The Count Down - 7 months

November 1, 2011
"...I also learned that the eyes are the doors into someone's soul,  ...   I have been paying more attention to the eyes of the people we talk to and teach and the other missionaries and you can discern and see lots of things in the eyes of others, whether its a light in their eye or dark, a sadness, happiness, childlike, humble, prideful, rebellious, obedient, its amazing.  President Holland told us "their eyes will tell you everything."  I invite you guys to try and pay more attention this week, or maybe you already do, but it's very interesting what you see and discern."

November 7, 2011
"...Thanks for all the letters and support.  This week was full like all the others that I have had over the last year or so.  The zone council was amazing.  We did service, had a BBQ, and had the council in a beautiful outdoor area.  The bus ride was 6 hours and we left at 1 in the morning friday and got to Viña Del Mar at 7 just in time to take the bus to zone council which was another hour and a half and then after we took the hour and a half bus back to Viña and took the 6 hour bus at 6 or 7 to the north again and got to our zone at 2 in the morning and woke up saturday bright and early to go to work.  I felt like I was going to fall asleep during a lesson watching the video of the restoration but we are back and awake now so its all good."

November 14, 2011
"...11/11/11 was a pretty good day.... we had a mission conference with all 200 missionaries in the mission, with 4 general authorities, Elder Quentin L Cook, Bishop Mcmullen, Elder Kent Richards, and Elder Ceballos  all accompanied by their wives.  It was amazing! we all got to shake their hands and I can truly say the gaze of an apostle is like an interview, its very deep and piercing.  As I watched Elder Cook shake the hand of every elder he took a very deep stare into every one of the 200 missionaries eyes.  ...  It was hours and sooo good, after we sang zone songs about our zones using hymns.... it was pretty creative and so great to see everyone."

"... Today we had a big zone activity in a fort castle thing on the coast, being right by the ocean reminded me even more that i know that I have to somehow be able to live on the coast, i miss santa cruz still  haha ...

We are now preparing everything for the next change as the time flies by...."

November 21, 2011

"... Elder Silva, left last night at midnight.  We had a run getting to the bus station to get him on his way home.  We got in the taxi and asked him if he could get to the bus station in 2 minutes he sort of grinned and said yes.  Let me just say, red lights were optional, there was no speed limit, and I don`t know if stopped praying  until we got out at the bus station.  It was crazy but we made it and now my new comp will be heading up, a new zone leader, that I will be training, Elder Pilcher from California."

"...  This weekend is changes and my comp left me so I am in charge of 14 missionaries traveling all over to different parts of chile and they all have to be with a comp and I am just overly stressed but loving it.  I`m really excited for this next change..."

November 28, 2011

"... I was a little jealous of the Thanksgiving feast you guys had...  We forgot it was Thanksgiving... but we had a really good zone class and got everyone really excited to romper los limites (break the limits.)  We spent the first part of the week without sleep, running up and down picking up Elders at the bus stop who arrived at about 1 in the morning.  Its been sort of hectic running around so much.  I actually ran out of money because we had to take so many taxis up and down, so I took some money out of my account which is already gone now.  Today I tried taking money out on the emergency card and I put in what I thought was the normal pin but it didnt work so I took more off my card.... any help?  We are going to the Santiago temple this week with the ward (7hours in a mini bus), its going to be a long trip..."