WEEK 17

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

This week has been pretty sweet.  Something funny that happened this week while visiting this old lady.  She has an adopted son who has somewhat of a brain problem.  Anyway we were telling him he should try to wear church clothes to church.  Then he started to tell us what he likes and doesn't like.  He looks at my tie and was like hmm your tie I do not like your tie.  Hahaha!  He tells me he would never wear a tie like that to church.  The tie I had on was one of my sick ties.  Inside I was laughing so hard.  Then he looks at a member right next to me and said the same thing about his tie.  We then start talking about shoes.  He looks at my shoes and was like yeah your shoes so I would never wear them in church.  Maybe you had to be there but it was so funny I was dying and his mom was like agreeing with him it was the best ever! 

This swaggin lady in my ward, Hermana Fredes, is making me Amarican flag slippers.  They're super sick!  She is so nice and loves the missionaries.  I love talking with her and her fam.  Only problem is they give us a ton of bread so that kinda sucks haha. 

I was reading my scriptures and thinking about the fruits of the gospel and stuff.  I have learned you have to have patience.  I read a talk by Pres. Uchtdorf about a marshmallow.  I am like a little kid right now with a giant marshmallow in front of me.  If I can just wait and be patient and not give up soon I will have two marshmallows.  Just little impaciente Colin haha!  The marshmallows are the fruits of the gospel and to me gaining my own strong testimony.   This takes time God doesn't just give these things to us.  We must have patience and faith.  We have to trust God and his timing.  He will give us what we need when we need it.   

My way sweet scipture for the week is Moroni 8:25-26.  

 25 And the first fruits of repentance is baptism; and baptism cometh by faith unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the fulfilling the commandments bringeth remission of sins;

 26 And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God.

I love the end of 26 the best cuz its true.  When we have a humble heart thats when we become converted and feel the love of God.  I know god will and can bring us back up when we fall and we can become even stronger. 

Love you and thanks for reading my letters each week.

Elder Colin Eyre

This Week From Elder Colby Eyre in Santiago Chile:

Hey guys Elder Eyre is back for yet another report on his week!  This week was a little slow but I did have a really good experience.  Elder Collins and I found this ward list of less active members.  I have mentioned before that there are around 2000 people in my ward but less than 100 show up for church each week.  So you can imagine this list is quite long.  We have a lot of work to do in this area.  We found this older lady that struggles just to walk.  She doesn't really leave her house that much and so we have been visiting her now for a couple weeks.   We have been able to teach her a few lessons.  This week when we went to her house we had prepared a lesson on trials we figured that it would be helpful because she has so many trials and she seemed a little down the last time we had been there.  After the lesson I asked her if there were any trials that she was going through right now that we could help her with or that we could talk about.  At first she was like no but we kept talking to her and she ended up telling us that she's very lonely being home alone all day alone and she isn't able to leave.  Her husband is at work all day so she said that has been hard for her.  Then she told us how thankful she is that we care about her and stop by each week to see how she is doing.  It was during our lesson to her that I realized just how much the people here in Chile need the missionaries.  I also realized how much we mean to them. That was my cool moment of the week and it gave me some great encouragement on being out here and being needed in doing the Lords work. 

This week we passed by a McDonalds on P-Day so I was like hey lets go get some McDonalds.  Boy it never tasted SO good! My other pic is of our zone leaders.

Love,

Elder Colby Eyre

WEEK 16

This Week From Elder Colby Eyre in Santiago Chile:

Hey guys this week has been pretty good.  Everyone in my zone had interviews with the President Morgan.  We had to give him a five minute lesson in Spanish.   I felt really good about mine and I even went over the 5 minutes.  I felt like I was able to get my point across and not really struggle to much with the language.  It is crazy to think how much I have grown with my knowledge of the scriptures and teaching the people in the short three months I have been in Chile.  Looking back there is no way I could have done that in English let alone Spanish without the Lord's help.  I have learned so much and am thankful for this great opportunity I have to be here in Chile.  I am learning not only about the gospel but also Spanish!  

I was a little down this week when none of our investigators came to church ... again.  Both Marcos and the Diaz family did not show up when they had said they would.  We won't give up but will just have to work harder.  

Most importantly my Testimony is growing out here. It has taken a lot of blood, sweat and tears but its coming and I'm so thankful for the time I've had here.  I love the talk by President Uchtdorf this past conference. The gospel really is so simple and I'm so thankful for it in my life.  I hope everyone is doing well in the states love you all

Elder Colby Eyre

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

Had a great week!  Sunday I had the opportunity to confirm the Holy Ghost to my homie Antwon it was a great experience.  I was asked Saturday if I wanted to do it.  To be honest, I really didn't want too.  I kinda laughed and said you've gotta be kidding!  I barely know Spanish and have never done a confirmation before.  They also do it during Sacrament meeting that would be like 100+ people!  I knew if I said no I would be really sad afterwords.  So I said YES!  I was on my knees a lot Saturday night andSunday morning.   The other thing I was nervous about was his name.  Here in Chile they don't just have one or two names.  I had to practice Anthony's name over and over.  His name is Anthony Walter Carcamos Vargas I knew it would be hard to remember that when the heat was on!  Anyway it turned out to be awesome and I even got his name right.  I felt the spirit a ton and was so happy about it afterwards.   

The work on the mission is getting a little easier.  The thing that makes it hard is to stop thinking about home or what I'm gonna to do after the mission.  Haha turns out reading a whole bunch of Ensigns on temple marriage doesn't help!  My testimony is growing and it is something that is cool to watch but hard to have patience with.  

This week was zone conference with the mish president.  We freakin got Papa Johns Pizza and its the same as the USA!  I was in love and I also was with Elder Dickerson, one of my buddies in the MTC.  It was such an awesome day.

Today was also pretty cool we went to the Dunes.  It's a super pretty area and has beautiful views of the ocean.  We did a little exploring I was scared I might run into a huge spider.  It still doesn't beat being with the homies back in Utah but still super cool and I am starting to enjoy my time out here.  

I love you all including Jensen Pratt!  I had no clue you had your mission call to West Virginia.  That is so awesome.  I love you like a brotha. 

Love you guys more than you know,

Elder Colin Eyre

WEEK 15

This Week From Elder Colby Eyre in Santiago Chile:

Hey guys the work is going pretty good in Chile.  The highlight of my week was definitely getting the chance to see the Lanhams. It was so awesome to see them and talk to them.  It was also weird seeing familiar faces, I loved it!!!  I sent a picture of my lunch on Pday.  Trevor wanted to take us to a nice dinner but we ran out of time.  He insisted my comp and I have a nice lunch on P-day so thanks Trevor for the sweet sushi lunch.   

I have been a bit discouraged with our investigators.  We have been teaching the Diaz family and they want to get baptized and even set a date.  Then they don't show up for church on Sundays!   

Elder Eyre and Elder Collins with Lanhams

Yesterday we went and taught a new investigator he was very interested.  We have invited him to church as well so please pray he comes to church on Sunday.  Somehow we need to figure out how to get these people to church! Haha

All is well here.  It is just starting to warm up which seems weird that its snowing in Utah! 

I hope everyone has the best week.

Love, 

Elder Colby Eyre

 Sushi Dinner thanks to the Lanhams! 

 A view of Santiago 

Huge spider Colby found in his apartment

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

This week has been great.  I mean I saw Trevor and Tanner Lanham best surprise ever neighbors from the good ole U. S of A!!!  When I saw them I was literally speechless! Trevor left me with an awesome pep talk that got me all fired up for the mish.  I just really hope that Colby receives the same blessing I did and is able to see Trevor and Tanner.   

We also had our first baptism this week.  I wasn't actually able to perform the baptism, they prefer the ward members to do it if possible.  So my bro Anthony was baptized and it was super spiritual and super cool!  After the baptism we were watching a mormon message that I just loved.  If you can, watch it.  It's called Flecks of Gold.  It was the one about the olden times of the California Gold Rush.  Anyways this guy has a tiny gold nugget but he decides he wants more.  He sells all his stuff and heads to California.  He becomes so ticked after finding nothing and is ready to give up.  Then this old dude comes by and says you are searching the wrong way.  He shows him a rock with several flecks of gold.  The man thinks collecting the flecks is just a waste of his time.  Then the old dude opens up his pouch and it is just chuck full of beautiful flecks of gold.  This exact thing can be compared to our lives.  I have searched many times for that huge big rock of gold saying the church is true or some grand impression.  For me that was the wrong way to look.  Just like Alma taught his son Helaman, small and simple things are brought to pass.  Everyday here I am finding little particles of the gospel.  Everyday I am filling my bag.  By the end of the mish I will have a bag filled just like that old dude with no rocks! Haha  

Anthony's Baptism 

Colin's Zone

My testimony is growing on the mission and I'm so grateful for this.  I love this gospel and whats in it.  At times the mission can be hard and there have been times I've wanted to quit but my dad taught me not to give up.  I just keep filling my bag.  In times of trial I know God will lift us up.

Tonight I'm making french toast with a family how cool is that!  Life is good here.   A big shout out to the fam for sending me christmas stuff now I have a christmas tree for my presents and I can measure my food better with my new measuring cups! Haha 

Love you all, 

Elder Colin Eyre

WEEK 14

This Week From Elder Colby Eyre in Santiago Chile:

Hey guys this week was good except for Halloween.  Halloween was a little hard seeing all the little kids and their costumes made me miss the family and then on top of that both our appointments fell through so I was a little down.  It is all good now!  

An update on the Diaz family:  We have been teaching them but we told them how important it was for them to come to church.  They promised they would be there no matter what.  Then they were a no show.   The went to the beach for the weekend.  So please send prayers our way to those we teach!

My comp, Elder Collins shared a great talk with me this week by Brad Wilcox called His Grace is Sufficient.  It is awesome I could listen to it a million times over and still learn stuff.   It is about the atonement and at the end it talks about God's grace being sufficient.  It is enough.  It is all we need.  He says don't quit and to keep trying.  He says to seek Christ and as we do we will feel his enabling power.  

Last P-day we went bowling is was really fun Haha!  Shout out to my friends back home Ashley, Max, Anthony, Kellbell and Jensen for getting his call to West Virginia thats way cool! I would say Chan Man also but he's only a few hours away from me in Chile haha!

Love you all so much have a great week.

Elder Colby Eyre

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

Holyyy smokes this week has been crazy!   My comp Elder Diaz plays a version of the guitar a charango.  Our mission president wants him to play for the missionary Christmas program.  So we got called to go to the mission home which is super rare.  Anyways I got to go along on Wednesday because thats what companions do!  We were about to leave when Hermana Diaz invited us to have empanadas with her entire family which included our mission president!   There were parents, grandparents, kids and grandkids.  When we were getting ready to leave my comp says hey can we leave your family with a message.  Of course they said yes!  Then Elder Diaz  looks at me to share the message.  I was like shoot..... so I go get my scriptures and I was in a room all by myself just looking through them thinking what the heck am I going to share.  I was so nervous to give a message to my mission pres. and his whole fam!  I say a little prayer and choose a scripture in 1 Nephi Chapter 15.  It is all about prayer and having faith.  I was SO scared but I did it and in Spanish!  Then they invited us back for lunch today so we had lunch with them today!  It was so awesome just us and the mission president and his family.  It was also really fun because the kids speak a little bit of English so they kept wanting to speak to me in English.   It was such a great experience that doesn't normally happen and a great way to invite the spirit in.  The entire family was just SO nice to us.  

I got my iPod this week which was the best thing of my life!  Never thought I would say that since it is full of Mormon messages, scriptures and MoTab so shout out to Mike for hookin me up fat!   I also got permission to share Mormon Messages with my iPod so thats sick! 

This week has been great I learned so much.  It is still hard to learn so much religion, a language and be in a foreign country all at the same time.  It is coming along  I know that the Lord helps us so much with everything that we do and when we pray we receive the Spirit and God only wants to help us we just have to search for it!

Love you all, 

Elder Colin Eyre