this and I am soo grateful to have chosen to serve a mission. I have honestly never been happier. I just wish every person, every youth could just know what difference it makes in the lives of a person to serve the Lord and feel these things and just know how much they gain instead of all the things they have to give up. I wish I understood that more clearly  before I left. This has seriously changed my life and my mind set on things. To be on the mission is to feel the pure love of Christ and I testify that it is the greatest thing that any person can feel. I am just happy :)

The rest of my goodbyes were good too not as hard as Rocio but they were great. I will miss the ward a ton. 6 months is a long time. It was during Rocios goodbye when the earthquake hit and it was actually an 8 pointer. It was cool. I didn't feel it at first everyone else was freaking out before I ever knew what was up. Things were swaying and moving it was fun personally. No one died, some minor damage to some stuff but you know normal. I didn't get my ties back but I don't care. I am just happy I am out of that mess. I got to see my three kids today and Elder Florez is pregnant. I am going to have my first grandson tomorrow. I am excited for him he is tight. I saw Elder Wilcox as well today he said you had lunch with him mom jaja. Also  he says everyone still talks about me especially some specific families that made me happy. OH! also Carolina and her family were at changes from Talagante! It was so cool to see them we ate lunch with them before doing internet. They are going to ask President King if I can baptize Rafeal her husband, well actually partner, she finally got divorced and they are going to be getting married in a month and want me to bapptize him! It would soo cool if I could. These last few days have just been awesome! I am so happy. Abril and her family offered to take us to Maipu nice of them. From there Carolina took me to my new sector. I just feel loved and that my work has not been in vain. I am just so grateful right now. God knows what we need. I have been down about companion problems and then I just get blessed like crazy.

So like I said I am now in Los Cerrilos. It's close to Maipu. It's definitely the richest sector I have been in. I have añways been in the flaite sectors (ghetto) so it will be a change especially coming from the most dangerous sector in Chile so we will see. Still hot but at nights it is starting to get pretty dang cold.

Well family I am doing great! As you can all tell I will tell you how things go in my new sector I love you all and will talk to you next week.

Con Mucho Amor,

Elder Alexander Thomasl Leavitt

Fun pictures from the class Alex taught on having faith to invite people to be baptized. He described it in his email 3/19/12.

I can see Elder Tognetti's head & forehead but it looks like he's not blindfolded. I think Elder Sosa is in front of him.

Alex's 81st email from Chile 3/5/12

Hola Familia!!

Buena, this week was a good one. I started out doing divisions with Elder Ciccio an Elder from Italy it was cool. Also school has started so all the uniforms are out and about and people are starting to return from vacations slowly. Along with all of that the parrots have come back singing just that time of year.

It's been a little difficult latley. We are not having much success, although we are finding people people let us in we teach them one or 2 times and they die off. Just no one is progressing. It's especially hard for me because now I have been here almost 6 months now changes are ending here in 2 weeks.

Now that I have complained a little I can be normal. The bright side is I am a Missionary, over all I am happy. I have been blessed with an awesome companion, of the bright spots in the sector; the converts I do have are active and strong. Rocio is amazing and we have found the most bomb 7 yr old in the world. Her name is Abril, she turns 8 in April and wants to be baptized so bad she is sooo tight.  We found an inactive family this past week contacting. We never knocked the house before because they live in a soccer stadium more like field. So there really is not a door. But ya we found them the parents are not members and are actually lesbians and they have 5 daughters all baptized excepts Abril. We have been working with them and they came to church Sunday. Abril loved it and everyone fell in love with her. She was telling the whole world how she is going to be getting baptized the next month and everything. She makes me happy and gives me more energy. She came at just the right time.

Also it was really sad, I had gotten close to an inactive family and they trust me alot. The other day we went by and just started crying asking me for help. Their daughter decided that she was lesbian and they just didnt know what to do. It was just so sad watching these adults crying asking me some 20 yr old kid for help. I had no idea what to do. We shared some scriptures about how God is aware of our situation and how he is always there for help, and that the best way they could help their daughter was to be good examples; start reading and praying again, going to church, and over time she will take notice and hopefully feel the need for a change as well. It's tough.

The smoke was some big fire in my sector the other week (I asked about last weeks pictures) . Dari is good just been busy lately and not able to leave with us. The contacts in La Legua is a sad story. We went by this past week to teach them and the Lady comes out and says she was talking with her pastor about us and he just blew up on her. Said she was sinning for talking to us how we don't believe in Christ and how she needs to repent for having let us into her home. It sucked. So she said she wasn't allowed to share with us anymore.

No I still have a lot of toothpaste thanks.(Another answer to a question)

Well family I am positive things will pick up here in a little bit. I am always praying for you and I will talk to you later.

Con Mucho Amor,

Elder Alexander Leavitt

Alex's 72nd email from Chile 1/2/12

Elder Leavitt's District & Elder Braddy's District at the Mission Christmas Party.

I love how they all got matching ties :) 

Hola familia!!!

So this week was hard. We worked really hard but we were not able to do much. Nobody wanted to meet with us haha or if they wanted to they couldn't and said come back in a month! Well what can you do right?

His Pac12 t-shirt from Alycia & Trevor. 

The excitement on his face says it all.

So funny, story last Monday I lost my companion. We were in the metro luckly we were with a group. Well we were all walking and my companion didn't tell anyone he was going to put money on his card. We were all talking and just kept going, got on the train, and then I was like "wait where is my comp?" When I realized that he wasn't there the doors closed! So I got off at the next stop went with Elder Sosa back, had the others get off and search the next train for Carcamo. Well he was on the next train and we met up again it was insane.

Some candy we sent him in his Christmas package.

Well like I said this week wasn't to strong numbers wise but it was still a good week. On Thursday we said goodbye to Rocio. She is going on vacation until March. I don't know if you remember but Santiago kinda shuts down during summer everyone leaves. But ya insane, so we both said goodbye because there is a chance none of us will see each other again before she comes back sad :(

On Friday we got the call Elder Carcamo has changes and they are shutting down the sector next to me and I am getting Elder Tognetti as my companion. I have been living with him for the last 3 months so we know each other really well we are excited to be together. He is from Iowa. We are going to have alot of work on our hands our sector is giant now.

Saturday we didn't do anything special. We had to be back in the pension at the normal time. Here in Chile they do like nothing for New Year's, and they only have like one firework show in all of Santiago, and so from our apartment we could barely see them so we watched those and then went to bed. Then Sunday we did our goodbyes, well part of them, today we are doing more goodbyes for Elder Carcamo.

We haven't been able to meet with Dalenka for Christmas and New Year's :( The basketball jersey got here just in time and I was able to give it to Rocio before she left.

Alex in Rocio's basketball jersey. 

Rocio in Alex's basketball jersey he had me send & 

Elder Carcamo in the background with the shorts.

Hey mom, so there is an Elder Sosa in my district and he is from argentina from the ward borges. His dad is the bishop there and says he worked alot with and knows President Northcutt.

Alex told us before that you see graffiti all over the place in the city.

Well guys I reaLLY DONT HAVE MUCH TO SAY THIS WEEK I AM SURE NEXT WEEK IT WILL BE (just realized that it was in caps but to lazy to go back and fix it :) love you) more exciting since it is a new comp and sector basically. I am going to send alot of pictures though love you guys and talk to you next week.

Con Mucho Amor

Elder Alex Leavitt

Alex's 61st email from Chile 10/17/11

Can you spot Alex? 

He's about 4 rows up, bright orange tie, turned sideways talking to the Elder next to him. There is a sister with blonde long hair in front of him.

Hola Familia!!!

Wow, where do I begin? Well Monday I finished saying goodbye to my branch. I am not gonna lie. I have never felt so loved by a group of people in my life other than my family. Everyone was crying when I said goodbye. On Tuesday as I was waiting for the bus I got a phone call from President King. He was like "hey I forgot to call you last night but I would like you to be District Leader in your new sector". So now I am district leader crazy eh?

I am now in Republica, in Carlos Valdivinos. My apartment building is on the street Mozart and it's like 200 something. I will try to get a better and more precise direccion for you if you can't find it. My companion is Elder Carcamo he is from Peru and is a greenie. My last 3 companions have been greenies. I have 6 months of training! His original trainer was Elder Sellers my old companion but he finished the mission last change. Small world. Elder Carcamo is awesome and is a super obedient and hard worker. Now all I am trying to do is teach him to have fun at the same time :) haha My sector is relativly big but I am now in one of the, if not most dangerous sectors in our whole mission. As soon as I heard I had La Legua I was like "I was wondering when that part of my setting apart will kick in when I feel like I need to get out of an area and protective angels and what not". La Legua is the most dangerous part of Santiago. The police don't even go in there. But I told Elder Carcamo I feel like we should go in so this week we are going to go hit up La Legua.  No missionaries have gone in there for a long time and it takes up about a 3rd of our sector.

My District is AWESOME. I have such a cool district. I am the oldest by far. I am the only one who has more than a year. I didn't know any of them before either. Mom I think I am famous in the mission because of you. Our mission is super young and at changes I kept having people saying "Hey! you are Elder Leavitt! I read you blog before the mission!" I guess they got their call, searched the mission via google, and the first thing that pops up is my blog.  It's funny you looked up Santiago norte and look for pictures and all my pictures come up. By in my district I have 5 missionaries to take care of, my comp, Elder Tognetti 5 months from Iowa, Elder Enemorado 6 months from Honduras, Elder Mlazgar 8 months from Mesa Arizona, and Elder Sosa 5 months from Argentina. My District is hilarious and I am so happy I have them as my district.

Alex & Elder Mlazgar from his district.

They are about 4 rows up, standing up, and have their hands over their eyes to shade from the sun. They are both looking at something.

My sector super flaite though. We have a bunch of apartment building that are deemed unlivable from the earthquakes so the goverment built little earthquake communities outside of the buildings.  Funny thing is the people just use the houses and their apartment to. I always feel weird when I walk into a building when it has a huge sign that says unlivable. Also I got to see a protest! Here in Chile the last few months the students have been protesting a ton where they fight with the police. They want free or cheaper studies or something. One time I got a little bit of tear gas haha it was cool though.

The stadium where the Cultural Celebration took place.

Can you see the Andes mountains with snow on them in the background?

Friday we basically spent all day at the practice for the huge activity on Saturday. Only the city sectors got to go to the practice but the whole mission got to go Saturday. The activity was amazing!! It started out with 3 speakers they didn't talk very long only like 20 mins or soo but Elder Cordbridge talked again. The dancers were amazing the skit was amazing. The soloist was one of my missionaries ward mission leader haha he is just good. I heard the two missionaries were missionaries from the north mission we were in their mission but they were gringos I know that. What white flags are you talking about? I know when Chileans dance cueca they twirl white hankerchiefs you talking about those?  When we were singing and right after yes, former mission presidents and some of the earlier missionaries went up onto stage. All of our mission went, the east mission, north mission, some of Rancagua and Vina del Mar went too. There were no genral authorities.  I knew alot of the youth who were in it. I didn't see Alan though. I saw Derrick (his sisters brother-in-law from a different mission in Chile)and I saw Jaromy Holland too (a young man from our Stake who is in yet another mission in Chile). Crazyness he is still a greenie. He just got here how lucky is that?

One of the traditional dances from one of the countries.

It was awesome after the activity ended all the missionaries stormed the field with all the youth. I saw families from Malloco, Lo Ovalle, and basically my whole ward from Talagante came and hunted me down. They were all soo happy to see me. It was sooo amazing the whole thing. Only downside was our seats. I couldn't see anything on the projectors or screens so we did miss alot and I couldn't see the stage very well either. But it was amazing. I hope they sell copies I have no idea.

My ward is kinda of an older ward. There are not many youth. My sector has once again 0 progressing investigators so it's to contacting once again but this last week we found 4 new investigators. Doing tons of contacts. It's not as dead as Islita was but it's there. We will just work hard once again. Not anything new for me now haha but now President threw in some other factors, dead sector, training, and district leader. Let's see how it goes. Pray for me I need it. But now I am trying even harder to be more obedient and more diligent. One I need the blessings in such a dangerous sector, but I need to be an example. But I have faith everything will be ok :) I love you all. It's just insane how fast the mission goes.  I need to get a move on or it will end before I am ready. Love you all soo much. Miss you guys I am praying for you all.

Con Mucho Amor,

                                 Elder Alexander Thomas Leavitt

 P.S. Alex didn't send any pictures this week. The pictures I have I took off of the Chile Santiago North Mission Blog that is kept up by the Mission President's wife. I was thrilled to see Alex in so many of the pictures. I also want to include what she wrote on the blog. She wrote:

"We had a wonderful opportunity to participate in a celebration of 50 years of the mission in Chile.  Last Saturday. we started off with a fireside with the Area Presidency, along with a wonderful youth choir.  Last night was the cultural celebration and story through dance , music and dramatizations. There were over 3000 youth that participated in the event.  Many have practiced every Saturday for the last 3 months.  They showed us dances from several Latin America Countries.   It was a wonderful evening ending with the introduction of the missionaries who had served in Chile, those who are now serving, and the future generation of missionaries in Chile.  Missionaries from the Chile Santiago North, East, West Missions and some from the Rancagua Mission participated.  They sang “I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go” to the audience.  It was quite a site to see over 500 missionaries singing!  Hopefully, in 50 years, many of our missionaries can participate in a similar event.  As you look through the pictures take a good look at the beautiful Andes Mountains in the background.  Our mission includes the stadium we are in and into the Andes Mountains.

One of the sweet experiences is the number of missionaries who had brothers or sisters or cousins serving in a nearby mission.  They had a chance to get together with each other during the practice and evening event."

We had the opportunity to watch it and it was pretty amazing. We also got to see Alex singing in the choir. It made my day!

 The missionaries singing "I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go"

I LOVE this picture of all the missionaries 

holding up Books of Mormon.

Alex's 43rd email from Chile 6/13/11

 Alex sent a lot of pictures this week but he never labels them so I have to guess where they are.  I know that some of them are in his old sector La Islita 2 but some could be from his new sector La Islita 1.  

 

Hola Famila!

So this week I had probably one of the hardest mission moments since being here. So on Monday I learned we were receiving two missionaries and there was going to be a white wash in one of the sectors. Well I technically have a new sector and had changes.  With Elder Madsen I was in La Islita 2 now I am officially in La Islita 1 with Elder Florez. The hardest part of this for me was that I will no longer be teaching Camilo and Hugo. Also it was just after we had revived that sector it was dead before with no one to teach. We had built up the teaching pool and had worked so hard in it. And now I am in another dead sector all over again. We have zero progressing investigators and are starting all over again. I was feeling really overwhelmed a little upset and confused to why I would be changed out of that sector soo quickly right after we were getting things going again. I know it was dumb to feel like that.  But I don't know, I have not been in a single sector yet where when I got there they had more than 1 or 2 progressing investigators.  I hear all these other people going to places where they get there they have all this stuff already or get there and have baptisms right away.  That definitely has not been my mission thus far. 

 I love this picture of Alex.  It shows his area and even though it's hard to see him riding his bike I think it's a great typical missionary picture. 

So I was just feeling a little stressed with everything so I just went into the other room and just started praying.  It was the only thing that came into my mind of what I should do. I just told God that i am putting this up to him and I will do whatever he asks me to do as long as he helps Elder Florez and I have some success here in La Islita 1.  I know he put me here for a reason and I just need to find it.  Then I remembered a scripture I had read the week before and reread it and it just hit me like a ton of bricks.

2And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

3And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live. 

(Deuteronomy 8: 2&3)

  Contemplating 

I know I am here to show God that I am willing to do what he asks, to show my obedience and love for him.  We don't always know why things happen and it really is not important to ever know why things happen as long as we stay true and faithful and obedient to what is asked of us.  After I prayed and read that scripture I felt so good.  It doesn't even matter what happens now because I know that President King is inspired and that God wants me here.  So I will just keep smiling and working and hopefully I can do some good and leave this sector in a better state than I found it.

 I think that this is La Islita where both sets of missionaries live. If I'm right this is Alex's new sector.

So I am good excellent actually :)  We now live with Elder Hall from Idaho.  He is in the same group as Elder Madsen and Elder Merchan from Spain.  They are both legit.   Elder Merchan really likes me haha.  I think it bugs Elder Florez a little.   

 Alex's area is so rural that it's confusing to me when I see him in pictures on roads like this or by road signs.  It does look like he has mastered the art of bike riding again - with the exception of the broken toe accident.

 Actually this looks like the same road he's riding on above and even though it's not as rural as most it does look a little more rural than I thought.  Notice the snow covered Andes in the background.  That's why I posted this picture.

So this week I went two days on divisions with Elder Merchan to teach him his sector so at least I got to say goodbye and let people know I was being changed to the other sector and I took lots of pictures. 

 

These pictures really show his rural area and the agriculture that goes on there - the vineyards.

Haha, we were doing contacts out in Lonquien and we found some guy that sells grass and he was all excited to tell me it was from the States (no one has grass here except super rich people).  So I went over, stood on the grass and was like "so technically I am standing on US soil" and he told me I was.  I was pretty stoked. 

 Alex in front of the sign of the town where he stood on U.S. soil.  Can I just say that when Fred & I both first read that he had found 'some guy that sells grass' our first thought was not 'sod'! 

Also something funny.  I don't know if you guys remember but I am flaite here (gangster) thanks to Camilo and Hugo.  I can talk flaite now.   Also all of the flaites are our friends now so we can be walking and hear "HOLA PICHOKO!!!" which is just like "whats up buddy!" and I know it is one of our flaite friends haha.  So we yell back something flaite.  I personally think its awesome haha but ya good stuff.

I believe this is Alex with Elder Florez, Camilo, Hugo & someone else.  Could their hand signals be 'flaite' signs?

I got your package thank you.   My toe is killing me today.  We hiked a mountain as a zone.  Camilo and Hugo came with us it was awesome!  In the bible I am now in 1 Samuel about 460 pages or something like that.  I am loving reading the bible I am finding so many cool scriptures and stories I never knew. Well family I got to go.  I love you all pray for you ever day.  I love the mission and still super excited to be here.

 Elder Florez & Alex on their hike.

Con Mucho Amor,

Elder Alex Leavitt

Alex's 38th email from Chile 5/9/11

 This picture of Alex was taken during our skype conversation. I don't know why it's not as clear as the ones we took during our Christmas talk with him.

Hola familia!!!

Hmmm, I will be honest I feel like I told you guys everything yesterday hopefully you won't be disappointed with this email. First off it was amazing to talk to you all yesterday. But basically we have just been working hard here in La Islita. We just keep doing contacts and trying to build that teaching pool.  The mission did some statistical thing awhile back and showed that in our mission you need to find 30 new investigators to have one baptism.  As of right now our teaching pool is small but we have found a good number of contacts here in La Islita. Cool story,  actually after we hung up last night we went right to work.  We taught some recent converts and then went to an appointment with some investigators we have but it fell through.  They told us we they were busy so we went to go to someone elses house. When Elder Madsen and I felt like we should go knock on a house we contacted a while back that was pretty receptive and said we could come by in another moment.  So we knocked it out.  They come, there was a man there, and we went in. It is a Mom Vivianna and here daughter Marian.  They are awesome. I asked them straight up why they let us in their house and what do they want from us and why were we there. Vivianna told us that she was just tired with some stuff in her life and wants to put herself and have a better relationship with Jesus Christ.  We had an amazing appointment with her and we feel like they will have baptismal dates here in a little bit so we found 2 new solid new investigators after I called home.

 Elder Leavitt & Elder Madsen

Something I have started doing at nights is since I am out in the campo you can see the stars like crazy.  I have gotten a map of some common constellations in the southern hemisphere cause we know they are all different, but now I can find the southern cross easily and am trying to figure out some other ones.  I thought dad would think that is cool.

To answer your questions: Two of the guys were brothers; Fabion and Alexis and their cousin German. The district leaders live a 30 min bus ride from us in Talagante and I actually have divisions with them tomorrow. But ya I feel like I don't have much to tell you guys because of the Skype call but I love you and I am still just super excited to be here in Chile right now. I know I have not had crazy statistical success as a missionary but I am happy and proud of what I have done thus far. I have no regrets in regards of what I could have done. I feel like I have been guided to those families and people I have met throughout my time here in Chile up to now and have been able to watch and witness some amazing miracles. It is still crazy to just look at how much I actually have done and how much I have progressed in the amount of time I have. When we have what is most important always in our minds and hearts we will never deviate from the path the Lord has set for us. We will never fall into stupid temptation and we will become and do what God expects from us. I try sharing that principal with all the members in my ward and branches. I ask them what is the one thing you want most for yourself.  The majority of the answers has to do with Eternal life and living with our families forever. That is exactly it and if we can remember that what we do in this life will have an effect on that opportunity to live with our families forever we will never mess up. And that is why I am here. I am here so people can remember what is most important because truthfully that is what is most important for me. I want to live with you guys forever, to be able to help others have what I have to have this same joy and happiness within the Gospel of Christ.  It was cool, we were teaching this to a family in our branch and just before I had shown them the pictures of my family I have and he stopped me and said "from what you just said and from the pictures you have I can tell just how much this means to you and I want that same thing for me and my family." It was cool to watch it click in his head.

Well guys I love you a ton it really was great to talk to you. Mom I hope you enjoyed your mothers day. Hopefully you guys don't think I am getting to skinny haha. OK till next week!

Con Mucho Amor,

                           Elder Alexander Thomas Leavitt

Alex's 37th email from Chile 5/2/11

Hola Familia!!!

So this week has been crazy and I am very sore. As you know I have had transfers on Monday.  I said goodbye to a ton of Families in Lo Ovalle but the hardest to say goodbye to was Alan´s family.  We visited had so food and then when it was time to go they went around the table sharing their feelings about me and how I have blessed their lives.  It was so awesome and a blessing for me to hear them talk. They all gave me little notes to read after I was back in the pension. Alan was bawling and wouldn't let go of me when I gave him a hug goodbye, I love that kid. He is truly going to be a force down here in Chile and will be an amazing missionary one day.  He has one of the strongest testimonies I have seen since being on the mission.

So I am now in the zone of Talagante, in the sector La Islita. Talagante is right next door to Peñaflor and I actually drove through Malloco to get there.  It was cool to see my first zone a little again. I was moved up to senior companion which is crazy to think about for me.  I totally didn't feel ready but obviously someone did. I will just work hard and do my best I guess.  My companion is another gringo named Elder Madsen.  He is from Oregon he has about 8 months in the mission.  He is a hard worker and we get along great.  In Talagante there are 6 sectors and my sector is Gigantic!  I am actually in one of 5 sectors in the whole mission that gets to use bikes.  We could honestly take a bus for 45 mins and not leave our sector and for that I am super sore.  It has been a long time since I have ridden a bike this much but now I feel like I have officially been made a real stereotypical missionary with the helmet and mountain bike haha.  To get here we took the bus it was a long ride. I really only know like 2 other missionaries in the zone but its cool.  I like to meet new people.  In our pension we live with two other missionaries. Elder Rhon from Ecuador and Elder Florez from Columbia.  They are awesome and we have a blast in the pension.

Like I said my sector is huge but it is beautiful here.  There are vineyards everywhere! And just pastures and groves and everything.  I love the campo.  Only downside is the smell.  Our pension has a slaughter house right next to it and in the mornings that smells gross and everywhere just smells like alchohol from all the grapes fermenting but really this place is beautiful.  Unlike Malloco I really don't have a nice condensed little city where we do most of our work.  We have a bunch of pocket pueblos where we need to ride our bikes to or take a bus.  It is a huge change from the city. La Islita is a branch that has 4 missionaries.  Our pension, the 4, of us share the branch.  The other two Elders have the more little town part of La Islita and Elder Madsen and I work the pueblos out in the sticks.  Only downside is that the majority of the members live in their sector so we have almost no support in our part. Elder Madsen has told me that our sector has been dead or at least super slow as of the work. From my Lo Ovalle experience I just see it as it has a lot of work to be done.  But this last week and actually in 2 days we found 9 new investigators. Ya at first it will be slow building that teaching pool but I think we can get this place going again :)

At nights I am so tired I am nearly a hundred percent positive it is the bikes.  We ride soo much and not always on roads and when it is on road the roads suck haha.  But hey now I can ride a bike without hands. I had never been able to do that before so that is cool haha.  Well I will be sure to be taking some awesome pictures for you guys.  I love you and I will talk to you on Sunday for Mothers Day!!

Con Mucho Amor,

                          Elder Alexander Leavitt