New Presidency!

Matt I am so gld to hear from you!!!! My address is Elder Hamilton Crockett

                                                    Casilla 7-0

                                                     Osorno

                                                      Chile

I think it takes 3 U.S. Stamps. So rndom fact, there is a new Elder In my distrit named Elder Springs. And he reminded me so much of you. I wanted to punch him in the face hahahahaha Just kidding you know i love you King.

Jocee I just got your letter today!! I have so much to tell you. But hey just a heads up, you are totally aloud to write to my email. And i can print it out whenever. I actually prefer that over a dear Elder because then it dosnt cost you anything and i dont have to wait as long hahaha

So this last week was a miracle. There is abslutely no other way to discribe it. But first i want to throw in a quote from this week.

``Elder Crockett, our next interview i am going to ask you to pray in English``

``President Rappley i can tell you right now that i will not be able to do it``

So I am so happy with this week. I have never faced more oppisition in my lfe, and i have been tempted like crazy recently, but i am not going to fall. And all my fighting has totally been worth it. Because Lago Ranco now has a local Branch President.

The First Branch President in over 5 years who hasnt been a missionary.

My companion and I were so happy that we both literally cried. And thats not the only amazing thing that happened yesterday. We also ordained a man to the office of an Elder. We also had so many people in church that there was literally was not room in the building for everyone. All the kids had to sit in the lap of their parents. We had to stop the meeting to prepare the sacrament a second time. Literally out of every family that i visited this last couple weeks. Every single one of them was in church. Although some of the people where missing, at least one person from every single one of the families came to church. There was literally not enough room in the house we use as a chapel. When we where getting released as the Presidency of the Branch it was something very special. 

 

We only got told about 10 mins before the meeting that we were getting released. And As President Carcamo ( the first councilor in the osorno chile mission) was releasing us it was really special. He Said  ``We would like to release Elder De Regil, and Elder Crockett as the Branch President and First Councilor in Lago Ranco. Due to the work that they did Lago Ranco has seen many great things.`` And he said a bunch of other things that i am not going to share, but then the ward all raised their right hands to show their gratitude for our service.Many of them had huge smiles on their faces. Some of them were crying they were so happy. 

 

I have one friend whos name is Emily. She actually reminds me alot of Amelia. But after the meeting she comes up to me and asks ``Why did they release you? Dont they know how much you have done here```And I told her that i was super happy that i did and that i was really excited for the future of Lago Ranco. She then said to me ``What are you going to do now that your not in charge`` And I told her ``I just going to be a missionary again. And i am so happy about it`` And next she said ``Wow thats disappointing`` She then walked away. I think she was hoping i was going to be sad or something about it. 

 

I remember my first day here in Lago Ranco I set a goal that i was going to have a LAgo Ranc that would be able to run itself without the help`of the missionaries. And the ward was only about 6 members who were in church on a regular basis. And there was absolutely no one with the higher Priesthood. There was literally time at the beginning where it was just me and my companion. Everyone else either just didn`t come. Or the4y skipped out right after sacrament meeting. But yesterday after we ordained a man to Elder. We now have 3 active Melchizedek Priesthood holders. And a couple of potential Elders who may receive the higher Priesthood within a year. I am so close to seeing my dream becoming a reality. 

 

Once i talked about the vision i had of Lgo Ranco getting a real chapel. And how i was going to make the arrangements for it. And i am so close. My Mission President talked to me abut it. And it may became a reality some day soon. But im not quite there yet. Although there was more than double the number of church attendance than the branch has ever seen. I still have more work to do. And I am Positive that when the church is so full that the floor falls through I dont think we`ll have any choice than to get a new church hahaha. 

 

I have a Branch Conference in August. I think the 16th. And i am inviting my mission president to it. I need him to see for himself how much the branch is regrowing. And Then I may get to accomplish my dream of buying the property to build a new Chapel. I am so excited. Although this week has been incredibly hard. It has been awesome.

Mom so side note if you could hear about half the things the leaders of the mission and how the other missionaries talk about me, you would cry you would be so happy. I`ll write you a letter telling you a little about it. But you`ll be glad to know that even though before my mission i was just a lazy bum who really didn`t really do anything,  that is not how people see me here. I have changed so much these last couple of months. And i am so excited to see the man i am going to become in the next Year and however many months i have left. I think its like 5 hahaha I love you all. Keep me posted

Loca‏

I should preface this by saying that in one of his pictures, and I'm not saying which one, I had the thought "There's Denton's wife!!"   I told him about it, but not who it is.  I responded to this email saying I'd tell him her name in approximately 18 months and he can speak English to her on the way to the airport, but before that he's right, he doesn't need to know.  ~Jennifer 

Dear Mom, i would like to remind you that i am a missionary hahahaha. When i was in Paillaco i had a experience that made me decide that i am not here on the mission to find a wife. And so i set a couple of Standards, one of which is my future wife, has to be able to speak English. Now that Hermana in the picture from the other week is from Utah so she may speak English, but i refuse to find that out for myself, and so any conversation that i have had with her has been in Spanish, so as far as i know she doesn´t speak English, so she can not qualify for my future wife. I am also only 19 years old you crazy hahaha

So this last week we had cambios. So a bunch of missionaries where changed, and a bunch on new ones came in. But everything is the same in LAgo Ranco (which kind of scares me, because there has never been a companionship that has lasted here for more than 1 cambio without the Younger Companion becoming the branch president. So i am hoping that i will break this streak and get sent away before my companion hahaha But anyway my Friend Elder Sosa had to go to Osorno to find his new companion, and while he was there he calls me and Says ´´Hey Elder There is some new gringo here running around with a photo of you saying he knew you in High School´´ He said that his name is Elder Pugmire. I definitely recognized the name when i heard it, but there was no face that came to view. But the kid definitely knew me. I think he may have graduated just this past year. But i had a crazy thought. I have probably been in Chile Longer than he has had His Mission Call. But to celebrate more that one Mesa High Man here I am going to send home a picture of my first day here in Chile, and a couple more to show that i´ve grown up a little haha. And oh my goodness i look like such a little kid hahaha. It´s only been like 6 months haha. Oh side note I have another friend here and she is from Mesa too. She lived just a couple miles away from our old house. Sad thing is i cant remember her last name, even though it is written on her nametag haha. And guess what she doesn´t speak Enlish to my Knowledge either hahahaha.

I have 2 new zone leaders now. Both of them are Gringos (I actually knew them both from earlier in my mission too) But it was funny i was talking to one of them and  he started to tell me some legit news from Paillaco, about a family of nine i found while i was there who are getting baptized this weekend. I would share the story of that but it´s really long. But its legit. But it was funny i was talking in English. And i realized that i am starting to pick up a spanish accent. It is so weird. Freaking Funny. But weird. But i made some remark about how i will be able to have a talking in english friend, and Hermana Zortman (the gringa from the foto the other week) says ´´You´ve always been able to speak to me in English´´ If only she knew that there is a reason i´m not speaking in english with her hahaha.

Oh so random quote from today, my companion was worried about falling through the 2nd floor of my house, because our house is junk. But i said ´´Elder, the mission believes that you can make a house out of 2 materials. Faith and Cardboard´´ hahahahahaha

Forgive that my email is all over the place. But yesterday in church was interesting. I dont think my companion was feeling very well. So i literally did everything. I prepared the sacrament and set up the chairs all by myself because my companion was in the restroom. And During church I directed the meeting. I blessed the Sacrament. I lead the Hymns, And Thankfully i didn´t have to talk again. I´ve talked about every other week hahaha. Just about every time i´m not conducting. But after sacrament meeting i taught Priesthood too. And then my companion and i did all the tithing work together. But it was alot different that it was when i first started here in Lago Ranco. I used to be really stressed, and didn´t really want to be in charge. But yesterday I wasn´t stressed at all. I was actually pretty happy haha. And before i was searching for a new branch President because i didn´t want to be the next one. But now i am really just searching for a new Branch president because i think that LAgo Ranco would be a much better place if the branch president here, lived here. He would be about the help the people much more than i would be able too. I can only do it for a couple of weeks. Or months. But of the branch president here wasnt a missionary he would be able to help for a lot longer. Thankfully i think i may have found one. And he was just sustained to receive the Melchizedek Preisthood. I should be ordaining him to the office of an elder within a week or two. And if not him. Im working on reactivating another man who is already an elder. Honestly i will be suprised if i will get to see LAgo RAnco with its own Branch President while i am still here, so far my mission has been starting alot of work so that the blessing can come further down the road. But I know that i am doing everything i can to get LAgo Ranco o where the Lord wants it to be. I told my Mission President about my goal i mentioned last week. And he just said ´´There is nothing that would make me happier than to request a bigger building in LAgo Ranco´´ I still hope i get to see that day. I´m only starting the road there.

I love you Thanks for keeping me up to date with everything that is going on at home. Mom your Psycho hahahaha But i love you.

Love Elder Hamilton Crockett

 

And, no I'm not telling if she's in any of these pics.  18 months people. 

J

Snow Trip!!!‏

So this morning my zone and I got a huge van and drove up to ski resort on one of the volcanoes and it was so much fun. I wish i could send you some of the videos that i have because they are Legit. But ill just have to show you them in a little less then a year and a half (I officially passed the 6th months mark a week ago but i forgot to say something about it. But it was so funny when we were driving up the driver we hired was listening to the radio, and the song Hey Soul Sister Comes on the Radio.

And my Zone leader said that he loved this song but he could never understand what it was saying. So he turn to me and says Elder Crockett, you speak English right? And i responded Ya a little bit, not enough that i would feel comfortable living in the US. My zone leader than asked me to translate the song for him. So as we were listening to the song I was translating every single word into spanish ( i had to change the phrasings a little bit so it would make more sense) (try translating untrimmed in spanish haha) But after words he said Finally i understand what this song is about, I have been wanting to know for years!

Oh random side story. Sunday night i had a general preisthood meeting, and after we had a meeting for ll the presidents of the Districts that i had to go too. But it was in La Union and it ended late enought that there was not any busses heading for LAgo Ranco. So i ad to spend the night there. So i stayed with the Elders In Caupulican nd it was so funny. The Elders call their lndlord to tell her that i was coming, well kind of, but i wont get into that story. But after all my meetings i walk into her home and she yells. FINALLY The Mission sends me a Gringo. I have been waiting to have a gringo in my home for years and years. (There has never been very many gringos in my zone. I have a theory why but i wont share)

But She Says Boy You aint ganna be so skinny when i am done with you (If she spoke english i totally picture her talking like an old black woman) So i tell her, sorry i am only here for tonight i am  leaving in the morning. She then Says ´´Well Shoot, I guess i have to fatten you up right now then.´´ And oh my goodness i dont think i have ever eaten more food in my entire life... And when i would tell her i was full she would say ´´Well too bad, you aint leaving if you dont keep eatin´´ So i kept eating... IT was incredible delicious. Probably the best food i have had here in Chile, but oh my goodness it was so much....

So much.
So on a different note i am going to talk about something a little more Elder Crockett ish While i was in the Priesthood Meeting for my Distrito of La Union I was feeling the spirit really strong. And we were talking about this program of Asignaciones that i think i´ve mentioned before. But as i was in the meeting i had a mini ´´vision´´ And i saw myself buying the property to build a really chapel. Not a casa capilla. And then i was thinking to myself about what i needed to do so that i can get a really chapel here in lago ranco.

And in my head i saw a peace of paper that i have in my desk that has the name and the address of every single member in Lago Ranco. And i remembered that there are 119 different people on this list. But we only have about 15 active members. So i had the thought that if i visited every dingle one of these members, invite every single one of them to church this week. And give them an assignment ( I really hop Ive talked about these assignments in more detail in an earlier email because they re miracle workers) That in this next cambio i will be able make the arrangement to build a new chapel.

And when all these thoughts clicked together in my head i had one of those (AH YEAH) Smiles. nd it was great the District President saw me smiling, and gave me a look that said You look like you are about to see miracles and you know it. (you know how you can have entire conversations without saying a single word. It was totally one of those moments) And all i did was i just started to nod my head. And started to smile too. I have alot of work to do this week. And i am so ready to do it.
Love you all keep me posted!!!!!

First Baptism! (after transfer) :(

Elder Jacobson.  Its freaking crazy, today i was driving home and i totally thought about  emailing you too to ask for you mailing dress. Enserio. Hit me up with your mailing address and i´ll totally start writing you

Lela my Companions name is Elder De Regil he is from Mexico. And he does not speak English. Only Spanish. So i am trying to help him learn english so that after the mission he will have an easier time finding a good job.

So mom remember how you told me that the package should arive here the 1st? On the second of July my Zone leaders called me telling me i had a package in their home. I am going to go pick it up tomorrow

Ok so this last week has been something. For one i recived some freaking awesome information!!! I was driving with one of the AP´s. In fact Elder Balbuena, i know i´ve talked about him  before in my emails home. and that in itself is awesome, we are awesome friends, but when he got transferred  from Valdivia i didn´t think  that i would ever see him again. But then i got sent out too, and now that he is the AP he is in Osorno which is only like 2 hours away so i get to see him a bunch. It is awesome. 

 

But anyway i was driving with him and he tells me. (in Spanish) Hey Elder Crockett, i was in the office and they told me that Paillaco just had a baptism, But i don't remember their name, but it is was a kid from a partial member family who said about three months go the missionaries came to their house and gave them a assignment for sacrament meeting. And after that she was completely active. She now has a calling as the Gospel Principles teacher, and her son just got  baptized this weekend.
And Instantly i knew who it was so i shout Enserio! Richard got baptzed!

Elder Balbuana then told me that ya, it was someone named Richard.
And i told him, about how a couple of months ago i found a menos acvtivo familia y that they hadn't been to church in years in years. So i became friends with them, and then one day i came over to there house and the mom, her name is Evelyn, was making bread, and when i saw her doing this i was hit with a genius plan to trick her into coming back to church. So i tell her that we needed bread for sacrament meeting in a couple of days. And so she agreed to bring it. And ever sense then she has been active. Apparently she has a calling now and her son was baptized. I was so excited to hear this. 

So random fact. I have bore my testimony every single fast sunday except for once sense january 2009. It didn´t matter if i was visiting a different ward, felt sick, was on the other side of the world or anything like that. And that one time that i didn´t i felt like i shouldn´t do it. I wanted to but, i felt like i shouldn´t. I swear this random fact has  story behind it. I just don´t have the time to tell it to you haha

So this last week i got a letter from Morgan Goff, who is currently serving a mission in the Dominican Republic, speaking spanish, and oh my goodness it is so much easier to write people when you don´t have to worry about what language you are talking in hahaha. But it was funny when i reread what i wrote it was literally more than half in spanish, because even though i was trying to write her in english i didn´t have a language filter on, so it came out in whatever language i was thinking in at that time hahaha. She has only been there in the MTC for a couple of days now so when she gets my letter she will probably have such a hard time understanding it but its ok. Eventually she´ll be able to hahahahaha

So mom this waterfall that i sent you a picture of is just a couple mins away from my house. I went with my papito today to visit another one but the road was washed out because of the rain, so we are going to try again another day. But being here in Chile is giving me a huge standard to what is beautiful. Remember how a couple of months ago in my emails i was talking about Futrono, and how i have never seen any place more beautiful in my life? Well today i drove through Futrono with my Papito on the way to the Waterfall and although i still thought it was beautiful, it didn´t take me back or anything. Lago Ranco is easily more beautiful.

Oh so this past week i met 3 different men who where once missionaries here in Osorno, who at the end of their missions decided to not go home. And have been living in different parts of Chile for the past 1-3 years. But they never went home. They asked to be released here, found jobs, got married, and are now starting to have families, and have still not gone home. 

 

They have visited home a couple of times with their wives but they live here now. And when they first told me this i was shocked and thought why on earth would you do that. I then walked outside to see the sun setting over a lake with a snow capped volcano on the other side, with the lake reflecting all the colors of the sunset. And i said to myself. Oh thats why. 

 

I promise though, although i love it here, i do still plan on coming home hahahahaha. Mainly because i wont be the branch president anymore when i get home hahahaha 

 

I love you all I look forward to hearing bout your adventures in the new house. I took more photos, but the computer i m using right now is medio chanta so it isn´t uploading any. I´ll have to try to send more next week. Love you all!!!!

When bad planning turns into Miracles‏

This week has been awesome. It´s funny Sunday night i was walking home from the church, and i remembered that i was going to have the chance to write you again, and i so i looked back on my week on what i wanted to talk about, and i realized something. This week has been great. I´ve been super busy, but i´m happy haha i feel at peace, it´s awesome, i must finally be used to all the things that have been put on my plate recently.

I´m doing awesome, watch now that i´m used to running everything here in Lago Ranco i am going to get Transferred this upcoming cambio hahaha. And i have plenty of great stories from this week too, but first i want to share something funny. Today i was in L Union having a volleyball tournament with my zone, and all the teams where based on what country we are from, and since i am the only gringo i paired up with Elder Sosa (Elder who learned some english from lil wayne and Kayne West haha) because he was the only Elder from Argentina, So i just talked with an Argentine accent while we where playing so i could say i was from Argentina.

Little known fact imitating accents of different Latino countries is so much easier than imitating different english accent. I can not get Peru though, or Chile hahahaha but Spain Argentina, México, are super easy.

But back to what i was saying in between playing, i was writing a letter to one of my friends, and then after we finished i finished up my letter on  the bus ride home. And it was so funny. I gave up my seat because the bus filled up, so we were standing up writing, and there was a man next to me, with  beer in his hand a little drunk, and he started talking to me, and was asking me what i was going, so i told him that i was writing una amiga, and so he started asking questions like if she´s cute and stuff like that. But i don´t think he really liked any of my answers because i didn´t come out and say i was writing some girl that i´m madly in love with or anything like that.

So he turns to me, looks me in the eyes and Says 'Papito if you want to get this girl to love you, you need to be alot more bold Tell her you.....' And the man started telling me all these things i needed to tell ´´my woman´´ And so i keep writing my letter, and pretended that i was writing the things he was telling me to. And then i finish writing my letter, and he asks to see it, so i show it to him, and he was surprised when he discovered that it was all in English. He then was saying things like Oh maybe you shouldn´t say things like that because Gringos are different then we are. I then pointed out to him that i too am a gringo, but he didn{t believe me, and started saying things like you´re living here in Chile, and you speak Spanish. You´re not a gringo.

I´m not sure what it is with drunk people and not believing that im from Los Estados Unidos. The other week i was on a bus and a man who was also slightly drunk turns to me, and Says You´re country is very beautiful. I always love visiting Brazil. He then attempted to talk to me in Portugues. Thankfully i am a missionary and have nothing better in my freetime to do than learned different languages so i respond in a little Portuguese i know, and he said I did not understand a singly word you just said, but it sounded good hahahaha. P.S. just so you all know i don´t understand Portuguese, or can speak it, i just know a couple of Phrases. I know more Sign Language than Portuguese. (I told you about that right?) But I´m out of time I love you all.

Oh something i just remembered that is Super Important I need to Address to the new house.- For a couple of reasons actually, i have a letter i want to send home, but cant because i don´t know were yall live, and i need to give it to my Mission President in Case he needs to send something to you, But Love you all!

Algo Rapidito cuando estábamos jugando Volí hoy mi equipo, Equipo Argentina Les Mató a los otros Países. Somos Bakanes hahaha  (Rather quickly when we were playing volleyball today my team, team Argentina killed them other countries. We are Bakanes) (Bakanes, after googling, seems to be a boy-band, so that makes no sense whatsoever to me, but, there ya go.-J)