Another Day Without Another Dollar

Gunnar
October 14, 2013
Angamos, Chile (Elder Said)

Another Day Without Another Dollar

This week the Ward was planning this big activity for Saturday night called Angapalooza. It was going to have bands and comedians and other acts and things. We were asked to perform a few acts from a show called 31 Minutes, basically the Chilean Muppets. So we picked out a couple of songs from the show and spent a large amount of time this week practicing for it. It was really fun. We involved Hamblin and Sunderland and we had four really good acts ready to go for the show on Saturday night. So Saturday night we were all ready to go and everyone was outside for the show. They had a stage and food and some bands playing. A few bands played and then another one got up but shortly before they did they asked if I could sing for them. What song? I ask. They give me the lyrics to Come Together by the Beatles a song I had not heard in a very, very, very long time. But I get up there and then the office elders show up and the assistants and everyone is there ready for me to go. And so I did. I sang that song in front of the whole ward, a large part of the stake, and many missionaries with a live band behind me. It was so much fun. I loved it and everyone was freaking out. So the love of the ward, something I have been working on for a while, check. I have got it, 100%. Then I go and sing again for the show that we did and it was really, really fun. Ended the night with some McDonalds and it was a good time.

(He is going to see if he can get a video of it from some of the people who were there)

Then on Sunday we got our investigator Eduardo to come to our ward and everyone loved him. The Bishop announced his baptism by saying "One of the best investigators I know, a great man, a great husband, and a great father will be getting baptized next weekend. He is incredible so please everyone come out to support him." He then announced it at the beginning of the other two hours as well. That was not even the best part though. During Elders Quorum the President asked what sacrifices Said and I had to make in order to come on the mission. We each talked for a bit and then the president asked if anyone else would like to talk. Nothing. Then Eduardo, our investigator raised his hand and asked to speak. He began to talk about his life and family and then the incredible blessings that we, as missionaries, had brought to his life and to his family. That we had answered every question he had ever had and had given him the greatest gift of all time, the opportunity to be with his family forever and that any sacrifice that we had to make in order to get here was worth it just because of the change that we wrought in his life and his family. And you know what I believe him. I got so close to crying. After he talked everyone in the class wanted to talk and everyone wants to get to know him, visit him, have family home evenings with him, invite him to do things, the work. Everyone loves him. Everyone. He is unreal awesome.

So the Bishop here in Angamos has had a pretty bad relationship with all the missionaries for quite some time but now, mostly because of Eduardo I´m sure, he loves us. The Bishop wants to help us with everything. We earned his respect and now that he is behind us the whole ward is getting behind us. Things are starting to get really good here.

Chile had the chance to classify for the World Cup against Colombia the other day. They scored three goals in 10 minutes to go up 3-0. Then Chile stopped playing and Colombia comes back and ties 3-3. So now Colombia classifies for the first time in forever and Chile still has not. Chile plays Ecuador tomorrow. All they have to do is tie and they are in. Chile has a much better team than Ecuador, but they also have a much better team than Colombia so who knows. Even if Chile loses they can still classify if Uruguay loses as well.

(The fact Gunnar is up on AND has opinions about soccer is hilarious)

I got one of the packages the other day. The one with the book and the puzzles. I did not time myself but I do not think that it took me too long to do the 1D one. I finished the book already. Really liked it.

(For his birthday he asked for puzzles so I sent him a one direction puzzle I got from Savers. Plus he said he was interested in the Jack Reacher novels since seeing the movie on a bus so I sent him an old paperback. Basically a simple birthday package only 6 weeks late – yeah Chilean mail)

Well I love you guys, write back!

(unlike the rest of the time, Gunnar had his letter here by noon; so I had to scramble to write him.)

Love,
Elder Peters