Esquina Blanca Week 8

 Hola!!!

What a great week! I love being a missionary and having the opportunity to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ every day! I know that He lives and that He is our Savior. I am so grateful for you all and the love you give me. I feel your prayers on my behalf. 

This week we found some great new investigators, and have seen progression in those from the past few weeks. We are teaching the cousin, Luis, of Osvaldo, who was baptized last month. He is very humble and sensitive to the Spirit. He attended church last week, which was a regional broadcast from Salt Lake City. President Russel M. Nelson spoke in Spanish! (Elder Ballard is in his ward and says that he speaks 13 languages) Luis loved the conference and felt the desire to continue attending church. He´s attend a few times now and will be baptized either this weekend or the next. 

We are also teaching the son of a recent convert named Jessica. He is ten years old, and wasn´t baptized with his mother because he was staying with his grandmother. He is a sweet and obedient kid and also will soon be baptized. We continue to teach and find many other people. I have found a great love for the Chilean people. I feel that they are part of my family. It is powerful to see the changes that take place in the lives of others. I know without a doubt that Christ lives and that the power of His Atonement is real. I know that the Holy Ghost can be our constant companion as we are obedient to the covenants we have made. 

I felt the Spirit very strongly yesterday as I accompanied Mariela, Claudio, Osvaldo and other recent converts to the temple to do baptisms! It was so powerful. Each of them brought names of their ancestors. I love the temple and enjoy spending time there. After the temple, President and Hermana invited us to lunch with them at a very tasty restaurant. I got a steak that was wrapped in bacon and it was probably the best meat I have had in my time here in Chile, if not my life haha. I guess at times there are perks to being assistant...but I have been trying to remember the importance of serving the missionaries and helping the work progress. Honestly, I know that I am no better nor more important than any other missionary. At times I wonder why me? I guess the Lord knew that I just had a lot more to learn than the others. I really depend on Him and my companions to get through every day, because it is impossible to magnify one´s calling while relying on one´s own abilities.

As you see in the photo, I was bitten by a Dog last week! More than 20 months without an occurrence....haha its all good. I was walking by some old cars to go knock a house and saw the dog, and it seemed tranquil. However, as I knocked (or as we do here in Chile, yelled "HALO"), the dog got me on the side of my knee. It was a pretty big dog, but it didn´t hurt too bad. I was a tad disappointed because it ripped my pants and I had to go back home to clean it out nad change, but besides that there weren´t any other complications. I went to the doctor to get the Rabies shot. My knee is pretty bruised and it looks gnarly and I hope it will leave a scar so I can remember the story haha.

Well I am sure you are glad mom, becuase this email include more details than normal:) I love you all and am so content as a missionary, yet I have such a desire to improve and overcome my weaknesses. I love the Lord and His Gospel. It is true!

Love,

Elder Harries