Hello everyone!
This week was absolutely crazy! We had so much to do during the week. First of all it was Christmas and we also had a branch conference to prepare for. When that happens we are doing activities all during the week. So all of that is added on to the work that we normally do. We had no time to do anthing extra. Becase we had so many activities we felt like we had a lot of time wasted. But that is just how Christmas week goes. We had a really good time talking about the things we could do better as a companionship so that we could help others even more. One of the biggest things was just to always look at the bright side. When people see that we are optimistic they will want to go help too. We had a few times during the week that were a bit "down in the dumps". We realized very quickly that when our attitude was down everything else and everyone else around us was pulled down with us. The mission is not easy and it is so easy to fall into this trap, but I know and testify that as we are pushing through with faith we know that God will fill in the rest and put His strength with our efforts, we can and will receive all the blessings from everything that we do.
The other thing I have realized during my whole mission is that love is the strongest and most powerful thing anyone could ever have. The reason that I came out on a mission was to learn to love others as Christ does. Love to your companion, to your friends, family and especially to your Father in Heaven. The way that we show this love is through service to others. The happiness that comes from service is the greatest in the world and each and every one of us has the opportunity to experience it too. Yesterday we were out to go give the Sacrament to two people who were very old and not doing so well in their health. Before we went I was just thinking to myself why we had to do this and why couldn’t someone else in the ward do it. It was far and we had other plans in mind. Then the spirit hit my like a load of bricks and told me to go and do it anyway, but do it with a smile. So we went and visited with them. The whole time I didn´t even think about anything else because I felt so much love for these people. They are children of God and each and every one of us is here to serve and love one another.
This work has changed my life so much and my gratitude goes to my family, friends and my Heavenly Father. Thank you so much for your examples and for the love you have for one another. I hope all goes well this week and that you are able to share this love with someone. Much love from Chile!
Love,
Elder Callister
Monday, December 28, 2015
The Cherry Picking Elders of Traiguen
Once upon a time, two Elders in the city of Triaguén were walking down the street with much hunger and pain. they had been walking for hours and had accumulated many blisters on their feet.
With the heat of the hot summer sun and injuries they were becoming weaker and weaker, until something dropped on Elder Arancibia´s head. He looked down and found that it was a bright, red, juicy cherry. They looked up in excitement to find a giant cherry tree with plenty of cherries to satisfy their hunger.
They began to pick like mad men and gather as many cherries as possible. They had picked all the cherries they could reach, but saw that there was so much more beyond their reach. They had to think of a way to get them....Then Elder Callister threw a roundhouse kick to the gut of the tree and many cherries fell down.
But it wasn´t enough.....they had to use their heads somehow....so Elder Arancibia came out of nowhere with a Rhinoceros Attack to the tree and all the cherries came tumbling down.
They were saved and the hunger was satisfied. they returned to the house after work with their tummies full and full of happiness. But then all of a sudden they quickly began to the see the side effects of the Wild fruit. They had not just picked random cherries from a tree, they were in fact beard growing cherries.....Elder Callister And Elder Arancibia were stuck with eternal dope beards and could do nothing about it. But they were content.....because they are dope.
The End
With the heat of the hot summer sun and injuries they were becoming weaker and weaker, until something dropped on Elder Arancibia´s head. He looked down and found that it was a bright, red, juicy cherry. They looked up in excitement to find a giant cherry tree with plenty of cherries to satisfy their hunger.
They began to pick like mad men and gather as many cherries as possible. They had picked all the cherries they could reach, but saw that there was so much more beyond their reach. They had to think of a way to get them....Then Elder Callister threw a roundhouse kick to the gut of the tree and many cherries fell down.
But it wasn´t enough.....they had to use their heads somehow....so Elder Arancibia came out of nowhere with a Rhinoceros Attack to the tree and all the cherries came tumbling down.
They were saved and the hunger was satisfied. they returned to the house after work with their tummies full and full of happiness. But then all of a sudden they quickly began to the see the side effects of the Wild fruit. They had not just picked random cherries from a tree, they were in fact beard growing cherries.....Elder Callister And Elder Arancibia were stuck with eternal dope beards and could do nothing about it. But they were content.....because they are dope.
The End
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Transfers to a new area!
Hey Yáll!
So this week was a travel week. We were running all around the mission all week. First we had a zone attack in Los Ángeles, and then we went to the Christmas conference where the whole entire mission was and partied there! Then we went back to Los Angeles, then to Concepción for a medical appt. and finally back to Laja. BUT, I am no longer going to be here in Laja. We just got cambios (transfers) this morning and I found out that I will be leaving to my new sector, Traiguén. I will be with my new comp se llama, Elder Arrancibia. He is from Chile but has spent some time in the U.S. (Utah to be exact). So the dude totally knows English too! I am super excited for this cambio and I know that I will learn a lot from all the changes that are going to happen.
One thing I wanted to share with you guys was something I read today in my personal study. I was reading in Alma 8 and 9 about how Alma was commanded to return to preach to the people of Ammonihah. He explains to the people that they are a wicked people and that they must repent or they would be destroyed. He tells them that if they would not repent it would be more tolerant for the Lamanites sufferings compared to what they would suffer because they have already been given the truth and fullness of the gospel but then rejected it. The message from this story is that we all have a knowledge of the truth. Therefore we must in our duty, strive to continue in the ways of the Lord. We cannot suffer to become lazy and forget the truths of the gospel. Therefore, if we are willing to live the gospel, we must now help all others to receive it as well. I challenge you all to study these chapters this week and see how it can be applied to your life.
I love you all and hope you all have a great time this week getting ready for Christmas!
Love,
Elder Callister
Mini Golf - Chilean Style
Hey Yáll!
It is so awesome to hear from you guys and all the awesome things you are doing back in the states! We just got back from Los Angeles from playing mini golf with the rest of the guys. It was the most ghetto minigolf place I had ever seen. It was just concrete slabs in the middle of a bunch of crab grass. Then I thought to myself, oh wait, We´re in Chile. It was still fun and we bought a ton of ice cream after!!
Many of you had the question of, how in the heck did I make an Oreo pie in Chile. Well may I introduce you to the Store Lider AKA Chilean Walmart!!! It´s the best, but the closest one is in Los Angeles (an hour away by bus). So the past couple weeks we had been there for our P day, hanging out with the other dudes in the zone, so I picked up some Oreo´s (all crushed from being shipped 10,000 km from the US) and some Great Value Peanut butter, though it was not the cheapest in the world. TOTALLY worth it though! It basically gave me diabetes.
This week was pretty good as far as the work goes. We had a ton of plans to be working with the members. This is part of our goals for this next cambio. We are trying to get more member help in the lessons because that is one of the best ways for people to progress. If you ever have the chance to work with the missionaries, DO IT!! It is the best!!!!
I love you all and hope you are doing amazing! Continue being awesome and I will talk to you later!
Ciao!
Love,
Elder Callister
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Thanksgiving in Chile!
Hey Yáll!
This week was so awesome! We had two big things in mind as far as goals go. This first being to really find new investigators. We have been so busy trying to find people and have been praying so much to know where we need to go. We were not able to find as many people as we hoped for but we were able to find some that we will be passing again for this week! The next goal we had in mind was how much food we could be able to fit into our stomachs before we exploded on Thanksgiving. There are 4 gringos in the house...hence...we went ham! *or turkey if you really want to get technical* they don’t celebrate it obviously so there was not any huge turkeys available, so we got huge chickens instead. Each of us ate half a chicken, tons of mashed potatoes, pan, gravy, and of course, PIE! I got to make it all because these goons here have no clue what they are getting themselves into when it comes to cooking. I made a lemon cream pie on thanksgiving and because it was my comps birthday on Saturday, I waited to make the peanut butter Oreo pie then. It was so beautiful. I cried just little....
This time here has been amazing and I really do feel the Lord helping me in all that I put my heart and mind to. If you want to receive help from the Lord, you need to search it out diligently. The angel did not just tell Nephi the significance of everything of what his father saw in chapter 11 of 1 Nephi; he asked if he understood the meaning of these things. If he did not understand, he helped him according to his diligence in searching for the truth. Search diligently. Strive each and every day to live like your Father in Heaven wants you to live. He will bless you. And you will come closer and closer to the Spirit as you do.
I love you all and hope that you have a great week this week. I pray for you all and love you so much! Take care! Ciao!
This week was so awesome! We had two big things in mind as far as goals go. This first being to really find new investigators. We have been so busy trying to find people and have been praying so much to know where we need to go. We were not able to find as many people as we hoped for but we were able to find some that we will be passing again for this week! The next goal we had in mind was how much food we could be able to fit into our stomachs before we exploded on Thanksgiving. There are 4 gringos in the house...hence...we went ham! *or turkey if you really want to get technical* they don’t celebrate it obviously so there was not any huge turkeys available, so we got huge chickens instead. Each of us ate half a chicken, tons of mashed potatoes, pan, gravy, and of course, PIE! I got to make it all because these goons here have no clue what they are getting themselves into when it comes to cooking. I made a lemon cream pie on thanksgiving and because it was my comps birthday on Saturday, I waited to make the peanut butter Oreo pie then. It was so beautiful. I cried just little....
This time here has been amazing and I really do feel the Lord helping me in all that I put my heart and mind to. If you want to receive help from the Lord, you need to search it out diligently. The angel did not just tell Nephi the significance of everything of what his father saw in chapter 11 of 1 Nephi; he asked if he understood the meaning of these things. If he did not understand, he helped him according to his diligence in searching for the truth. Search diligently. Strive each and every day to live like your Father in Heaven wants you to live. He will bless you. And you will come closer and closer to the Spirit as you do.
I love you all and hope that you have a great week this week. I pray for you all and love you so much! Take care! Ciao!
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