Throwing Up & Getting Assaulted 5/26 & 6/1/16

May 25

Throwing Up & Getting Assaulted

What up family!!!

Wow so where to start off. Remember how I told you we ate Columbian food for my comp last pday, in this little shop and everything? Yeah, well, threw that all up. Later that night, last Wednesday, I just needed to throw up, I felt soo bad, and it turns out, so did all the other gringos! My comp was perfectly fine though, so we were all suffering, Thursday we literally couldn’t get out of bed, just all were quarantined in a room. Just 3 elders, sick, all in the same bed, on the floor, just kind of miserable. So that was fun! But, I recovered. Just never eating Columbian food again!

Today for pday we went and played bowling which was fun! They play American music too, so that’s a bonus! I suck at bowling, I just mess around, and its super fun! Got a solid like 4 strikes though! Then had some McDonalds, which man, I love America. God bless America. 

Oh yeah, last night! We were walking on this street, these two like 10 year olds go up to this girl in front of us, and rob her, steel all her stuff and like molested her, touched he inappropriately. I was pissed. I went up to them, and told them to get out of here, this little kid came up and nailed me in the leg! Like hard, and I almost dropped the little guy. I was PISSED. This kid was a shrimp and I was so close to slugging him, then this adult, yes, adult in the car was looking around in his car franticly, I thought it was a gun so I decided best not and told them to leave. I was just amazed`. How sad it is, that little kids are robbing people, that society can be so bad. We walked the girl to her house, she was crying, she was like 15 and going to work on a school project. Humanity, man, it is so sad.

But I learned a big lesson. I was just disgusted with humanity, with this society, what we live in, and I guess I just figured that you know what, everyone can play their part. Yeah, there are bad things in the world, but there are soo many good things. SO many people, who are good! The power of the adversary, is real. So real. But we know who is going to win. We are on Gods team. We may fall down, but we will always get back up. And thaws like it in the gospel. We will fall at some point, many will fall, but we always have to get back up, keep forgiving, keeping moving forward, not looking in the past. 

It’s hard. Its hard being a missionary, being a member sometimes. Yet when we look at all the blessings, all that we do have, it is such a privilege, such a grand opportunity that we have. To grow closer to Jesus Christ, to one-day return to live with our heavenly father. I love it!!

So yeah, that was kind of fun! Just throwing up and got kicked by a midget I was about to own. In the mission, it’s said that you have 1 free punch, so use it wisely. Haha I was about to use it, but I didn’t. Not sure why, but I didn’t. 

Just be good. Love one another. Love God. We are so blessed. We need to realize that, and help others. God is good. 

I love you all. I bought a volleyball today and laid in my hammock for like 1 hour, and it was blissful. I just love it! I love you, I am praying for you all. God IS GOOD. Peace and blessings!!

Elder Carney

June 1, 2016

Helloooo!

Hello my family!!! 

So yeah, this week. Not really sure all that happened!  

• We are finally back into our house, all nice and remodeled, so that’s cool
• Getting sick yet again, welcome to my life
• We have this SICK new family that we ae teaching, one is a less active and the rest are investigators, and they are awesome, so we are excited about that!
• Played soccer today, got kneed in the leg, can’t really walk right now, just limping around, but all is well
• It’s been freaking cold at night lately
• We are finding so many Haitians, and it’s so frustrating, some can’t speak Spanish or English, so we just kind of try to communicate with them, someday I will learn French!
• I am just living life as a missionary. Really blessed. I love this gospel, I love being a missionary, life is good.

That’s about it! I don’t really know what else to say! But yeah, I am sorry, super lame email! But I love you all and next week I will say a lot more!!! LOVE YOU!!!!!

Elder Carney

May 18, 2016 SHALOM!

Apparently, the FORCE is with him!!!  VADERING it up in CHILE!!!

May 18, 2016

SHALOM!!!

What up family, my friends, everyone in the 303 and in the USA! This week has been good. We are just working hard, or as they say here, sacando la mugre!!! Which literally means taking out the blood, welcome to Chile, there are saying and weird dichos for everything! 

This week, hmmm what has been new? Oh we had an activity here in our ward, that they planned for like 3 weeks, and like 15 people showed up haha so that was fun! But it was good, it was a festival de postres, so just ate desserts and all that!  I bought a brownie mix, haha I don’t have time to make a cake or anything from scratch! But they were prime!

So new guy in our house, Elder Willis, from Utah, he is a homie. Chill guy, super sick! Umm everything is going good, my comp is doing good! 

Today we went to the temple and went and ate at a Columbian restaurant, which was good! Haha now I feel sick, but whatevs, it’s the mission, we pretty much have diarrhea nonstop for 2 years. SOO sick of rice with chicken, or I should say oil, with a little bit of rice and chicken! But I am grateful that I have food.

The people here are awesome. I love them. Is it hard sometimes loving the people? Yes. But deep down, no matter how crappy the day or how cold you are walking around all day in the rain and nobody’s letting you in, it doesn’t matter. It’s all about love.

God loves us. So much. At times I question that, at times I am like, how? There are SOO any people in this world, how can he know ME, and know my name, and feel what I am going through? At times we all will question that, but think of all the moments that he has been there, that he has had a hand in our life. He is there. He DOES know us. He loves us more than we can know.

I am tired, haha as I always say, but I love being tired. Life is good!!!

Its getting colder here, raining and all that, and just super cold at night! Time for winter!!

That is all my family. I am sorry, not really anything special happened this week! Oh, this Haitian, Stanley, who is just the best, he called me his nigga, hahah I just started cracking up hahah what a homie. 

GOD LOVES US. LET HIM IN. love you all

Elder Carney

Long Time No See! May 11, 2016

We had so much fun Skyping with Elder Brad Carney on Mother's day!!  He looks GREAT and sounds so happy!  It was so awesome!!! We had our Denver family on the call, as well as Danny in Utah, and Katy& Marty & twins from NYC!  It was the best!!!!!

May 11, 2016

Long Time No See!

Well hello family! wow, that was soo weird to see you all. Haha to see your faces and hear your voices. super weird! Yet soo good to hear and see you guys, I miss you like crazy! I just love my family; you all are the best. And almost cried, but didn’t, thanks mom, for being you. YOU THE REAL MVP mama carney. Love you!!!!

Katy, Happy birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!! And so yeah not really sure what to talk about this week! We had changes, but I’m staying and have to finish my kids training, but yeah another 6 weeks in this ward! It’s really progressed a lot, little by little, has it been super hard, yes, but I’m really blessed. Tired, yep, but blessed as ever! 

Hmm not sure what to say, going to do bullet points, deal? deal.

• I now am like, a haircut person, I have cut like 5 peoples hair, and I will be honest, and prideful, they look dang good!!! so #newhobbie
• we have an activity of postrew, of desserts this Saturday, not sure what to bake, but I need a recipe, something American if you could please send me one!!
• Still living 6 in our house, well the other house, our house is getting renovated, and probs going to be another 2 weeks
• Chile is cold in the winter, the houses have no insolation and it’s like a refrigerator
• I almost got bit by a dog, but #protected by God
• played soccer on a big turf field today with a ton of missionaries, my leg started hurting, from my injury my senior yet, my IT band, so that kind of sucked, going to take it easier now
• Wow, I can’t breathe here. I feel fat
• The people are good, we are finding some new people to teach. They are just sweet,
• my kid (his younger companion he is training!)  is doing good, he is a good missionary, just trying to bring the spirit in every moment, in lessons and everything, that’s the challenging part as a missionary. The spirit is the teacher, not us, AMEN
• that’s pretty much it....God is good.

I love you all!!! Have a GREAT weekend, and remember how much God loves you. To trust in his plan. I am so grateful to be here, honestly, I feel like I have progressed so much, learned so much, and yet have soo much to learn, yet I am so grateful that I am here. God loves us, he has a plan.

Trust in his plan. In his love. 

LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU ALL

E Carney

Today was WILD! May 4, 2016

May 4, 2016

Today was WILD!!!

Hello family!

SO today we went to the zoo!!! Haha pretty crappy zoo, and it’s like all on a hill, but it was fun! Shoot I can’t send pictures in this computer, super sorry! But yeah, it was good! Got to see some aminals, as Danny used to call it, or something! Haha but yeah, chill pday.

Wow, how are you all!? Thank you all so much for all the letters and everything, literally, letters to a missionary, makes the world. SO much. Thank you!!! 

This week was good. We are finding a lot of new people, like all of yesterday, we found so many new people, it was honestly so nice to see. After working hard and trying to find new people to teach, and feeling like nothing, NOTHING was working after so long, we found them! So that’s kind of good! 

Oh this one guy. Mauricio. We literally have been trying to go by him for the past 4 months, the time I have been here. He is a returned missionary and he works all the time, so we haven’t been able to find him. Then, the other day, I saw this tatted up guy and really big guy standing outside his door, and I was like, THATS HIM!!! And we like rushed over there and it turns out it was him! And it also turns out, his dad passed away a month ago, his mom has cancer, and he is really struggling. He said he knows he needs to do the things like he should be doing, and he knows that God sent us in that moment to help him. after searching for him for so long and telling him that God loves him, that he has a family, and a plan, it was incredible. We have a return appointment with him too, that was kind of a miracle moment. We never gave up trying to find him, and finally we did!

It’s been good. Yesterday was like, hot, and it was incredible!! I miss hot weather! Well, US hot weather, the sun here in Chile, is like straight up UV, straight up cancer, SOO strong! And the smog, I am pretty sure I will have lung infections when I get back. But yeah!

Spiritually, I feel like I am learning so much. So so much, yet I fault so much too.  Always there are things to work on. 

I want to share one of my favorite scriptures with you all. Its in 1 John 4:19 which says

“We love him, because he first loved us.” 

Really, I am discovering that. I am discovering why we do all the things that we do. Why do we pray? Why should I pray? Why should I go to church? I am tired. I don’t want waste 3 hours of my day. Why should I do all the things that we do? 

It’s because He loves us. That’s why we do them. He loved us, and that is all that matters. He knows us. He loves us more than we can know. And we do those things, we do all these things, because we love him. 

I love that. So so so much. that scripture might be my favorite, for life. It’s true. So true. We do these things, because we love him, and that is how we can show our love for him, because he loves us SO much.

I love him. I am so grateful for him. I love this knowledge, this gift that I have. And I am soo blessed. 

He lives. He loves us.

Elder Carney

Hello from the ghetto! April 27, 2016

April 27, 2016

What up from the ghetto!!

Yo what up mi familia!

How are you all doing!? So this is going to be a little short, but yeah! 

This week was good. It’s been good. Today was pday and we played soccer which was fun and then watched 17 miracles, ahhh I love that movie. If you haven’t seen it, watch it.  Now. 

I truly am so grateful for the pioneers. Their faith, their dependence on the lord during their journey. How incredible they are. How much hardships they passed through, it is breathtaking. I am soo grateful for them, for their example to me. I couldn’t imagine all that they went through. It hit me hard! haha how little my problems are. How much they went through, how much faith they had, to get to Zion. To be sealed with their families. I remember studying about it in BYU and there was a quote, about how they came to know God, because of it. I am forever grateful them, for their faith. 

It’s been a good week. We had a lesson with a family that was just really spiritual, we showed the bible video, about Jesus being whipped and crucified, wow. I don’t like that video at all. It gives me rage, I don’t know, I just hate watching it. It makes things so real. SO much we talk about how he died for us and was put on a cross, but when we see it, the reality, it is so different. I don’t know why, I just felt such gratitude for all that Christ did for me, for everyone, how he suffered more than we can possibly imagine. And then we watched the resurrection, and wow. It’s just beautiful.

I love Christ. I love learning about him. I love him, and cannot express my gratitude enough for him. I love being on the mission because I get to do that every day. And I take it for granted, A lot. At times, I am tired. At times, I don’t want to go walk all day, in the rain, in the burning heat, have people scream at us, deny us, just feel like crap. But I am so grateful for what he did, for what he has done for me, that I shouldn’t take it for granted. 

He lives. He is real. He knows us. He knows your name. He knows where you have been, and he knows how to help you through it. He is our best friend. Our merciful savior. 

I love this gospel! It’s hard. Its hard training, its hard being in Chile at times. Yet I somehow keep going on. Keep on keeping on. I am so blessed to have a family, not only at home but here also, and to help others. I love it!

I love you all. This week, just take a moment, watch videos about Christ. Read about him. learn about him. And follow him. 

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Elder carney

I'm Feeling 20!! 4/20/16 AND 4/13/16

April 20, 2016

I’M FEELING 20!!

Hello family!!!

Wow, so what all happened this week? Oh thank you sooo much for the birthday cards and for all that, I am sooo thankful to have all of you in my life! I just love ya! And yeah this week. A lot has happened!

So my birthday, man. I am just sooo blessed. Literally, I am so thankful to be here, to have these people in my life! This family surprised me with a huge lemos cake and that was just super cool, family Gallerardo, they are just awesome! And then, at night time, our ward mission leader, Ricardo, he is deaf, him and his wife, they are just awesome, and they threw a huge party for me! Haha no joke, I walked in and there was sushi, and a huge cake, just food everywhere, just really, really cool. I sat down and I kind of just was flooded with an emotion of love. Love for these people. How they spent their money on me, a little white gringo. I just was overwhelmed with love! I know how Christ feels, how much he loves each and every one of us. I AM BLESSED. so blessed.

Oh it rained for like 4 days straight, and at first it was just AWESOME! I LOVE THE RAIN! Was walking around just in my jacket, just dancing in the street, haha I love it! Everyone was in their patios and inside, and crazy, good Brad Carney just in the street, haha we didn’t have jackets or anything, it came without any warning so I just soaked up the moment, literally! So that was fun! Our house on the other hand, yeah looks like we are going to get a new ceiling! Haha one room like flooded, and it’s not even our house, we are living in a different house! Haha so it’s now 6 elders just crammed into like a living room, but we make it fun! 

All the while, on Sunday, we had 1 hour of church because of the rain, attendance of 25, haha going strong! When it rains or any weird weather happens here, the people just shut down, haha they don’t do anything! But funny thing, they also cut the electricity and the water!!! Haha so we truly didn’t have crap! Just waiting for a huge earthquake to happen haha! No, but we were walking around our sector and at night time, it was like pitch black, I was a little scared haha not going to lie! So weird, everyone was in their houses sleeping at like 6 pm, there was nothing! But we just kept on trucking, in the rain, without light, or water, haha but it was good!

But everything is good now! Oh, we played tennis today for pday, man I miss tennis! Haha still got some in me, but just ate with a family too, they invited us over and so they are awesome! But yeah, that was my week!

Literally blessed. It’s been good here. We had a conference yesterday with our Mission President and Hermana Cook, they are just incredible. So much respect for them. Literally, they are awesome. I love this mission. I know I can’t compare it to other missions or presidents, but I feel just so blessed to have President Cook as our mission president. It was a conference about humility and pride, something I can work on, haha, we all can work on! And repentance also. 

The atonement. Wow, I love it. I am learning about it every day. I can’t even describe my feelings for Christ, to have his name on my plaque, to wear it every day. I am so blessed to be a missionary, to learn of him, feel of his love not only for me, but for others. The mission is the hardest thing, ever. NO joke, but I am Just blessed. Just blessed. Come unto Christ. Learn of him. Invite him in. He is real. He is watching over you, ready to uplift you, ready to heal you, ready to make you into who he knows you can be. He is our Savior. He is my best friend. I love you all and am praying for all of you this week.

LOVE LOVE

Elder Carney

April 13, 2016

WHAT UP WHAT UP!!

HELLLOOO family!

So this week, first off, story time. 

We were talking to this drunk guy (there are many here who wander the streets!) and all of a sudden, he starts going off about Americans and how cold they are, how they don’t kiss on the check to meet people like they do here, and how they only do handshakes, and all of a sudden, this guy gives me a hug and I was like, ok, this is weird, and he freaking kissed me on the check! I pushed him off and was like, salta po lado which is pretty much like, get out of here, nasty!! It was so nasty, so that was scaring. Freaking Latinos!

Anyways, this week was good. So I have been sick this whole week and kind of just miserable. Not really been fun at all, but I just kept trucking, kept going even harder. As a trainer, you want to be an example 24/7 and I realized, one morning, that I physically and mentally couldn’t function, I had been going so hard and didn’t take any time to rest. And was about to throw up, so I just laid down and was out for like 2 hours. The other elders in my house, homies, they came and were like, you are stressed. You need to get better. I finally realized that I was stressed, haha its hard! Doing everything alone pretty much! So I listened to this talk, about how we need to treat ourselves now, rest up and heal before we can keep moving, because in the future you are going to take more time to heal. And so yeah, I was like, shoot I need to relax, I can’t do all this on my own! 

So Jesus take the wheel. I am learning to take things slower, to ask for help more, and to not be sick! Haha I hate being sick, but it was just a good life lesson. We can’t run faster if we don’t have any energy. So yeah, treat yourself, learned that!

It’s been good. This week was good but man, its tiring! Life is just interesting here! Oh we moved out of our house! They are doing renovations on it, so we are in a house with other elders for now, and not sure how long we will be here. They are tearing up our kitchen and bathroom, which is probably good because its super crappy! Pics will come later! But yeah!

It’s been cold lately! Winer is coming, which I am excited for but also not! Haha it’s so cold in houses here, they have no insulation haha so pray for me that I won’t freeze to death! Because I don’t have that much fat to help me!

Other than that, life is good family. Jesus take the wheel, I truly can’t do this on my own, like Carrie underwood states. Haha but not joke, we can’t do it. We truly can’t. So here it is, invite him in. Trust him in your life. He knows it, he knows everything, just let him take control!

I love you family, all is well. Also, not excited to turn 20...noooo!!! I refuse to grow up!!!

LOVE YOU ALL

Elder Carney

LIFE JUST GOT REAL! 3/30 & 4/6, 2016

April 6, 2016

WHAT UP WHAT UP!

Hello family!!!

Soo yeah, this week has been good! Wow, sooo I am really tired! haha training, I never thought it would be so tiring, haha its different that’s for sure! Because you have to be an example 24/7, but with someone watching your every move, every second haha its been good! My kid is from Columbia and he is a good missionary, he has a lot to learn! He knows the language though haha its almost not fair haha we are doing good though. Trying to love him get to know him, trying to teach him! Hard, yes. The mission is hard. So hard. But possible? Yes.

And yeah so this week I finished the Book of Mormon for the first time in Spanish! We did it in 3 months with the mission and it was such an incredible experience. Like, wow! I did it! Haha did I understand every bit, nope, but I did it! It’s so cool, because I know it’s true!  I did Moroni’s promise, that if anyone asks God, with real intent, to know if it is true, they will receive an answer, and I did that- I just knew it. I know it’s true. I love telling people that too! IT’S TRUE; READ IT! The book is blue and its true!

Also, Stanley, our Haitian. I just love that guy. We haven’t been able to visit him but last night, it was pouring rain and he was home and he is just the best! HE prayed, he prayed and asked if it is true! Haha but it is so weird teaching in English haha I love it though! I wish I could do it more here, but I love Spanish too! 

General conference was super good! I loved the talks and just love feeling the spirit! Haha it was all in Spanish which was fun, at like the 10th hour I was just done though haha tired! But I am excited to hear it in English too, or read it in English, but it was just so good! 

Life here is good. I could use prayers, its tiring haha but I love it! I love the people. Even though some are very difficult, even though people scream at us or slam the gate in our faces, or just ignore us, it doesn’t matter. Children of God. And I love ‘em. Is it hard to love them sometimes? Yeah, it is honestly. But I know that if God loves them, heck, that means so should I. I love you all. I am so grateful for this gospel, its true!!!! I invite all to open their hearts, really discover for yourself. IT TRUE!!! And I love it so much!!

Much love!!

 Elder Carney

 BRADLEY and his new companion in the tallest building in Santaigo!!!

March 30, 2016

LIFE JUST GOT REAL……

Hello family!!!

Soo shoot, looks like I’m pregnant...nah I’m a trainer!!! I have a kid!!!! And he is a Latino, yep from Columbia, Elder Garzon, he is a really good guy, just trying to get to know him and it’s just weird because he knows Spanish and I don’t...haha so I have to train him to be a missionary. And I will be honest, its super stressful already! Haha but I’m excited! It will be good! So this means I will have another 3 months in my sector which is good, but we are going to change this ward around! So yeah, I’m a dad!!! His accent though, man it’s so weird haha have to get used to it, how he speaks! Haha never thought that would happen anytime soon! What is cool is that 2 other guys from Colorado from my group, Elder Maser and Elder Brown, we all got lost together in Atlanta, yeah they are training too! But training gringos, which is cool! Someday I want a gringo to train, but for now, got to train this guy! But life is good. I’m alive, the 29th was good, we just stayed inside and played board games and chilled, wasn’t really a vacation though haha we did a super deep clean of the house! But yeah life is good family. I want to hear about your lives! I am sorry this is short, super short, but I love you guys and yeah, life no mas! Love you all, praying for you daily and I wish you all the best!!!!!!

Elder Carney