Vina Del Mar, Chile

Monday, February 16, 2015

Week 25: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer :)

Buenas Dias!

This week was definitely a good one with lots of events! This week we had changes but I am still here in Villa Dulce with Elder H :) This means that there is a 90% chance that I will be changed the next change because I will have been in Villa Dulce for 6 months (WOW).
This week we attempted to visit the catholic family despite the protection of "The Wolf" and almost accomplished our mission. We went and "The Wolf" was sleeping. Elder H didn't want to go but I decided that we should try to sneak by the sleeping wolf. As we were going we made it past the wolf and let our guard down a little bit. We didn't notice the other dog and the other dog started barking. The barking then woke up the Wolf but before it could get up Elder H and I had already made it to the other side of the sector ;) So no we didn't encounter the family, but we got closer than last time! :)

This week we encountered a family who are members except for one son. We contacted them and the wife was talking to us outside because her husband doesn't permit Mormons to pass into the house (Because he is mad at the church). After talking a little bit she asked her husband if we could come in to get some water because it was hot. He permitted that and we passed. He began to talk to us and we talked for a good hour. He is mad at the church because a bishop was stealing money from the church and telling him he had to sell all his stuff to pay tithing (Even though he didn't have a job and wasn't making money). Normally I wouldn't believe that but I know who his bishop was and the bishop was excommunicated. Anyways with all the problems and lies that were going on his wife left the house for 3 years but now returned. For all these problems he is angry at the church, but he loves us, came to English classes (which I teach every Wednesday) and we have an appointment to eat dinner with them today. We are going to try to help them come back to the church and reignite the feelings and knowledge that he had from before, and then baptize their son.

This week has also been a big week of contacts! We have the goal of doing 20 contacts in the street every day. It is really hard to achieve that and even harder to convince yourself to do them. It is hard to stop strangers in the street, start a conversation that isn't weird so that you have their confidence, teach a short lesson, and then ask for their address. But this week with some guidance and practice I have gotten a lot better. This week from contacts (3 days of contacts) we have set 9 appointments and given out 8 Books of Mormon. I know that I don't want to do them, but it is how we are going to achieve success.

By doing so many contacts you get to know and meet lots of different types of people and their lives. And this is where my title of the week comes in. Keep your friends close, your enemies closer.

Something I have learned on my mission is that if you are ever in the street and come across a group of people that scares you the best thing you can do (Unless the spirit says not too) is talk to them ha ha :) This week we were talking to a inactive member and getting his information so that we could visit him. The whole time a group of fleites (Flightays) (Fightay is a person who is a druggie and is someone you wouldn't want to meet in the street if you were alone and it was night) was yelling stuff at us. "The Mormons!" "Beware the Word of God" and "Whisky is good!". After getting the information from the inactive, I was kinda worried because it was night and dark and no one was in the street but us and the Fleites, so what did I do? I went to talk to them :) I started talking to them and it was interesting. They were all like 19 and 20 and were all smoking marijuana and drinking beer. But I was friendly with them and talked gangster English to them and they loved it. Then one mockingly told us to teach the word of God, so I gave them all cards with questions of the soul and answered the questions and taught them about the plan of salvation. It was awesome and hilarious. Then they asked me to speak in English so I started to speak in English and when I did they started beat boxing and told me to Rap. Being the hardcore rapper that I am I threw down my hardcore white Mormon English rap and they all freaked out and loved us. They gave us hugs and offered us their marijuana and beer and were buena honda with us :) So I learned that you just got to talk to everyone and not judge them. But now they got our back and I am not afraid of the streets in that area anymore :) I know that as missionaries we are protected by god if we are willing to share the gospel :) 

It was a long tiring week but I learned that God protects us, loves us, strengthens us, and gives us courage. I know that I am doing his will and that I am here for a purpose.


I love you all! Stay Golden!

Elder Nielson :)

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