Mother's Day and Diligence

Hello, hello friends and family!

I apologize again for the lack of details these last couple of weeks! I shall repent and try again....

How are you all?! I hope things are going great back at home and in your crazy busy lives with work, school, etc...The Chilean life is grand. I love it...so much! Yesterday was awesome talking to the family for Mother’s Day. It was a great treat to keep the energy up and moving. Well, unfortunately yesterday the energy was completely destroyed after we went to lunch...3 gigantic pieces of steak and a mountain of mashed potatoes later....there was no hope. But yes it was very much delicious ;)

The work has been moving great here in Galvarino. We are now teaching 3 people in our focus group: Emilia (age 10), Yessica (age 40) and Joseph (age 10). They all have accepted baptismal dates and are very excited to be baptized. It has been so awesome being here in their progression. It is so amazing to see how the spirit works in their lives. I will give more updates on them later when we teach them this week but we would love if you could all pray for them to receive answers to their prayers and achieve this goal of baptism. Thank you!

Something awesome that I learned in my scripture study this last week was about how the Book of Mormon repeats the word Diligence many times throughout the book. It stood out to me as I was reading in all the small books between 2 Nephi and Moroni. I looked up the definition for Diligence. It says, to strive constantly and valiantly, particularly the service of the Lord and obedience to His word. I really love this definition. It gives us an idea of how we must be working, and acting every day of our lives. I know that if we are diligent in keeping the commandments, serving the Lord and obeying every word, we will have His Guidance and love every second of our lives.

I love you all so much and I really do appreciate your love and devotion to serve the Lord. I hope you all have a great week this week and I will talk to you all later!

Love,

Elder Callister

What we do when we get bored on the bus.....

And just one more for fun!

Papa Johns in Chile, Futbol and Clowns

There is a Sister here that says I look like the clown picture below....I had no response.

More fun pics

Just keep running....

This is our running partner....Presidente May! ;)

Back from the dead....

Hello my amazing friends and family!!

Very sorry for the delay in writing. I was very sick last week and was not even able to get out of bed... but I have risen from the dead and I am ready to go again! Wooo!!

Last week was very busy, not so fun from the sickness but manageable. We had the baptism of Emanuel! He was so happy and we could feel the spirit so strong in his testimony. I know that the spirit has changed his heart and that he is a true disciple of Christ.

This week on Thursday we have another baptism of a girl named Yadranka. She is 10 years old and soooo excited to be baptized! We are very excited to see this family be a completed family with everyone baptized and ready to go to the temple. I love this work so much!

A thought from my studies this week:

I have seen the effects of what occurs when one obeys the commandments and when one does not obey the commandments so many times in my mission. Every day I see it. I feel a need to express my desire for all of you to continue to be faithful in the gospel...doing the simple things and putting emphasis in these little things...things like reading your scriptures, saying your morning and nightly prayers, and going to church, all with an intensified focus on searching for the comforting feelings of the Holy Spirit. He changes lives. These things are so essential in our spiritual progression and our learning here in mortality. It has brought me protection and has allowed me to feel a constant love from my Father in Heaven. Obeying or disobeying the commandments does not only affect you, it affects the people around us too. As we obey, we can and will be a light unto the world and literally save souls. I love the Lord and I am so grateful for his Gospel. I love each and every one of you and pray that you feel the Lord’s love each and every day. I hope you all have a beautiful week this week. Que dieu vous benisse (French: May God bless you) :)

Love,

Elder Callister

Huge Sandwiches! Working hard and loving my mission!

Howdy Yáll!

Forgive me for not writing for such a long time! I don’t think I will ever get this writing thing down (timing wise).

I hope all of you are doing great! Life here in Chile has been awesome! We had a baptism Last week with Ramón Moisès Palma Palma! He is so amazing! His life has changed so much these last few weeks! We have another baptism this next week April 8th and we are super excited for him! His name is Emanuel. Please keep him in your prayers!

We have been having so much fun here! Doing service projects, Eating Giant Completos, zone activities and a tone of other great stuff! Life is so amazing in the mission and I hope that everyone can have this experience in their lives. The work is amazing and the gospel is true. Keep on pressing forward in all that you do and the Lord will bless you in every aspect of your life. I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love,

Elder Callister

Ramon's baptism! - an interesting menu choice; and what will Elder Callister look like in 50 years??

Baptism pics of Ramòn!

The plate: Watita....I wasn`t a huge fan of cow stomach...

My comp and y in 50 years.... ;D

Elder Callister found his Aunt Carin's twin in Chile!

The resemblance is uncanny!!

I love Chile!!

Hey Yáll!

I just want you all to know that Chile is just plain awesome! I absolutely love everything here. The people, the food, the beautiful green fields all around you. It is awesome!

The time here in Chile has been a huge learning experience. I have learned many things that have helped me to grow spiritually and temporally. The mission is the best place to grow. One of my favorite things to do is meet new people and watch the Spirit teach them through the words that we say and teach them. There is nothing cooler than that. It has been a process learning how the Spirit works through me and my comp to help others come unto Christ. I have come to learn that I really don’t make a difference in their understanding and testimony of the Gospel. The Spirit does it all. (Functions of the Holy Ghost-Testify of the Father and the Son.) If we do our best to study and treasure up in our minds the words of eternal life we will then receive the power and ability to know what to say and when to say it to help others feel the Spirit and accept it into their lives. Cool huh? This week I had a very impacting experience that helped me to see this function in my life. I was with a man named Herbert. We had found him a couple months before then he moved to the sector of the sister missionaries soon after finding him. We didn´t have too much contact with him after that, but this week when we went with him to a few appointments he began to testify to the lady that we were teaching. He said that when he met us I had said something to him that impacted him and made him want to make a change in his life. Now I can tell you all that I have no clue what I said but I know that the Spirit was able to testify to him that the words I had said were true. I didn´t do anything; only prepared myself for that opportunity. And it was awesome. I love this gospel and the miracles that we can see in our lives everyday as we live its’ principles. Keep going and keep trying every day. I love you all and I hope to hear from you all next week!

Love,

Elder Callister

Here´s some fun pics for Yáll!

The sign shows the main fast food items.....you will find this kind of food EVERYWHERE!!

More Service!

Loaded and unloaded another round of 35 meters! I am so dead....This week was so awesome! We have been working really hard to find people in our sector. A lot of work to be done but I know that the Lord is helping us every day. I sure love each and every one of you. I appreciate your love and support. I have been thinking this week about the beginning of my mission and how much I have learned over the mission. It is a lot, but I’m still going to keep learning a ton after and for the rest of my life. I think that one of the best ways to be prepared to serve a mission would definitely be to become a missionary before you serve a mission. (Counsel from David A. Bednar) All who are going to serve a mission or who simply have desires to serve others. Become a missionary at heart and love God´s children. I know that this is what God wants us to do because I can feel His love as I help His children. I love you all and wish you an amazing week!

Con Amor,

Elder Callister

A loaded question.....

Hey Mamá y Papá

I have a question for the both of ya. Our Mission Presidente just emailed us with a big question. July 4th there are 21 people leaving the mission....that´s a ton, and now it looks like 2 missionaries will be coming to replace us that day. This is not fijo (final) but he is asking the people that want to extend their missions to distribute out the missionaries. I will be praying about it but I want your opinions as well. It would be an extension till august 11th. Let me know what are your thoughts. I love you both! Have a great day!

Editor's Note: Now what are we supposed to say to that?? We told him we would support whatever decision he made. :)

Baptism - Luis Lepin

Bro. Luis Lepin was baptized! It was so cool! I felt a very strong spirit and my testimony of baptism has grown a lot. I love every one of you. Go ahead firmly in Christ!

Fires in Chile - and a very nice note from Elder Callister putting his parent's mind at ease.

Hola Mamá y Papá!

So I imagine that you both have been hearing about the fires that have been going on in Chile. Yes, they are in our area about 150 km from Temuco. i just want you both to know that we are okay and we will be kept very safe with the emergency plans we have prepared in the last few months. I love you both so much and I wish you a great Sabbath day tomorrow! I love you!

Love,
Elder Callister

Service Project - a lot of wood!

We had a service project this week. All of us woke up at 5 in the morning to go out to the middle of nowhere to pick up 35 meters of fire wood. we finished at 3 in the afternoon. I cant feel my arms.....

New Year's food and fun!

New Years dinner! Aji de gallina! A peruvian dish! (the big plate of rice and chicken)

  

Our view of the fire works from our apartment

Merry Christmas!!

Howdy yall!

Merry Christmas!!! to everyone thank you so much for the letters and Christmas wishes! My Christmas here was amazing! absolutely loved every minute of it! We were able to spend a lot of time helping members and teaching people about the meaning of this beautiful time of year! i am so grateful for my Savior and for the love that he shows to me. i testify that Christ lives and that he loves each and every one of us. I love each and every one of you and I hope you all enjoyed this beautiful time of year! Best wishes to all!

Love,
Elder Callister

Christmastime in Chile and some interesting hair pieces?

A few pictures of Elder Callister from December 2016.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving in Chile!  Jose, our new investigator is at the end of the table.

Chilean Food & Service

 Photos 1-3

Typical Chilean lunch (in the south)
1. Salad
2. Rice and Chicken
3. Fruit with Cream for dessert

Photos 4 & 5

Service: From cutting grass with some rusty scissors to....building a house :D