Week 11: My p-day was cooler than yours

We went to Cerro Castillo! But it was super snowy and cloudy so we couldn´t see it but we visited some other cool places. Chile is beautiful. Sometimes it hits me so hard that I’m serving in Patagonia. #blessed

Elena (less active) and Evangelista (investigator) came to church! That’s huge because it is hard for us to get them to read or pray but at least they are starting to form an identity of themselves as church going people.

Hermana Isabel (less active) is basically active now which makes me so happy!

Jordana moved out but she will be baptized in Centro. I just know it.

Josaline cancelled a work trip so she could start going to church so she can be baptized. 

Victor Vargaz is a member that is just golden. He never fails us. He sacrifices so much. He just moved back to Osorno with his family. Happy for him but he was such a strength.

Jose is a recent convert with a heavy accent. He said something to me and I didn’t understand. We had him repeat it back slower, and it made it that much harder. Hilarious. Sometimes I feel so lost, but the language really is coming along. I can understand the direction of a conversation now. I can talk well enough, and I can teach. I may not speak perfectly but they understand. Yesterday I asked someone if they wanted me to close their gate, but I didn’t use subjunctive, so it literally translated to "do you want to close me?" ha-ha. I laugh at myself sometimes. 

I´m so happy. I´ve never been happier. I´m growing more and more focused on the people we are helping, and that just makes me so much more happy.

Missions are awesome because of that.

Someone said they were stressed and I told them "I just pray for patience, eat manjar, and everything works itself out." Elder Ryan and Peterson thought that was funny. I was half joking.

Our zone leaders that we live with (Elder Bustamante and Peterson) have a ringtone for when president Obeso calls. It is O Fortuna. Which is that dramatic doomsday choir song. They’re like "OH NO, its President!" when it goes off and I die laughing.

The weather here is a lot like Utah, it’s alright and then it’s snowing the next. The stars here are BEAUTIFUL. There’s not really any light pollution and they are so clear.

I´m kind of like the mom of the house here. I always do everyone’s dishes. :)

It hit me so hard that I´m almost 19. I forgot about my age.

The other night elder Bustamante and I sang hymns and played the guitar and I harmonized. I haven’t felt more relaxed on my mission. I love singing.

For the day of world service the church had on the 12^th, we did all of the yard work for a health clinic here.

The other day the spirit comforted me because I was frustrated with the language. It basically boiled down to "Jacob, you don’t need to speak Spanish in order to walk, serve, knock doors, eat, exercise, get ready, love people, study, prepare for lessons, plan, or really anything. And when you need to speak in lessons, you´re blessed with the gift of tongues." That comforted me. Also Ether 12 vs 37 when it says “you have been faithful, therefore your garments shall be made clean, and because you have seen your weakness, you will be strengthened." that hit me so hard in church when I read it. I know it is true.

I want to share with you Alma 32. Use it. I read the chapter with the desire and question of how can I have the faith to see people and myself change. I now have my answer. Take your righteous desires and questions to that chapter. 

I love you all! Please read your scriptures, pray every day, and go to church. 

Alma 38 vs 5

Elder West

Sent from a rented Chilean computer

[Explanatory note: Jacob and his companion sometimes get emails which have the “Sent from my IPhone” message at the bottom.  This is a humorous play on that message.]

Answers to Mom’s questions:

Breakfasts for me are rice, or egg sandwich, or oatmeal.

Thanks for the 200. I need to pay for a district sweater, our trip to Cerro Castillo, and so I will use the money for that.

They have stuff like Pero here. We drink herbal tea or that stuff like Pero.

Our branch has 1500 members, but 40 come on average.

We haven’t found a house and the members say it’s dangerous to live alone. About 3 years ago an elder woke up with a guy on top of him trying to stab him. So that’s why we live together.

We buy food at Unimarc which is a small grocery store.

Please, please send meal ideas and also recopies that can be made fast and cheap. Thanks! love you.

Week 10: What a week

The 18th of September is coming up, and now there are almost as many Chilean flags as there are dogs, ha-ha. JK. President told us that we will still work on Sept. 18. Our sector is the most dangerous in the mission, and the 18th is always crazy. People die every year, and it´s dangerous after 6 pm. Please pray for our safety.

Last week we had no food, money, wood to burn, our washer broke, and a cold front came in. We were laughing at our circumstances. But we were alright.

A thing about Chile: fungus. Foot fungus is bad here. We NEVER let our feet touch the floor. Every morning we spray our feet with this stuff, and I rub vinegar on my feet.

Two days ago, I asked a man at his door what the purpose of life is. He said it was to work so we can earn money. So sad. We are so blessed to know that the purpose of this life is to experience joy and prepare to meet our Father in heaven. And we can do both at the same time too.

We knocked an antiguo investigador (former investigator) house and she opened the door and accepted a return appointment. As we left and the door shut we heard a scream. We were like, "huh?" Turns out she screamed because the missionaries came back. She has a baptism date for Oct. 3!  Before we came, she was reading praying and everything. She has a testimony!

Evangelista also has a baptismal date. The AP´s came and we had divisions with them. I was with elder Fotheringham. We taught the plan of salvation, began and ended with a hymn, taught with great power, and gave him a priesthood blessing. He wasn't someone who I thought would change. But he accepted a baptismal date for Oct. 3. That was the most powerful lesson I've been in. Elder Fotheringham in the lesson STOOD UP like in the John Tanner story, and asked him if he wanted a blessing. I felt like I was in a movie. So powerful. We took a picture with them after. Evangelista has his gaucho hat on.

The language is coming slow and steady. Some days I can understand a lot, and then others feel just like day one in the field. Thank you for your prayers. I am progressing.

Yesterday we knocked a door of a menos activo (less active member) named Caesar. He let us in. I asked him to turn off the radio and if we could say a prayer and talk about his relationship with God. That was bold for me. Something I never would have done before the mission. I´m learning how to better apply the principals of how to begin teaching on page 177 in Preach My Gospel. We began. In our discussion with him he told us that he made a deal with his best friend. The deal was that whoever died first, the other had to visit them and tell them what it´s like. His friend died. One year later he had a dream. His friend visited him in this dream and told him only one thing. He said: "The only thing that is important in this life is Family." That was powerful. I testify of that too. Please strengthen your relationships within your families. Caesar also had a playboy bikini calendar on his wall which was distracting from the spirit a lot. There on the wall, Satan presented himself. In all his filth, degrading the sanctity of virtue and women. And it completely disgusted me. I couldn't leave without doing something. After our closing prayer I asked him if we could burn it in his wood burning stove right then. I felt filled with the Spirit and power. I don´t know how to describe it, but it felt like in that moment it was me and Jesus Christ and the power of the priesthood, against Satan. Caesar accepted and burned it immediately. Great experience.

One thing the Lord is showing me a lot of is what I want my future family to be like, and the importance of the family, and living our covenants together as families. I have a story for this. We just made rolls with a great hermana in the ward. Her husband is less active and is way chill with us, but he doesn't give us anything when we try to talk about the church. We made rolls with them to try to build relationships, but her husband just watched soccer and a violent show after. Her children don´t want to participate in the church either. But this hermana is completely golden. We left feeling crummy because she is so good, and her situation is so bad. She told us she just needs more patience. Then we went to Hermano Victor Vargaz. He is awesome. He is so faithful in going to appointments with us. We were in his home with an extremely faithful family that just moved into our branch. We could feel the Spirit in their home. As we talked and sat there, the Spirit just worked me over. I know what I want in my family. I know what God has for us as families is the best. There is great power in a home where the gospel is taught and covenants are kept, and scriptures are read, and when there is love at home. Mom and Dad, thank you for always creating a home environment like this. I love you. 

We are truly representatives of Jesus Christ. And people treat us like Him. Really good and really bad. So many times I feel shoulder to shoulder with the great missionaries in the scriptures. 

One thing we work super hard for with every investigator is reading, praying, and going to church. If they are doing those things then they progress. If you aren't doing those things, please change. And start now. There is great happiness for you if you do them. And spiritual safety. 

I testify that this is God´s work. I love you all.

Elder West

Sent from a rented Chilean computer.

Elders West & Fotheringham with Evangelista.

Elders West & Ryan in Coyhaique

Elders West & Ryan in Coyhaique

Week 9: Desires and Houses

Thank you for your prayers this week. I could feel them. Especially after I sent the email last week.

Stuff:

There is a girl in our branch that looks so much like Camille Swenson. I did a double take.

In Chile, they pause for a breath between “Christ” and “amen” in their prayers. It is becoming a habit for me.

Dogs: Last week I said I heard dogs are like cats here. Now I have a testimony of it. I saw a German shepherd jump a fence as tall as I am 4 times in a row just cuz, and I’ve seen a lot of dogs on top of fences.  There is a dog that barks super mean at us every time we pass and he sounds straight up evil. I call him Judas.

It is getting warmer. It is becoming spring.

Elder Ryan and I are house shopping for a casa in our sector. It´s funny how just two months ago I still had to ask for permission to use the bathroom [at school] and stay out past midnight.... and now I’m house shopping in southern Chile. Haha. #growth

Yesterday we also found a guy whose grandpa is from Ireland. He looked, laughed, was as tall as, and spoke Spanish like and Irish guy would. His last name was the same as my companion´s. So cool. They bonded really fast and we are going to help him back to activity in the church.

I´ve really worked on my focus on the work this week and my desires. I poured out my soul to our Father in Heaven. I’m giving him my desires. After doing this, I’ve seen a change in my happiness. EVERYTHING we have is God´s. He has given us everything. The only thing that He doesn´t have is our agency, our desires. That is the only thing we have. When we give our desires to Him, we are giving Him EVERTHING. I encourage you all to align your wills with His will for you. Give Him your desires. It changes your life. And in the end, it is the easiest path to follow.

I´ve seen this be true for me this week. Yesterday we had a lesson with Pamela, a less active member. She knows that she needs to be praying, reading, and going to church, but she isn´t. She always feels tired. Her family situation isn´t happy. We taught her what we needed to. I shared John 14:21 and how if we want to feel God´s love in our life we need to keep His commandments. God totally helped me with my Spanish during that time. It was a miracle. We left as her family was scrambling out the door to leave somewhere. They were chippy with each other, the spirit wasn´t in their home. As we walked to our next cita I started to cry. Because I wanted her to read so bad, and I knew what blessings she could receive, and I felt so grateful for my family and that they are living the Gospel. Those were Godly tears for her. God has blessed me with the desires for his children that I have been praying for.

I love you all. I have taken immense comfort in the fact that I am sealed to my family for time and all eternity. I feel that covenant so much stronger as I am here on the other side of the world. I love you all.

Your faithful missionary,

Elder West

To the family:

Things are getting better. My Spanish is too. I can now understand what people are talking about most of the time, but I don´t know specifics, only the subject. I love you all.

Family home evenings are huge. Please make them a priority, the whole night. With games , food, lessons and time together away from technology. Everyone here in Chile is glued to a screen. And it’s sad to see them not interacting. I regret my screen time before my mission and how it kept me away from time I could have had with the family. I love you all.

Elder West

View of the mountains, the town, and a basketball court

At the home of a man they met this past week

I'm coming to know my Savior

Dogs:

I saw a dog fight.

We were charged by a dog from behind. Freaky

The missionaries say that here in Coyhaique the dogs jump like cats. Elder Bustamante showed me several pics he had of dogs on top of fences. I attached a picture of a dog on top of a house to give you the idea.

Every night I go to sleep with all of my winter gear on. It´s freezing. 

We had intercombios (companion exchanges). I was with Elder Peterson who is my zone leader. We knocked a door and nobody answered even though the chimney was smoking. Then he said we need to do service. So he started clearing dead grass. But her whole yard is dead grass. One dude walked by and asked us if we had permission. Elder Peterson told him that Christ said in the Bible what we do in secret will be recompensed in the open. The guy was like, “huh”, laughed and got in his car. Elder Peterson told him also that his grandma would be Disappointed in him if he didn´t do it. I of course found out what happened after, because all this was in Spanish. Haha

The Quinteros family is having their baby!!! We visited them in the hospital. Hermano Quinteros was the happiest man alive. He shook our hands and was beaming. I’ve never seen such happiness. Elder Ryan and I both got trunky for home and our future eternal families. The Lord gave both of us a glimpse at what we can have after our missions. We were giddy.

We have a baptismal date with Monica on Oct. 3. After that lesson, I felt kind of bummed because she has a LOT of work and changes to do. But this isn´t about if I´m comfortable or not. 

We also have an investigator named Jordana. She is golden. I mean golden. But our appointments with her always fall through because she has family obligations or our member doesn´t show up so we can´t teach her in her home. But her goodness makes me happy

I´m getting humbled. Straight up. I can´t understand. I can´t express myself. I feel alone. Missionary life is stressful. 24/7. It is never about you. It never ends. I thought I was depressed. But I realized it was the stress of the language. I’m learning new ways to cope with stress. But through all of this never ending agony, my Savior Jesus Christ is with me. He knows PERFECTLY how it feels. And even though I hardly feel comfort or relief in this test I´m going through, and I´m exhausted, cold, hungry, stressed, anxious, suffering, He is with me every step. Every step of these giant hills we walk every day, literally and metaphorically, I´m getting humbled. I´m coming to know my Savior in a way I never have before. I am catching a glimpse of what he went through. The other day I was passing through a neighborhood, and on every side, there are dogs, in the streets and behind fences. They were barking like savages. Biting at us behind the fences. I was tired, hungry, cold, exhausted. We had been rejected, nothing was working, everything fell through that day. And then these dogs were barking at us, Why? WHY? Don´t they know we are literal representatives of Jesus Christ? Why are they filled with a hatred. And then I was transported to the hill Golgatha, and I was Jesus Christ. And I was walking up a steep hill, with a cross on my shoulders, and I was hungry, and tired, and sore, and rejected too. And there were "dogs" barking at me on every side. But these dogs were men. Men I was suffering for, dying for. And why were they rejecting me? Did they not know I was their savior? I´m trying not to cry right now. 

Through all of my suffering, I´m coming to know my Savior. And even though it hurts, I can´t express my gratitude for Him. 

I testify, as a representative of Jesus Christ, that Jesus Christ is REAL. His atonement is real. It is accessible. Please be patient in your trials, suffer with Him. Come to know Him too. I love you all. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

To the family,

Life as a missionary is different. In Chile, everything is super expensive. It costs about ten dollars for a bottle of mouthwash, and eight for two toothbrushes. Houses in Chile don´t have heating or AC and sometimes it doesn´t feel like walls do anything for us. We only have breakfast, we eat lunch with a member, and then we tract through dinner. I´m adjusting. and it´s hard. But it´s awesome. My testimony is shooting deep roots down. Most missionaries in our mission have members do their laundry, but we have a washer. Except it is broken and doesn´t spin. So we have detergent stains on our clothes, and we wring out our clothes, and hang them to dry over our wood burning stove. Missions are the best. Here´s an analogy. Missions are LONG paths full of disappointment, frustration, sorrow, and hard things, haha. But they are also pebbled with invaluable little golden nuggets of lessons learned, testimony strengthened, and growth. I´m growing a lot. I mean, a LOT. And growth hurts and it´s hard. But it is always worth it, and God always helps us.

Elder West

Whoa. I'm in Chile.

Elders West & Ryan

Hey guys. I’m in Chile. Woot woot.

In the CCM they spoon-fed us Spanglish. Here they firehose me with Spanish. This is nuts. It doesn’t even sound like Spanish. I cried this morning haha.

I had a headache at lunch the other day because my brain couldn’t take the Spanish. I’m a chump haha.

Things about Chile-

I just saw a 3 legged dog

I just talked to two homeless guys with yellow fingers and rotted teeth

It always smells like smoke

For lunch I’ve had pizza with a layer of fish and tomatoes on top, tomatoes stuffed with rice

A lot of people here don’t have all of their teeth

Pan con chicharrones are amazing

They have black taxis with yellow roofs,

People’s door handles are in the middle of their doors like hobbit doors

Every house has a black fence around it

It’s cold and windy like Utah winters, but we are in it for multiple hours

Light switches are outside of rooms.

There’s this less active lady we are working with named Pamela. She is super funny and immediately associated me with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian.

I flew from Puerto Montt to Coyhaique, but my flight was delayed like five times no joke, so I made a friend named Carlos. He is 46 years old, and a devout catholic. We shared our beliefs, and I taught him about the restoration and gave him a Book of Mormon. He said he would read it. I felt the Spirit strong.

On the plane I made a friend with Raul, he is 18, and he lives in Coyhaique. I got his info and he lives in the area right next to mine so the missionaries will work with him. It is beautiful here. We are surrounded by mountains just like in Utah valley so that is a tender mercy. It is freezing, and every building is just as cold on the inside as it is outside.

My testimony of the Savior is growing. I love him. Anything I experience or have to go through doesn’t even come close to what He did. He loves me. Through his atonement I can do things I couldn’t do on my own. I love my Savior. I need him. Oh how I need him, and you need him, and we need him.

Right now, it’s weird. I’ve never felt happier, more overwhelmed, more loved, more confused, and more everything than I have ever felt in my life.

My trainer is Elder Ryan. He is a saint. I love him. He is perfect. Coyhaique is dead, and we are resurrecting this area. We have a lot of hope and faith and willingness to grind in and work. And I love it.

Moses chapter 6 verses 31-34 describes my mission, feelings, and hope all in three verses. I love this scripture.

I live in a house with another companionship. Elder Peterson is funny, totally reminds me of Tommy Johnson, and is from Orem. His comp Elder Bustamonte is from Columbia, and gave up his profession as a professional guitarist for his mission. I love them both.

Do you want to feel God’s love for you more in your life? Then read and apply John chapter 14 verses 15 and 21.

I love you all.

Elder West

View of Coyhaique and surrounding area

The following is an excerpt from a letter of the missionary, Elder Davis, who spent last Wednesday with Jacob in Osorno before he flew to Coyhaique on Thursday.  The sister of Elder Davis works with Jacob’s dad.  She shared the part of Elder Davis’ letter with his dad.

"This week 18 new elders and sisters came in from the MTC! And we got to have dinner and lunch with them, I taught them about the credit cards and rules of the money here on the mission. But I LOVE helping the new elders on their first two days in Chile. They are super excited, and ready to get out there and baptize the world haha. So one elder had a plane flight the next day to meet his companion. So he was my companion for a day. He randomly asked me “Is your sisters name Kira?” hahah. Just so happens that his dad works at Tahitian Noni/Morinda… the place Kira works at and his dad knows Kira. Elder West. We went out and I was showing him his first experience of Chile. Of course we contacted a crazy guy who told us to feel his muscles and saying he’s super muscular but really he’s scrawny so we bought him some food cause he doesn’t have a home. Then we knocked doors for like an hour or longer without a single person letting us in. I felt bad cause it’s his first day and everyone is slamming doors on us. So I prayed in my heart as I was walking that we could teach someone and I could show this new elder what we do as missionaries. Then God provided and this guy let us in his house saying, “I only have 2 minutes”. We ended up staying 45 minutes and taught the restoration. This new elder, full of excitement, invited the guy to get baptized right away haha. It was awesome! Sometimes as missionaries we can kind of lose the sight of our purpose and focus on other things. But really we are here to BAPTIZE and bring people to Christ. I’m thankful for the lessons I learned from this elder on his first day. The guy said he will come to church this Sunday."

Elders Davis & West with Pres. & Sister Obeso

View of two volcanoes (Osorno and Calbuco) from the Puerto Montt airport


A couple previous farewell photos of Jacob's district (4C) in the Mexico Missionary Training Center (CCM)

Email from President Obeso

August 13, 2015

Dear Family of Elder West,

We are pleased to inform that your son has arrived safe and sound and smiling to the Chile Osorno Mission.  It was a pleasure for us to greet your son upon his arrival and feel his desire to serve.  Enclosed is a picture that we took with him shortly after his arrival.  After a short period of orientation regarding mission procedures, customs of the country, etc., we assigned Elder West to work in the city of Coyhaique with Elder Ryan as his companion.  Your son's address during his time in the mission will be:

                                               Elder Jacob West

                                      Casilla 7-0

                                      Osorno, Chile

Sister Obeso and I love our missionaries and are truly happy to have the opportunity to work with Elder West.  We appreciate your willingness to share him with us as he works as a missionary and ambassador for the Lord in Chile.  Sharing the gospel with these deserving children of our Father in Heaven will certainly bring great joy and satisfaction to him, and to you as well.  Thank you so much for helping him get to this point.

Please write him regularly–at least once a week.  Your love, interest, and support will be of great help to him.  Should there be any emergency or if you desire information regarding any urgent situation, please feel free to contact the Missionary Department in Salt Lake City rather than go to the expense of phoning the mission here in Chile.

The missionary work is progressing rapidly here in southern Chile, and I hope that you will share in his exciting mission experience as Elder West writes to you weekly and keeps you informed of his challenges and achievements and experiences.

Sincerely,

President Rodrigo Obeso

Safe Arrival in Osorno, Chile

Yesterday, August 12, we received an email from the Osorno mission office which contained the following scanned copy of a letter from Jacob.  His first area is Coyhaique, Chile.  His trainer is Elder Ryan from Kaysville, Utah.