Sept 9, 2015 The PURGE!

Sept. 9, 2015

The Purge!!

Hola Familia!!! 

Wow, where to begin...umm this week has been hard. This past week, it has been a rough one, not going to fake it. But you know what, I figured it out. I figured out that I need to be patient with myself. I need to just laugh at myself when I make mistakes, and just love the people. I hit a point last week where I felt like I was just in a rut, I was just so frustrated with the language and I couldn’t say anything and I just hated it, I was really down. And I figured out that I need to just be patient. I prayed so hard, I read the scriptures just looking for something, and I had this companion tell me while I was on divs (divisions- exchanges) for a night in a different area, that I just need to be patient, that the language will come. It’s really frustrating for me, because I love these people that I am teaching! Yet I just sit there, and sometimes I can’t understand crap, and sometimes I can, but I can’t express all my emotions and try to help them, and that really has affected me! But I know that I can express to them my love for the gospel and my love for God and Jesus Cristo. I love it so much. I can express to these people how much potential they have, I love looking at people and just feeling a love that is so different, a love like, ¨Wow, I can help these people. These people, God loves them as much as he does me. He has a plan for them. He wants them to find this plan. He needs me to help them,¨ and it is just amazing. I love it! I love the message, the hope that this message brings to others. I love that I am a representative of Jesus Christ!!! 

Anyways, D&C 122 that was my life this week. The whole chapter, but the end, I love. How all these trails, all the trials that we have, will be for our good. Sometimes I don’t know what the heck that means, if some of the things that people go through or I have been through are for the good, but I can have peace that I can rely on that, that everything is for a reason. 

Also, Ether 12:27 that is my scripture for the week. Love it!!! (Here is what it says:  27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

Well family!!! My comp got dear Johned last week, pray for him! He is great! He is just a solid guy and I am super blessed to have him. 

We got a new Bishop!!! I hadn’t even met the bishop in our ward the whole time I have been here, and one lunch we had with the ¨bishop¨ (the old one), and I went in and this guy was SUPER rude to me, and just being a complete jerk. I was so shocked and I was just so frustrated! I literally was talking in my mind like, ¨this is not acceptable. This is the bishop-. I shouldn’t have to try to prove myself or get on his good side. He should love everyone. I should love everyone!!¨ I was SO pissed, and finally, the elders just started laughing and they planned the whole thing, that wasn’t actually the bishop, just a member. It was good! I was just super shocked and mad and I couldn’t understand him and yeah, it was funny! It was good!! 

But the ward is great! Small, but unified. Monday it rained all day and the streets here just flooded. And we were of course out in it, rain doesn’t stop our work! It was cold and we didn’t really get any contacts or appointments, just doors slammed but it was great!! During it, we had a dog follow us the whole time! So we named him Chase, this dog who lives in the streets, he followed us for like 7 hours just walking around in the rain! It was prime! It continues to be cold and rainy! 

Today was Pday and we went out of our mission, we are allowed to do that because ours is so small. And we went to the Musuem of Art and walked around and just hit up the city of Santiago! A section of it that is! It was great! 

Hmm, what else. The purge is this week! Should be fun!!! Haha its this day, on the 11th, Sept 11th and we have to go in the night before at 5, stay in all day on the 11th, until the morning of the next day, because it’s kind of a rebellion day here. People burn stuff in the streets, people die, yeah, fun stuff! But my area isn’t too bad, compared to others areas. Other areas they have tear gas and stuff and yeah! We have to stay inside all day though, so that sucks! 

Life is good! Life is hard as a missionary. But the blessings outweigh everything. I feel so protected and so blessed to be here. God is good. So good! I love and miss all of you!!!!!! 

Elder Carney