24 de Septiembre

Well still turned around in the sector- my compass inside of me tells me that this way is north and then I think about it in relation with the sun and it doesn´t make sense. Without the ocean near by it throws me more off. It´s a big sector last transfer it had 4 missionaries and now we are down to Elder Gonzalez and I so we´ve been trying to get in contact with all of the investigators and less actives that the other missionaries worked with as well as continue working with ours. 

This last week our ward sent a missionary off to Buenos Aries Argentina, making our ward Oasis having 5 missionaries in the field right now, and with one more going to Peru in October. I enjoy watching new missionaries come in/leave and think about how much greater of a work they have infront of them, and what they shall accomplish. 

Independence day in Chile consisted of a lot of meat, one of the few days here in Chile I couldn´t eat more. People just kept giving and giving, it was quite a challenge. The streets were filled with grills, smoke, and flags. (What I didn´t know until the night before is if you don´t have a flag out you can be ticketed, so luckly we found a flag) 

Another tradition that appeared during the season, has been a toy top, however you use a string to wrap it up and then throw it and it spins like a top, and then people pick it up while it spins. Some people are really impressive and I´ll send a video in the future when I have a computer here with a card reader. 

 So as people ask me what are differences between the states and Chile I really don´t know what to say because the food isn´t the different...they speak a different language that´s different, but that doesn´t seem to satisfy the persons want to know what is different- so as I´ve been thinking one thing that is different, (haven´t seen in Calama but in Arica) people drive around, like an icecream truck, and sell eggs, and others sell fruit, and some people just walk the streets shouting that they will buy your bad car batteries. Kind of different. But I haven´t seen an icecream truck. 

 Well a member from Diego Portales just sent me some of their photos from my birthday so I´ll throw them up as well. 

 Have a Wonderful day- because you can choose to

     Elder James O. Gillespie

Calama

Calama I arrived at 6 in the morning and it was the first time I´ve had chattering teeth since I´ve arrived in Chile. I could see my breath which was kind of exciting. Elder Gonzalez and I arrive to our pension and I was quite surprised at how messy it was so I took our first morning worked together to clean it up. It looks spectacular now. 

    I´m still really turned around and not sure who is who and where they live but the map in my head is forming slowly. Sunday I had the chance to play the Piano. 

    18 of September is the independence day here in Chile and it is a huge party that lasts the whole week- much bigger than the 4th of July, almost no one works and there are flags, barbecues, and beer everywhere. Pretty crazy time. Although I do love walking down the street and seeing all of these flags waving in the wind defiantly the most color I´ve seen here in Chile. 

    It´s pretty hot and cold here, in the morning it´s rather cold and to make the matter worse the hot water works for about 3 minutes and then it goes bitter cold. Tragic story however it will wake you right up because it gives you about 2 seconds of warning before it goes cold. 

 Have a Wonderful day-because you can choose to. 

    Elder James O. Gillespie

Lunch, Transfers, Bautismo

So our Zone this past Saturday had the change to eat lunch with Pres. Bruce and Sis. Bruce because we won the Olympics so we all went to an Italian resturant called Dimango´s It was delicious, a nice moment to relax and just listen to people talk and tell stories. Also Saturday nights are when the assistants call to tell us of our transfers, however when President showed up he asked if we wanted to know and of course everyone said "Yes!" or "¡Sí!" and so President told us all and only four people are leaving from the zone which is probably the smallest transfer I´ve seen in a zone. One of which is me. However they couldn´t remember where I will go, or my companion.

     Right after Lunch Elder Marroquín and I took off to the chapel to finish cleaning it up and filling the font because we had a baptism of Camila Quisbert Ticona.

So here´s a basic run down of the story: Humbertiña Ticona had not come to church for about 14 years because when she got married her husband did not like the church at all and with time she stopped trying to come at all. After some more time Tiña and her husband separate.  About 4 years ago her nephew Marco Chuyo and his wife Angelica Muñoz baptize themselves. A month ago Angelica completed another year of life, and invited us to come and celebrate it with her. Elder Marroquín and I went and enjoyed talking with different members that had come as well and some of the family of Angelica and Marco. I met and obtained the address of Humbertiña. Few days later we pass by in the "Precioso momento" as she told us for us to share a scripture with her. Had a 7 minute lesson and she told us that she could come back to church now however needed one more week to organize her work. A week later we visit her again and meet her 13 year old daughter Camila. We continue to teach and decide that Camila needs to be baptized. So we set the date and Saturday we had a nice baptism without too many problems. Just had a hard time setting the hour that she could get batized. However, it all worked out, (see photo)

     After all is said and done the Assistents call and inform me that I´m leaving to Calama which all I hear is that it is cold cold cold. So pull back out the coat and jackets and I will be with Elder Gonzalez from Argentina and the sector just went form a 4 missionary sector to a 2 so we will run form appointment to appointment. I leave from Arica at 8:50 tonight

The other two photos are of the zone at our last zone meeting and of a family here in Diego Portales that has been very supportive.

Have a Wonderful day- Because you can choose to

     Elder James O. Gillespie

Mission Chile Antofagasta Olympics have finished up.

Our Zone won which has been an awesome experience working together for it. I´ll attach the results. 

 September is a really big month here and I will explain more in a future week. But as the 1st rolled around I played Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit for the first time in Chile. Elder Marroquín didn´t understand. 

 My thoughts and studies of this past week have been focus more in the Atonement. As I read through some talks the quote from Preach My Gospel that says that as we learn more and understand the Atonement we will have a stronger desire to share the Gospel. (PMG P. 2) The desire grows more and the importance of these things in our life becomes more secure. 

Enos showed that we need to be worth and be secure ourselves first; however we don´t receive a unshakable faith until after we have worried for our fellowman. The blessing will come, stay strong we have the promise that we will prosper. 

 Sunday we had the daylight savings happen and Chile slept less, we had no idea that the hour would change until our last appointment Saturday night which was very lucky because otherwise we would have shown up to church an hour late. 

 I taught the Gospel Principles class and spoke about agency, and it helped me realize the importance of it in our lives that Christ, and all of us, defended and fought with our brothers for agency. 

 Last we met a family who has a foreign exchange student from Minnesota- cannot remember her name however it was nice to talk in English with her for a little bit. 

 Speaking of names- names are extremely important I have learned, and have been trying to remember them more because Christ remember the name of Joseph, a 14 year old non educated teenager, don´t we have more reason to remember the names of our neighbor´s? 

 Love you all. Thank you for your support and prayers

 Have a Wonderful day- Because you can choose to

    Elder James O. Gillespie