Where are my letters?

Hey guys!                                January 20,2015

I know that I am supposed to write tomorrow but there were some issues so they had to change us to today! I suppose thats why I dont have any letters from any of you haha, so I will just write a letter for everyone.

This week was a pretty good week, its starting to get really hot and I am always dying outside haha, it kinda sucks but then I just think that I will never have another chance like this in my life and that helps me to just keep knocking on those doors. My kid is doing really good, he is doing a good job with everything and I am really impressed with the growth that I have seen in him.  He works hard and he is and will continue to be a great missionary here in this mission.

Well we were able to have a baptism this week! That was really cool. Her name is M, she is 35 years old and she has two kids, one who is 13 and the other one who is 4. N and A.  Me and my old comp found them contacting people in the street one day, and then me and Elder Q went over and taught them, it was a cool thing to see M get baptized. Her and her husband are separated and she just wants her kids to have a good life, she was really prepared to recieve the gospel and was really willing to just accept all of the teachings and to keep with the commitments that we left with her. N will be getting baptized here in about two weeks, he wanted to do it with his mom but he has only gone to church once because every other weekend he goes to stay with his dad, but he got permission to be able to go to church which means that he will be getting baptized here pretty soon. I am really excited for the family.

Also, yesterday the whole mission had a big activtiy in a city called Traiguen. Its about 4 hrs south of where I am so on sunday we went and traveled down and stayed the night in one of the missionaries houses, then on monday morning we finished the trip and got down to the activity, it was really fun. Each zone got different color t shirts and we did like a big competition basically between all the zones. There are 10 zones.  We played kickball, dodgeball, volleyball, and some other games like that. And of course who won? Thats right, my zone SAN PEDRO! hahah. It was a great activity just be able to relax for a bit and have some fun. After all of the games president had a suprise for us. He showed us the movie, Meet the Mormons. It was really good. I think that it should help other people know that we are just normal every day people, but there is one very important thing that sets us apart from everyone else, The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I am so thankful for the gospel and all that I recieve and have because of it.  Every time I think of all the blessings I have it helps me to want to work harder, be more obedient, and love everyone. It's hard and stressful, but I truly do love being a missionary, I really do.  I only have nine months left. Nine months to give it all. I hope and I pray that I can do it. 

I love all you guys, family and friends, and I invite everyone to learn more about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I will talk to all of you guys on Monday! Take Care, I love you! 

Elder Noel

My comp now and my old comp

2 Ogden Valley boys together, me and Blake Stevenson

My CCM district. So great to be together again!

It was a great day for the baptism of M.

Changes at zone conference

Hey Mom,                              January 12, 2015

This week was a good week. We had a zone conference with president and a couple other of zones. They talked about how we just need to worry about our calling and stop comparing ourselves to everyone else, its true and its a big lesson to learn.

 At  zone conference they also told us that from now on we will not be counting numbers. The only things that we will count will be baptisms, people in church, and baptismal dates. It's a pretty big change actually, this comes from the area presidency. I think its for the better and it will help us to focus more on the person and trying to help them get to church and get baptized. So this causes for some good and bad things, just another thing to stress about and to adjust to but thats how the mission is, but I like it.  

     We didn't have any one in church this week which was a big let down, but the kids of the family that we baptized a couple of weeks ago got the priesthood this week. So that was good to see.  

     Haha Im sorry that its so cold there, here it is pretty hot, it's good and bad.  It's hard sometimes because I feel like I am going to die, but where I am at there is always a constant wind.  It's not too bad but all in all it's a lot better than the rain haha.

     I have learned here in my mission that you should always think before you do/say something that you might regret, I think I am learning day by day the importance of all of this. Discouragement is satans way of trying to destroy us, and a lot of times he gets to us. If we can recognize it before it becomes a problem, then we can apply the gospel and beat out satan.

Thanks for all your love and support, I love you! Elder Noel  

P.S. I am thinking about extending my mission another six weeks, hahah what do you think?

Waiting for dinner to start

Me and President Bluth

A great family!

We had to take an oven over to a members house and we had to use this tricilce.

Nothing much this week

Hey Mom,                                 January 5,2015

 How are ya?!

The baptism of that lady did not go through. She was already to go, we announced it in church, then the night before Christmas she went to her friends house to eat for Christmas Eve, friends from her old church, they filled her with a bunch of doubts and things like that. But that happens some times, we are still working with her so we will see what happens.

The convert family is doing pretty good, the mom got up and bore her testimony, so that was really neat.  Our convert J got up and bore her testimony, it was pretty cool, she is 25 and just got called to be the leader of young single adults in the ward, so that was a really cool thing.

We ate dinner with a family that the zone leaders have been teaching for the past month or so, it was a really good dinner, we had turkey, the first time I have had turkey like that in about two years haha.

I took more pictures this week but they aren't loading because we are in a crappy computer lab.  I love you!

 Elder Noel

Last post of 2014

Hey Mom,                                  Dec 29, 2014

You are right it was great to see and talk to you guys, all of you looked really good, I can't believe that it was seven months ago the last time that I was able to skype with you guys. Time really does go by fast and that it why it is so important to take advantage of every second that God gives us to live and to be in his true church. 

     My favorite thing about my mission is probably just the feeling or the thought that you may have blessed someones life today.  Its hard sometimes and its stressful, and there are somedays where I just want to pull out my hair and give up. But thats how it is and deep down I do love being a missionary. Its not all roses but as you see people progress and change it makes up for all the hard times. 

     I hope and pray that you have a safe new years eve and a great week! 

Love you! 

Elder Noel

Christmas Skype 2014

Hayden has the best smile.  So good to see it!!

Baptisms

Hey Dad and Mom,                        Dec 22,2014

 I read both of your letters and I appreciate all the details that you guys include about home and things like that.

     I don't have to much time today on the computer because today isn't pday, its just time to write and then on Christmas we will have pday. 

     I am just going to write you guys on the same letter for lack of time, sorry.

     Go AGGIES.. (they won their bowl game!!)

     This week on Saturday, M, F, F, and E were baptized. It was hectic week and day trying to get everyone prepared and trying to find clothes and things like that. But it was a really cool expierience to see them get baptized. They all seemed really happy and commited to go to church. I hope and pray that they can keep going in the church.

     I am excited to see and talk to everyone on thursday. It looks like we will be doing skype here at around 5 6 or 7. More like 5 o clock. I am not completely sure, sorry haha.

     This Saturday we have another baptism.  Well it's not really ours but she is getting baptized in our ward because she recently moved houses from a sector where the hermanas were already teaching her, they got her all ready and then she moved, and it just happened to be in my sector.  Also, that girl I was telling you guys about, who moved from our sector to another sector, is also getting baptized this saturday. 

     I just want you guys to know that I love you and that you are in my prayers and I am really happy that I will get to talk to you guys this Christmas, even if it will be for only 40 minutes, (sorry mom). But I love you guys and I hope that you have a great day and week!

 Talk to you soon! 

Elder Noel

I love this family!

A great day for some baptisms!

A few changes coming up!

Hey Mom!                                   Dec 15, 2014

 Thanks for the email, like always I love hearing about the family and the things that you guys are doing so thanks! 

     This week was an okay week, we only had 1 person in church but we do have 4 baptisms scheduled for this week so that is good!  I hope that they can follow through with it so that they can get baptized. That family of three is going to get baptized this saturday, I'm happy for them and hope that they can truly feel and see the importance that the gospel will have in their lives.

     I'm doing alright, cambios are tomorrow and me and my comp will be the same so no changes there, I now have a bigger district, I will be in charge of 3 companionships, so that should be interesting.  We have d meetings every tuesday, and we actually have to report our numbers every day to the zone leaders and they report them to the president, lots of verification, but I think its good. It also looks like this will be my last 6 weeks in my sector. Pretty crazy how fast the time goes.

     Christmas down here in Chile is not much different than in the states, some people put up lights and things like that, others don't, almost everyone has a small little tree in their house with decorations and things like that.  But on the 24th families get together and have a big dinner, we are invited to go and eat dinner with the families and things like that on the 24th.  So that should be fun! 

     I saw Elder Wallace on tuesday, he looks like he is doing just fine, he had a huge package from his family, I got two packages, one from Grandma and Grandpa Dot, and the other one I got from Kellie.  I love the shirt that she sent me. I guess that I could be a seahawks fan every once in awhile haha.

     I am excited to be able to skype and see you guys this Christmas and I hope that you guys are enjoying this Christmas season.  President has set a rule that he only wants us to skype for forty minutes, so we wont have to much time but it will be enough time to laugh and talk haha.

Love you! 

Elder Noel

At a district meeting with some Hermanas.

I love Elder Wallace's Christmas tie

Just having some fun!

Nothing Much

Hey Mom!                                    Dec 8, 2014                                                                                                                                         

How are you doing? And don't worry I am okay haha, I was just sorta startled and nervous to talk to people for the next couple of days but right now I am okay!

Thanks for the picture of the Christmas tree, it looks pretty good but it also looks really skinny haha, I couldn't tell the difference between Cole and the tree haha, but it looks like you guys had a fun time decorating it.

Im not sure how long we will be able to skype this year but I do know that we will be able to skype. I think that president Bluth doesn't want us talking for too long so I am thinking that it will be less time that it was on Mothers Day and on Christmas.  So far I have not received any packages, but I'm sure I will very soon. I am very very excited to be able to see and talk to you guys, it will be a great day.

This last week was alright, nothing to special other than we had return and report, its when all of the new missionaries and their trainers go to the mission office to see what happened over the past 5 weeks or so. It was cool, president was there and the assistants, they talked to us about what we can do better and things like that, it was pretty cool.

On wednesday our zone and 3 other zones are having the Christmas conference. It should be pretty fun, I will send you pictures of it next week.

Its pretty crazy how time flys, I only have ten months left, I cant believe it, I love you!

 Take care! 

Elder Noel