Plan of Happiness

This week was a really good one and a really busy one. We taught more than we ever have before and I feel like together we`re stronger than ever working together in teaching, planning, finding, etc. Some people are progressing quite a bit, others not so much but overall I can't complain.

In most of the mornings this week we traveled to another sector to invite people to an "open chapel" or "open doors" activity in which people not so familiar with the church could come to see what the church is all about. It´s a great idea but for some reason after all the preparation, something broke in the church and it just wasn't possible. One good that did come out of it is we were able to meet one of the first members of the church here in Chile, one of the pioneers here. It was amazing to see the sacrifices of them who joined early on and did so much to serve and bring the gospel to so many people. She said the first time she heard about the plan of salvation she could feel it was so true, she thought of is as the plan of happiness.

Overall the investigators are doing well and we`re really excited about the progress of some people, but I'm worried I may leave this week. I`m really hoping I get to stay until December 4th!

A thought I had this week...

In this part of the Book of Mormon, Nephi is having a tough time helping in trying to help a group of people and is feeling a little down on himself. He starts thinking about how much easier it would be if he were living in the time of the first Nephi in the Book. Helaman chapter 7 verse 9 really called my attention. It says "I am consigned that these are my days". I didn't really understand the word consign so I looked it up and it means 1. To entrusted 2. to assign.  God has entrusted us with the situation we are in, we might think sometimes that the grass is greener somewhere else and it might be true but he trusts us to complete with His purposes. When he trusts us that also means he will give us the help in what we lack. The second definition is assign. He also assigns things to us for our good. Sometimes we just need to learn something. I think if we look at our circumstances like that we will be blessed and we with find more purpose and happiness in our circumstances.

Helaman 7:7-9

7. Oh, that I could have had my days in the days when my father Nephi first came out of the land of Jerusalem, that I could have joyed with him in the promised land; then were his people easy to be entreated, firm to keep the commandments of God, and slow to be led to do iniquity;and they were quick to hearken unto the words of the Lord—

8. Yea, if my days could have been in those days, then would my soul have had joy in the righteousness of my brethren.

9. But behold I am consigned that these are my days, and that my soul shall be filled with sorrow because of this wickedness of my brethren.

Have a great week!!

Elder Birrell

Two Baptisms!!

Elder Birrell, Jesùs, Elder Langston

This week was awesome capped off by two baptisms on Sunday. I`ll tell you the story of each.

Jesùs is the Chilean that was baptized. He started taking the missionary discussions about 2 years ago because his wife Katalina is a member but he never felt ready, he didn't go to church very much, and he never stopped drinking and smoking. The missionaries had stopped going by for a while then we found his registro (don't know what that's called in English) and passed by and he seemed receptive. The next time we passed by he told us that his daughter had a health problem that made it so he couldn't smoke anymore. That was kind of a turning point for him and he was going to get baptized a couple months ago but then broke his arm 5 days before his baptismal date. That might have been the best thing that happened to him. From then on he changed little by little into a person I could see going to the Temple with his wife someday. It´s been awesome seeing the change in Jesús and how happy this change has made his wife and their family.

Elder Birrell, Luckenson, Elder Langston

Luckenson is a Haitian we found 2-3 months ago. He´s completely alone here in Chile without any family.  He was an accountant in Haiti but he`s had a lot of trouble finding any work here in Chile. He`s really smart and he`s always happy and really wants to do what God wants him to do. He always comes to church and for him that´s been a huge help for him making the decision to be baptized. His change hasn't been as drastic but he`s certainly changed his life little by little. There´s a special light about him now.

Have a wonderful week.

Love,

Elder Birrell

Baptism for Jesùs and Luckenson

I got a bloody nose right before the baptism

Our house

The view from our house

I love the Book of Mormon

General Conference was awesome for us too, but unfortunately Jacob couldn't come, his dad`s been really sick so we haven't really been able to teach him, keep praying though I know with time he`ll progress.

We do have some other people who are progressing quite a bit so that`s exciting. I feel like I´ll probably leave in a few weeks so it's bittersweet finding so many great people knowing I`ll have to leave them so soon but overall everything has been really great as far as proselyting goes.

In Conference there were a lot of things I loved. I loved all the talks on the Book of Mormon. Being a missionary and having so many opportunities to apply what I learn and feel in reading the book has given me an amazing new perspective and I loved how they described their own experience with the book.

I think there was also a focus on what really matters when it comes down to it. What is it that we truly seek for and how do we get what we ultimately (not it the moment) want.

Part of that is repentance. It`s hard. It's so worth it though as we can feel the Atonement washing the past mistakes away.

I couldn't tell you what my favorite talk is because each one was so moving but I`ll relisten this week and chose one or two (or three or seven).

I hope you have a wonderful week.

Elder Birrell

Sept. 27, 2016- Prepare now for conference

Well this was a pretty good week all in all. We were able to teach a lot of lessons (more than I have ever taught in my mission) and we continued finding new people. But one of those lessons stands out as the most important, though. We had a lesson with Jacob and his family and it started off kind of weird (they went out to buy food for us) and so we didn't have the time to teach what we had planned. We began to talk about the reading that Jacob was able to do and he hadn't read a lot, but he had read a little bit of Alma 7 and so we began to talk about that. I began to explain some things and then Elder Langston bore a quick testimony and the whole environment changed. The spirit of God was there and Elder Langston began to get emotional because of it. I barely kept it together as I tried to add on but Jacob stopped me. He said "No se preocupen. Me voy a bautizar" or in English- Don't worry, I'm going to get baptized. Definitely a big step but there's more work to be done. I really feel he could get so much from going to General Conference with us. Pray for him so he can make the time to come with us.

Overall it was a really great week. The struggle continues getting people to come to church, but the two people who will be baptized next are both coming every week without fail, so that's been a huge blessing.

Overall the focus of this next week will be General Conference, I'm so excited personally but even more for all the people here that can benefit so much from this special opportunity. To all the people at home, go into this weekend with some questions written down. Either the speaker or the spirit will answer them. 

I hope you all have an amazing week. 

Elder Birrell

Sept. 20, 2016- Zone Activity with President V

Elder Birrell with his mission president and Elder Langston

Here's an explanation of the pictures I sent last week. The picture where I'm wearing the striped shirt is because there was  a huge ward activity and the bishop needed my white shirt for a dance he was in so we traded shirts for like 10 minutes hahaha.

The picture of the Chilean flag was because this weekend was the Chilean independence day (i say weekend because the celebration literally lasts a weekend) and there's a law in Chile that says that everyone has to have a flag up on the 18th at least and so it ends up looking really cool with everyone waving their flags.That picture was the flag on our house!

Some of my favorite scriptures. I encourage you to read them!

The chapel in Galverino

As far as our investigators: we have a lot of them now and we've consistently found 7 new investigators every week- some have no real desire to progress but some for sure do. The problem really is helping them to progress. Especially Jacob right now, he`s always saying the right things, but something is wrong. They didn't come to church on Sunday, but we`ll see. I made him a reading chart of like 12 or so of my favorite chapters/sections of the Book of Mormon with my testimony on the back so hopefully that helps. I still feel very strongly that they`ll be baptized but for some reason they need an extra push right now. We have another investigator that will be baptized pretty soon and another one that most likely will be baptized the next day and then a couple more are set for the end of this change (the 23rd of Oct). There should be many more to be baptized the following change. The one that we really just don't know for this change is Jacob and his family. Fast for them and I`ll do the same. I know he wants to but he`s afraid of something even he doesn't know what it is.

Yesterday we saw a bunch of guys more or less our age playing basketball and we asked if we could play with them a bit. We played a solid game with them and afterward got into a gospel conversation with them and it was really cool to see how people`s reactions change when they realize we are actually normal humans too. They all expressed a desire to learn more and to go to church.

I think that`s been the key to finding people recently for us. We show we`re humans and we show that this gospel is something that really affects us, it changes us and we know that it can make us all better and happier if we let it.

Love,

Elder Birrell

Celebrating Alice's 1st birthday

With Jacob at Alice's birthday party

At the zoo on P-day

Penguins!

Elder Birrell with his greenie. :)

Two cougars. Go BYU!

At a zone activity in Santiago

They have a pool!

Sept. 13, 2016- Six more weeks!!

This week was a really good one, especially with the news that we´ll be staying here for another change together (six more weeks!). This change could be a really special one and we´ll do everything in our power to make that happen. 

On Thursday our zone won a day to basically hang out with our zone and with our mission president and wife for like 5 hours. We played basketball, volleyball, ping pong, and ate hamburgers and completos (hot dogs but better). 

Then on Saturday we had a birthday party for baby Alice. They didn't really celebrate her one year birthday so they celebrated the day that she would've been born if it had been a normal pregnancy. They invited a bunch of family members and us. It was amazing to see all the love that family has for Alice, really a special moment. 

On Sunday we couldn't even really work a whole lot because its the day people riot during the night so we had to go to the house early. 

Also, one of the Elders that´s become one of my better friends out here is Elder Johnson who´s been my zone leader for the last 3 changes. On Friday he called us to let us know he´d be leaving and we were all pretty bummed. We assumed he´d just be a zone leader somewhere else, in fact he told us what zone he was going to but I guess I forgot that´s the zone that the assistants were in. 

Yesterday we found out he`s the next assistant to the President. He still has 7 changes left in the mission which is crazy that he was made assistant so young, but it makes me feel old to be friends with the assistant haha.

The struggle continues trying to get people to keep their commitments, but we´ve also seen some people keep their commitments and it's amazing to see their progress. We`re really hoping to have a super successful (possibly) last change together here in Galvarino.

For now we´ll just do everything in our power to bring souls unto Christ.

Short thought

I was thinking about the two thousand stripling warriors in the Book of Mormon. Obviously we remember them for their strength and because not one of them died in battle and all of this is so true. I think most of us want to be like them in that respect.

We sometimes forget two things- they had a lot of help, and all of them were wounded. In our search to become better, to be more valiant, to be stronger in all aspects of life we need to remember that. Sometimes we need help, that´s ok. Everyone needs this help and the ones who become great are the ones that took advice along the way. We will also all be wounded along the way. Even for these amazing warriors they were all wounded. Everyone is struggling with something, even the great ones.

I have a bunch of photos that´ll send when I can. I also went to the zoo today so there's even more photos.

Love,

Elder Birrell

At the zoo in Santiago

Elder Birrell didn't explain why he's wearing this shirt. He looks confused about it too!

Missionary Work takes Patience

Well my week was good! Frustrating at times, but overall really good. We certainly don't lack people to teach, but at times it`s hard to help them to progress. A vital part of helping people to come unto Christ is to leave with them commitments-which could be anywhere from praying to coming to church. We could teach someone all day long but if they don't act on the message then if won 't have any effect. As of Saturday night we had 15 people committed to coming to church on Sunday, in fact we went to a few of their houses to bring them with us. Only 2 made it. 3 others came after the first meeting, but at times it is frustrating especially since I know that they will be so much happy if they just keep their word and do what they said they would do. I understand change is hard which keeps me from getting too discouraged, I know with time these people will realize that these commitments are just for their own benefit in every possible way. 

Jacob (Aguilar) and his family are doing really well. He, one daughter, and a neighbor girl all came to church late, but I can tell he really does want to get baptized. He and his family are working toward a date to get baptized but he still says there's a war in his head. For so much time he was far from God and I think he almost feels unworthy of this second chance. I have 100% faith that he and his family will be ready when the date comes. His 9 year old daughter, Leo, is SO smart. She always does the Book of Mormon reading assignments and understands everything. Also the baby, Alice, is doing really well.

Also some potential bad news with Nicolas. His mom wants him to live with her now and she has every legal right to take him. The problem is that she is often on drugs or selling drugs and everyone in the house does the same. Please pray for Nico so he can be watched over and hopefully be able to atleast keep coming to church with his grandparents.

Here are a few answers to your questions, mom. I haven't really had many scary experiences to be honest, usually the "scary" people are too drunk to even walk so it's not dangerous. Also the weirdest thing I`ve eaten is cow stomach (Watitas). 

Have a great week!

Elder Birrell

This was the sign on my door when I arrived at the MTC 8 months ago.