Andrew Update - 8 January 2011

The Hottest Christmas of my life - 3 January 2011

Well hello there family!

These last two Sundays, we had 3 investigators in each one. Alessandro, and two teenage girls name Danitza and Liset. They are all really good, but Alessandro`s baptismal adte got moved, because he drank a little bit of champagne for the new years... I really hope I am here for the next change, so I can see his baptism, because it got postponed, and now he will be baptized the 16th, and not the 9th. Lame huh? I hope I stay here after killing my companion... Whitewashes aren`t too common, but I really hope I do not leave... I have not had a baptism here yet, and I want to see my investigators finally getting baptized... Sigh.... Oh yeah, that earthquake barely even reached up to Buin, and it was just a super light tremor.. Don`t even worry. This Saturday was p-day, because of the new year, and we were all gringos in the house, (because other missionaries came to stay the night) so we did gringo things, and banged two pans together at midnight to celebrate. People here in Chile give each other hugs to welcome the new year. This last week was just a tough week, because virtually nobody had time, or was even in town to listen to our message. A car almost killed 2 people crossing the street, because it was passing another car that was going "too slow" so it swerved around, and these two people were walking, and the car noticed them at the last second, and the two cars almost crashed, and the two people jumped out of the road, and both the cars just continued forward, and did not stop, but these two people were probably scared to death. We were in a contact, and they had already left, so we did not get a chance to talk to them. But goodness-how many deaths and near deaths am I going to see on my mission???? A missionary made a funny comment the other day saying that I am the only one that can see thestrals from Harry Potter, because only those that have witnessed deaths can see them. Which is really weird, because the other night I heard lots of horses galloping down the road at like 2 am, and my comp said he heard nothing, 2 seconds after they passed by. Funny. Creepy...

So I am glad to hear that Matthew passed his EMT test, and is going to work in ambulances! How awesome and cool is that! But he still has not found a place to work? I hope he finds one soon... And Brinkley is doing better? Awesome... I want to see that dog ALIVE before it dies. I made a promise one day that I would be the one that had to pick up her dead body and bring it to a vet, or somewhere that deals with dead animals, so that none of the girls, including Mom would have to do it. So I am glad that that personal promise is still coming through. I would not like to make Kristen, Carolyn, Lauren, or Mom have to do that... Sadness. And Jenn and Sam are just partying it up there in their house? I knew it.. Those party animals... Well, my comp and I are doing well, and we are almost done with this change. I am killing my FIFTH COMPANION, and he is dying with style. We are working to the end, if not working harder every day.

Well, that really is the sum of my week. Not very much. Just been doing lots of contacts, and have those three good investigators. Yicel is kind of really dying, because she is ALWAYS in Santiago, so it is really hard to catch her at home, and she does not follow through with her commitments very often. But, maybe in a month or so... We are doing all we can to help those that are already investigating.

Ok, me cansè de hablar en inglès. A mì me gusta hablar en español màs que el inglès. Quisiera poder communicarme con los mexicanos un dìa allì en Tucson, entonces no voy a hablar inglès a menudo, porque destruirè mi habilidad de hablar español si hablo inglès siempre. Si estuviera allì en Tucson ahorita, estarìa acompañando a los misioneros 24/7, porque esto es mi pasiòn. No hay nada màs en el mundo que quisiese hacer en vex de compartir este maravilloso mensaje de la divinidad, y realidad de nuestro señor, y Salvador viviente. Espero que ustedes tambien estèn bien, y estèn aprovechando de compartir el evangelio en cada oportunidad que se les encuentre. Especialmente mi papà. Hay una dicho entre nosotros, los misioneros. Es como la phrase de la pelicula "The Sandlot". Es: "Elderes se recuerdan, pero misioneros jamàs se mueren." Los amo a todos. Sigan escribiendome, porque me encanta escuchar las historias de mis hermano y hermanas. De nuevo, los amo a todos.

-Elder Nicholls