Hola!
Como estai?? So we had transfers this week, and I am staying here in Coquimbo with elder Yorgason. Whooo!
Okay so I am dying to tell you guys all about Matias. We found his brother while knocking doors two weeks ago, and we found Matias when we came back. He has come to church twice already, and he has been reading from the book of Mormon and praying every day. The best part is that he has become pretty intrenched in the ward already. He had one return missionary as a friend, and he has also become great friends with the members with whom we have brought to teach him. He came to play soccer last Thursday without us, and he had a blast. Every lesson pretty much goes pretty much like this:
Okay Matias, teach us about what you read the past two days... 20 minutes later.. Wow okay thanks for that lesson Matias, we are going to leave you with Alma 32 and the pamphlet about the plan of salvation and we will come back in two days so you can teach us about that too. Can we end with a prayer?
Hahaha wow what a stud!!!! This is a guy who was`t sure if he believed in God when we first met him like two weeks ago. Now he is so full of faith, and his prayers are so sincere. I learn more from him that he could ever learn from me. Wow, the Lord prepares his people for the Gospel, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind about that!
We also have a baptismal date with a lady named Karen. She is super cool, but she is also really hard to meet with, so we are working on that this week.
We are also working with a lady named Ursula and her daughter, Katerine, and they are both super great. I am sure they will continue to progress.
So in the zone of Coquimbo there are 7 companionships, 14 missionaries. There are two zone leaders, and 3 district leaders. One of our zone leaders, Elder Furiman (the zone leaders live with us and work in Parte Alta), died this morning at one o`clock. We went with his comp to the terminal to see him off, and then we went and slept for a few hours before we started the day. We are losing four more missionaries to different areas in the mission today. We are getting two nuevitos in Coquimbo, and so we will have four trainers and trainees here in Coquimbo. Our new zone leader is a pretty cool guy, I guess, and he gets here tonight. Elder Silva, the other zone leader will die in 6 weeks, at the end of this next transfer. So I will witness two deaths in two changes. Wow I am so glad that I am not even close to that point!
Well, I know that no matter where I am, no matter who it is that I am with, I will be a representative of Jesus Christ. This isn`t some two year project that I have that will end when I get home. I am here learning how to be a father, a husband, and a witness of God. Just like it says in Mosiah 18, we are commited to be witnesses of Jesus Christ in all things, in all times, and in all places. This is going to remain true for me for the rest of my life. I am committed.

Elder Hales