Hiking

Quotes from this week!

``Elder Crockett. You have a transfer! You are going to Osorno!´´
´´Really! Whose my new companion?``

``You new companion is Sister Flores.´´

So this week was awesome! We actually do have transfers but i am staying here in Aysen. And my new companion is named Elder Dominguez. He`s kind of ew only has a couple of months in the mission so no one knows anything about him. But this week i shall find out more about him!

Also this week we baptized one of our investigators. And i got to give them the Gift of the Holy ghost, and that was an incredible feeling. With how powerful the spirit was when i gave the blessing it was undeniable for anybody to not know for a fact this this is Gods only true church in the world. It was an awesome experience.

P.s. My investigators name is Micheal Jordan hahaha the Elder who did the baptism interview is a huge basketball guy and so all week long hes been calling me. saying ``I cant believe you guys baptized someone named Micheal Jordan. He is probably the coolest member we have here in the South hahaha He is actually pretty legit. Id send you pictures but the sister missionaries are borrowing my camera right now.

another Quote from this week

``Let me get this straight Elder Crockett, you Elders walk all week long, and on your only free day when you can do just about anything you want, you all decide to go Hiking?``

So Hiking today was awesome. There wasnt a path and so it was pretty much wandering around in the Forest with the hopes of finding a place to take cool pics. But shoot it was probably the hardest day hike that i have ever done in my entire life. It would be one thing if it was just bushwhacking, but it was more junglewhacking because it was pretty much all waist high wet plants. But there was one part when we were in a relatively dangerous spot where it was really steep and really wet and we werent sure how we would be able the get down. 

 

And there was a group of missionaries who wanted to keep going, and another group who all had a bad feeling, and thought that we needed to turn around and go home. And our zone leader said that we should pray to know what to do. And all the missionaries who wanted to keep going started to give the other missionaries a hard time and everyone was fighting, while i was there sitting down taking a drink when i knew i needed to step in. 

 

So i stand up and say ``Elders lets start thinking. This is clearly dangerous. and the only ones of you not willing to ask God what we should do are the ones who want to continue up the idiotically dangerous path Because you know that God is going to tell you that You are wrong and that we need to go back.`` And then all of them got really quiet and all started looking down at their feet. everyone then stopped yelling at each other we ate lunch and then climbed back down the mountain. And we messed around the whole way down, and so there was no one mad at each other, so thats good haha. It was a pretty awesome hike actually i loved it. 

 

So i built a greenhouse this week. Its was actually pretty awesome. I was really the only person tall enough the hammer the parts together. My arm was sop dang sore by the end of that service project. To make it better it was totally raining the whole time. that was fun haha but for real it was pretty awesome i totally plan on building my own green house some day. Im going to do it a little different from the one i built the other day but it was still pretty awesome.

Welps love you all keep me posted!

Early Email

I totally got 2 of the packages! Actually about a week or so ago, i just forgot to tell you on Monday haha.

Today Is My ONE YEAR TEMPLE ANNIVERSARY! One year ago today i went through the temple for the first time! And Wow its so weird to see how quickly time has past by i feel like that was just the other day. But here i am being an old guy in Chile hahaha. 

So i had one day this week that literally every single second of the day there was some miracle that was happening. And it was awesome. One thing that i{ve gotten too used to here on the mission is seeing miracles and so i havent made as much as a big deal about them. And granted i have been writing them in my Journal (that has about 5 pages left in it) haha ( i´ve actually have been pretty lazy about writing in my journal this here in Aysen just because i advent had any space, so i only write super awesome stuff until i can find a store that sells Journals. Hopefully i will find one soon haha.

So but anyway the day started with me and my companion walking to hour house after Lunch when we see a member in his yard with a chainsaw about to destroy a bed frame, and me and my companion just happened to be looking for a bed from for one of my investigators because they are in kind of a financially super hard time, so we stop Pancho ( the member) (P.s. I love this guy, He was less active when i met him, but me and him because friends super quick, and has been active ever sense. Hes awesome)and ask him if we could have the frame. So he gave it to us.

We were then going to walk it over to our investigators house, because none of the members with trucks were available. And Its about a half hour walk from where Pacho lives to where Our investigator lives. And so we walk for about 2 mins when we realize that it is going to take forever to walk there because the frame is kind of freaking heavy. And after just walking a couple of mins we were tired. And so in my head i just start thinking about how i wanted to have more help. And just as i was thinking that i Truck pulls up next to us and a man jumps out that i have never seen before. And asks us if we want to throw the bed in him truck and he could drive us to were we needed to go. So we let him help us haha

And when we are in his truck we start talking to him, when he says ´´Ok Elders Who said the Prayer´´ And my companion says ´´Umm not me....´´ And then he says  ´´Oh it was the gringo that did it then´´ And then turn to me amd i say ´´Well i was just about to haha´´ And then he starts laughing, and told us how he was a member in Coyhaique who was baptized a year ago, and just went through the temple with him family a couple days earlier. And told us that he was driving around working, when he felt the need to drive down some super random street, and then after driving for a min feels the need to stop suddenly. So he stops and starts looking around to see if he could see something he needed to do. And he said that he saw a really tall blonde guy in a tshirt and Jeans  (we did service earlier that day) and saw he had the bed, and felt the need to ask if he needed help. I did hahahahaha

Well he drives us all the way to our investigators house and we give them the bed. And then teach a really powerful lesson. And we invite them to get baptized. One of them in January because there is more stuff that he needs to do, but the other for next Saturday. He was going to have his interview today, but something happened and the District Leader couldnt come in the do it, and so he should have his interview this Monday, and the baptism should be this Saturday that is coming.

He actually asked me to baptize him, but then in English my companion threw a fit about how he has been here for 5 months and hasnt baptized anyone and how we wanted to do it. So i said he could of the investigator is ok with it. Because i dont really mind, he still makes it to heaven haha

Later that day i was looking for a reference that i got when i went on division the other day,m when as we were walking i saw a house that i really felt the need to knock. And so i knocked the door, and a woman answered the door, and was really receptive. Actually i saw her in the street earlier that day and felt the need to talk to her, and did but she was really busy so she couldnt talk. So at first was kind of freaked out, thought we were stalking her hahaha. But she was really nice. And we started to teach her there in the doorway and we start talking about baptism, and i show her a picture of Jesus Christ getting baptized that i always walk around with. And she said ´´You know what Elder Crockett. I want to be baptized like Jesus Christ was. In a river.´´ And i said. Well there is a river here in Aysen. And i can prepare a baptism serve for you (and then i threw out a date) (I have it written down but i cant remember it right now. But its in January) And she says. ´´I cant just get baptized without ever coming to church. Everyone would think i was crazy walking into a church asking to be baptized if i have never even attended the church before.´´ And oh my gosh she is so golden but i  say ´´You know what your right, you should come to the church to get to know if before you decide to get baptized´´ And then i told her that we have meeting on Sunday at 10 am. and She said that she would go, and is really excited to go.

After talking to her i find out that the reference that i was looking for is just right next door. And so we knock the door. And a man opens the door with a huge smile on his face and says ´´Elders Please come in!´´ So we come in and he tells us how we was hiding there by his window watching and listening to us teaching his neighbor. And he also tells us that he is actually Mormon but hasnt gone to church in a long time. In fact his records arent even in Aysen because he used to live in another city when we went inactive, and then moved to Aysen. And we started talking to him, and the missionary that baptized him just happens to be from my companions Ward! freaking crazy. But we talk to him and teach him a bunch, and at the end of the lesson he said something that was super humbling. He said Elders I am very grateful that God sent you two to find me today. This last week has been the hardest week of my life (and then tells us whats been going on in his life) And the fact that God sent you two to knock on my door helps me know that he truly does love and wants me to repent and come back to Him.

And all this happened on a day that i was kind of Sick and didnt want to leave to work. But did anyway and it was awesome!!! 

Welps Love yall.

Awesome Week

Quote of the week

``¡¡¡Que Lindos Son!!!´´ (little girls screaming)

``Elder Silva, yo creo que quezas tenemos aun mas Snakes´´

``Sí  parece que tenemos dos nuevas snakecitas´´

"They are so cute!"!!(little girls screaming)
"Elder Silva, I think that they have even more Snakes´´
"Yes we seem to have two new little snakes´´

Next Monday i have a conference with the mission president and so i am not going to have a P Day this next Monday, but i believe that i am going to have it This Saturday (Two P Days A Week! Score!) And so if you all could write me before Friday that would be ideal so i can still get to hear from you. I´d say that i´ll keep you posted but lets get real, if you hear from me on Saturday it means my Pday is On Saturday. If not it means its not haha.

So this week was awesome, we did a ton of divisions this week, and A bunch of the members have commented to me, saying ´´Elder Crockett I don´t know how you've done it but the missionary work has completely changed´´ And then i would explain the them ´´Any changes here is not because of me, The reason why the work so going so well right now, is because the members here are finally doing their part in missionary work. Because if the members are working everything in the ward Changes´´

Now i am going to tell you WHY the members are working. This last week I was in a Branch Meeting. (I could tell you the name in Spanish but i have no idea what its called in English haha) But it is the meeting when there is all of the leaders of the organizations. And so we start out the meeting with the Branch Meeting with the ``Missionary Minute´´ Where the missionaries can take about 5 mins to explain what activities they are planning. Now frankly with the meeting going they way they were in the past, it was just a waste of time to have me there. But they give the time to me, and i stand up and say.

``Thank you for this time to talk with you all. I have something really important to talk to you about today.´´ I then handed everyone of them a copy of my progress records of my investigators. And then i explain to them the Goals of the mission (baptism wise) and then i show them the goals of the branch, that they set. And then i continued talking and told them about an experience i had in La Union (Lago Ranco) And then explain ``I know that God will help us achieve this goal, and has in fact promised us that if we work that we will be able to do it. But from my experience in the mission i have learned something. 

If in a branch there is not a baptism every month (the goal) there is two reason. 1. Because the missionaries arent working. And 2. Because the members arent working. If either one of the two are not doing their part God will not bless us with more baptisms.´´ And then they all looked really ashamed. But then i made the wound even deeper, and i asked them to look at the progress record. And then talked about my investigators. And i hear the branch president say ``Well it looks like the missionaries are doing their part´´ And i took that opportunity and replied. ``And now we need the help of every single one of you, and your organizations so that these people who are trying to come closer to Christ can receive the help that they need to enter into the path and be baptized. I then talked to every single organization about exactly what i need them to do, and made plans and Goals with them.

My 5 min ``Missionary Minute`` Turned into an Hour and A Half meeting, and the focus of every single one of the organizations.

And we have had members leaving with us to work just about every day now. And we have had more investigators in church these Sunday then Aysen has ever had ever haha. And then also on Sunday i didnt have to worry about my investigators because all of the people in the Presidencies of the church did what they should do and started fellowshiping the members. 

Hopefully the members stay as awesome as they are now, because its true if the members arent doing the part its almost impossible that the missionaries can have success, thats pretty much the story of my whole mission, i get the members to start working a ton, i then get transferred, and then shortly after the area starts baptizing like crazy. 

I actually got news about my investigators. And even though i`ve only personally baptized one of my investigators i have had SO Many get baptized. I was so happy to hear that. Hopefully some day i`ll get to stay in a sector long enough to see the fruits of my work haha

Welp Love you all-. Do missionary work. 

P.s.

So new experience this week, Chile just had a presidential election, and sunday the results came in. And so Sunday night i was walking over to visit one of my investigators when i hear a bunch of car horns honking, so i turn around to see a big parade of people. And there was pictures of the new president all over their cars. And on every car, and all the people walking had flags, half of them where waving the Chilean flag, and the other half were waving a flag that had a Hammer and A Sickle on it. And so i turn to my companion and ask ``Hey is Michelle (the new President) a Socialist)´´ And he says ``No, she is just from a kind of extremely left political party.´´ That kind of sounds alot like socialism to me haha. But im a missionary so it doesnt really effect me very much

New Videos!

Just cool.

It totally snowed!

So i was in Coyhuique this last week, and it totally snowed. So Much for it being summer

Oh and the whole sun never going doing thing is totally true haha

Oh hey i just got an email about being about to do Skpye with you guys! there is two days that i will be able to do it, either the 24th or the 25th. Let me know what day is better for you too, and what time of day as well so we can get all coordinated and what not

So this past week was Awesome, i got to go to Coyhuique to work with Elder Owens!!!!!!!! Elder Owens was one of my best friends in the MTC, him and ELder King (who i still talk to even though hes in a different mission) were huge supports for me. Elder Owens was my DL in the MTC and is my DL here in Coyhuique as well, and it was awesome working with him, even though i havent seen him in a little less than year we were just as good as friends as we were when i had to say goodbye to back in Provo. And the whole day when we werent talking about our investigators that we have we talked about awesome stuff that we did in the MTC, and a bunch of apostate stories of whats been going on with us in the mission (most of which you will never hear about hahahahahaha) 

But here in Aysen something happened that i am totally bummed out about, two of the girls that i was going to baptize this month, they are best friends, came up to us and said ``Well we still really want to get baptized, but we are going to have to do it in March, because both of us just bought Plane tickets to Tamuco, and we are leaving tomorrow morning`` I was super bummed out about that. They actually told me before they told their parents. In fact one of them didnt tell their parents, and so i went to visit them and i asked about her, and her dad said ``Oh she actually packing up a suitcase right now, i think that she is going to spend a couple days at her friends house`` I then had to tell him that she probably packing for a little bit longer than the weekend because she is flying to the opposite end of the country. But they are both gone none, but i foresee that i am still going to be here in March so i will still get to help them get baptized when they get back. But its still kind of sad.

Our other investigators are doing great though, one of them was going to get baptized this saturday but we had to change the date because she wont have time this 14th. But i`ll keep you posted on how she is doing. I still need to talk with her dad again about getting more support, because he doesnt support her decision very much, he says that she`s not mature enough to make a decision like this for herself. She is super intelligent though she understands everything right away. Its pretty awesome actually.

This week i went on splits with the members for my first time in all my mission! Actually now that im thinking about it the second time, but the first time i was in Paillaco, and i didnt speak spanish really at all so i could teach anything because i had no idea what was going on hahaha, but this time was alot different because i actually speak spanish now, actually i think i speak spanish alot better than english now. You cant tell much as im writing, but when we get to skype in a couple weeks you`ll see.

Actually there was one members who didnt believe that i didnt speak spanish much before the mission, in fact they thought that i was born in Chile, and lived here for a long time but then moved to Argentina for a couple of years and started getting their accent.

Shoot im out of time. Welps love you all!

Golden Investigators

Quote from this week ``Elder Crockett What do you want for Christmas`` ``I would really love more pamphlets of the Restoration`` ``We just sent you some the other week`` ``Ya...I already used most of them hahahaha``

So the whole cold thing didnt last that long, i got pretty used to the cold really fast, actually today i was running around in gym shorts all day. But im sure that as soon as i find a place that accepts cards (not many this far down in the world) that has something i like i`ll pick up some

I LOVE AYSEN! For real its such an incredible sector. The other day i met two girls, one of them is 20 the other is 17 and they are best friends, one of them was one of our investigators, and the other is her best friend. But they came up to me and said ``Hey Elder Crockett, we really want to be baptized Mormon.`` And shoot these two girls are so golden. Ok story time

Fast sunday comes along and i spend the morning before church meditating on what i need to do to get this sector going really strong. And then i kneel down to pray to start my fast. And after i finish praying there is a investigator that pops into my mind. And then just then my companion yells out from the bathroom ``Elder Crockett a investigator just popped into my mind, we need to call her`` And it just so happens that it was the exact same girl that popped into my mind too. So right away i pull out my phone and call her, and i invite her to come to the church, and she told me that she really wanted to, but she was spending the night at a friends house, and then said ``And so i dont think that i`ll be able to.....Actually what am i talking about i can totally just invite her to come with me``

And she totally brought her friend to church with her, and they went to all the classes together and they totally got along great with all the members. And then after the meeting my investigators comes up to me and we are talking and she says ``You know i have wanted to get baptized for a really long time, when can i get baptized ( for real everyone wants to get baptized in the c ity haha) and my companion says ``Well we are having a serve on the 14th. Will you prepare to be baptized on that day`` And she says ``Ya for sure, if my dad says i can i will totally do it``

Now from what i know about her dad i had doubts that he ws just going to give her permission. So later that day i was visiting the branch president talking to him about our investigators, no before i go on with my story you need to know a random fact, one of the biggest challenges that we have here in the ward is that the President got in a fight with the missionaries before, and ever sense then was kind of working against us, but he came up to me in church, and said ``Elder Crockett ever sense you`ve gotten here the entire missionary work has turned around, congratulations, and i wanted to say ``Well president ive been here for 2 weeks and big improvements that are happening probably has nothing to do with me`` But i decided against it haha, so i just said thank you, and then set up an appointment to talk with him.

Ok so we were talking about my investigators, specifically the one who we are planning on baptizing in 2 weeks, and the situation with her dad, and President says ``You know what Elders I think i can help you out with that. I will go and visit him, and i will get the permission for you`` And at first i was relatively shocked because i have only heard little horror stories about whats been going on between him and the older missionaries, but shoot i was happy. And then he said ``Elders, i have a bunch of references for you`` He then gave us a ton of references, told us when they will be home, and then set up appointments so we can go visit them with him. 

And me and president just got along so well, and he is so willing to help us in the work and do everything he can to get the members to come with us too. And when we left his house my companion said ``What the Freak! I have been trying to work with him for almost 5 months now, and you get here and within 5 mins he trust you more than any missionary than has ever been in Aysen`` And i just say ``Well, i am pretty pretty awesome some times haha``

But for real Aysen is awesome, i have like a bazillion stories from this last week, its just incredible how great the work is here.

Happy Birthday Mom, and R. I totally celebrated your birthday last night, a member gave me a cake, it was more for a welcoming gift thing, but i used it for a little birthday party on the other side of the world haha.

I set up Christmas decorations in my house. Mom i live on that main street with the bridge. My house is actually super awesome. I`ll have to send you pics of my nice little Christmas tree and stuff.

Welps Love you all! Keep me posted!

Golden Area

So I am IN LOVE With Coyhuique!!!!!!!!! Actually im not in the city of CoyHuique i am in a little town called Puerto Aysen that is about an hour outside of the city but it is SO BEAUTIFUL! But just about everything that other missionaries is true haha. Except for the snow part. There is snow on all the hills that surround the town but none in the city. But shoot it is so freaking Cold here. Goodness. Its like the cold just slams through my pants, the pajamas that i have under, and the thermals that i use under those, and gets me to the bone. Shoot its cold here.

So my companion is a Chilean named Elder Silva, dudes pretty awesome we have been working a ton here. OH AWEsome random fact, my district Leader is Elder OWENS!!!!!!! He was in the MTC with me, and he would come into my room all the time and we would have Nacho Nights. He is awesome i love him so much, i am so excited we are in the same district. He called me last night too, and he is just excited to work with me as i am to work with him.

Ok story time. I was with my companion driving down to Aysen when he said ``Elder Crockett, i feel like i should tell that i expect alot out of you. Just so you know there has been a bunch of unfocused disobedient missionaries here in Aysen before, and when it was almost impossible to work with them, and because of that this sector is pretty bad right now, we havent seen progress in a long time. And so i wrote a letter to President asking him to please send me a missionary who is a hard worker, who would be able to turn this sector around. Because all we need here is someone with a really good work ethic. And then a couple days after writing that to president he called me telling me he was sending you here, so i am expecting a lot out of you``

So we got to work here, and Aysen is AWESOME. We have found so many families who are just straight up GOLDEN! I have never in all my mission have found a people so prepared to here the gospel. Ever. They are incredible here.

We found one girl who while we were talking to her she asked ``If Christ established his church in the world why is there so many now`` And so we taught here about prophets and apostasy, and right after teaching about apostasy she asked ``Why would God let this happen, wouldnt he just call a new prophet`` So we taught her about The restoration of the Gospel, and the prophet Joseph Smith, and then after that she said ``This is incredible, but i feel as though God would give us a little evidence to help us believe this happened.`` So then we taught her about the Book of Mormon, and gave her a copy. And wow she was so excited to read it. And then we taught her about prayer and how after reading in the Book of Mormon to pray to ask God if its true, and if everything we just taught here was true`` She then said that she wants to come to our church, so we told her when it starts, and she also asked if she was aloud to get baptized too. Pure Gold

She isnt the only person we found that was super Gold either, there was another man who works in the fishing boats, and so he is only here for 7n days and then works for 14. SO we wont be able to teach him much. But this man was just as receptive as the first.

There was another family who went through a really hard crisis and was really wondering if God Exists. This one of them wants to get baptized the other is a little more skeptical but is willing to investigate to see what we are teaching is true.

there is so much potential here in Aysen. I am so excited to get to work here. Its crazy i have been seeing so much success in this last week, but shoot i have been seeing so much opposition too, kind of things that you only imagine happening in missionary movies haha. But thats good, because i know that if satan is working so hard to stop us, it`s because God has alot for us to do here.

Love you all Keep me posted!

Reading my Flight Itinerary‏

So i was pretty ready to go on a baggage security rant right about now but eventually everything turned out good so im happy now.

So I am going to quote a conversation that i had this week. I was in a city called Llanquihue working with my friend Elder Werner when his cell phone starts ringing. And i over hear ``Her Elder I have some information that i need to you to pass on to Elder Crockett`` And so he replies ``Well he`s standing here right now so you can just tell him yourself if you want to`` And then passes me the phone.

And on the phone is my Friend Elder Johnson, and he is currently the mission presidents Secretary. And so after talking for a min he says ``Elder Crockett, i have news for you.. You`re Going to Choyihueque`` And my first reply was ``You`re messing with me right`` And he says ``Yup i was just kidding`` And i reply ``Oh thank Goodness you scared me there i thought i was going to freeze to death for a second`` And then there was a awkward silence and he replied ``Actually i wasnt kidding you actually are going to Choyihueque``

Now just so you know This city Choyihueque ( i dont know if im spelling it right) is so far down south that I have to take a plane to get there. It is a place where there is literally snow all year round. And sense it cost so much money for president to send missionaries there they normally stay down there in the south for at least 6 months many are there for more than i year.

Now honestly I have wanted to go there sense my first day here in Chile. And my first initial thought was of super excitement. Until i thought about it a little. I am still recovering from pneumonia where i cannot spend too much time it the cold, and i am getting sent to a place where it snows even in the summer. It is literally the coldest area in the mission. Even Colder Than Punta Arenas which is the farthest south city in the world, because not only am i really closest to Antarctica i am also up in the mountains, at least i think so.

I have only really heard 2 things about this city. That it is Super Beautiful. Possibly the most beautiful place in Chile, but it is deathly cold all year long. But honestly i am super Excited.

I told my ward mission leader this and he said ``Are you kidding? I mean if God needs you in the spirit world to preach the gospel he is definitely sending you to the right place. Because if there was any place in this country that could hypothetically kill you, that would be it`` I then said ``Thanks Love you too``

My personal theory is that God is sending me there to go through like a shock therapy. If my lungs get used to the death cold air there then i will never have a problem with my lungs ever again in my entire life, because im not going to experience much colder than that hahaha.

Actually its not even that bad i will be there during the summer and so it will be alot less cold than it would be if i was in there in August or something in the middle of winter.

My friend Elder Warner Told me that there in the summer the sun Raises at about 4 am and sets at about 11 pm. So i am pretty excited for the awesome missionary tan that i am going to get there hahaha

Over all i am actually really happy, and excited to go down to Choyihueque, but i am kind of bummed that i am leaving Puerto Varas so soon.Because i found a ton of new investigators here and taught a ton, and was in the process of preparing 10 different baptisms in the next couple of days actually, and so i wont be around to see my investigators be baptized, again haha. This has literally happened in ever single transfer ive had haha

Also there was elections for president this Sunday and so it was illegal to have a church meeting, and so i didnt get to say goodbye to the members. Which Kind of Sucks, i literally had just enough time here in Puerto Varas to fall in love with Everyone, turn the dieing sector into a sector that is going to explode with baptisms really soon, and all of that while fighting off Death hahaha. And the worst part is i dont even have time to say goodbye to really anybody. Kind of bummed about that. But its ok, i`m hoping that some day i`ll be able to come back here, even if its just for a day i would like to see how everything i`ve done here is going to turn into.

Actually i have had the opportunity to tell a couple of the members and none of them are super psyked , they all feel that i just got here (because i did) and want me to stay longer, and honestly i want to stay longer too, but i know that God needs me right now down south so i am excited to go.

I just delivered one of my maletas, i have no idea what there are called in English, they are those really big bag things that you put clothes in to travel, you gave me some when i graduated. I can only take one with me on the airplane and the other has to go by bus, and so they are sending it to Santiago Chile, the Capital, super far away, and then from there they are going to send it down south, the the leaders told me to only pack the things that i absolutely need right now in the one that i am taking of the plane, because my other bag will take about a month or so to arrive in Choyihueque.

Well this next time next week ill let you know if i got any snow!!!! Hahahaha

Love you all! Keep me posted on how you are doing!

Still sick?

So before i start my story i want to tell you all that i am pretty much almost all the way better kind of haha. But for real i feel fine. But due to something that happened in church the other day no one believes me. And that is where my story starts this week.

Actually background info The Ward Mission leader That i work with is named Brother Gonzalez. And he is awesome. The best ward mission leader ive ever had (in fact the only ive ever had haha) But he has seen all my x rays and my medical reports and everything so he knows that i`ve been a little sick haha. And this last week it literally rained every single day without stopping, so the mission presidents wife told me that i wasnt aloud to leave to work this week due to the rain. And so all of the meetings that i had with Hno Gonzalez this week. have been in my house.

Ok background established

So this Sunday was awesome. I was in my class with Hno Gonzalez with all of my investigators that came to church, when a member of the bishopric walks in with a gringo. And he comes up to me and says. ``Elder Crockett, this man is from the United States, and he was preparing to get baptized before he came here to South America, but he doesnt speak very much spanish, so can you translate everything for him?`And i told him sure. Because i generally feel like a boss when im translating for people haha.

So in our class Hno Gonzalez would teach something, and then i would translate everything he said from spanish into English for this man. Scriptures, examples, questions, testimony, answers, everything i translated everything. But after a little time Hno G starts being a little jerk, and starts speaking super fast, using really strange words, and weird examples just to make it harder for me. (He also speaks some english and so he knew what words dont have easy translations into english) hahaha But to his disappointment i showed him up and did a good job translating everything..

But after the class i talked to the gringo a little bit, and it really makes me want to know how their conversation went with the councilor, because he definitely was not a investigator, or a new convert. He told me that he was baptized at 8, was faithful all his life, served a mission on the east coast of the states, and was here in south America just because he wanted to explore it, and he wanted to learn spanish, and figured wheres a better place to learn spanish then in South America. Which is valid thats how i learned Spanish haha, but granted i know that i had divine help, because becoming fluent in a matter of weeks is something that isnt exactly normal haha.

My story with this man keeps going but i want to get to the good part of my story, about why the ward is so worried about me now.

In Priesthood meeting all of the men where gathered, and there is actually a ton of men in this ward. I didnt even know that many men lived in Chile hahaha, but like any normal Priesthood meeting we were all joking around, the High Priests really like making fun of me, so they make some joke about me, and then i make some smart alek back, and then hit them back with another joke, and so all of us are just messing around, and no one is focused, but we start the meeting, and so i stop messing around with the old guys and i am paying attention, but the rest of the men kept whispering and werent really paying attention, like any other normal priesthood meeting.

But then the bishop asked Hno G to stand up to give a update on the obra misional. And so he stands up and starts telling everyone whats going on, and what we need them to do. But then he says ``But i have something a little more important that i want to talk about. Our good Friend Elder Crockett, has been keeping a secret from all of you. Over the past couple of weeks has had to make constant trips to the hospital, and in these trips we've learned that he was ``una Enfermadad Grave`` (In other words he literally told everyone that i was seriously sick)`` And then the room went totally silent, and everyone turns and starts looking at me, and there passes almost an entire min of everyone staring at me in complete silence without saying anything. Until one of my friends (one of the youth) asks ``What do you have?`` And so i said ``pneumonia``

And then everyone starts talking again, and are all saying how thats super dangerous, and even more so because i am here in Chile where it never stops raining, and that how that could make my infection worse, and kill me. But then Hno G starts talking again and everyone stops talking to listen to him, and he says ``Yes, but we all know Elder Crockett very well, and how faithful he is, and he has been walking around working with the sickness his entire time here in Puerto Varas, but its come to a point where he hasnt been able to leave in a couple of days due to how serious his sickness is, and he needs your help right now.``

Now right about now im thinking ``Oh my gosh Jaime (his first name) i`m totally fine, i havent felt better in a long time, i`ve literally used up all of the pills, and im pretty sure that my infection has died. I am totally fine. But then Hno G keeps going, and this next part doesnt make much sense of how it worked out.

He said ``And so right now he needs your help. And so i need a list of what days you are free from work, and what hours so you can go out to leave with the missionaries. And i want all of you in your quorums to make me the list and give it to me, and then i will email it to Elder Crockett so you will be able to go out to work with him``

And i am amazed at the response of the ward, because one of our biggest problems here is before i got here the members havent really done anything with missionary work. But the other sunday ( i didnt tell this story) i gave a talk in church in which i told the members that they need to be missionaries ( i actually mailed my talk to the Myers family, its in all spanish, and granted i didnt read my paper at all as i gave it, so its not exactly the same, but its close) But after i gave that talk, everyone started bringing friends to church, and then after Hno G made this little announcement, everyone started shouting out when they can leave with us, and so he had to calm them all down and tell them that they needed to make the list in the quorums and that he would send in to me.
I have no idea what the heck Jaime was thinking, and granted he only told the truth (from his perspective), but gosh the members are jumping alive.

Then all the men told their wives, so they are all giving me food now hahahaha.

There is a lot more that has but i`ll have to tell you those stories another day.

Love you all keep me posted on all of your Adventures!!!!

Hotrodding at Death's Door

Wow mom you are in incerdible Guesser. But dont worry i am totally fine. Im not really concerned about my health at all. But i am going to get straight into Story Time!

So in the hospital i was checking in when they told me that i was going to have to go through a quick checkup before they sent me to the emergency room. So they call a young nurse to come and do it. And so she takes me away to a small room, and tells me that he is going to have to take my temperature and that i was going to have to take my shirt all the way off. And my first thought was (I know for a fact that i do not need to take my shirt off all the way) But i start unbuttoning my shirt and only unbutton the first couple buttons because i knew that was sufficient to put the little thermometer underneath my arm. And so she sees that i stopped and i guess she got a little impatient. And came up to me and started taking my shirt off for me!

And me being a missionary not used to having women taking off my shirt, i am getting a little uncomfortable, but then she pulls my shirt open and sees that i have a ``Undershirt`` on and she makes some stupid remark about how she was expecting that i just had the one shirt on. And me being pretty annoyed at how this freaking girl just tried taking my clothes off just because she wanted to, i said ``Yup i do. And i can take care of it myself thank you very much`` And then i snatch the thermometer things from her hand and put it under my arm. Check my own temperature. And then hand it back to her. And man did see seemed ticked. And then said in a pretty heavy tone ``Thank you. Go wait in the hall now`` And so happily i say ``Alright. See you later!`` And then i go wait in the hall, which i have a bunch of great stories from that but i will wait for another day to tell those ones.

After waiting for a while a women comes out and calls out ``Hamilton Denton`` In probably the thickest Chilean accent i have ever heard, totally butchering my name. And it was actually pretty weird hearing my real name instead of just Elder.
But i go with that man and he takes me down a long hallway and puts me in a room and tells me to wait for the doctor. And so i wait there messing around taking a bunch of pictures and stuff wen the doctor come in and said ``Mr. Hamilton Denton Crockett I am going to need you to take off your shirt please`` And my first thought was ``Well he said please and didnt just try ripping it off of me so i`ll do it`` haha

He then gets one of those things you use to listen to lungs and he spends a really long time checking my lungs. And Checks about every single inch of my chest, front and back. Not even kidding. He then says ``Alright. Wait one moment please`` And then leaves and comes back with a wheel chair. And i ask ``Why do you have that?`` And he said ``Its for you we need to transfer you to another part of the hospital`` And i wanted to say some mouthy remark (im a pretty mouthy person when it comes to hospitals) like ``Well i walked in here without dieing im pretty sure i can walk some more`` But i decided against it, and just happily sat down in the chair and they wheeled me off the the other side of the hospital into a room with a big sign that said ``Warning Radiation Danger`` (but in spanish) (p.s. this whole story takes place in South America so everything is in Spanish haha)

 And they take me to a tiny room. And handed me a sleeveless shirt that was made of some paper like substance. And told me that i was going to have to put it on. Then left me there alone. And i put it on, and i just think i look super buff, (one of the walls was a mirror) But i didnt do too much flexing or anything in the mirror because i could hardly move around the room was so tiny. But i thought it was so weird. It was the first time in about a year that i was dressed in so little clothes and i just felt naked haha.

They then come back for me and take me to a room where i had to do a bunch of X Rays. And i wasnt aloud to move. And it was super boring. They then tell me to go get my clothes back on. And put me back in a wheel chair. But they then ditched me there in a big room with nothing in it. And i had a wheel chair. So granted i use this opportunity to just mess around and race across the room and do wheelies and stuff like that. It was super awesome. But then as i was there messing around i hear talking, and butchering my name. So like a spy a start sneaking around in my wheelchair until i find a hall that had a bunch of doctors in it looking at my x rays talking about what they say.

And one of them said ``How long has this man had this infection`` And another one says ``He said about a month`` The first voice then replies ``Thats incredible that he has had an infection like this for a month and he still walking around like normal`` And then i decide i need to get out of there before someone discovers me so i use my ninja wheelchair moves to sneak back to where they one put me. And a few mins later the team of doctors leave their little batcave and come over to me, and told me that they where going to take me back. They then pushed me to my first room that they put me in. Sadly they then made me get onto a bed so they took away my wheel chair, which kind of bummed me out, because that thing was awesome.


A few mins later a doctor came to me and said ``Well the x rays came through good, and we could see your problem, and like you told us, you do have an infection in one of your lungs. But i prescribed you a medication that you will need to take, and there the secretary is waiting at the desk to tell you more about it, and to give you your x rays and your prescription, you are also going to have to come back next week for some additional x rays and we want to see the progress of your healing`` They then kicked me out and i went to the secretary and she gave me a bunch of papers and told me ``Well here is all of your medical reports you can just read then if you want to know more details about what you have. And here is you prescription that you need to go buy`` And then gave me everything and i left.

And i got into a bus to Puerto Varas where i was going to buy my drugs, and i decided to kill time i was going to read my lab report. And oh my goodness that thing was more straight Latin than spanish, it has so many strange words. But i to make a long story short i found my diagnosis and it was Nuemonia de Lobulo Medio Derecho. Which is just saying that i have pneumonia in my right Lung. But I was not freaked out at all. Because i figured, Welp it hasnt killed me yet, so i guess im fine. And then go and buy my drugs when a little red flag comes up. The pill they prescribed me was incredibly expensive. it cost 6x more than what we were expecting It costs 30,000 pesos for 10 pills. Which is about $6 a pill. Super expensive.

And so i called the mission presidents wife to ask if it was ok that i bought something so expensive. And she said that i needed to, and then the mission would reimburse me for the costs, So i paid with my personal money, because the money the mission gave me was not nearly enough. Hna Rappleye then asked me about what the doctor told me and i told here that he said pretty much nothing, just that i needed to take this drug, and come back in another week. So she asked me to send her copies of all of my lab records and of my x rays so she could take then to a different doctor to see if he says that there was more i needed to do. But then i bought my pills and have been taking then ever sense.

They are freaking HUGE! I`ve never had to take bigger pills in my entire life. Its like trying to swallow a Jolly Rancher whole. They are HUGE. (P.S: Kids dont try swallowing a jolly rancher whole. It will probably kill you haha) But i am happy to report that even though i got sick i still havent missed a single day of work!!! HIGH FIVE!!!! I actually called Hna Rappleye again today and we talked about how im doing, and she told me just not to leave to work if is starts raining, or if its really cold. Now granted i live on the southern end of South America so it is always deathly cold here, and it is constantly raining. So i think it was her way of telling me to stop trying to work. But i just have so much to do that i need to do it! hahaha Just kidding Right after i as told that i wasnt aloud to work in the rain i thought 'shoot what am i going to do' because it was a rainyday. And then instantly the wind starts blowing, and all the clouds blow away so its a nice sunny day now! Kind of warm too. Perfect to work!!!!

Ok time for the bad news. On Halloween i had appointments all day long so i was in houses the whole time. So i didnt get to knock doors. Which means i didnt get to go trick or treating. Sad day. I had an awesome costume too, i was dressed up like a missionary. And i played to part sooo goood. But a member has my back and he gave me a ton of candy yesterday in church. SCORE!

Welps Love Yall. Ill have to go back to the hospital tomorrow. Hopefully it doesnt take all day again. But i foresee that it wont. Love you All Keep me Posted!

Bonus letter!‏

Miya got a letter in the mail from Denton and the story was so amazing we're posting it.



So there is a woman and she is what I like to call a Snake, a venomous, cold blooded reptile thats bite causes death.  Or, in other words, a woman who tries to make missionaries fall and get sent home and she is a really dangerous snake too.  I was not present for this first part of the story:

One day, two missionaries were leaving the Church when they stopped to admire the beautiful lake.  Well as they were looking at the lake the neighbor girl was getting out of the shower and she looked out the window and saw the two missionaries chillin' on the porch, and decides that she is going to test their faith a little bit. 

So she drops her towel, opens the window and, as she is completely naked, calls out to the missionaries.  They turn around and see her and like good little missionaries, they close their eyes and turn away.  (this is where I came into the story)

A couple of months pass by, and not knowing the history about this woman, a visiting missionary named Elder Crockett wants to meet the neighbors and instantly he becomes friends with this girl and her family.  Well, Elder Crockett is chillin on the porch with the District President and the Pres tells Elder Crockett the story of this family and how because of her, more than one missionary in the past has had some problems in their mission.  So Elder Crockett, knowing his own weakness decided to pray about this situations. 

And he prayed, "Dear Heavenly Father, please protect the missionaries here and please bless that another experience like this will never happen again with this woman."

A little while later we find our missionary in another city where he was going to meet up with a companion who he hadn't seen in a while due to temporary transfers and when he meets up with him, he tells him, "Elder Crockett, while you were gone, the neighbor's house burnt down in the middle of the night." 

When Elder Crockett returns later, he visits the neighbors and learns that due to damages to the property, they will not be able to build the house in the same place, and they now have plans to rebuild the house on the other end of the property, which just happens to be blocked by a wall of the Church and a bunch of trees. 

After learning this, Elder Crockett goes to the porch of the church and gazes over to where the new house will be built when he realized that it will be physically impossible to see any naked women in the new house due to all the obstacles blocking the way.  He then realized that his prayer was answered.  A few days earlier he prayed that the missionaries would not have problems with this woman again, and a few days after, the house burns down and it's impossible to rebuild in the same place.  So he says a prayer of gratitude, thanking his Heavenly Father for answering his prayer and even though he did not intend for his prayer to burn a house down, he was grateful that God loved his son enough to answer his little plea for protection.

The moral of the story is don't get naked in front of missionaries or one day Elder Crockett might come by and burn your house down with the fire of his faith.     BAAAHAHAHAHAHAH. 

Before I start....

I got the Fotos you sent me this week! Made me so happy! You are all awesome.

Chambers i also got you`re letter too you`ll possibly get something back in the future from me haha

Ok Story time.

But before i start my story Mom i need to tell you that i am totally fine and dont worry about anything, i feel pretty much the best that i ever have in my entire life. honestly haha Now you have a warning my story today is great but it is not as happy as normal.

So the other day i was reading in a book about Brigham Young. And how when he was called to serve a mission in England he and his family were deathly sick, to the point where none of his family wanted him to leave because they were afraid that either he or one of them would die when he was gone. And in a conversation that he had with his sister before he left he said ``I am going to do what is required of me in the gospel of life and Salvation, or i will die trying to do it`` (translated from spanish haha)

And so as i was sitting there in my house reading this i thought to myself ``You know i have never actually been sick on my mission, and i wonder if i would be as faithful as Brigham Young was when he left on his mission``

Literally Moments after having that though i find that my entire body is just overcome in pain, and the room starts spinning, and i felt deathly sick. And i did not like moving not at all. And apparently the was a noticeable change in my countenance because my companion remarked ``Elder Crockett do you feel alright? Because when you woke up you looked as stupid happy as you normally do, but you just look like death right now`` and i respond ``Thanks Elder. Love you too`` He then asked me if i wanted to stay home today to rest instead of leaving to work. When the quote from Brigham Young came into my head again saying ``I am going to do what is required of me in the gospel of life and Salvation, or i will die trying to do it`` And so i told my companion ``No, i think i`ll be fine to work`` Granted when i said this i didnt even have the strength the get out of my chair, but i believe that God will only help us if put forward our part, and so i believed that He would only heal me if i got out of my chair and started to work.

So before we were going to leave to work my companion had to use the restroom, so while he was in the restroom i push myself out of my chair and kneel down to pray. And ask for the strength that i would need to work. I then forced myself to stand up, and me and my comp prayed before leaving, and then we left to work. And it was actually a really productive day, we taught a ton. Knocking doors sucks, well actually everything sucked hahaha but it was really good, but it was super funny, i am pretty sure that my comp thinks that i went crazy because literately all day long i was mumbling scriptures under my breath in various different languages to keep my mind off of how bad my heath was as focus on happy things like being a disciple of Jesus Christ. And then when we got home that day i went straight to bed. I didnt take the time to eat dinner, write in my journal, plan for the next day, or even change my cloths. I just threw myself down on my bed, in my shirt and tie, and actaully i was wearing that super awesome snowboarding jacket that we bought last black Friday because i was deathly cold haha. And went straight to sleep.

The next morning i sleep through my alarm, and sleep in a couple of hours. And when i wake up i still feel like death, just slightly less bad. And so i get up and take a shower to see if that would help, but nope hahaha, and so i go back to sleep for a couple of hours. And when i wake up i still feel terrible, so i decide that i was going to call the mission nurse to see if she could recommend some kind of drug to me that would make it so i could still work and not feel like death hahaha. So i call Hermana Marie, just so you know her better real quick, she is just a normal sister missionary who was a nurse before the mission, and when she got her was just assigned to still be a nurse but only works with us now. But anyways i call her and the whole time i am just joking around, because thats kind of what i do when i talk in English.

So i was telling her about everything that was going on, and she asked me if i could take any medications, and i told her that i know absolutely nothing about medications so i just decided to ``Man it out`` and she just starts busting up laughing, and so both of us just start making a bunch of jokes, most of which where about me dieing haha, and every time i would laugh i would have a super painful cough. And so we kept talking and she told me, ``Well based on everything you told me it just sounds like you got a bad case of (I only remember the name in Spanish, so i`ll just let you use your imagination haha)`` And then recommended a medication to me. But then told me, that she wouldnt be too concerned about my health and that in a couple days i`d be fine. but then she said, ``but there is something that i am a little worried about, and its that cough you have`` And then asked me a couple of questions about my cough, and the last one was ``About how long have you had this cough?`` And i told her ``Well actually for quiet a while, i baptized a young man in a lake about a month ago, and i`ve had it ever sense then, and its just gotten worse these last couple of days`` And she says ``Oh no...``

Now i dont know about you but when you are talking to a doctor about whats wrong with you and they say ``Oh no`` That makes a couple red flags pop up. And you start thinking things like ``OH NO? OH NO? Woman you better be saying Oh, no your fine. Or Oh no i just spilled my milk.``

But then she said something that made me realize that she didnt just spill her milk. She said ``Elder Crockett you need to go to the Emergency Room as soon as you.`` Now with this new little knife stabbed pretty deep into my soul i was scared because i`ve never had a problem before that required to to need to go to the hospital, so quickly i make a little joke to see if shes just messing with me. But she tells me ``i`m not kidding Elder Crockett, you need to go to the Hospital in Puerto Montt as soon as you have the time to.``

She then asked me ``Will be able to go there right now?`` And so i looked at my planner and saw that it was completely filled with appointments with my investigators that i set up earlier in the week. And so i told her ``If you say so i will, but i have a bunch of appointments today and i would rather not just leave them waiting for me`` And then she said ``Ok if you cant go today For Sure you need to go this Monday (today)`` I then told her that i think Monday would be a little better for me, and my investigators. She then said Ok and told me that she would call me every now and then the see how i`m doing.

Right after i ended my call with her my district leader called me telling me that this next Tuesday (tomorrow) that i had the go to Puerto Montt for some kind of special meeting with the APs. And so in my infected little brain i had the thought ``Well if i have to go to Puerto Montt on Tuesday, then there is not much of a point in wasting my time, my money, and my P-day going two days in a row`` So I called Hermana Marie again and told her that i would be in Puerto Montt on Tuesday, and asked if it was ok if i just went to the hospital that day. And she told me that if i feel ok, and that i could handle waiting that long i could.

But then she told me that she would prefer that i went right away. And her knowing me good enough i am pretty sure she knew that i was just going to wait until Tuesday, and so she told me, ``please call if there is any change in your health, and let me know when you are leaving for the hospital`` And so i responded in a normal happy sounding voice ``Alright i`ll let you know when i check into the Hospital Talk to you Later!!!`` And then said goodbye.

Now i am sure that you are all wonder what my companion thinks of all this and so after i finish the call, he asks me ``What did she say?`` (Because we talked in all English, and my companion Is from Bolivia so he doesnt speak a single word of English) So i told him ``She just recommended a drug to me, and said that i should still be fine to work``

Now when i go to Puerto Montt tomorrow after the meeting i am going to tell him something like ``Elder I have a secret to tell you. I totally lied when i told you i was fine, and i need to go to the hospital right now`` But that can totally wait for tomorrow.

But anyways my companion and I leave to go buy the medication that she recommended me for the mean while, and then got to work. And this is where the story just gets super Awesome, but unfortunately i am all out of time for my internet today. So i will End my Email by Saying Mom dont worry I feel fine now, i pretty sure the whole hospital thing is more a ``just in case`` kind of thing. But dont worry. I feel fine, and im happy. Next week you are going to have to remind me to finish the story next week just tell me something like ``Finish telling us about Saturday and Sunday`` Because the story actually gets pretty awesome, but i didnt have enough time to finish it today.

LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELLA! So dad i realized that i will get home a couple months before she turns 16 so i will totally be able to be right there by your side fighting off those teenage zombies hahahaha

Love Yall!

Good news from last area

So this last week has really been me trying to win the confidence of the members, and so far its been working pretty great, the bishop just talked to me the other day and he wants to me to speak again in sacrament meeting this sunday, even though i just gave a talk when i got here, so i am taking this as a little sign that they already trust me and that i will be able to get to work here with the members.

But i will give you a short little run down of my relationship`with the members here. The young men and i get along awesome, after church they all came up to talk to me and wanted to hear my stories that i have in the mission, and i would make a bunch of jokes and stuff too, but they are all super excited to leave on the mission. there is one in particular that i am really good friends with that a couple of years back when he turned 19 he decided that he wasnt going to serve a mission, and actually it was his mom that was telling me about that and it was really hard for her because she spent all her life trying to raise her kids to live the gospel and serve missions and stuff like that but he decided no. And it was heartbreaking for his mom. But last night i was talking with him, and me and him already have a ton of little jokes and stuff and became friends instantly and yesterday he was asking me questions like ``When is the latest they let you leave on a mission?`` And other leaving on a mission related questions, i am not going to tell his mom anything about that though, but i really think that he is going to turn around.

Next group the High Priests. In priesthood all of the Elders Quorum was gone so i went with the High Priests, and at the beginning of the class they asked me to stand up and share about missionary work and what i needed them to do. Which was awesome. But after i talked to them for a couple of mins they started the class, and multiple times they would turn the time back over to me because they wanted to hear what i had to think about different subjects, and wanted me to share personal experiences and teach little parts.  The moms in the ward are awesome too, some of them have told me that they have already talked to their daughters about staying out of my way so i can focus on the work hahaha I am actually not sure if they were just making fun of me or if it was a sincere little act of service they did so i didnt have to worry about the YSA.

So right now i am in a city called Puerto Montt, i actually went with a couple of other Elders to go to the Mall here, and it is so weird i was surrounded by things from the Real World and there was absolutely nothing that stood out to me, actually take that back, when i got to the Nike Store i fell in love and played around with the soccer balls for a while, but it was weird we were in a electronic store because one of the missionaries wanted a new camera (speaking of which everything is Super Expensive down in this part of the world, plus mall prices put on top, because everything of good quality in the world is American, so it gets imported down here, and its just ridiculously expensive) But anyway we were in the electronic store and there was a couple of missionaries who were messing around with the I Pads and there was some looking at video games and talking about games they played before the mission and some that they wanted to play after. And then there was Me and my Friend Elder Werner, the kids awesome love him to death. But we were just chillin there, talking and i realized that i dont even care about junk like that anymore.

So awesome news i just met the missionary who was in Paillaco about a month after me, and he just told me about all of the People who got baptized after i left. And it was awesome. There was one family of 9 people that i found. And that story of when i found them is cool enough, but right before i left i set them all up with Baptism Dates, but he just told me that almost all of that family got baptized. That is super exciting i cant even remember with what i was going with in my little mall talk.

So right now i have one investigator that is just straight up Golden, i gave her a book of Mormon and shes been reading it like crazy, and she read the pamphlet thing i gave her too. And the other day i went to her house to teach her, and she just had a list of questions ready for me of things she wanted to know about. She wanted to know more about priesthood authority and how it is given and who can have it, she also asked me questions about Thomas S Monson and about how does he guide the church today and if the church is really headed by Jesus Christ.

She Also asked me about how baptisms need to be done, and what we believe about the Virgin Mary, and just a million of other legitimate doctrinal questions. So i helped her find the answers to all of her questions and i taught a ton, and i also invited her to a baptism we had this weekend. She went to that, and she went to church the next day too, and she just has this huge desire to learn. She also has a baptismal date in a couple of weeks. And she is working to make sure she knows everything about this Church and if it is actually Gods Only True Church on the Earth before she decides to get baptized, But with how much work she is putting in i know for a fact that God Is going to answer her prayers and tell her that this is his only Church.

The baptism we had was a girl and i actually didnt have much time to get to know her because she was pretty set on getting baptized when i got here, but her family told her that if she got baptized that she would not be aloud to live in their house anymore. So she decided that she was just going to move out before she got kicked out so she moved to a different ward where the missionaries there did the rest of the teaching, but she invited us there because we were ``her missionaries`` even though i didnt really teach her. But it was awesome to be in her Baptism the spirit was super Strong.

Welps i should go i love you all i look forward to hearing from you. Sorry about such the scatter brained sounding email, a ton happened this week, but it not much of it was super excited i need to tell this to my fam kind of stuff. But Love you all!

First Week

So i want to start my email by giving you a little insight on the pre mission life of Elder Crockett. After i received my call to serve in Osorno Chile i was incredible excited. It was literally the exact place that i was praying that i would get sent to. But at the same time i was Terrified. And there was nothing that scared me more than the thought that i was going to be living on the complete other side of the world away from Everyone i love, speaking a language that at this time of my life i hardly spoke at all. But one day i was super stressed out, to the point where i felt deathly sick, and i felt the need to search online for pictures of Osorno, and i found one there was two that just made me feel an incredible amount of peace, and from the day i first saw those fotos i have never forgotten them. There was one of a big red Catholic Church over looking a city. And there was a second one of a huge Volcano on the other side of a big lake. And when i saw those pictures i felt at peace. And i had the thought that this is the place that God wanted me to go. And that one day i would stand in these places and that i would know that this is where i needed to be.

When i arrived to Puerto Varas is was a super Rainy day. To the point where i could not see more than 20 feet in front of me. But i worked and i had a really successful day. But the next morning is a beautiful clear day. And i leave my house and the First thing i see is a huge lake, and on the other side A Giant Snow capped Volcano. Exactly as i remembered it in the picture. I think the picture i saw was actually taken by a missionary outside my house. But it was Exactly how i remembered it.

And then today i was going to play Basketball with the Elders in My Zone (random fact I met Elder Pugmire, and he definitely knew who i was. he is the cousin of MAry Wadsworth, and it turns out that we were in the same ward when we were 11. But me and him became friends instantly) But back to what i was saying, i was walking to our church (side fact number two the church is literally the most pretty church i have ever seen in my life) And i was walking with my companion when we came up over a little hill, where from the hill i saw a big red Catholic church, with a city underneath it. Also Exactly how i remembered it.

So when i was leaving for Puerto Varas i was talking to all the missionaries in Osorno, and they all thought that i was getting assigned to be the Zone Leader there. But then i told them no and that they are crazy, and that i am just going as ``Just Elder Crockett`` And then one of them said sending ``Just Elder Crockett`` to a city like that is going to make the work there just Explode there is going to be so many baptisms that they wont even know what to do with all the new members. And he said it as a Joke. As Missionaries we often make just like that about us all being super successful. But little known fact when i got here i went on a little I-am-going-to-just-invite-litterelly-every-single-person-i-meet-to-be-baptised Thing. And well it looks like God put a couple of people in my way because not only did i invite alot of people. Alot of people accepted, and were ready to start Changing their lives to be able come closer to God. And just the other day my District leader called me to see how i am doing and to ask for my numbers. And so i started to tell him. And when i told him how many Investigators i have with a baptism date scheduled, he literally laughed. And asked how many do i really have. And so i told him. Im not kidding. I really have this many. And then i named every single one of them by their full name, and then told him the day that we are planning with them. And he was just Shocked. I then finished giving him my numbers and then about 5 mins later my phone rings again, and i see its the Zone Leaders. And we talk for about a min when they Ask ``Elder Crockett, how many investigators do you have with a fecha Bautismal`` And so i told him. And then i hear him put down the phone and start talking to him companion. And then a Min later he picks up the phone again and says ``Elder Crockett. I have never heard of numbers like that in my entire mission.`` He then asked me what it is i am doing. And i told him ``This last conference the Lord really made it known how important it is that we are missionaries. And we need to be them Today.``

This last week i have had alot of incredible experiences that has helped me to know that Today is the Day. Living in the world we live in now, there is absolutely nothing that is more important right now that Living the Gospel, and sharing it so that our friends and our Families can return to live with God. The time for planting seeds is over. The field is white and ready to harvest, and we have to do it now.

 I came to a sad realization that 2 years of my life, is not a long time. Not at all. But then i came to an even sadder fact that almost half of that short time i have is already gone. But then i had the thought that made it a little better. That even though the Lord only gives us the blessing to completely dedicate ourselves to full out missionary work once in our lives. We still have the rest of our lives. And a quick perspective from the other side of the World. Ever Single missionary Alive all wishes that they took the opportunity to share the Gospel with their friends when they had the chance too. For anyone who is reading this i am sure that as you were reading this, the name of someone came to your mind. I want to tell you something. That was the Spirit telling. So do it. I wont tell you how, but the day for passive sharing the Gospel is over. The Lord needs us to get up today. And work.

I love you all. I cannot believe that you told my naked woman story in sacrament meeting hahahaha Granted Every single word of that story was true, and yes it shows that God Answers any prayer with faith. But thats one of those stories that i tell to Huge Groups of Missionaries so they all laugh. But Hey if the spirit told you to do it, i cant judge hahaha

Love Yall!

Transferred !!

So about conference i did get to watch it all on Time and i was super happy about that, Granted It was all in Spanish, but  that´s ok because i´m kind of fluent, have been for a while and so i enjoyed it quiet a bit. There was many opportunities when the translators for the leaders of the church said exactly when i needed to hear hahaha. Its nice that even though i didnt get to hear the voice of the Prophet, i still got to hear the words that God wanted me to hear.

So i was leaving a lesson, after what may have been my most productive day as a missionary ever. I set a ton of people with baptism dates. And i found a ton of new people and i just had an incredible day. And as i was walking home that night i had a strange felling i had a feeling that told me ´´You have just accomplished everything that your Heavenly Father sent you to do here in Lago Ranco´´ Pretty shortly after i got a phone call telling me that i was getting transferred.

I´m actually really sad as i am writing this email, i can literally hardly see the screen because my eyes are pretty wet right now. I have grown to love this little town and the people here, But i know that God has great plans for me. So i am really excited to go. I am going to a city called Puerto Varas. Its actually a pretty big city from what i´ve heard. I also received some awesome news today that it has a WALMART (well Líder, but its owned by walmart so its pretty much the same thing) Super excited for that. I havent had a walmart within more than a 2 hour trip sense i´ve left the states so i am pretty stoked about that hahaha.

I am going to be with an Elder Named Elder Hurtado. I think he is from Bolivia. I met him when i was in Caupulican for a couple of days. I think i may have mentioned that before. I am really excited to work there, the missionaries in my zone are all Super Jealous of me. Today we all went hiking together here in Lago Ranco, and they said ´´Psshh, your kidding right, you are going to probably one of the most beautiful places in the mission.´´ And then they would make remarks about how they were at first jealous that i was in lago ranco with is pretty dang beautiful, but then were even more so with me going to Puerto Varas.

The hike was actually SUPER FUN! One of the Elders Brought his Fútbol, and so i was running up the mountain passing a soccer ball with a couple of the Elders and one of the Sister Missionaries. I loved it so much! And goodness did i get a good little workout today haha because the hike alone is one thing. And then doing the whole thing running with a soccer ball its just a whole new game haha. I actually got kind of sun burned, which is a nice little change than freezing to death haha. My friend Elder Amone is getting Transferred too, but to Coihueique, and he has to take an airplane, so today he told me that he wants to give me his Ukulele tomorrow in our meeting. I am super Excited for that, but i am going to miss him too, he was a great friend.

So i remember that a couple of months ago when my friend ELder Kandare got sent to Osorno i made a little remark in an email about how i hope that saying goodbye to everyone never gets easier for me. Because its really hard, but i thought that it would take someone pretty Heartless to just say goodbye to everyone then know and love without being sad about it. And i am happy to report that it is still not easy for me hahahaha But i am getting alot better at it. Really its just sad for the first couple of seconds after you say Goodbye, but then i noticed something strange that i do that i notice that i have done since the day i left on my mission. Is after i say goodbye to everyone I take a big breath, and then i stick out my chest a little bit, as if i´m going into man mode and then walk away hahaha. I havent done that yet, but tomorrow i foresee that it may happen hahaha

I already have all of my bags ready. I did them really fast. I was actually pretty impressed with myself haha Im starting to get down the pick up and go at a moments notice kind of thing haha

This Wednesday i am leaving for Puerto Varas. I´m pretty excited. I love LAgo Ranco quiet a bit, it´s been my home for last 4 and a half months, and yeah even though i´ve had some of the hardest moments of my life ever as i´ve been here, i´ve also had some of my happiest.

Oh so i want to throw in something about Conference real quick. I have such a weird Eternal Perspective when it comes to receiving Revelation about my life when listening to conference. I made a little list of things that i know will have nothing to do with my mission. Things like something i´m going to have to say to one of my kids some day, and just a bunch of random things. But there was one where i actually had to fight myself about writing it down. Now i am hoping that it was just a crazy thought and not revelation but when i was telling myself that i wasnt going to write it down because i cant really picture it myself but then i had a though saying ´´You are 19 years old. You already have experience Do you really expect that there wasnt a reason why God gave you those experiences so early in your life´´ So i said to myself ´´Fine. I´ll write it down´´ hahahaha

I love you All!!!!!!!!!!! Have a great week. Have a great Time on the Pioneer trek this week!!!!

1st Baptism

So story from Andres´s Baptism this week!!!!

We had the service on the beach of Lago Ranco and it was a BEAUTIFUL DAY! Super Linda! But it was super cold! The night before it snowed on the mountains surrounding Lago Ranco and there was a really strong wind rushing over the mountains that just made it deathly cold outside, which made the lake even colder!

But we started the service in the church where one of the members that i reactivated a while ago game an AWESOME talk on Baptism, and then after the person who was going to give a talk on the Holy Ghost couldnt make it at last min, so i gave one on the holy ghost. 

And then we all walked down to the beach together and sang a Hymn on the beach! It was awesome! I have a video of it, but you are just going to have to wait until i send my SD card home. And there is like a million more fotos of the baptism there too!

But then Andres and I Start walking into the Lake...and it is DEATHLY COLD!!!!! It was terrible! Andres Turned to me while we were walking and said ´´You better not chicken out on me right now´´ And then i replied ´´Hey you watch yourself or im just going to throw you into the water!´´ But we both walk out to where we are waist deep, and we are shivering we are so cold!. 

But then i walk up behind Andres, and i put my arm up to the square, and suddenly its not cold anymore. Not even a little bit! And the really strong winds that were coming over the mountains stopped. And Andres takes a little look at me, because i think he realized that something Changed too .And i felt different. In a way that i dont think i have ever felt before in my life. It wasnt the warm chest feeling of the holy Ghost. It was just an Incredible amount of peace. It was as though my entire body was just filled with peace. I dont think i have ever felt better in my life.

I then baptise him, and that was awesome.

But then when he gets out of the water he isnt cold at all and just had this super Huge Smile on his face! And then as we are walking back to the beach he makes a huge splash and completely drenches me in water that is suddenly freezing cold again hahahahahahaha. And then just to make it better right after the super strong wind from off the snow covered mountains starts back up. Just making the wound just that much worse haha
When we get back onto the beach he runs up to his mom and gives her a giant hug. And then everyone on the beach runs up to him and gives him huge hugs even though he is completely wet, but they didnt care. And Then as they are all hugging him i see it as my perfect opportunity to escape for warm clothes, so i catch my companion and tell him to run to the truck we came in and get a bag of clothes for me that i left under the seat.

Andres and I then both walk back to his house and Change our clothes. And then we sat for a min in the sun and i ask him how we feels. And he just feels great! He was super Happy.

Yesterday we gave him the gift of the Holy Ghost. And got him an interview to receive the Aaronic priesthood. When i told him that he was going to have an interview to receive that same Authority that i taught him about he just seemed shocked that God would Put so much trust in a kid like him who was just starting the path to return back to him. And so i gave him some reassuring words that i´m not going to share, and then he had him interview. He is scheduled to receive the Aaronic Priesthood the week after General Conference. I´m really happy for him. It´s kind of hard to explain.

It´s kind of too bad that some day i am going to have to leave Lago Ranco, I´ve definitely changed as a person alot here, and its probably the only place in the world that i know of that i can see how my choices has changed the lives of many people. I have two more baptisms scheduled for the End Of next month. I hope that i will still be around here to see them.

Love you all keep me posted with how your adventures are going!

No Words

Drunk or dog?

So i totally love this foto of my zone. It totally explains like the personalities of everyone. It´s fantastic. Just a quick little run down on it, the first three in the front are my zone leaders, and my district leader, and there is my right behind them, and we are all making the exact same face (not planned) And the 4 of us are all really close friends, and i want to go on talking about it but i´ll let you try to try using your imagination, But it´s like a game of I Spy mixed in with Sherlock Holmes style personality profiling. I thought it was super awesome!

I have a baptism this Saturday!!! It´s kind of funny we were planning it the other day, and the boy wants me to baptise him, and give him the gift of the Holy Ghost, and i tried explaining to him that normally one Elder Baptises and the other gives the Holy Ghost, but he didnt really care, he wants me to do both parts. But i´m sure i can talk him into letting my companion be involved a little bit hahaha 

But my story from this week has to do with this kid. I want to use him name but i´ll wait until after his baptism. But we had plans to go to his house and go over all of the baptism interview questions with him, and a couple of the commandments that we hadnt taught yet. So we are walking over to his house, and i call the mom to tell her that we were outside the back gate (they live on that is surrounded by a huge gate and we need them to let us in, and the property is huge too they work there) And so i tell that to the mom and i hear her yell ´´Hey Los Hermanos are outside the front gate go let them in´´ And then i here our investigator say ´´Ok´´ And then i think to myself ´´shoot she just said the front gate, that is freaking far away, it would take us like 10 mins to walk over there, and if he gets out there and sees we are not there he´ll spend the next half hour searching for us to see if somehow we got lost (he totally did that before, and that´s a super funny story, but i´ll have to save that one for another day) 

 

And so i tell my companion that we are just going to hop the fence and run to the front gate to meet up with him there. And my companion does not want to do that, because he is deathly afraid of one of the dogs they have (the dog is actually pretty terrifying, i just refer to him as the Hound of the Baskervilles). And he says he´s not going. And so i say ´´Ok well i am going in, if you want you can stay here alone on the edge of town late at night during the Chilean Independence week, i´m sure you´re only going to have to fight a couple dozen drunks. And my companion hates drunks (and dogs, but drunks more than dogs. Some days haha)

 

 So he agrees to come with me. So we start running over to where the front gate is when our investigator sees us, and so i try to stop running when the ground just slides away from under my feet, and i skid like 10 feet in mud, but miraculously i dont fall. And i stop all safe and sound. And he is super concerned and afraid that i may have hurt myself, and i assure him that i´m fine, and then i take a step towards him, and slip again, but this time i totally EAT IT! And i fall on my face and get COVERED in mud! HAHAHAHAHAHA And he saw that i was laughing alot so we knew i was fine. But then he told me that there was a bunch of visitors in the house and that the dad didnt want us to come over with them (and frankly i was pretty dirty so i didnt want to enter the house) so i told him thats fine because today we only wanted to teach him instead of the whole family. 

 

So we started going over all of the baptismal question when he started Talking about Thomas S. Monson, and how i asked if he believed if he was a prophet. And he told me that he had never heard of him before, and then i realized that i never told him that there is a living prophet! Great missionary right. And so i tell him about him and then bear my testimony and ask if he believes that he was a prophet, and he responds ´´Well i have never heard of him before, but i know that you would never Lie to me Elder Crockett, and so if you say that you know he is a prophet of God then i Believe you´´ And oh my goodness that made me feel so good. (I totally have plans to teach him today more about the prophet) 

 

but then we continued on with our interview and the kid is just amazing, some of the questions he answered better that i would have if you asked me when i was in the MTC. And then we got to the Law of Chastity. And this is one of the commandments that i didnt have time to teach prior to this point. So i teach him about it and then ask him what is it that you understand about the Law of Chastity, and he just gets super awkward, and say ´´umm... I dont know´´ and i say, ´´Ok, i am going to ask that question a little differently. Are you willing to live the law of Chastity´´ And immediately he SHOUTS ¨´ÝES!´´ So i figure that he understood that little Commandment pretty well hahahahahaha. 

 

And then we finished our interview. And just this past Saturday he had his official interview, and he´s good to be baptized. I´m so excited for him. He makes little missionary jokes all the time like when we are leaving his house he has to take us to the front gate and say ´´Bye mom, be back in two years!´´ I am positive that he is going to be a missionary in a couple of years. His older brother makes a bunch of im going to be a missionary jokes too, he has a baptism planned in October. He´s 21 right now. The one that is getting baptized this weekend is 15.
Welp i love you all! Keep me posted!