These Last Two Years Have Changed My Life Forever (May 12, 2014)

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This week was a good one and bad one. We were able to set up two more dates for baptism. But didn't have too many lessons. We are working with Fabian who you met on Skype who should be good for his goal the 31st of May and also his cousin Diego. Last night we taught Carlos with Jaime, who also is getting ready and Carlos testified about how the apostasy ended with the Book of Mormon and also testified that doing the things the church says has united his family and changed his life. He said I quit drugs and drinking, (Then looked at me) And said and smoking!! I'm a stud!! haha  And everyone started laughing. His testimony filled the room with excitement to make the same decisions he's making. So at the end I invited Jaime to be baptized once he gets an answer. He also is the only one who isn't baptized in his family! He accepted to read and pray. Also his daughter, Jessica, who we baptized a little while ago shared her testimony about the Book of Mormon and he was like yeah I've never felt what she did but will ask and if I feel it I'll be baptized. Awesome!

Then we found a family who's dad is a cop. Right away they liked us and they gave us this really expensive juice! Will be a good future Mormon family. I'm stoked for this sector and all I have learned and grown from it.

These last two years have changed my life forever. I know what I want, I know where I am going and know that I want to return to my father. I know that through Jesus Christ we can do anything and become more like our Heavenly Father everyday. Faith is the root of everything in becoming like Him and being a success, reaching your dreams and helping others give up who they are for becoming the best they can be. It has changed my eternal destiny. I will continue living to get to the Celestial Kingdom and having everybody get there with me. Thank you all for helping me get out here, I have such an experience and to feel the effects of the Atonement in my life and the lives that have surrounded me. I bare these things and testify that Christ lives, that God is goodness. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen

Elder Farnworth

Short And Sweet (May 5, 2014)

Editor's Note:  Zac must think since we will see him in 2 weeks that we don't need to hear much from him. :)  When he called on Mother's Day after about 25 minutes he said he had to go and had things to do. We forgave him because he is coming home so soon. :)

We don't have very much time to write. But it sounds awesome your week and Dads weeks! Sounds awesome and sounds like a lot of people will be there! (For his homecoming).

I've had an awesome week. We have the COOLEST investigators. Carlos is getting baptized my last day. Fabian his cousin are going to wait cause they told us we want good testimonies first and we said that's perfect. So I think they will the week after I leave. Bummer but its all good. It's still cool to help the Lord prepare people for baptism! Love you!

I Love My Mission! (April 28, 2014)

My comp is a stud! Elder Pond is from Washington. He just beat me in basketball. Jakes gotta help me get better. That little kid is from a member's family who lives on our same street. His parents are awesome. They always call us as we are getting to our pension to tell us to run by and grab this scone like things or bread she's made. She's the greatest neighbor to have. It is awesome! 

Next week I'll let you know what time we will be talking. I'm sure we will just talk for like a half an hour because ya know. (Editor's note: He may be coming home a few weeks after Mother's Day, but we are pretty sure we will talk more than a half hour!) But you don't need to tell me how many days I have. HaHa My goal is to make the days count, not count the days.

I'm excited to see you guys for sure but will be really sad to leave Chile. I'm going to miss the people more than anything. I'm going to cry again just like when I left Copiapo. But this sector has the best people in the world. I love it and our converts are planning on missions! They're studs. I'll be sad but a bittersweet sad.

Wish Megan luck for me and tell Jake good job! Tell Meg not to worry and just do her best and also to record me a church song! Still waiting...

Well this week was awesome. We have been extremely blessed! We were able to find 12 new people to teach and we took 6 people to Church. We found this kid, Fabian, who has turned his life around. He used to be kind of a punk with bad friends but about two months ago he started to change. And has been away from that kinda stuff for about two months. This week we found him. He's so prepared! He is friends with this girl Camila. She is a member but doesn't go so much but her brought her and told us he wants to go on a mission. Today or tomorrow we are going to try to set a date to be baptized. He needs to go to church 3 times and he went this Sunday. So he could get baptized at the end of this transfer. So we could have three baptisms my last weekend. Blessings right? We have definitely been blessed to see awesome people and have noticed that the Lord is trusting us. 

We also talked to Jessica's and Paloma's dad. They live together but we talked about marriage and told them why it is important and if they don't do it they won't have the opportunity to be sealed forever. They said they would talk about and they will plan a date. I won't be here but he is for sure getting baptized as soon as they get a marriage date.. So awesome! I love my mission! I forgot to take pics of our house. It is awesome we have a huge bathroom. I love it adn we have a lot of fun!

Elder Pond and I have the same sense of humor so it's been a fun few weeks. I noticed sometimes I say weird stuff in English so It'll be weird speaking it always. 

I heard UVU has a football team.. That would be cool! 

Well I love you say HI to everyone for me!

Elder Farnworth

He Loves Us!

We had a great Easter!! My comp's family sent him a bunch of eggs so he gave us a bunch. haha He put them on my bed while I was showering - so the Easter Bunny came haha. Then in Sunday School we watched with our investigator  (who is awesome) the video "Because of Him." I got it downloaded in Spanish and it's awesome! He liked it and was really into the videos. 

School sounds good. I will get right to studying - that's what I need to do!! So will I be starting the 20th of June? I will see about jobs on campus because I don't know if I will be living down there, But we will see! 

Did you have fun in Vegas?? Dad said a bunch of people spoke Spanish.  And It looks like the kids flew in a helicopter - that is pretty sick! Sounds like you had a good weekend. Looks like it was a fun vacation. You finish school in 7 weeks so I will be able to see the kids before you finish! That'll be cool to see your new job!! Well new to me. haha Ask Jake if its alright if I read his blessing. Or I'll just see it when I get home.

Me and Elder Pond had a good week this week! We were able to find a lot of people ashes nd talk to a bunch of prospects. We use the earthquake to bring up conversations with people. Our main phrase (well, my main pick-up line) has been "Where were you during the Earthquake?" Then we're best friends and they invite us over! haha We found this lady named Frances who almost didn't let us in but once we started sharing with her and her daughter she started crying saying she felt God's love for her through us. She was having a hard time seeing how God really loves her. So we said Him sending us is a way He shows His love. It's not a coincidence that we are here with you. She started almost crying. We showed how the restored gospel can help her feel His love. She said if He answers her prayers, she will be baptized. BUT she isn't married so she would have to get married first. But she is still awesome!

Carlos is doing great. He has a baptism date for my last weekend and wants me to baptism him before I leave. He said can you postpone your flight plan to baptize me? haha I was like no I will have time before I leave! haha He is unreal! It will help the church by having a willing priesthood holder up here! I'm honored to have met and taught him. It's taken a while but he finally is feeling the spirit and becoming converted to the Gospel!

Then there is the Jehovah's Witness family. Anyway, we talked to their parents. They said if she shows that she's really changed, then they will let their daughter get baptized. It was HUGE (cause they are a little anti-mormon) and they want to go to an activity we are having the 2nd of May. We should get the whole fam which would be awesome!

We have kinda had a stressful week because Tuesday my comp had to go out and help missionaries get into their house. We have had SO many things to do in addition to running the sector. But I'm learning patience and also to just have a good attitude about stuff even when just stupid stuff happens. We are always growing! We felt the spirit really teaching that Dad and Carlos. We shared Alma 34:33 about how we shouldn't wait to work towards the Celestial Kingdom. It got him really excited! Honestly he was all the sudden excited about getting baptized again. It was quite the blessing. The Lord is blessing us and also having an awesome baptism before I leave is a huge blessing. He loves us! 

We have an awesome house and really cool neighbors. They all ask us how tall we are -  well mostly my comp, I feel short with him haha. I'll send pics. Today I got my haircut and the guy almost buzzed it. He made me looks like a marine AND two days before interviews! haha Just my luck right? But it's been a fun week. I'm enjoying it and living to the fullest! 

Love you guys have a good week!

Elder Farnworth

Working hard till the end!

So this week went by fast, but like too fast (4/14/14)

*We finally received Zac's travel plans.  Elder Farnworth will return from his mission on May 21st at 10:30 am.  His homecoming will be that Sunday the 25th at 1pm .  Wahoo!!

So this week went by fast, but like too fast. We did a lot of stuff,  but not as missionary work as I would like which kind of a bummer, but we got a lot of important things done. So last Sunday they took my comp to his new place and they were waiting to bring my companion and some other missionaries up to my city. 10 missionaries in our zone needed a new house and I was the only zone leader til Friday. It was interesting being kind of the only one to make all the decisions, but we found houses or helped them start to look for houses. They found places to live, we are just looking for one more place so that two more missionaries can come back. 

We also moved into a new pension, our old one was cracked and also really far away from our part of the ward. So now we walk less and we live next to this awesome recent convert named Claudia. She loves us, well kinda me, but she always tells us to go grab food if we need to or take our clothes to get washed. She is unreal, the people here are sooo nice.

We have some good investigators too, we are really trying to find families. Its been kinda tough finding an entire family that is interested, but we have a few good people. We have this girl Tracy who is basically a member. She wears her medallion thingy and is doing her personal progress. Us, her, and her friends had a fast this week so her parents would soften there heart and give her permission to get baptized. It was cool. We also found an old couple, They kinda lost there excitement to get baptized, but Tuesday we're going back to help them out. Its going good. We literally just ran out time to take that pic but next week for sure!!

I'm sorry this is short, we have had the craziest week we have NO time. But don't worry, I'm making my time count. Love you all!

Elder Farnworth

Zac's zone with President and Sister Dalton just a few days after earthquake

They went back to Alto Hispicio a few days later and sent this picture

We've Been Blessed and Protected This Week

How did you guys find out about the earthquake?? Was it on the news? Well I heard out of all the cities that it hit mine was the worst damage. We had about three days without water and electricity. Well only one day then the other one hit and that made it two days. Not being able to shower was torture but that is about the worst that happened. 


Yeah we slept in the church parking lot. It was actually nice I slept a lot better not being in a building. ha The first night I barely slept. Glad you got the pics and the email! 

This really was a good conference I loved it. I would say my favorite was probably Elder Ballard's talk. I like how he is such a missionary! He's a stud! Sounds like that will be fun! Today I got my flight trips... It is blowing my mind! I'm glad you guys are all good and the house and the fam. Even Max looks good!


I don't really know where to start in this week. Uhh we could start with Tuesday. We were visiting people and we had just got done teaching an investigator and were thinking what to do because two of our appointments fell through. So we decided to go visit a less active who always gives us good references. When we got to their house they invited us to have like a small dinner thing. Around like 8:30 we got there and were talking with these two guys and trying to get references. As we talked and ate pancakes (that were really good by the way) it started to shake a little. It has been shaking a little for the last couple of weeks so its normal. The daughter goes "temblor" but was laughing cause it was little. Then it got a little stronger. And she got serious and then it started and the lights went off. 


It felt as if it was like a Disneyland ride but ten times stronger. Like the whole house was moving like crazy. I ran to the door kind of falling into the door and grabbed the younger kid and the daughter. We stood in the doorway crouched until it slowed down. When it slowed down we took them to the middle of the street and ran back in to get the mom out. She was with the baby so we got them all out in a safe spot and the ground just kept shaking. During the earthquake I stayed actually really calm. Just like ok this is happening so what have we gotta do. But after that the ground just kept shaking but lightly. We went back in after about 5 or 10 minutes to get emergency stuff and see the damage. The plates on the table were all still there but the stuff in the pantry was all over the floor. And I finished my pancake :) 

Then we went to go get gas, and help a few ladies that we knew were alone. There is a lady who lives in front of us who just sat in her house waiting for us. haha We send her to the neighbor and kept going.  We had to wait in a line with a tank thingy for gas to fill it up to help them out. It felt like I Am Legend. ha Then we went to their cousins house because he had a generator. We chilled there for a while because they filled their tub up with water so we could go to the bathroom and everything. Then around like 2 or 3 in the morning we slept with them in there house cause it was the safest. BUT that whole night was when I was the most scared. The WHOLE night every 30 seconds the ground shook just like it did before the big one. So you never know if it will be a big one or not. I slept like three hours.


The next day, we went to the church at like 10 in the morning. We started helping clean up the ceiling that fell and what not but they made us stay in the church all day besides getting stuff from our house. Nothing really happened to the house except a huge crack in the wall that you could see daylight through and stuff fell. My cologne fell in the toilet so that was a bummer. 

But it was a boring day we just played soccer and did what we could to help in the church. Members that couldn't stay in their houses came to the church. But then the night got interesting. Around like 11 it shook but just a little but enough for everybody to get up and go to the doors. But it stopped. That woke us up so we starting to talk. Then at 11:45 the other one hit. I was in the corner of the church close to a door so we just walked slowly to the door and we were fine. But we were in charge of kinda everybody so after it stopped we got them all out on the field. Out there it was fine. We stayed outside until like 2 I think and then we got cold and the members slept outside while all the missionaries went back in. A few times during the night it shook. But none of them were earthquakes. I slept on a church bench. ha It was comfortable. After that we got up and that day we were able to leave and do service. We did service in the morning and then in the after noon Pres. Dalton And Sister Dalton got there. They brought us beds and we set everything up and had granola bars for dinner. ha But it was a good night. That night I slept amazing after sleeping crappy the nights before. 


That next day, Friday is when we took the picture. We got everything set up. But there is a few houses of the missionaries that were like falling. So the president got everything out for them. And they had to smoosh all the missionaries in two pensions. They took all the mission who got transfered (cause this is transfer week haha) out of the city and are waiting a week to put all the other who are coming in. So I'm with Elder Paez for a week then my comp (who is a gringo) will get here this week. After getting all the missionaries out we were able to shower and get to work. Friday night we visited a few people to make sure they were good and to teach a little. We didn't have electricity til Saturday night in our sector of the city but the church did so we got to see the conference. It was awesome and really spiritual. I felt like all the best talks were Saturday. 


But that was basically my week. It keeps shaking but just a little and it's settled down so we don't think there will be anymore. How did you guys here about it? Were you scared? I was proud of the missionaries cause nobody was really scared even though our city was one of the worst hit. Everybody stayed calm and just wanted to help really! It was good. 


THEN Sunday night we got two references who accepted getting baptized. So I expect to finish baptizing. We've been blessed and protected this week. What a week to remember!! I won't forget it. haha My camera was unfortunately dead during this week. haha Just my luck and I don't have a cord. Got lost. But I will get pics around and will get them to you ASAP. Love you all! 

Elder Farnworth

This week was good... (3/31/14-Pre-earthquake post)

This week was good! I think the shot I got was an antibiotic, I had the flu or something.  I woke up in the middle of the night with a sore throat and could barely breath, so I got a shot. I  don't think I'll be bringing anything back with me, haha.  Well my plans don't get to me until I have around a month left, as soon as I get it will send it to you don't worry. I'll probably get there Wednesday or Thursday I'm not sure the date.

  

This week we had a baptism her name is Paloma. She changed a ton, we knew she partied a little but we found out she was a hard core partier. But she read for the strength of youth and she said she will start living it. She said I wanna keep going to going to parties but without drinking, but even listening to bad music doesn't help feel the spirit. Shes like better than the active young women! It's like all our converts are more excited than the old timers, pretty awesome. Also in her testimony she said I'm going to endure to the end. It was cool than Sunday there was a line of people outside of the branch presidents office, and she just walked in front of all of them and just walked in and said I want my personal progress haha. It was funny, she's so sick. 

Other than that we have working to find we got a good amount of referrals this week. We are working with people to help them share the gospel. Last night we were with this family and the daughter is less active she doesn't want much with the church. But we talk about sharing the gospel and we told her to open facebook and look at all her friends. We went one by one asking if they would be interested. She found two people and asked right away if we could visit him with her he was like sure and I'll invite my boyfriend too. He gave us his address right away. So this week were going to keep doing that with people and help them share the gospel. Pretty sweet. That's about all that's exciting.  I'm going to see a little city for pday it might be my comps last cambio so he wanted to go. Other than that a normal week.   

Sounds like everybody is doing good, Max is going to be skinny when i get back. Hope all is well and have a good week!

Elder Farnworth