Finding More People to Teach -- with President Isom Too!

Hello Lady!! I’m soooo glad that you had a great birthday this last week!!:) Just think about it, 50 years young!!!:) haha I love you so much momma💙 But your right it was a great week that week and man those cinnamon rolls were pretty delicious!:) But as for this last week it was pretty great as well!!:) We did a ton of contacts and found a good couple of possible future investigators!!:) We taught María this last week a few times and one of the times we had a really good lesson on the atonement of Jesus Christ and Repentance. It was really good and I feel like we really helped her to see a few things more clearly!:) Then when we were teaching Alfredo on Sunday (with President Isom) and two of his friends decided to come listen. One of them named Gladys was really interested about our lesson of the restoration and she said she wanted to come to church and learn more!! 😁 so that was super cool.

We were also teaching Hno Benjamin who was less active for a long time and his grandson was there listening, so now he is gonna start listening as well. But it is crazy this kid knows so much about God and the bible, it’s so cool!!:) And can I just say President Isom is so awesome!! Like I said he came to the lesson with us to teach Alfredo. He is so funny. So we got into Alfredo’s house and the light fixture was broken so they were rewiring it. While they are putting the wires back together..... President Isom is like "biiizzzzzz!!!!" trying to scare him. 😂 Then they are all talking in creole because all in Alfredo’s house are from Haiti, and President Isom looks at me and says "baabado thamado"(gibberish nonsense) haha. I almost burst out laughing... haha

Man it sounds like you had an overall great week!!:) I’m glad you enjoyed your birthday and hanging out with the fam!!:) That’s sad about the farewell being super cold but I’m glad that Chad’s talk went so well. It sounds like it was a pretty great talk, and that is a really good quote from Chad’s talk. We need to have complete trust in God and he will be able to work miracles through us!:) We need to be the right tool and strong enough to do the work/miracle ahead!:)

I love you so much momma and I’m glad that this last week is so well. Try not to cry to much when Chad leaves ok!;) What you gonna do now with so much silence in the house?? Love you to infinity and beyond!!:)

Love,

Shawners

Crazy Spiritual Week....

Well first off HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BEST MOMMA EN EL MUNDO!!!!! Well yes just as you assumed there was a holiday yesterday but we found a cyber (internet cafe) that would open up for us for a little while. But as you know, I had a few problems in trying to write yesterday so I didn’t get to write anyone. Also please tell everyone that I’m sorry I couldn’t respond. I’m only responding to you today because we don’t have a ton of time!:) Oh and on the activity we did as a ward a few weeks ago, it was because like a ton of the members traveled for the holiday so there would be like no one here so they did it early.:) but yeah it was really cool!!:)

Things here in Osorno are really good!!:) Hermana María Treviño is getting better so we are gonna see how she feels this week to set a baptism date that’s more concrete!:) Also this last week we finally found a new member that moved here from San Pablo (little town close to Osorno). His name is Max and he is 8. He lives with his older sister here!:) so we are gonna start visiting with him as well!:) Then also we had leaders conference on Tuesday and it was really cool. We talked about the "standards" of our mission and the numbers that we wanted to put for "key indicators" (investigators with fecha, investigators in the church, lesson w/member, contacts) so it was really good. President put a big emphasis that these standards are not our goals. We as missionaries should look and meditate on our areas and see if realistically we can get more than the standard or maybe if a small town, smaller numbers. Because in reality the numbers are for our investigators, not for us. Behind every number is a name and a soul that we are trying to save!!:)

Then on Thursday we had zone conference and Elder Arizmendi and I talked about obedience and how to better our teaching:) --Also a cool story that happened as well after this zone conference. Before for exercises in the morning, Pres. said that we could listen to more upbeat music on p-days and for exercises; but recently he changed his mind and decided that we should only listen to music that brings the spirit (hymns, church songs, etc.) So I decided right after the conference to go to the cyber and take of all the music off my card. When we were there this man comes up to me and says (in Spanish) "excuse me, are you missionaries?" then told us he lived in Chiloé and listened to the missionaries there. A year ago he moved to Osorno and he would like to continue learning!! So it was super cool, and I don’t know if it’s a blessing from trying to be obedient and edit the music on my card or if it was right place, right time. But it is true, when we are obedient to God and his servants here on the earth, we will receive blessings and help others in the process!!:)-- Then later that night we made a lemon pie to take to a less active family that is reactivating!:) We took it to them on Friday night!!:) Then on Saturday the Elders of Antillanca had a baptism, and it was a man I taught on an intercambio one time!!:) It was so cool to see him be baptized. He has changed so much!!:) Then on Monday we had the Independence Day of Chile and we made cinnamon rolls and watched fireworks and went to a park during the day. It was so fun!!:) Oh and we saw a BEAUTIFUL old ford (pic included below).

Woah that sounds like a fun week for you as well!!:) Wow you are staying so busy that is so great and man you are getting work done. That is so cool that you got to clean the temple!!:) I was just thinking I think I realized why you haven’t been able to start working yet. I think this is the Lord giving you time to be with Chad and the fam before he leaves, because as soon as he is gone I feel that you will find a job that God will provide to distract from two sons on missions!!;) haha

That is a really good thought momma thank you for that!!:) (Regarding prayer: pay attention to what you say, be willing to sacrifice time/our will, pray with faith). It is so true sometimes especially as a missionary we say a ton of prayers so we need to always remember those steps so that we are saying sincere prayers so that God can and will feel our love and also so we can feel his love in that conversation that we have so often with him!!:) Thank you for that momma!!:)

Love you so much momma and that is so crazy that Chad leaves next week!!! but no worries momma it’s all gonna be fine! Have a great week and love you to eternity and beyond!!:)

Elder Shawners

Crazy Week of Cambios

This last week was really crazy yes but it went really well. In terms of visits and lessons with investigators, it was a hard week..:) On Tuesday I received all the luggage of the new missionaries coming in and had to store it in our church. Then on Wednesday I sent a couple other missionaries to help transport the new missionaries luggage to the terminal where I was basically all day long!:) But it actually went really well for how many people we had there. We got all the missionaries out to their new sectors and it was with little to no problems!:) Then Thursday we went to visit Maria. She still is pretty sick but at least she could talk and we cut some wood for her. I was very happy to do that!:) Then later that night we got to play basketball!

On Friday we had a lesson with our investigator who speaks English and the lesson went really well, but I could not for the life of me remember the word "sacrament" in English... hahah I was like santa cena.. uhh dang I can’t remember. But in the end my Latino companion told me the word :) haha. Then we tried to visit Alfredo but he had to work late so he wasn’t there, but it’s all good. He is so cool! On Saturday we did a baptism interview for some elders in our zone, then we had our activity for the 18 of Sept. (Independence Day of Chile). It was lots of fun. There was a huge BBQ and lots of fun games.:) Oh but on the note of the 9 week cambio, no the cambio after will be 3 weeks then back to normal 6 so it only affects those who go home this cambio!💪😁 Also OH MY GOODNESS the doughnuts were so friggen good!! It was like Krispy Kreme!! hahaha but they turned out great and yeah everyone always wants me to cook now but I don’t have that much money or time for that matter... haha!!😥

The weather here has been better this last week. We had more sun this last week but before that just like rain, rain, and more rain!!!😂 but yeah it’s starting to get better. It’s still super cold but the sun is out more!!:) so that is good and it’s my last winter in Chile so I’m happy for that as well!!:) This week will be a little crazy. We have leaders conference tomorrow, then on Thursday a conferencia de zona, then on Saturday a baptism planned for the Elders of Antillanca!!:) haha so still crazy!!:) But yeah life is well. We just have to do what we can and have a good time doing it right, and help as many as we can!!!:)

:) I liked the gibberish from CJ!! haha you gotta tell that kid to write me!! haha but oh yeah that would be sweet to have that lemon bar recipe so please send it when you get it!:) That’s so sick that you saw the BJ crew. I’m glad they are doing good and I hope to hear from Jeff and them!:) but man that’s so cool (they said to tell him he has a job waiting when he gets home 😀) but I still have lots of time left here to help others and preach the gospel to other Chileans and help them come unto Christ!:)

What?? Freak that’s crazy… 10k! haha. I like walk that in a day, does that count??;) But nice job momma. I’m glad that you did such a great job and that you survived!! I loved the pics, and oh man that is so crazy. Chad is going in to the CCM in just a few weeks!! What are you gonna do momma??

Woah that sounds like such a great (multi-stake) broadcast! That is so cool and hey I just got to listen to Elder Stevenson here in January! He is such an amazing apostle and I really liked your thought that you shared from the other Seventy “When we offer a mighty prayer, we have a moment in the heavens." When we have and use our prayers daily, we will be with God and He will be with us. It is our chance to get out of where we are and get us closer to God. Also, last week I listened to a talk about teaching with the spirit and not once does it say in the Book of Mormon "teach the gospel" but it does say "preach the gospel". When you preach the gospel, the people who the spirit has prepared will listen and be given the desire to repent and change their lives!!:) I loved it!

Love you momma to infinity and beyond! Hope you have a great week!!:)

Love,

Elder Shawners

Moving luggage for cambios selfie...

View from our investigator's apartment

Decorations in downtown Osorno

In the Plaza de Armas :)

The 9 week cambio starts.... now!:)

Hey momma!! How are you doing this fine Monday morning and also happy Labor Day as well!!:) This last week was really awesome!!:) Our zone is doing really well. There really isn’t that much cambios here in Osorno but man it’s crazy. We have 26 new missionaries coming in and 10 leaving so we are gonna have a lot of work because we are in charge of all the missionaries who pass through Osorno (which is like half the mission). Because we are in Osorno so we are in the center of the mission!!:) haha so the next two days are gonna be crazy!!! But back to this last week… It was so sick to have the conference with Elder Bragg. He talked about a ton of stuff but he shared the 5 most used scriptures by the apostles in their talks. One of them I loved was Matthew 11:28 but I like 25 -30 as well.... but it is so true. If we trust in our Heavenly Father and his Son, he will provide for us and make our trials and burdens lighter. There was a ton more stuff. I’ll share the other scriptures next week, I forgot them in the house..

A cool thought that I had, I listen to talks all the times in the morning from past conferences and I don’t remember who it was but they were talking about faith.. and they said saints are sinners who keep on trying... so if we want to be saints, we have to make faith a principle of our religion. Because we are "the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" and if we take out our faith or if we stop trying, we are just "The church of Jesus Christ of latter day sinners...." It was an amazing talk!

Well your calculations are correct. There are cambios this next week so we will see how it goes, but yes me and Elder Arizmendi are staying together for another cambio!! haha so that will be sweet!!:) I'm super happy to be staying here. I also love this ward so it will be great!! :) But like I said earlier, it will be crazy getting everyone to their new zones. 

Woah that sounds like a crazy week and that is so crazy about Chad. He is leaving in 3 weeks!! I’m so happy for him!! That’s so cool that almost all the family went to the temple. I love our family!!:) haha but WHAT TREVOR AND ANDIE ARE MOVING???? I didn’t give them permission!! haha naw but man that’s so sad.. I’m going to visit them when I get back! Man I’m sad they’re not gonna be there. Also momma thank you for the thought that you shared. I loved it, thank you!!:)

I love you so much momma. Have a great week!! love you to infinity and beyond!!!

Love,

Elder Shawners

I'm guessing he really likes this tie hahaha :)

With Elder Bragg from the Seventy!

Homemade donuts -- brought to Chile from the Prepared Pantry :)

Mission Conference with Elder Bragg of the Seventy