WEEK 34

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

This week was pretty good.  I gave my talk Sunday!  I was so scared and when I gave it I didn't look down at my notes once.  I really felt like everyone was listening.  It was a real solid talk on being an example to others with missionary work.  I was so happy because during my talk I was very calm and not at all nervous like I was just before.  There are these twin ladies in my ward that are like fifty-five and they were both just smiling at me and so interested in what I was saying and I don't know why but that really helped me too.  I honestly felt like everyone was listening and that made my talk worth it.  Even after church at lunch this lady was talking to me about my talk and asked me about some of the stories I had told.  She was just so interested in my story it made me so happy!  I think the ward members really like Elder Pan and I.  Everyone is so friendly and likes to talk to us :)

Sunday we also had an investigator actually show up for sacrament meeting.  His name is Antonio he was able to hear my talk and afterward I had just a big smile on my face to see him out there in the audience.  

Sometimes this mish is still hard and I think wow it will be forever until I'm back in Utah drinking an ice cold rootbeer but its all good!  I know being out here and working hard is where I should be and brings great blessing to those we teach and also to me!

Thanks so much for all that you guys do and for your love and prayers.  Have a solid week friends peace out!

Elder Colin Eyre

This Week From Elder Colby Eyre in Santiago Chile:

This week has been pretty good.  Elder Gorri and I have been working hard and it has paid off!  We had a lesson with Claudia friday and it went so well we asked if she felt ready for baptism and she said YES!  She was a little nervous about the baptism but we calmed her and she is now excited.  It is scheduled for this Saturday at 5:00pm.  Guess who she asked to baptize her?...Elder Eyre!  I'm excited to do it but also scared mostly because I don't want to mess her name up.  The Chilean's have super long names.  Claudia has like four names but I am so excited it's going to be an awesome day!

I was reading in the Liahona and there was this talk that I read that was about trials. This guy tells a story of his daughter and that when she was little they watched Nemo all the time together.  As she got older she served a mission in Santiago.  Yep so at this point he has my full attention haha!  She had trials on her mission but got through them and later in life got married and also continued to have trials.  What I loved is that when she would go through the trials he would always tell her that, remember just like Dori says in Nemo, "JUST KEEP SWIMMING!"  As I read that it hit me that in life's trials we just need to persevere and not give up.  Happiness will come and the sun will rise.  All we need to do is keep trying and always get back up when we get pushed down!  This gospel is so great and can take the weakest and make them strong. 

I know this gospel is true and I know that Gods plan for us is a plan of happiness with a few trials along the way. haha!  I love all you guys so much and I'm so thankful for everyone at home.  Have a great week, I love you all!

Elder Colby Eyre

WEEK 33

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

This week was super!  Elder Pan and I just hit the streets hard all the time and the other thing I love about him is he is so funny!  His only downfall is he always smells like B.O.  I know I should probably tell him to use some deodorant but I just don't want to be rude.  My zone leader was like dude you gotta tell him.  I think the Europeans just don't wear deodorant so it's normal for them.   Anyways our room kinda smells so the windows are always open but I'm going to go buy a candle or something haha! 

This week we were out in a rich sector of Viña.  We were just knocking on doors and normally we are just rejected.  There is this one nice house that I have seen several times and just can't imagine anyone ever answering the door.  We decided to knock.  An eighteen year old Chilean girl answers the door.  Turns out she lived in New Jersey for most of her life.  I knew right away that she was one of those people that has totally been prepared by the Lord to hear the gospel.  She is really interested in hearing the lessons but wants permission from her parents first.  I am really hoping we will be able to teach her this week.  Then totally off the subject her Dad has a solid dope truck that looked 100% American parked out front.  I asked them about it and told them I thought it looked like it was from the US.  It was pretty funny they had bought it in New Jersey and brought it back to Chile!  

One of the hardest things for Chileans is to get them to church on Sunday.  They like to sleep in on Sundays and here in Chile the church even starts at 10:00am.  I am just like come on people its not that hard but for some reason it is hard for them.  I pray every night the people we are teaching will come to church!  

Chile is pretty great. I am starting to make contacts in places I have already been and I have had a few people tell me I have already been to their house.  Next time that happens I will just tell them it was probably my twin bro.  Funny thing, we do have to go the the passport office every few months to check in and sign some paperwork.  Anyway last time I went the guy was like hey you were just here yesterday!  I was like oh that must have been my brother, I'm a twin.  He gave me a real strange look.    

Sunday I have to give a talk in church so kinda nervous about that I really could use all your prayers.  My talk is on missionary work and how the members can help us.   

The mish life is legit we just work so hard everyday and when we come back at night we are worn out!  The great thing about that is I sleep good.  I love everyone so much you guys are the best and I hope everyone has a way good week! ;)

Oh and last week we made german pancakes from my solid recipe book.  I had no clue they were german pancakes until we looked in the oven and they had puffed up a ton I was so excited.  I guess you could say I'm a solid cook!  Thanks for teaching me mama!

Love, 

Elder Colin Eyre

This Week From Elder Colby Eyre in Santiago Chile:

Hey guys this week was super awesome.  We've been working really hard and finding lots of new people to teach. Cloudia is doing great we moved her baptism date to March 26th because we haven't been able to teach all the discussions to her.  I really feel like she is doing great and learning so much.    

We also have this investigator named Veronica.  She is a really neat lady and it was a miracle finding her.  A  few weeks ago when I was with my old comp, Elder Aguirre, we were walking down the street.  Suddenly my comp was like hey I think I just saw a hand come out of that fence and wave at us!  I was like sweet lets go!  It turns out she has been looking at several different churches.  She said she has always believed in God but wanted to learn more about our church.  We made an appointment to come back and teach her.  We also left her with the Book of Mormon and asked her to read 3 Nephi Ch. 11.  In that chapter God testifies of his Son Jesus Christ, we learn about the Atonement and that we need to be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost. Then the next visit she was like now I understand I need to be baptized.  Wow we were so excited, like way awesome! We are continuing to teach her.   

Update on the dogs:  Yesterday we walked an hour to the Stake Center dogs following us the entire way.  Then we took a bus home to leave the dogs there...haha then today we came back to the Stake Center for an activity and they were waiting for us outside!!!  Its all good we took the bus home again today and we're praying they can't find their way back. 

I hope everyone has a great week I love you all!

Elder Colby Eyre

WEEK 32

This Week From Elder Colby Eyre in Santiago Chile:

Hey guys this week was pretty good we still have the awesome dogs following us all around.  They sit and wait for us outside when we go to investigators homes to teach lessons.  Everyone says that its because they can see the goodness in us... haha!  They are becoming much more annoying than funny. 

This week has been pretty good we've been working hard and doing lots of contacting so we can find more people to bring to Christ. The mission is such a blessing in my life.  I can't believe how much I have learned in the past 7 months.  I am truly grateful for this opportunity.  

I'd say our most promising investigator is Cloudia.  She is awesome and I feel like she is pretty close to baptism.  Everyone pray for her! 

This week I have been reading in the Book of Mormon in Alma.  Captain Moroni fought many sweet battles but there is a part where Captain Moroni talks about the Lamanites not being able to destroy their faith in Jesus Christ and that God would continue to help the Nephites as long as they are faithful.  We can apply this to our lives and as we continue to be faithful Heavenly Father will bless us.  In James 2:17-18 we read, "Faith without work is dead" this is one of my favorite quotes.  I've gained such a strong testimony of that and I can say without a doubt so true.  So many investigators will say, "Ohh I've got so much faith."   but then they are not willing to do any work!  Then there are the people I see doing the work and I can see them growing so much and receiving so many blessings.

Love all you guys back home have a great week!

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

This week was pretty sweet we were able to find eleven new investigators thats a lot.  Normally we find three or four a week.  A few of them are families so I'm happy about that.  Elder Pan and I just go to work everyday.  He is really funny so we have a great time together!

Yesterday Elder Pan read me his journal entry from his first day in the mish.  Elder Pan went to the Chile MTC and I went to the Mexico MTC.  It just so happens that he roomed with my bro Colby while he was there!  So this is what his journal said, "There are four people in this room one is Elder Eyre he is pretty cool he has a twin brother in the Viña del Mar mission where I will be going.  I wonder if I will ever be able to meet him?"  Now here we are companions in the mission it's pretty sweet! Funny thing is it's the first time I literally have to stand up for the mission rules because my comp isn't always perfect with them which kinda blows.  We are both a little more relaxed but I know we will soon be master teachers so thats dope. 

I feel like my Spanish is really coming along.  It's weird to think that how far I have come with it in the last 7 months.  Oh how I would love to go to my Spanish teacher who gave me a D- and start speaking really fast Chilean Spanish and see if he understands!  Haha  

This week was pretty fun Elder Pan and I are always doing funny things we found a huge tarantula walking in the streets we kinda killed it.... yesterday we went back and found it and put it in a bag.  I really hope my comp doesn't pull any pranks with it cuz I hate spiders!  

We are still teaching that older lady and her family.  She is the one who asked if we had been praying for her and her knee.  We really have been praying for her and her family everyday.  We pray that our lessons go well and also that they will come to church on Sunday.  I know Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways and I love him so much.  I know we just have to keep our eyes open to see the many working miracles in our lives.  Thanks for all the prayers.  I love everyone back home so much you guys are the best I'm always praying for good old Utah!

Elder Colin Eyre

WEEK 31

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

Got a new Comp his name is . . .  Elder PAN, which means bread in Spanish so its like the new joke of the ward because they have so much bread here.  Elder Pan came into the mission the same time I did.  The crazy thing is he was in the same dorm as Colby in the Santiago MTC so he knows my bro pretty well!  Elder Pan is from Spain which is so sick, and he is just awesome. 

A crazy story, my very first day in Chile we had to get off the bus in the middle of Viña and find the mission home and also give a Book of Mormon out on the way.  At this crazy and very hard moment in my life I was with Elder Pan.  He kinda knew English so he helped me so much.  Six months ago I remember being with him and it was so weird because for the first time in my entire life I felt like I knew him before our missions.  His face was so familiar and honestly it was like I knew him in heaven.  I remember so vividly on my first change talking with my comp, Elder Miller and telling him that there were a few people here that I felt like I met a very long time ago and Elder Pan was one of those individuals.  I just knew that one day we would be companions and here we are!  The Lord does work in mysterious ways. 

I love it here we're just trying to work really hard and get a lot of lessons in together.  I have learned that I definitely need to work on my lessons and teaching people.  Example, yesterday somehow we totally got off track in a lesson and this lady was like well I hate your rules and how you can't hug girls.  She thinks its rude because a hug and a kiss on the cheek here in Chile is part of the culture.  Obviously we can't do that haha.  That is what I need to practice during my lessons because if I were a master at teaching the lessons I would have never gotten her off track!  My goal for the week is to be better at teaching.  

Yesterday the coolest thing happened.  We taught this family of four and it was such a good lesson.  We had planned to teach them again but Sunday the mother saw us after church and waved us down.  Then she says, " Hey guys were you praying for me because I had problems with my knee all week and then after your lesson my knee didn't hurt at all!"  I was like holyyy cowww uhhhhh YES we prayed for you!  It was pretty funny but this could be a miracle for her and the beginning of her wanting to get baptized and growing a strong testimony of the gospel.  You never know!   

Love you all at home,

Elder Colin Eyre

This Week From Elder Colby Eyre in Santiago Chile:

Hey guys this week has been pretty good!  Being a trainer and the opportunity to train someone can be stressful but its also a huge blessing.  I'm learning so much and when it comes down to making an important decision I can't just look at my comp haha.  He looks to me!  

The closest person we have to baptism is a girl named Claudia.   She's super awesome and is the girlfriend of a less active member.  She really has the desires to be baptized and its been great teaching her.   You can always feel the spirit so strong during the lessons.  

On a funny note, we've had these dogs follow us around to every lesson.  At first it was pretty funny to have them wait outside of each house for us.  Now it is beginning to be a little annoying.  Currently as I am writing this I can see the dogs waiting for us to come out!  Haha pretty crazy. 

I love you all and really appreciate the weekly prayers.  I know Heavenly Father listens to each one of them.

Elder Colby Eyre