Talagante Week 1

Hola!

Quote of the week: "La obra es eterna; nunca termina."

"The work is eternal; it never ends." Hermana Barreiros

Well these changes really took me by surprise. I was feeling that I was finally getting a hang of things in Maipú. However, I am sure that is why it was time for me to go. I am glad to be able to learn something new here in Talagante. I finally left the city!!!! It is by far the biggest Zone geographically and as far as number of missionaries. We have 28. It was formerly a district, and with Presidente Barreiros it became a Stake. The stake has great leadership, but the zone has been struggling for a while, so it looks like we got our work cut out for us! I am excited and humbled by the asignment that the Lord has given us.

Speaking of us, I am companions with Elder Brophy. He is from Kaysville, Utah. He is also from my group. This last change was his first as a Zone Leader, and he is a great missionary. He is very humble and obediente. He also knows how to have fun, which is a great balance for me...because occasionally I take things too seriously:) We have been working hard, and with the Lord´s help managed to bring a few investigators to church. The ward has many members, and is excited to work. Our sector is the biggest I have had yet, but we don´t have bikes. It is about 40 minutes walking from side to side. 

The campo is very pretty and I feel at home! It is nice to see open fields and trees. I definitely don´t plan on living in a city when I grow up. The air is much fresher, except for the lingering odor of a nearby pig slaughterhouse. The people are much friendlier here and I am happy to be out of the city, although it makes traveling a bit more difficult.

Yesterday we had a Mision Council with the other Zone leaders in President´s house. It was fun to meet up there and we learned a lot and have great new ideas to put in practice with the zone. I know I have said it a hundred times, but I love President and Hermana Barreiros. They are so loving and humble. President told us that when he got here, our mission had the least baptisms in all of Chile´s 11 misions. Now we are the first. The attendance of the mission was around 4,500, and now it is around 6,750. He explained how he knew none of it was his doing but the Lord´s, and that when we trust in Him and are obedient and work hard, the Lord blesses us. 

Before I go, we had a great miracle yesterday. An appoinment at 6:30 fell through, and we had 30 minutes to do some tracting. We decided to say a prayer, and I prayed that we could find a family of three before our next appointment at 7:00. We had tons of rejections, but at 6:59 we tried one more door. A family of four let us in and the dad is a childhood friend of an active member in the ward. I know the Lord lives and loves us. This is His work! Have a great week!!!

Love,

Elder Harries