Your son full of fleas loves you...(2/17/14)

That will be awesome to see the baptism that you have taken a big part in. It is the best feeling I think there is. Honestly, you will see! Sounds good about school, that has always been you wanting to party more, haha just kiddin. Megan going to the cave, looks like I will be living upstairs right? Sounds like a plan! But I am glad to hear you had such a cool week!! Antofagasta was awesome. I think I had already gotten your package, Is it the one with stuff from the ward also, and the pillow case?? Cause I got that one. That will be the last one right?

This week was straight up awesome. We have been incredible blessed I know it’s because we’ve been working to pray with more faith and show I faith by being obedient. But I have some pretty sweet stories this week! First of all the story starts out with Tracy and I’m pretty sure we talked about her the last time I wrote. What happened is she got baptized the weekend before I got here. She used to live like this crazy life of drinking partying drugs what not but she went to church once because the missionaries invited her so many times (she has siblings that are members) that she finally went. When she went she felt the spirit and loved it. Right after they invited her to be baptized and when she got baptized she completely changed her life around and LOVES the church and all the things she’s felt. Because of that love she has been trying to convert everyone and she wants to be a missionary. She brought her dad, which was an answer to our prayers as week asked for chosen or elect people, to come unto us. Her dad, Carlos is getting baptized the 8th of March. Then she brought her best friend, Jessica, Who her FIRST NIGHT after reading the Book of Mormon prayed and felt that it was true. We asked her last night in the lesson "So do you believe you got an answer?" She responded "I wouldn’t have come today if I didn’t get an answer...” She also went to church once and is already telling her friends she goes and wants to be a missionary, another answer to our prayers. She’s getting baptized the 22nd of March, so we can get her dad and sister too (Her mom turns out to be a member).

Then we have Aldolfo, who’s 21. His family are all active but he lives with another family and like always has or something. But he’s trying to get closer to his real family. So they brought him to church and we gave him a Book of Mormon last week. He read his assignment which was sweet and went to church again. We had a lesson with him and his entire family, and invited him to be baptized. As I was inviting him his whole family laughed. (It was a joke) Because they literally thought he didn’t want much to do with it, which also bugged me. But he said I don’t know I have to think about it. But luckily they had a few people knock the door. The parents starting talking to them and we kept talking with him. He then told us "What do I need to do to get baptized?"  I told him and he said "I’ve actually been looking and wanting a way to come closer to God and to feel happier. I wanna get baptized the 15th I just have to make sure it’s all right with the family I live with." So we have him for the 15th of March. And then this week Tomas helped us in a lesson (And he’s still an investigator haha) He shared his experience with Jessica, Tracy’s friend, about how he got a testimony about the Book of Mormon. This got her to ask Heavenly Father and got her to get her answer. He’s a stud and is getting baptized this weekend.

And that’s not all. This family who we’ve been working with, The Mom and son went to church. She said "I like everything about your church, except that you say you are the only ones with the truth." I started explaining that other churches have parts but she said "No I just have to keep coming so I can get used to it." I don’t know when but she will get baptized. :) Then we had another Mom and Daughter at church who the mom is really open. She asked if she has to be baptized again but in the Mormon church. We said yes by the right authority and to receive the Holy Ghost. But she talks a TON! So we weren’t able to put an exact date. But she said she liked church and wants us to keep going by and her daughter does as well. We´ve been extremely blessed. 

Being a Zone leader isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Going to Antofagasta killed me, but I got to see Patricia and Alexis who I helped find and were baptized last year. They are Kapos (that means awesome, or studly). But it’s a lot of work. We learned this week how to find less actives using the government, so now we have to teach all the missionaries here how to do it. It’s good though I’m learning how to serve other missionaries more.

All right that’s it for this week, Know the Church is true, and that your son full of fleas loves you and loves this work.

Chau :)

Elder Farnworth

I couldn't be more grateful for being a missionary... (2/10/14)

Okay this week I promise I will take more pics my area.  It is kinda of sketchy, someone was killed here like 3 months ago. Ha! Sounds like you had fun, but sounds like a tiring week. Don’t worry I understand how you feel!

We had a killer week! We have been still getting a good amount of references from people. This family who are recent converts (the kids) their Dad has seen how it has helped there kids a ton and wants to be baptized. He went to church this week but didn’t go in because he was talking to his kids. They’re going through a lot of problems but we are helping them out. The daughter went to EFY and so now she is stoked to help her dad get to know the church. Then this super active family told us they have a son who isn’t baptized who now is like down to start going to church. So we were extremely blessed to find more interested and prepared people this week. The rest are still progressing but slowly. That awesome family, we found they love when we go to their house, but won’t go to church and only a few are reading the Book of Mormon. But with patience we will get them baptized before I leave here. Then we announced our baptism this week for the same date as that girl at home, the 22nd. So we will be having a baptism the same day! 

Other than that nothing too eventful happened. We did splits with the whole zone each day to make sure there sectors are all right, and to help them find new people. We found this awesome family in this other sector it was cool they just started talking to us and we laughed with them like the whole lesson and at the end they accepted to getting baptized after getting to know more. Not my sector, but good for the zone. 

This week we are going to Antofagasta for the zone leader counsel and I will be able to visit some people from my first sector where I started, should be cool. The other day I was talking with Elder Sarmiento and we were talking about how far we’ve been, and our spiritual progression in the mission. I couldn’t be more grateful for being a missionary, for the testimony of our Savior I’ve gained on the mission. It’s turned things around completely. I now have direction in my life and know that I want to make it to the celestial kingdom. Having so many experiences with using the Atonement and helping others use it has made this time the happiest of my life. There is for sure those days, but I couldn’t be for grateful for what this mission has meant to me. Thanks you all, I know our savior lives and loves us, through him we can do all things and continue progressing to perfection! I love you all and thanks for everything!

Love,

Elder Farnworth 

Mom I Still Have a lot of Time Left :)

This area continues to provide challenges. We don't have lice but we do have fleas. Which I think is worse but now I have less so things are getting better. And the scar isn't going away so I may have a scar but we will see! It's a little crazy but it is a blast. This week the crazy story is we found a drunk who loves Mormons. He bought a juice but he didn't put the lid on all the way. I didn't want to carry it in my hands so I put it in my backpack. And it spilled all over everything and I think my backpack is ruined because it was like really thick juice. BUT thankfully somehow my scriptures are fine. Which is a mircale because the backpack had a puddle in the bottom. 

But that sounds awesome about your mission. I'm glad you had a good week and are such studs as missionaries. Keep it up! I look forward to helping out. Mom I still have a lot of time left :) [Editor's Note: You can really tell who wants Zac home and how much Zac wants to stay in Chile :) Something tells me that Mom is going to win that one. ]

This week had a lot of ups and downs but we have a lot of blessings to look forward to as well. In the pics on Skydrive there's this family with this kid where I'm wearing sunglasses. His name is Franco. He's a punk and is in to drinking and stuff but his mom said she had been praying for somebody to help her son. And like a week later we arrived!

He was about to get baptized but fell and said now he wants to wait till he can stop partying for good to get baptized. But his brother Tomas is progressing for the 15th. He has read and received an answer. He is just a little nervous because he will be going against his mom's religion But we got permission from her. Actually she wants to learn more but she won't pray I don't know why but their family loves us and are investigating but just slowly. But they are awesome people. 

Second blessing in the Espinosa family. The dad this week accepted to perpare for the first of March as his baptism date. We have invited him now three times to be baptized but due to his son having his baby he kinda has been too busy. But we moved it a week back and are going to start working harder. His son, who had the kid, stopped believing in God, But mostly believes that there exists a true church. We gave him the Book of Mormon and said read it and see if its true. He's been doing it and says it has restored his faith in God. He believes again and wants to prepare for an eternal family but we can't get him to church. Which makes sense because he just had his first kid as a newlywed but once we get him to go he said he wants to get baptized. Like he doesn't want to go and check it out. When he goes he wants to go and not ever stop going. Ha He's cool but we just need him to get there! Then the daughter is cool. She's like 21 and really interested and the 13 year-old is stoked. He loves church and will get baptized easily. We just want the parents to get baptized more than anything.

The last blessing is Segundo and his wife, Janet. Segundo in the street told us he needs to be baptized because he never was. We said why not and it was because his wife didn't let him. We met her and she is the NICEST lady ever. We went over this week and she was alone so we told her we can't go in because she was alone and she started laughing and was like Ohh its gotta be for the gossip that goes around. But it was cool. She said she wants to go to church with her husband so I think now she has changed her mind. But her daughter's birthday was Saturday night so they didn't come. Which is a lame excuse but this week they will be coming!!

We've been extremely blessed. Our Heavenly Father always answers prayers and even more when we're obedient! Love you all and hope everything is alright! Happy Birthday again Dad!

Elder Farnworth

I Love Alto Hosipcio, But It Doesn't Love Me

That sounds awesome about you guys getting called on a two-week mission. You guys are studs!! That actually works a lot better most of the time when the members talk about baptism more than the missionaries! You're a stud that sounds awesome! Noone else in her family are members? Keep it up - that's how we do it :) Let me know how the dinner goes! This week we have a goal to put 10 baptism dates! We have the sweetest people here! 

I've been studying Spanish like crazy. Okay not a ton but its hard because Chilean Spanish is sooo different from Spanish Spanish. But I'm learning a lot about Spanish in different countries. I'll try to read the book like 2 times before I leave. Sounds like you guys are doing good and are happy!!

Well so far I've loved Alto Hosipcio. But It doesn't love me. haha I don't know if I told you but my first night here I went downstairs to go to the bathroom and I didn't know where the light was so I was walking and ran into the door. I felt dumb then turned on the light and had blood running down my face. I slit my forhead open. I thought I might need stitches but It wasn't that bad. Then I've been getting eaten alive by fleas. But I got a spray and they're gone now. But Sunday morning I got sick to my stomach. I think I got an infecction. But I started throwing up and like 5 in the morning until 7. Then got ready for Church and took our investigator to Church. Threw up in Church after sacrament meeting then we went out again last night. I had a piece of bread and threw it up in the street. Ha It's been crazy the last two weeks but we really have seen a ton of blessings. We have a family of 7 and a few more people we are working with. They are reading the Book of Mormon and one said "I'm not 100% sure its true yet but I don't believe its false." They are awesome people. 

But other than that we have had a pretty chill week. We got around 8 referrals this week so the members keep helping us. But we can't bring them to church because of work or problems with their parents, etc. But we are going to keep working at it to help the ward grow. Me and Sarmiento were talking about how much we really grow in the mission and how we are preparing for exaltation. It's a start to a new life, With the goal of the celestial kingdom in mind. Getting there and helping others have the blessing of the gospel now and in the eternities. This is the greatest decision I have ever made. I love you guys and thanks for everything.

Elder Farnworth