WEEK 13

This Week From Elder Colby Eyre in Santiago Chile:

Hey guys!

This week has been a little slow with the lessons.  We have done lots and lots of walking. The weather is starting to warm  up so being outside is super nice!

On Monday we got to have a big Family Home Evening with three other member families.  We were able to share with them the importance of sharing the gospel with others.  It was a super lesson and a shout out to my homie Anthony!  I mentioned him in the lesson and just shared a little about Colin and I sharing the gospel with our Bro Antwan. I loved sharing that!

Also this week we were able to get the Diaz family to recommit to baptism which is great.  I just need everyone to pray that they come out to church this week!

 

The church is true!  I know that pretty much everyone that will read this letter is Mormon but you guys can all share the gospel and change the life of someone by sharing it with them.  You are all so great and I love all of you have the best week ever.

Love, Elder Colby Eyre

This Week From Elder Colin Eyre in Vina del Mar Chile:

Hey Family and Friends!

This week was pretty good I still have some hard moments.  I know that with time I will have an even greater love for the gospel and realize that it really does change peoples lives.  Now that is a super cool thing to be apart of I just gotta have patience haha! 

Two days ago we were walking in the streets looking for contacts.  This lady walks past us so we tried some contacting with her.  She tells us that she doesn't want to be Mormon because we believe more in José Smith than Jesu Christo.  We thought that was pretty funny and then she started to tell us that the Word of Wisdom is dumb because god smoked and drank haha!  I  was like holyyyy smokes what bible are you reading!  She said she reads from the Catholic Bible.  We did clarify that God didn't drink and smoke and then we left her alone.  It was super funny!

This week we also did service for some members that needed help weeding.  I was excited, thought it would be just like home when one of the ward members was like hey watch out sometimes there are huge tarantulas  in the weeds!  I was like NUTZ!  Then he said they mostly stay in their holes until it gets hot which is like in December and January.  I was still just dying every time I pulled a weed! 

Anyways on a spiritual note I was reading 3 Nephi 15: 9 "Behold, I am the law and the light.  Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life."  I know that we will have hard days but if we endure the hard times well and endure to the end all will be well!  This gospel is legit and I'm thankful I have the opportunity to share it.  The members here are SO good to me and I'm blessed.

Love Elder Colin Eyre

WEEK 12

This Week From Elder Colby Eyre in Santiago Chile:

Well this week has been pretty good!   My companion and I taught a lesson yesterday about forgiveness.   I will finally admit that my mom was right when she said just forgive your brother and you'll be a lot happier haha!  I know that forgiveness is hard to give to other people sometimes but if we truly forgive a person we will be a lot happier.  Hey and that is what Heavenly Father would do anyway.

This past week we had a boat load of rain.  On one particular day it was just raining SO hard and all our plans fell through wouldn't you know it!  That seems to happen quite a bit.  Anyway we had no where to go and no one was on the streets to contact.  Everyone was inside like you normally would be in a rain storm!  We had no place to take cover so I just walked over to this house and called and called for them to come out.  Finally someone actually came out!  This guy came  to the door and was pretty cool.  He looked like a pretty sharp guy.  We asked him if we could share a message with him.  He said we only had five min!  Elder Collins and I went in and went to work and taught the first lesson.  Then he actually talked to us after the lesson and we stayed for about  45 min.  It was super cool when he said we could come back on Sunday.  I know that the spirit led me to that house.  It was such a great experience.  Pray it all goes well next Sunday!  
I love you guys all so much back home and hope you have the very best week.

Love Elder Colby Eyre

This Week From Elder Colin Eyre in Vina del Mar Chile:

Hey so this week was better tons of things are happening.  Not going to lie, sometimes I'm still in the bathroom crying and wondering what the flight will be like on the way home haha!   Every week here gets better but it's still hard.

 

Elder Diaz and I were at this Grandpas house.  He speaks a little english and he is less active.  He invited us into his house and its actually pretty decent.  He is so kind and just wants to show us everything it was super funny.  He had this  huge garden with potatoes and all sorts of fruit in it.  It was super cool.  I told him my Grandpa and my Grandad are just like him with all the fruits and veggies haha!   He loved that and he loved showing me all his cool stuff.  Then we go back into his house and he gave us some fruit with cream.  This is like a classic dessert here and its pretty good.  Then he makes us some bread that is super good and then gives us some fruit thing to take home haha.  I love this guy he is legit.  I am finding out many people around here have worked on cruise ships.  That is why many know just a little bit of English.  This Grandpa was a chef on a cruise ship so his food is pretty good!  He also showed me a picture of his daughter and it looked like she was in St. George.  I asked him where the picture was taken and it was in St. George!   He has family there and his wife has lived there for the past six months. The families around here give us so much and they are all so nice.  Many times I feel so bad because I know they don't have a lot of money but they are always so happy to feed us.

I am getting along better with my companion.  Sometimes it is hard but for the most part he is super good to me and teaches me so much.  I wish I had the scripture knowledge that he has.  Elder Diaz has only been a member for four years!  I am like WOW  I definitely didn't pay enough attention during church and seminary!  My spanish is getting better with each week.  It is usually during serious times when I am put on the spot that I struggle the most with the language.  

 

One thing that was pretty cool for me this week was realizing that my heart is changing and I really need this right now.  I remember back to my first day in Viña.  It is pretty crazy their lunch is the biggest meal of the day.  They eat a lot at lunch and then not much the rest of the day.  I remember being at this ladys house and it was a cement shack.  I remember just thinking what the heck am I doing here.  I was SO homesick and this house just seemed disgusting to me.  I was miserable and I hated everything about that lunch.  So now almost six weeks later we return to this house for lunch!   It took me a few minutes to realize this is where I ate lunch that first day in the field.  The weirdest thing happened.   I honestly didn't think the house was crappy at all.  The house was actually kinda nice and the food was super good!  At that moment I realized that I'm slowly changing.  I'm not as judgmental.  These people don't have the money to give us food but they still make it happen.  I am so grateful for them and the sacrifice they make for the missionaries.  When you see how little they have it is hard for me not to feel really bad for them.  Anyways I just thought that was cool for me! 

I really hope I see my bro Chan Salad this week.  My companion could be changing.  They say you typically serve in this area for six months and Elder Diaz has been here for six months.  I also can't believe I have served for three months!  

Love you all and have a great week.  Thanks for everything.

Love, Elder Colin Eyre

WEEK 11

This Week From Elder Colby Eyre in Santiago Chile:

Hey whats up everyone!

No need to answer that but man this week was actually pretty good. The missionary work is a little slow in my ward because we work so much with less actives.  Then on Friday night we got three people to commit to baptism.  It was so cool I loved it and it was in Spanish haha!  I don't know if what I said made sense but the word,  "si" came out of their mouths so I'm counting it. 

This morning my comp and I studied trials for a lesson tonight.  He shared with me a really cool scripture that I loved.  Its in 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 its awesome and comforting for any trial anyone is going though.  I know that everyone has trials in their lives but God is always there to help us.  It may be hard sometimes and we may feel alone but that is never true our Heavenly Father is always watching over us and is by our side. 

Well I hope you guys all have the best week ever. 

Love Elder Colby Eyre

This Week From Elder Colin Eyre in Vina del Mar Chile:

Hello family and friends,

This week had it's ups and it's downs.  The ward is the best here I love them so much.  There are times when it is so hard to teach people and I like really want to quit but no rest for the missionaries haha!   This week a family made hamburgers for us.  Actually they were not that good but I love the family a ton so it didn't really matter.  That was super nice and actually the fries and bread were pretty good!  

I want you to know we are all so blessed back at home.  I was at the old bishop's house.  He speaks a little bit of English so I just love that.   His house has termites and they have just rallied his bathroom.  I asked him about it and why his bathroom was like that.   He said it was the termites but they don't have the money to fix it.  That just killed me and I felt so bad.  The amazing thing is he is so happy and positive I just love him. 

I found out that I will most likely be in my area for about 6 months so thats pretty cool because I like my area.   I think I'm going to get a new comp because my comp, Elder Diaz has been here for 6 months already.  One really cool thing is we have a baptismal date set for October 18th.  I sent a picture of us with Anthony in my last letter.  Anthony is just thirteen but super cool.  I think he loves us a little too much!  How neat is that, his name is Anthony the same as one of my best bros back home.  Shout out to my Bro Anthony love ya tons!  I hope everything follows through and he keeps the commandants.     

 

This week I was reading in Alma where they talk about the 2000 Nephites.   That really helped me this week because when they left their homes they were the same as me.  They never had gone into battle or left their homes.  But when they left, they left with faith and because of this they were protected.  I know they had hard times just like I have had hard times.  The Nephites kept going and charging forward and in the end they were delivered and none of them died.  I  know I can do the same thing.  There have been many times I want to quit but I say I know I can do this.  I just have to be like the Nephites and keep pushing forward.  Things can be hard but nothing can be too hard with God in our lives. I love you all!

Elder Colin Eyre

WEEK 10

This Week From Elder Colby Eyre in Santiago Chile:

Hey guys I'm back! This week was good. I tried to put my cooking skills to the test by making some banana chips.  It was not as easy as I thought ..... the turn out was let's just say not banana chips haha! Today I bought some chicken from the local butcher.   This was a first for me.  I boiled me some nice pollo.  I  think it turned out alright I actually haven't eaten it yet so I will let you know how it was next week. 

General Conference was definitely a challenge. Our area was the only one that had to listen to conference in Spanish.  They felt we needed to improve our language skills. It was rough I was disappointed to say the least. I picked up what I could which wasn't a whole lot.  Anyway I'm over it now! Next month I'll get the Ensign/Liahona with the talks in English. 

I love you guys all so much and really the scriptures are the place to turn to for comfort.  Don't every doubt that!

Love, 

Elder Colby Eyre

This Week From Elder Colin Eyre in Vina del Mar Chile:

This past week has been much better for me.  I was able to learn so many things.  It was the first time in my life I have ever watched every session in General Conference.  I learned so many things and was able to grow so much from it. I am not saying my mission isn't a trial it is still hard.  It is still hard to be here and work every day.  However things are getting better I just loved conference.   The words are true when President Eyring says that tomorrow will be better than today! It's getting better I am able to see with better eyes. This week I am starting to learn that the church really is true.  It has always been hard for me to believe in the spirit.  I just thought those crazy stories of the spirit were just going to happen anyways.  I'm gaining a testimony that it really was the spirit.   I loved the story of President Eyring's father.  Hearing that, it would have been impossible if the spirit was not guiding his father who was looking for a church in Australia.   His father wanted to take the sacrament and literally the spirit guided him to a small church.  That is seriously incredible. I know right now the spirit is guiding me all the time.  I'm not very good at following it but I know that as I strive to be better and be in tune the spirit will guide me more because I know how to listen to it. During conference I also got to chill with the people de la officinas and that was sick haha!  They all just gave me so much advice and I loved it so much.   The church is true, I sure don't know everything but its coming little by little.  Line upon line, precept upon precept haha its coming!

I am also able to realize that this gospel helps people.  We have this investigator named Felipe.  He is 26 years old, inactive but served a mission.  At first he seemed not so happy just chillin at home.  We have brought him back to church and he now has a calling as a missionary for our ward.   He goes and does missionary work with us and I truly can tell he is happier.  I know its because of the gospel and the Light of Christ.   It is weird but he has also been helping me so much.   I  told him how hard it has been to be out here away from my family, learning a new language and all this stuff.   After I told him that he said you are different Elder Eyre.  You are not like the average American.  He told me how sincere he thought I was.  That alone made my entire week.  I am trying so hard to be sincere to everyone.  I do not like to lie I just want to be straight up.   Felipe awknowledged that in me and that has helped me become better.   He said every mission is hard in the beginning and that it gets so much better! 

One crazy story,  I was in Concon teaching this lady that is super smart.  She was way cool when suddenly this handicap kid runs up to me and gives me a huge hug.  His parents came and took him away from me.  At the end of the lesson his mom comes up to us and starts saying why the church is not true.  She says she has all these problems in life and thinks God has forgoten her.  Thats about all I could understand with my limited Spanish.  Anyways all of a sudden I hear splashing and the handicap kid has pulled his pants down and just starts peeing everywhere.  I was dying, it was so funny!  

I love you guys so much.  I know we go through trials to become stronger.  I still miss the fam.  I see huge mountains and say if I wasn't a missionary I would be skiing or mountain biking in those mountains or mad chillin with my friends!  Have a great week!

Love, Elder Colin Eyre