Hey!

Things are going pretty well.  We should definitely be having baptisms this Saturday.  We have 3  for sure and 2 more possibles. La familia R has 6 people.  Juan Carlos and Alba, their 3 sons Christian (20ish), Rubén (16) and Junior (15), and their niece Valentina (9).  The parents and Valentina are committed.  The oldest kid is never around while we are there, Rubén is really stubborn and Junior has come to church but he's not sure what he wants.  We're gonna do the interviews tomorrow.

There's also Lina (16), who is the daughter of a less active member for 18 years who we got to come to church twice.  They live in Cabuyal, a pueblo that is even farther away than Villa Gorgona. I'll send the map we are going to send to the area presidency so you guys can see.  Lina hasn't had all the lessons but really wants to get baptized,  so well see what happens..

Other than that, not much new.  We hear about transfers Sunday.  I'm really hoping i don't go anywhere.  

Vamos al agua este sábado!

Élder Chase

Hey,

Things are going alright.  The Setenta (Seventy) Elder Christopher Waddell came on Thursday.  He served in Barcelona, España as a missionary and president.  It was sick.  We're trying really hard to get the casa capilla (house chapel) out here.  I have to fill out a whole bunch of papers and stuff.  I'm basically trying to open a branch...pretty sick! 

We're really working hard with the family Rendón.   The baptismal day is 21 of September.  We're gonna try to get as many in the water as possible, but basically whoever wants it that day, we will baptize and then work to get the rest of the family later.  The dad, Juan Carlos was interested when we told him about when Jesus came to the Americas, so we showed him the testaments.  It was sick.

Hey

I'm pretty sure you guys already have heard, but if not, on Saturday one of the elders in the mission was killed in Cali.  He was eating lunch when a stray bullet hit him in the head.  They took him to the hospital but he either died there or on the way.  His name was Elder E. from the Dominican Republic. He was part of my group, meaning he was in the Bogota MTC with me and showed up to the field at the same time.  I didn't know him too well, but I had talked to him before.  It's very sad.  It made the news.  Apparently the police don't think it was a stray bullet and are interrogating the elders that were with him.  We don't know much else but they're gonna tell us later.

There was another "paro", or roadblock strike.  It's settled down a bit but its still going and the missionaries in Nariño had to stay in their houses for awhile.  Apparently some sister missionaries were in a taxi when people started throwing rocks and stuff at it.  Nothing has really affected Cali though.

On a brighter note, we convinced the hermano who has a small bus to come help us pick up investigators for last Sunday.  We broke my previous church attendance record and got 17.  It was dope.

Elder  Christoffer Waddel of the Seventy is coming Thursday to visit.  It should be sick. 

A pesar de las dificultades, seguimos adelante.  Lo que pasó con el élder fue muy triste, solamente puedo imaginarme como se siente su mamá.  Gracias por todo el apoyo.  Nos vemos en 10.

Élder Chase 

Hey

Things are going well.  I've been talking to President Prince about getting a "casa capilla" (house chapel) out here in Villagorgona.  That would be sick.  It will require a lot of work, but it's definitely possible.  That's how Buenaventura started also, and they have over a hundred people now.

We are trying to get this one family baptized the on the 14th.  It's the family Rendón.  The mom, Alba, really wants it, but her two sons are a bit rebellious.  The 9 year old daughter will probably get baptized too.  The husband is somewhere in between her, the wife, and the kids with his desires.  We'll see what happens there.

Found a scorpion in the house for the third time since I've been here.

Played mini soccer today.  Scored 7 goals.  Nice

Still eating lots of rice.  I don't ever want to eat rice again after the mish.  except when I come back to visit.

Spanish is coming along well.  I pretty much understand everything.  Only when people speak with a lot of slang is it difficult. 

Tenemos una meta de 10 investigadores asistiendo este domingo.  Lo vamos a hacer.  

Elder Chase

Hey,

Sorry I don't have a lot of time.  This dumb computer is so slow.  Things are going alright.  My comp is Élder R. from Perú.  This is now my 5th Peruvian companion.  

Also, for the people who want to write me, if you guys could do it on Sunday, that'd be great because it'd be a lot easier to email in the morning instead of having to wait until the afternoon.

We didn't have assistance to get people to the chapel.  It's hard for the people because the church is so far away. 

Yesterday we walked into a house and found 10 new investigators.  It was cool.  Their grandpa had just died recently so Wednesday w are gonna teach them the plan of salvation

My new comp likes soccer a lot.  Nice.  Maybe he can teach me.

Just working hard trying to do everything we can.  Sometimes its frustrating, but either way, just gotta keep going.   I've officially lived in Colombia over a year now.

Later

Elder Chase

things are ok.  We had a baptism on Saturday.  Jennifer.  yeah!

My companion is getting switched, thankfully.  I don't know my new comp ,but we'll see what happens.  

We didn't have anyone come to church last Sunday.  That's the fist time since I've been here.  I don't know what happened but were gonna try to step it up this week.  

Just ate a hamburger.  Doesn't even compare to the US.  oh well, haha

We had a guy named Wainer who was going good towards his baptism, but then his girlfriend (who is a church member) broke up with him and got a new boyfriend a week later.  So, he's really ticked.  He knows the church is true and everything, but doesn't want to  go to church and see her.  It stinks.  Or, as we say here, "que piedra."

Entonces ya que se va Élder L., me toca tomar control aquí.  Espero tener éxito pero de todas maneras voy a tratar de seguir adelante y positivo siempre.  Los pocos miembros aquí son buenos y merecen tener su casa capilla.  Nos vemos

Élder Chase

Not much new here in VG.  We might have 2 baptisms this Saturday but its not for sure.  Their names are Wainer and Jennifer. 

The sun really beats down on you here.  I've got  a really nice farmers tan now,

Camera is still busted.  Don't have pics at the moment.

Hit 13 months today. yeaahh

I'm really trying to think of more stuff to write.

We get transfers next week.

Learned how to make some juices out of fruit.

Just trying to stay focused and work hard.  It's not  always easy but, then again, no one said it would be.

Pues vamos bien aquí las cosas siempre podrían ser peores.  Tenemos investigadores buenos.  Aprendo algo nuevo cada día y me esfuerzo por ayudar a las personas.

Élder Chase