Jack - January 22

Hi there,

I hope everything is going well for everyone, this week was pretty good, but also pretty short. Mostly we just did a lot of contacting, but we were able to encounter a couple new people to teach. 

We had intercambios with the zone leaders this week and I was with Elder A. He´s pretty cool and he´s basically a professional piano player so that´s awesome. We got along really well. My companion and Elder C were actually in the sector with us for a bit because they were helping the sister missionaries find a new appartment. I´m really happy this week because an investigator I had encountered with Elder C in exchanges was baptised this week. When we found him we had a really really good and spiritual lesson, so it felt good to know that I had helped with that.

We talked for a while with our ward mission leader yesterday and made some plans to work even harder in the area than before, especially with the members, so I´m excited to work hard this next week.

Other than that I hope everyone´s week went well, I´ll try to improve my email writing next week, I think mostly I´ve just got a really bad memory.

-Elder Blaylock

Parker - January 22

Hey Everyone!

So yeah, this week has been a little better in terms of the heat. I bought a hat, sorry I didn't get a picture of it. I need to stop being so lazy with taking pictures. 

But yeah, we've had a fairly successful week. We were able to find several new investigators, and I had several opportunities to share my testimony of the restored gospel. It really makes so much sense, all one has to do is look at how God has acted with His children. He gives them the Gospel, later on, they reject it, and he must restore it again. He gave it to Adam, it began to be corrupted by the children of men, and so God had to restore it to Enoch, then Enoch and his city were taken up, and the world had to be cleansed of iniquity, here comes the Flood, and God calls Noah to restore the Gospel. Later on, after it is perverted again, Abraham had to restore it, and later Moses when he took the Israelite people out of Egypt. God's always worked like this. 

(Can you tell, I've been studying dispensations a lot)

And yeah, we were also able to set baptismal dates with four of the new investigators we found, and they seem really excited. The only problem is that we went by early Sunday morning to bring them to church, and they didn't answer the door, and we haven't seen them since. We have an appointment with them tomorrow. But, the thing is that I think I've finally found the balance I've always been looking for as a missionary. 

Because there are basically two schools of thought in la Obra missional when it comes to a successful missionary. There is the missionary who gets many baptisms, and the missionary that doesn't get many baptisms, but has at least helped others. The problems enter when you get a missionary who baptizes people who aren't ready just because he wants another baptism, and the missionary who justifies his disobedience to certain mission rules cuz he isn't getting success and needs to do something to not be discouraged cuz of his lack of success. 

But, there must needs be a balance, and I've been searching for this my entire mission. Maybe it's just a symptom of being a middle child, and my need to find a compromise. I've come to the conclusion that there is no reason to get discouraged in the mission, even if our numbers are 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0, so long as we maintain a high level of obedience and diligence. What do I mean by this? 

Well, for example, with these investigators, they didn't come to Church, so the numbers come up Zero. But, I STILL feel like a successful missionary. Why? Because I've been trying to be more obedient, and we went 45 minutes out of our way in order to stop by their house and bring them to church. In other words, I was doing all that I could to help them come unto Christ, all that was left was their free agency, over which I have no control. So, if we don't want to get discouraged in the mission, then we need to elevate our level of diligence and obedience to the point that even on a day where we do not enter into any house and have taught no lessons and have found no new investigators, even on that day, we are able to say that "I did a good job today, Lord." 

I feel quite strongly about this. And I am very excited, because this Thursday, we are having a Zone Conference, and the Assistants have asked me to share a spiritual thought/lecture type thing based on the first two pages of the Missionary Handbook, with the goal of encouraging the zone. I am not sure why they thought of this for this particular time. All I can say is that the Lord has prepared me, and I am extremely grateful for his help.

I love all of you, and I want you to know that the mission's going great for me now,

Elder Blaylock

PS They're pics of some service we did Saturday morning, painting a member's house.

Jack - January 15

Aloha everyone!

Sorry I`ve been in the mood to say aloha for a while because all the houses here have fences so to contact them we shout  "ALOOOOOO" I always want to shout aloha instead.

This week was pretty good, it is a little weird to have to lead the area now, because my companion is new to the area, there are still some things I don`t know, I`m really bad with directions haha.  

My new companion is from Colorado Springs, Colorado, and his name is Elder B. He has like a year and 3 months in the mission. He`s pretty cool, I don`t know him all that well, it`s weird getting used to a new companion. Our ward mission leader seems like he wants to do more this transfer which is really good, he took us for a tour of the area and pointed out a couple houses with members or investigators, so that was good. He also gifted us beef jerky yesterday, no idea where he got it, but it was really good.

We`ve been doing a lot of contacting this week, partially because we`re not teaching very many people right now and because I`m not used to having so much more time to work because I was in training my first two transfers. Today my companion had to do paperwork for his visa so we`re in viña right now, it took all morning, so while our zone was playing soccer I had to follow him on a scavenger hunt around viña to do paperwork. Oh well. We did run into the Mission President though and he gave me some small quad scriptures I had been asking for, so that was good.

Other than that not much has happened this week, I kinda miss the old zone, now that half the zone has changed it doesnt seem like as much fun. But I hope everyone`s week back at home was good!

Elder Blaylock

Parker - January 15

Hey everyone!

But yeah, let's start at the beginning, let me tell you guys a story or two. 

So first of all, let me tell you about the bus ride from Salta to Santiago. We did get a movie and a half. The first one was this film from Spain called 22 Angéles, pretty boring. Then I got the first 30 minutes or so of a movie called the art of the steal, a heist moving starring Kurt Russell. It didn't seem too bad. 

So then I got here and let me tell you a bit about here. I am still district leader, and in this area, there are only three areas, and we're the only elders, the other four are sisters, which is pretty fun. The zone leaders also seem pretty chill, which is a good thing. 

And so this is a big area, we have bikes, BUT, we don't use them cuz my companion doesn't know how to ride a bike. So we walk. A LOT. And guess what? It is HOT here. Like, really hot. Like it's literally unbearable. We spent the first few days walking around, contacting and getting lost a little, cuz my companion is a little scatterbrained and doesn't have a great memory. The also, the elders who were here before (I'm talking to you Elder R) lost the phone, so we've been using another phone they had to buy, and we have to keep paying money to get minutes or something like that. So that's been fun. (NOT) But the good news is that tomorrow, we're gonna receive a new phone from the mission so we won't have that problem anymore. 

And yeah, this area seems pretty cool, From what I could tell, Santiago's great, and the people are great too, but the problem is the HEAT. Let's get into that, shall we?

So Saturday, it rains. Sigh a little relief from the heat. But, when the weather changes on a dime, it's not good for the body. So by midday, I was feeling a whole bunch of pain in my entire body, and I just lost all energy. I was trembling, and every movement hurt, but I decided to try and overcome my natural man and push on, thinking it would pass soon. 

We left to go work. We were walking around for around an hour when my companion just stops me and says that we're going back so I can rest. So we did that. I slept for about 3 hours or so, woke up to verify with the district and zone leaders, then went back to sleep. At about 2 in the morning, I was super cold, freeeeezing. I quickly got out of bed, put on a long-sleeved shirt, and turned up the air conditioning so it wasn't blowing cold air. But I still couldn't sleep that well. 

Sunday, we wake up and go to church. I'm still feeling pain and this lack of energy. We go through church, go to lunch with some members, and I'm still not feeling better. So they take me to the hospital. (luckily hospitals are free here.) And They set me up with this thing (See photo). They called it a serum, so I played it off like they were turning me into Captain America or something. I was there for like five hours, waiting for them to finish analyzing my blood to see if I had a virus or bacteria or something. But no, it was just the heat, I need to be more careful and drink a whole lot more water (I am drinking a lot of water, but ok). 

And yeah, that was basically our week. But don't worry, I'll be alright, when I woke up this morning, I wasn't feeling 100%, but I did feel a lot better, I think by tomorrow, I'll be great. 

I also want to bear my testimony that God loves each of us and that he has prepared a plan for each of us. Everything that happens, happens for the benefit of His children.

Yesterday, coming back from the hospital, we took a bus, and we hopped off at the apartment, but my companion realized that he had left his keys in his suit jacket, which he left in the car of the member who took us to the hospital. So we hopped on another bus and arrived at his house, but they weren't there. Another man was there, who let us come inside and use the landline, cuz our phone was dying and didn't have minutes to call either. So we tried calling, but the landline was not working at all. So we decided to wait. After about five minutes or so, I decided that something else should be done, and the idea came to me that we ask to use someone else's phone from a neighbor or something. So we get up and go do that. There was a nice couple sitting a few houses down and had their phones out. So We walked over and asked kindly and they tried, but they didn't have minutes either, and so they lent us a charger for the phone so we could go charge minutes on there from some kiosk down the street, then their daughter comes over and finds out what's going on, so she calls the family and lets them know where we are. Very nice family, and now the problem is solved. But that's not all, after all this, they tell us "hey, we're members too you know, we just don't go to church." Turns out that they had stopped going to church some six years ago, and lately had been trying to find an opportunity to come back to church, and then this happens. That is just incredible. I absolutely love the grand and mysterious designs of God. This should be a testimony for all that everything that happens to us is an opportunity, and that God has our best interests in mind. 

I love you all,

Elder Blaylock

PS I'm an Eight Again ;)

Attachments area

Jack - Jenauary 8

Hi Everyone!

This week was pretty good, it felt like it went by pretty fast, but also all week I´ve been waiting to hear about the transfers. Turns out half of my zone is changing, I´ll be staying in my area for now, but someone changed out of every companionship. This´ll be interesting. I´ve also finished my training so that´ll also be interesting, this next transfer will be different.

Not all that much happened this week, at least not that I can remember, we´ve found a few more people to teach, and we´ve had some good lessons, hopefully we can continue to help them. The Spanish classes that we started for the Haitians here in our area (there are a ton) are super successful, now we have a member teaching them. (The members that gave us thanksgiving and know like 4 languages).

Today for pday our zone went to some sand dunes in Viña del Mar because the zone accomplished the goal for the last transfer. It was a ton of fun, and also really beautiful there. So I´ll send some pictures of that. 

I hope that everyone is doing well back at home, sorry I didn´t write much, this week felt short.

-Elder Blaylock

Parker - January 8

Hey everybody!

So first of all, transfers came in, I am going to be leaving this area and heading down to the province of Santiago, area called Ejército, and my new companion is a Peruvian named Elder V. My bus leaves at 3:00 and I'll get there at like 10 at night. 

The province is the southernmost province in the mission, it's basically a desert like Arizona, super hot and dry. And we're in the middle of summer here. I've heard it gets up to 70 degrees celcius (158 fahrenheit) here. Which is insane. Yeah, mostly people just sleep all day. But don't worry. Mostly I just heard that the normal high it ever gets is around 120 farenheit. 70 was like a rarity. 

So yeah, this will be a fun transfer. I've met this elder before, and he seems pretty chill. 

And yeah, this past week has been fun, we were able to do a lot of service for some members. And finally we found some new investigators. Nobody came to church though cuz friday a huge storm passed by Rosario, and it was fierce, like hail, high winds, lots of rain, it was crazy. Luckily we were close to the chapel just as it started, so we took refuge in the chapel until the storm passed. The power went out after like 20 minutes. Then we were gonna head back to the apartment to grab some coats just in case it started back up again, but the streets were literal rivers, so we couldn't cross to get to the apartment. We had to take the long way around, looking for a crossing when we ended up close to a member's house and we stopped by and helped them get all the water out of their hosue. It felt great, it was an adventure. 

And yeah, That was basically it this week. I'm just excited to leave and get some new surroundings. It's good to change. And yeah, I just wanted to share my testimony that I know this church is true, and I know that if one just reads the Book of Mormon, prays, and goes to church, no matter what, God is gonna be able to help us get through whatever problem we're going through. I've been studying grace a lot, and how to access the power of Christ's Atonement more easily. And the simplest answer is to do the simple things, and in times of stress or temptation, think of Him. The spirit will flow into you and you will be able to feel the love of God overwhelm you, and you will find the strength to keep going. A phrase from a talk by Brad Wilcox about grace keeps coming back to me. "Grace is not the light at the end of the tunnel, it is the light that moves us through the tunnel." Always remember that when temptations and difficulties overcome you. Remember that there is light that can move you through that dark tunnel. 

I love you all and have a great week!

Elder Blaylock

PS, this is the last transfer for my new companion, so that should be interesting. 

Jack - January 2

Alright. We made it.

This week was soooooooooo long. Mostly because we couldn´t find practically anybody to teach because of vacations and stuff. However, we had an awesome new year.

For new years the zone leaders got permission for all of the elders in the zone to go to their apartment in Valparaíso to watch fireworks. It was awesome. The Saturday before my companion and I had to buy a bunch of groceries to bring to the party, because we were the only ones with money. So when we went to the zone leader´s appartment we had to carry all of our things to stay the night, all of the groceries, and some sleeping bags. We had to take all of that on a very crowded bus. We had all of these bags and right before we left we were trying to decide how to accomplish it... then I looked down at my bag for dirty clothes, which also functions as a backpack. Basically I was Santa Claus, it was so stuffed the straps were close to breaking. 

The party was awesome, it was 8 elders in total in a small appartment, we spent most of the time making pizzas, or more specifically making a mess in their appartment with the outcome of a pizza haha. Then we got to watch the fireworks from their balcony all 8 of us and it was awesome. The funniest part was when after everyone was cheering happy new year an elder who finishes his mission this year yelled out "I¨m want to get married this year!" Then later there were some fireworks in the shape of hearts and he was like,"IT´S A SIGN!" Hahaha, it was pretty funny. The next day we met together as a zone and played some games in the court at one of the church buildings. One of them was volleyball/dodgeball based and it was funny because I´m super tall so I could just keep the ball in the air above everyone´s heads haha. 

Anyways that´s basically all I have to write about today, I hope everyone had a good new year!

Elder Blaylock