January 30, 2016

Got blisters - best to pop them or no?

How to cook rice, noodles, potatoes.  Especially potatoes.  Rice and noodles i am okay at.  Rice was tricky.  I followed the insturctions but it turned into rice soup.  Super soggy.  Couldnt waste it though so i ate it for breakfast - Rice cereal!

Mail service?  Did you send me a letter?  Havent gotten anything.  Dont know how it works.  

Pictures of the family would be nice.  I want to have some more pictures of you and friends and stuff to show people, but i dont know if i can print from email.   Could you send pics in the mail?  I am mostly talking about like pics from my facebook of dances or with my friends or just other pics.  I guess you could send some to my email, and then <i could just show them or look at them when i get on the computer. Also my senior pic for the yearbook with my mustache.

My comp has an allergy pill that is different medicine than mine.  It is also 24 hour.  Can i take his and mine at the same time?  Also, ive been taking sudafed everyday basically since the mtc until now.  Im starting to feel a little better, but ive been constantly stuffed up.  Any other medicine i can buy to help with my nose?  I will buy more sudafed if i can find it.

Usually it is not good to pop them.  I use moleskin (soft furry on one side and sticky on the other) and cut a hole in it so that it goes around the blister.  

If you pop them, go in from the side of your skin about an 1/8" from the blister and go under the skin and up into the blister from the bottom.  Then push the liquid out the hole and leave the skin to protect the blister.

Rice is cooked at a ratio of 1 part rice to 2 parts water.  Put it in a pan and boil for about 5 minutes then turn off the heat and let sit for at least double that, 10 minutes.  Then check.  If the rice has not absorbed all the liquid bring to boil again for a minute and then let sit for a couple more.

Noodles is just boiling them until "al dente."  Just put in plenty of water as the noodles absorb some of the water but you don't want them to absorb all the water.  Boil them until they are "al dente."  This means they feel done to the teeth.  You just keep cooking them in water until you take one out and taste it and it is done.

Potatoes can be cooked a number of ways.  You can boil them like the noodles and when done mash them up with a little butter and mild and have mashed potatoes.  You can slice them and fry them in oil until brown and done.  You can bake them in an oven at 425 degrees for 45 minutes.  If larger go an hour.  Just wash and put on the center rack.  This will make the skin crispy and the inside fluffy.

Don't mix allergy (Anithistimine) medicines.  Either use his or yours.  Look at the ingredients.  If it doesn't have pseudaphedrine in it then you can add sudaphed with the antihistimine but don't take two different antihistimines.  Just try different ones and find one that works. Fexofenadine is Allegra, Loratadine is Claritin, Citerzine is Zertec, Diphenhydromine is Benadryl (will make you sleepy).  These are the most popular and all can be mixed with Sudaphed to add allergy with decongenstent.  I think Sudaphed is the best for your nose - get the real stuff pseudoephedrine, don't get the fake stuff (Phenylephrine) unless that is all you can fine - it doesn't work as well in my opinion.

I did one part rice, 5 parts water. Explains a lot.

Thanks for all the advice!

Chase,

Well the basement is looking great! We have finished insulating the theater room and the electrical. I have swept and everyone has helped take the items up stairs. I will be re-organizing the storage in the garage and putting away the Christmas items.

Brayden has decided to start eating healthy and working out. We bought him a gym membership at Vasa and he has started to work out with Davey on Monday, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Part of the eating healthy he has cut out all sugars, all flour, and he eats a specific way. Today I made him a cauliflower pizza. I'm excited to see how it taste and see if Brayden likes it, I'm hoping he does.

Life is good and everyone is doing well. 

Love you and pray for you always.

Mom, xxxooo 

Wow!  goood for him!  i eat so much out here.  So hungry all the time.  WE dont eat dinner etither.  Crazy so lunch i eat so much haha

Hey chase it's Brayden i miss you. So i am on this diet and i have been working out with Davey. I am going to try to loss weight and gain muscle. I was 304 that was last monday and now i am 297 i am trying to get to 250 or 230 by next school year.  I have been practicing my song i have to perform... i am nor good at it at all. Tonight we are makeing cauliflower pizza for my diet. So thats whats been going on this week. When you get off your mission i will have a six pack well maybe.  It would be awesome if that happened.  What have you done this week?  Have any new people you are teaching? 

Love you, Chase

Nice!!!!!!!!!  I am trying to work hard too.  Excercise is hard in the morning cause i am tired but its important!  Love your goals.  Make sure to be accountable to someone with them.  Talks about that in Preach my Gospel.  You can ask davey about that.  Haha.

Brayden you are like the best singer in the family.  Dont give me that!  Haha.  Just keep at it.  Youll do great.

I will see that 6 pack!!!

Hey and the people here never say adios.  Only chau.  Haha thought you would like that.  Its cause argentines have a big european influence.  everyone kisses people on the cheek and stuff.

Not many new people

I have been having a super hard time with the language.  I feel like im not progressing and i still cant understand people like at all.  

And my companion has just been saying that i never talk and because of that i dont have a good relation with the members or with our investigators.  And that it will be super hard for me when he leaves to have a relation with them because <i will have a new companion.  He says unless i can do something about it, itll be like im just whitewashing again with my new trainer for another transfer.  

And when were teaching an investigator, i tried talking more and stuff.  And during that lesson, the investigator told my companion that im pretty much a terrible teacher and <i wont get anywhere if i talk to people like that.  He said im super like up front and forward.  The word he used was choking.  That the investigator felt choked i guess when i was teaching him.

so pretty much i feel pretty discouraged with the language.  Any advice?  What was it like for you?  How did you cope/learn the language?  I dont know i mean we only have 30 min for language study every day and that is only for the first 12 weeks.  After 6 more weeks there wont be any language study i think.  im studying the language books i got in the mtc and reading the book of mormon in spanish.  Ive actually started reading the BoM in spanish for personal study too.

I dont know what else to do.  People always say it just comes.  But i feel like im not progressing and i guess i just dont have the faith or something to believe itll just come.

I don't want to sound like everyone else but it just clicked for me one day.  I still struggle.  I always start with, "hablo un pocito de espanol, quizas podemos comunicarnos."  They smile and say, "Si."  Then they know that I know I am not perfect but I am willing to try.  Then when I am communicating and I don't  know a word I can ask them, "Como se dice..."  

Just talk as much as you can.  You next companion will be different.  You will do fine.  Pray in spanish and ask for help.  Read in spanish.  Talk to people as much as you can in Spanish - don't worry about how they perceive your Spanish you have to do it to learn.  It will be fine.  You've only been out there a month.  I promise you after one month your companion was just the same or worse than you.  Be persistent and steadfast and it will click and you will feel more comfortable and then you can continue to learn new things and fine tune it the rest of your mission.

D&C 50:40 to the end of the section

Think of other missionaries - Joseph Gen 37; David 1 Sam 17; Nephi got discourged, Joseph Smith got discouraged, Mormon got discouraged - search them all out and learn that in the end they were blessed and victorious.

Study faith, hope, and charity.  Which comes first - faith or hope?  I don't know that you need faith if you have hope.  Hope seems to come first but sometimes I think Hope is more powerful than faith - what do you think?   Moroni 7, Moroni 10, 1 Cor 13

Thanks.  I will keep working hard.  I will study those chapters too and let you know.  Thanks

This past week we had to go to bariloche- an 1.5 hour bus ride each way, and to Neuquen- a 7 hour bus ride each way.  Haha.  Went to bariloche for intercambios and the transmission.  Transmission was good.  We have already been living the new schedule so thats cool.  Didnt understand a lot of it because we watched it with a spanish voice over haha.  Went to neuquen for tramites.  Passport stuff.  It took like 20 min and i just basically got my fingerprints done at a police station.  The bus ride coming back from that stunk so bad.  We were right by the toilet so for 7 hours it was like we were in a port a potty haha.  Super pretty ride though.  Patagonia is lit.

On p day we went to rio correntoso.  Shortest river in the world is what is known for.  Dont know if that is true, but super pretty.

We ate with members a lot this week which was good.  Had spaghetti a couple of times.  They dont put like any sauce on it though, but im not complaining.  I will literally eat anything because i am starving all the time haha.  We had morcilla a couple of times too.  Blood sausage in english.  Its pretty good actually, but its a mental battle everytime.  Its basically coagulated cow blood in a sausage lining.  Like that is it.  cooked blood basically.  I like it.  My comp doesnt eat it though. 

We have had a couple of really good lessons with a few investigators and some recent converts.  We were disappointed though when no investigators showed up to church.  We are so close to one getting baptized.  He just isnt pulling the trigger.  He knows the church is true, i think he is just scared for the changes that means for him and his family. 

January 23, 2017

Im on and need my pin to get cash out of an atm.  Most places dont accept cards.  Dad can you access that info since you are on my account?  If not i hope <i didnt throw the paper away that zions bank sent me with my card and pin number.

Thanks

Hi Chase, good to hear from you. I am about 10 minutes away from work so I will do that first thing when I get into work. 

Thanks!

They don't have access to PINs for security reasons.  They have to request it be sent out, automated by a computer.  If you were in the states they could tell you how to reset it at a bank but since you are not I am having them send it to you at your address (which is our house).  She said 5-7 business days.  I also put a travel alert on your card so they know you are in Argentina and so they don't shut down your card thinking it was stolen.

Okay, so <i will get the pin next p day then?  That is good.  Just swapped out all my cash for pesos. 

So i am also good to use my card?  I will probably use it today.

Both cards?

I will call right now on the Marriott Visa and let them know you are there.  I didn't think about the travel thing till today.  But yes, you will be good to use both cards.  Again, just let us know.  Are you not getting enough money from the mission?

I will send the PIN regardless of day of the week when I get it.  It probably won't be till the end of the week or first of next week, but yes, you should get it by next P day.

I have one more week to go before <i get more money.  I have 200 pesos or so left for this week.  Im set for breakfast, its just lunch. and my companion wants to go to a restaurant today which will probably take up my 200 pesos.  we have a bit of food at the apartment for lunch.  And hopefully we will get some members. 

SO idk.  I think its enough from the mission.  But <im always frugal with my money.  Never buy the coke and soda and candy at the store like my companion does.

Marriott is flagged for Argentina now.  She said if you ever have questions you can pick up a phone, dial 0, and give them the International number on the back of the card and they will connect you for free.  Also, I requested a PIN for that card as well.  She said, since I have a black or premier card, that there are no foreign transaction charges with that card.  So, if you go to a restaurant and they will take VISA, use that card and it will cost less - no fees for conversation or international banks - then you can save your pesos.  

Use the black card for restaurants and purchases?

Yes, all.  It sounds like it will be the best card for credit card purchases.  Your debit card will charge fees (foreign exchange conversion and transaction fees) in addition to what you purchased.

I don't know on cash.  You will just have to get some cash from each of them and let us know so we can make sure and look and see what each charges.  I am open to purchasing with each too just so we can see if it really does make a difference.  

Do that.  Try to purchase the same amount at the same place with each card so we can compare.  And get cash with each card (after I get you the PINs) from the same place for the same amount.   It will be a great social economic experiment.  

Side note - on ATMs you have to use the ATMs that are listed on the Debit card on the back.  There are four of them on mine (I think you have the same) Amazing, Plus, Interlink, and Star.  Chose one and use that with both cards in addition to using each to purchase something at a store or restaurant.

Hey so i guess this will be short because mom has said every thing about my life that is going on. But i guess i will just ask u how your mission  is going? I miss u so much! But i am so I nervous because i have to open the cinderela play with a song that i have to sing by myself. Have you had any spiders crall on you? Whats the worst food u have had? Btw i have done all the work in the basement. I did all the labor. jope your doing good love you!!!!

Haha youll do great with singing!!!!  That is awesome!  No spiders on me.  Thank goodness. Almost though!  We have spider webs everywhere! Scary.  I had i think cow liver and cow pancreas or something.  It looked gross and tasted gross and smelt horrible!!!  Good work on the basement!!  Davey is pretty lazy huh?

Love you bro!!

Chase,

Good morning! 

Just saw you were on...hoping really bad it isn't too late and we can visit a couple of minutes. It's been a really busy weekend with tending Brooklynn so Katelynn can get some rest.

Love you so much and I've been praying the members in your area will start to feed you, haha.

Mom xxxooo

Made friends with a family who owns a panederia.  So good.  We just need to baptize 4 more of those families.  They made us pizza for lunch today.  Spent $215 today in the store for brkfst.  Eat oatmeal and corn flakes and a banana every morning. EVERY morning.  Haha.  (The pizza here is weird though. Not enough sauce or meat, and weird cheese

Thank you for getting back with me, oatmeal cornflakes and a banana is a good breakfast at least I know you're got some nutrition in your body and you can cook.  Have a great day and I will still continue to pray that you get more food from the members.

$215, that's quite a lot for breakfast isn't it?  If I'm figuring right that's about 12 bucks. 

Right.  Its for the whole week though.  Milk, cornflakes, oatmeal and bananas.  Also crackers and dulce de leche with that.

Ha ha, that is awesome 12 bucks for a whole weeks worth of breakfast. I was a little worried that you were spending way too much but now it appears You're being frugal. 

Good Morning!!!

How are you doing? I heard there has been some flooding in Argentina - Are you safe?

Mom - love ya

I havent seen any flooding.  Recently it has been super hot.  No rain for me.

So the inauguration was last Friday.  I watched it while at work.  There was quite a bit of criticism of Trump and his speech.  It sounded like the same thing he said during the campaign instead of thanking and being humble about the day and the event like most presidents have been.  

Obama and Michelle were very gracious and professional and Trump thanked and praised them for how they acted toward him and the whole transition effort.  One of Trump's appointees for his cabinet, I think secretary of defense, didn't meet the guidelines for having been out of the military 7 years.  So Orrin Hatch got congress to pass legislation changing that requirement and Trump signed it into law right after the inauguration so that his guy could be confirmed by congress.

There were pictures taken of the capital from the Lincoln memorial 8 years ago when Obama was put in and compared to the same type of picture for Trump.  There is about double the people in Obama's pictures.

There were rioters that were protesting and 217 people ended up in jail during the inauguration.  A funny thing I saw the next day was that Bank of America gave Hillary $98,000 and Starbucks gave her $400,000 for her campaign and the protesters that were arrested were breaking the windows of Bank of America and Starbucks.  Obviously they were just breaking windows of the businesses close to them and later it was found that both businesses supported Hillary.  

The other news is that Jacek put in his papers.  He got ordained an elder yesterday and just has to have his interview with the stake president for the papers and for a temple recommend.

We worked all day Saturday on the basement.  we got the pony wall done.  We got half the outlets moved.  We hung sheetrock on the common wall between the theater and the kitchen so we could put in insulation in that wall. 

That is so funny with the inaugaration!!  Keep me updated on it all!  how was motab? 

Sweet to hear about Jacek!  Tell him i love him and so excited!!

Cant wait for the basement!  Send pics!

MoTab did well.  They only sang one song, America the Beautiful.  They were on the steps of the Lincoln memorial which, as you know, is like a mile away from the Capital.  But they had speakers through the whole national mall for that and for Trumps speech.  

The piano guys performed the night before at a Gala Event.  And a kid from Lone Peak,Cache Olson (His DJ name is Olso) DJ'd for a Ball that evening.

That was all the people from Utah who performed.

Chase,

I've been thinking about you this past week, praying for you, your companion, and the people of Argentina. The last email/pictures you sent were wonderful to get and read. You already have grown so much and I know you are being guided by the Spirit to those who want to learn about the gospel. 

This past week has been a challenge. I've had a pretty good case of Vertigo and it has made doing the simplest things a little difficult. I'm sure it is funny watching me walk down the hall at work, walking like I'm a little drunk and driving a car has been a little difficult. Davey was very kind and drove me on Wednesday (my worst day of being dizzy). I've also had EFY's registration, so to say the least I've had to rely on family and help from prayers to get by.

Katelynn and I helped, last minute, withe McKenzie's baby shower. The weather was really bad, so Tonya and Grandma Coombs decided not to come. We had a great time. 

My cousin Myndie Sharp Schiel passed away. She was Aunt Ann's oldest daughter. She died of Ovarian Cancer. We will be going to her viewing tonight, Sunday.

I registered Brayden for EFY and he made the choir group Aquapella at Willow Creek. Because of this he has had to change his class schedule to make room for everything, so he is now taking morning semenary. He also learned about Musical Theatre at the Scera Theatre from Daniel McAllister and is enrolled in it. He will be preforming Cinderella. He is going to be The Herold, this is the guy who tells the people the Prince will be having a ball and he is the one who helps all the maidens to try on the glass slipper. He gets to do the first solo of the play. I'm so proud of him! He amazes me with all of his confidence he has in himself. He is so brave and talented. He is still encouraging Kyle to go to church and Brayden even asked him to sit with us during sacrament meeting. 

Davey is really busy with school! Lots of reading!! He and Lydia are working on being friends, in other words things have slowed down with the relationship. 

We started woring on the basement! The pony wall is built and the wall in the kitchen is up. Insulation is the 1/4 of the way up and we have ordered the cords to go in the wall for thetheater room. Dry wall will be started a week from tomorrow (Monday, 30th). We are so excited!

Dad and I are enjoying being Grandparents! We love taking care of Brooklynn. 

Love you so much!

Mom, xxxooo

Love it all! except your vertigo...  Love the pic of dad.  He is anxously engaged in taking care of brooklyn! haha <i pray for you all at least 4 times a day.  Haha

Do you need us to put any money in your account? We are happy to do so :)

Mom

No <i dont think so.  Trying not to use it.  But <i may have to today or during the week

Okay, we want you to not worry about the money - we want you to focus on your mission. If we can help with relieving the worry about money then please let us help. 

Love you so much and have a wonderful week!

May God bless you and watch over you and your companion. 

Mom, xxxooo 

This week has been hard.  Not very many lessons taught or much progress with investigators.  A ton of people canceled our appointments or just werent home (or didnt answer).  BUT, this week has been so good because we have been working our hardest!  

I was studying in helaman chapter 7 verse 17. It says,

O repent ye, repent ye! Why will ye die? Turn ye, turnye unto the Lord your God.¨  I love how throughout the book of mormon, the prophets tell us to repent.  We see that so often.  I also love how whenever there is a calling to repentance, they often say it twice.  Repent ye, repent ye, instead of just repent ye.  Its just interesting that we have to be repenting constantly.  Constantly turning to the lord and constantly changing.  Repentance is not a one time experience!  

In PMG, it says As your understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ grows, your desire to share the gospel will increase.¨ I love this so much!  When we repent, when we use the atonement, we understand it more.  You can tell the missionaries who have a strong desire to preach and share the gospel, have a strong understanding of the atonement.  :)

January 16, 2017

is it 7 am there? and 11 am here?

Hey, sorry I missed you. Are you still on? 

Yes, 7 am when you emailed.

Just getting off

Love you,   Have a great week 

Love you more!

Haha, I love you are challenging me...means you are happy and enjoying your time there.

Love you the most  ;)

Mom

Highlight for this week was probably the baptism of Jeshua.  I baptized him in the lake Nahuel Huapi!  So cool. So pretty.  So spiritual.  The water was freezing, but I honestly didnt feel the cold.  Jeshua did though.  He was skirming like crazy and saying, ¨Hurry!  Hurry!  Get me out of here!¨  Haha it was good though.

Im up to 4 kisses this week.  3 from girls and 1 from a dude.  Haha they were all on the cheek because thats what people do here.  I tried to avoid it because we are not supposed to greet that way (obviously), but they are just too dang fast.  I put out my arm for a handshake but they swerve around and go in for it.  Haha Ive got to work on my strategy there.  My trainer says it happens all the time and sometimes you cant avoid it.  Haha so weird.

Ive learned that on Sundays here, so many people get drunk.  Haha, we got stopped a couple of times by people just completly hammered.  We talked to another guy on Sunday too that professed he worships the devil and doesnt believe in God or Jesus Christ.  Loco.  We just testified that he is a son of God who loves him, and that Christ lives. 

Other than that, this week has been pretty normal.  We contacted this guy Luiz.  He is a pastor for an evangelical church.  BUT, we have had good conversations with him about the gospel.  We got invited in his house the second time we talked with him.  We literally walk in, and on his dining table is a Book of Mormon and a bible open next to each other.  He and his wife have both read the entire Book of Mormon!!  He says he likes it and he learns a lot from it.  Haha its crazy!  We will see how it goes!

Being here in this 2nd world country has made me think a lot about how much i took advantage of things.  (I will say though that the bidets are freaking nice though).  Just little things like paved roads, clean water, frying pans, drying machines, etc.  But being here has also taught me what is important to me.  Like family.

Family is probably the biggest thing I regret not appreciating as much as I should have.  I´m not homesick at all, but I before my mission I didn´t appreciate the fact that families can be together forever. I just thought, ¨Okay, that´s cool, I´m glad I´ll have forever to tease my brothers.¨ 

But being here, especially this week, I have thought a lot about the family.  I cant even imagine what eternity would be like without a family to laugh together, share moments together, cry together, help together, play together, eat together, read the scriptures together, pray together, and love together.  That is why Satan wants to tear the family apart.  He wants us miserable.  He wants us without a family.

What a glorious cause we are enlisted in as members of the Church.  Members of a Church that knows the family can be together forever.  To go out to our neighbors, our friends, our co-workers, our city, to the world.  To tell them this eternal truth.  That THEIR family can be eternal.  Their family can be forever happy with God. That is a priceless offer.  Something that money can´t buy and doesn´t have to buy.  We can have it.  Everyone can have it if they just accept this gospel.  Accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

 People think that accepting the gospel is a sacrifice.  That they have to give up their old lives.  That they have to stop having fun.  What garbage!  The only sacrifice they are making is turning their old life in for an infinitly better one!  That isn´t sacrifice at all.  It´s no sacrifice to read your scriptures for a couple minutes every day.  No sacrifice to fall on your knees and talk to that God who gave you everything.  No sacrifice to go to church to worship that same God and his Son.  This Gospel is glorious.  I am nothing without it.  

What great peace comes to my soul to know that my family will be together forever in this wonderful gospel. :)

 This is such an awesome email. Thank you so much for sending it we love details like this and to hear how you're doing and your feelings and what you're learning. We love you so much. 

January 9, 2017

Let me know if you can see this video.

Love you,

Mom

Kind of haha

haha what time is it there? 630?

Yes, when you emailed, it's 650 right now.

Chase,

I'm working in figuring out when to send you a hand written letter. I know how important it is to you and I'm going to do my best to write you a hand written letter once a month.

I thought I would write you a little earlier this week. 

Monday - I loved getting your emails! To hear you have been blessed to re-open an area is wonderful. Your Heavenly Father knows you are a hard worker and you are willing to go where he wants you to go. You'll definitely be blessed.

Katelynn had Brooklynn at 10:47pm. She was 8lbs. 3oz. and 21 inches long. She is adorable! 

Davey is liking Lidia more and more. I do have to say they are a lot alike - free spirits and very outgoing! They have seen each other every day since they met, except for the week she was in Florida.

Our week has been pretty dull, not much going on except for work (Davey, Dad, and I) and school (Brayden). I hope you have had a good week and you haven't had to many spiders to kill and dogs to run from.

Love ya,

Mom

xxxooo

Thanks!  Love the pics!  Just remember you cant send packages.  They emphasized this.  It is not possible at all.  I dont know about that guy from SLC, but probably just dont send any packages.  Letters are okay

Good to know...no packages  :(

How are you doing?

Are you eating enough?

Are you being safe? 

Mom

Doing okay.  dont want to worry you but the winter coat isnt totally water proof.  I was soaked all day yesterday.  Ink spilt on my garments and suit pants.  Can i still wear the garments?  its just a few spots.  Eating is probably what i worry about most.  We dont get a lot of lunch appointments and we cant cook very well, and we dont have very much money.  Haha.  We are completely safe. 

Can we put money in your account so you can get a waterproof coat an d some for food?

No, dont worry about it.  I have my other rain coat too and i will work it out with food.  I will let you know if i ever need more money

With your garments, I personally don't think a little ink will hurt. I feel your Heavenly Father understands and will be okay with you wearing them.

You will need a good warm/waterproof coat for the winter, so you might think about getting one.

I'll try not to worry but realize that is my job as a mom. I'll pray for you and the people, si their hearts will be opened and feed you elders. 

 Well you were on early this morning. So good to hear from you. You were talked about at church yesterday during your dads and your mom's testimonies that were born. We been so concerned about you since your last letter, how are things going with your companion and with the work?  Are things better? We have been praying for you. 

 As you know from your mom's letter, you have a new niece. We realized a miracle from heavenly father and her delivery and everything being OK.

That is awesome!  Things are better with my comp.  Its hard though.  I feel more homesick here than i did in the mtc. Haha hopefully it will pass.  

As a new missionary serving in Preston, England, Elder Gordon B. Hinckley was facing a major trial in his life. He was sick when he arrived in the mission field, and he quickly became discouraged because of the opposition to the missionary work. At a time of deep frustration, Elder Hinckley wrote in a letter to his father that he felt he was wasting his time and his father’s money. A little while later, Elder Hinckley received a reply from his dad. It said, “Dear Gordon, I have your recent letter. I have only one suggestion: forget yourself and go to work.”Earlier that morning during scripture study, Elder Hinckley had read in the Bible, “Whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it” (Mark 8:35). “With my father’s letter in hand, I went into our bedroom in the house at 15 Wadham Road, where we lived, and got on my knees and made a pledge with the Lord. I covenanted that I would try to forget myself and lose myself in His service” (Ensign, July 1987, p. 7).

Thanks. I will remember that.

Questions.  What card can or should i use to buy like souvenirs?  The black mariott card, or my debit card?  And i cant remember my pin to my debit card.  

Either card is fine.  You don't need a pin, you can use the debit card as a credit card too. 

 Cool, great, thanks.

Just let us know when and how much you spend so we can make sure and reconciliate and get it paid.  The next p-day after you spend, if you spend, will be fine.

Chase,

I've got to go to work now. Love you so much and hope everything will go well. 

Love mom

Love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tell me about the inaugaration and everything with trump.  What he does, etc.

 That won't be until next week, but I'll let you know how it goes. I don't know if I told you this already or not, but one of the members of the Mormon Tabernacle choir quit because she didn't want to seeing it trumps inauguration and thought that it wasn't good at the church was seeing there as she felt it showed endorsement of him. Quite a lot of controversy over that one. The next big thing political event happened  was that Obama declared the Bears years the national monument down in San Juan County, the governor and the deputy governor both got on the radio and TV right after that and talked about how bad it was that that he was doing it most of the feedback has been negative about it but last night they had about 200 Indians on that supported what he had done so there's  political stuff on both sides of the issue. The Bears ears and national monument is 1,300,000 acres I believe. 

Last PDay we went to a national park in Argentina.  Nahuel Huapi.  So pretty.  Its a huge lake and a huge peninsula!  So cool.  

It has been pouring here like every day for a week.  Makes me feel like i am in hawaii or something.  

We have 3 investigators we have been teaching a lot.  Alfredo is one.  The missionaries had taught him before so we had his address.  We decide to drop by  unannounced.  He invites us in and says we couldnt have come by at a better time.  He has been going through a tough time with his wife as they are deciding whether or not to get a divorce.  He has three little kids.  He accepts the lessons really well.  The spirit is always strong. He said if he gets an answer that the Book of Mormon is true, he will call us up and take us down to the lake to get baptized.  Haha.  

José is another.  We taught him a couple more times this week.  One time, after a lesson, he goes into his room and come back with a baby eagle!  He is straight hippie.  Haha.  But our last 2 lessons, José has been drunk.  We think he has a pretty bad addiction.

Johana is the other.  She wants to get baptized, but just has to get a divorce with her husband first and get married to David who she lives with.  David is a member and her daughter is also a member.

The food here is different, but good.  They dont believe in lettuce in their salads, they put mayonase on everything, they have pizza places on every block but they arent very good.  Haha i had some asado though for the first time and it was pretty good.  Just like a dry rub barbeque.

Went to bariloche for Zone training.  Super pretty there.  Its a bigger city that is on the other side of the lake.  Ate at subway there.  Haha american food is always good!

Church was better this sunday.  18 people including us.  Pretty good.

Other than that, i just have to say i love this gospel.  I know that this is the true church!  Im so glad to have been born in the gospel.  I have thought a lot about what my experience would be like if the missionaries taught me. Just so thankful to know that this is the truth.

Love you all!

more pics.

My agenda got soaked so i dried it out.  More of bariloche.  so pretty.

 Hey, I set up your blog so I don't know if you can or want to access it, but the address is: ElderChaseMoss.blogspot.com

January 2, 2017

What time is it there?

1135 right now

Well you are exactly 4 hours ahead of us then.

I want to know all about your first week, getting picked up, at the mission home, where you are assigned, your comp, members, etc, etc.

Elder / Sister full name

Argentina Neuquen Mission

PO Box 321

8300 Neuquen, Neuquen

Argentina

I've just sent your new address to be updated for the sacrament programs. 

Thanks for sending it. 

Mom

Mom,

Just wanted to say thanks for all you did.  Being here just in my apartement has been hard.  I dont know what to cook, or how to clean, or whatever. 

Im learning.  The cleaning ive mostly got down.  Our place is pretty clean now.  Not by your standards, but clean.  But cooking is the hardest.  My Companion has been here for 23 months and been zone leader and AP, but he doesnt cook or clean at all. crazy.  Today we kind of fought about how much cleaning is really necessary.  I taught him the importance of being clean and not lowering to the standards of the people here.  Hopefully it will all be good.

But seriously, thanks a lot.  After the bathroom that i just cleaned today, i will clean anything when i get back home

Remember, patience and serve is the key. I know it can be frustrating to always do the cleaning and cooking, but if you have a Christ like attitude then it won't seem so overwhelming. 

I know how hard that must be, I'll pray that your companion will understand that through a clean home you can feel the spirit more abundant and love can dwell there.

Love you,

Mom 

xxxooo 

thanks

Hey Chase,

Good morning! First thing - no baby, but Katelynn will be induced today. You'll be an uncle with in 24 hours. Kind of exciting :)

The boys have all been sick during the break. It started with Dad, then Davey, and then Brayden. Davey and Brayden are still getting over it, but doing better.

We had New Years down at Jeff's and Chaneasa (sp?). Brayden went to two stake dances and Davey went with a friend to a party. 

We got Brayden and Davey set up in their rooms. All I can say is they are clean. 

Dad is telling me you are on so I'll make this short. 

Love you, 

Mom 

xxxooo 

Thanks.  Send more pics of the fam and everyone.  Love the plaque!  Tell Katelynn <i love her! 

Love you so much!

The work is hard.  I have the hardest time sometimes with it.  Especially talking to random people on the street.  We havent done that like at all. My trainer doesnt think its very necessary. Id love to get some advice from davey on that. How to start a conversation and relate it to the church.  I never know if its okay to just go up and say, Hey we are missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints And this is what we believe.  Do you want to know more?  Like i dont know if i should say that or not.  i want to be a successful missionary, but i feel totally lost with the language and way to do things.  Idk, its super hard

The internet is super slow and <i gotta go.  DOnt know if all three pics on my group email or the pics i sent will go through.  Let me know.  I will talk to you next week.  Thanks for the prayers

So I don´t have much time because we have to pay for our time here in the ciber (computer store place).  And I forgot my camera cord so I can´t upload any pics.  Sorry, next Week!

The plane ride was long and cramped. Took forever.  Stayed in a hotel, ate at the mission home, got my trainer - Elder Tarone from vegas.  So much.  My mission
Pres. Casariego is so cool.  He is such a nice guy.

Crazy stuff has been happening here.  The area I´m in is Villa La Angostura.  Southern part of my mission.  It´s one of the prettiest.  The area has been closed for some time because the work is so hard.  But President decided to open it this transfer against the AP´s discouragement.  So,   I got sent here with Elder Tarone.  We are whitewashing it!  We don´t have a district as we are the only missionaries here.  Our zone is Bariloche, but it{s like an hour away.  So basically Im a district leader.  Haha jk.  

The people are nice.  We have mostly just been talking to, and finding members. (didnt even have a list of member or any phone numbers).  But we got most of them now.  The people (including our mission pres) drink this tea called mate.  We can not, but we can drink something similar to it.  Its nasty.  Haha.

Got attacked by a pack of dogs.  (everyone has dogs here.)  They started charging us (like 5 dogs) and we just climbed up this hill so they couldnt get to us.  We got rocks and just threw them at them and they backed down.  Haha so cool.  

Our pension (apartment) is sketch.  Mom, you would be apalled by it.  Super small and filthy.  Just filthy.  And there are spiders everywhere.  Every day we are always killing more.  I hate spiders.  I do all right if they are just on the ground and stuff, but one day there was a huge one in my hand towel, another in the shower.  Crazy.  

We dont have very many investigators. Yet.  But we street contacted this guy named Jose.  He invited us in and we talked about the church to him.  We get into his house and he has like a shrine of religious books, and one of them is the Restoration Pamphlet!  Haha the sisters who were here a long time ago had taught him a little.  Crazy. 

Other than that its a lot of walking every day.  

Church was interesting.  There was 4 members there and one was a baby.  The branch president wasnt there, just one of his counselors and he is from Bariloche.  10 people in total (counting us) were there.  We had like a 30 min sacrament mtg. of the sacrament, mine and my companions testimonies, and the counselors testimony.  No priesthood or sunday school after.  That was it.  Haha.

Lots more has happened but my time is limited.  Love you all!!

I have more pics, but can only send this many.  The google drive thing sucks cuz i dont want to give everyone permission every time. 

Don't use google drive then and just attach them.