P-Day at the Beach!

Another update from Sean today.  Sounds like a normal mission week with plenty of ups and downs. The message he shares from the talk at the District Conference is a good one.

After the email there are a bunch of new photos from his last p-day and other events which are great to see, a picture truly is worth a thousand words, so there is a lot said in these pictures for me.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey Everyone,

Its sounds like you guys will have a snowy Christmas and I will have a very hot Christmas! I wish I could have gone to the festival of trees, that sounds really fun and looks like you guys had a good time. I hope that Dad will get better from whatever you had. I can’t believe that Christmas is that close!! Here it’s totally different, not much Christmas lights, so far I have seen a few houses and our house. 

This last week was good and bad at the same time. So I will tell you the bad news first. Our investigators are being stubborn right now. We had to move all the baptism dates back. Our first baptism this month is now going to be on the 20 of December and the rest after that. Also we lost one of the baptisms and we are starting to lose the other one. So this week has been hard with that and still looking for good investigators. The good news is that Javiera is still going good for a baptism, and she is the one on the 20 of December. Claudia is doing well she keeps on going to church and she is doing everything we ask her to do. She went from smoking a pack to only two cigarettes in the night. We have seen some blessing with her, now our only problem with her is she needs to get married. We are praying for her and this week we are meeting with her and her boyfriend to talk about a date, and we hope that everything goes well.

On Saturday and Sunday we had our District Conference which is like the Stake Conference in Utah. The President of the Mission came up and talked to our Rama (Ward) and the other Ramas. They talked a lot about working with the miembros and how they are the key part in conversion of investigators. The talks were really good and the spirit was strong. The cool thing was I understood almost every talk really good. One of the speakers said, "Why are we scared to work with the missionaries, why can’t we make time, why do we not want to work with the missionaries? This is not the missionaries work, this is the Lords work, if he has time for you, and then why can’t you make time for him! These are the last days and we as members need to help every missionary with saving peoples souls and bringing them to their salvation," I thought that this quote was really cool and how everyone in the church needs to work together in the last days to save every soul we can.

Also this week we had to mini cambios which is when I work with a different Elder for the day. The first mini cambio was with Elder Sierra which was really good, but he and his companion are having a hard time working and Elder Donoso is the district leader so that one was really good. The other cambio was with the Zone Leaders because we need a baptism interview for Javiera. Which went okay and I was with the other Elder in the house all day because he was sick and that was super boring and felt like the longest day of my life. I would rather work then sit in the house all day.

This next Monday is our cambios so I will get a new companion and I might leave Linares but I will find out next Monday. This cambio was really fast and the time in the mission goes by super fast, it’s not even funny. The days go by so fast it’s like I woke up and then 5 minutes later I’m back in my bed. It has been going so fast i can’t believe it. I have 4 months in the mission and almost 3 months in Chile! 

This Christmas I don't get to call you guys! I get to Skype instead which is so much better. I get to Skype for about an hour and a half. So I can’t wait to see you guys. Its sometime after 11:00 AM in Chile, and I don't remember how far ahead Chile is to Utah, but it should be really fun and really cool to Skype you guys and see the good old family.

Thank you guys for everything and the love that you guys have for me. I hope you guys have a good week and I want you guys to know that I love you and think about you all the time.

Elder McAlister

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The spiritual shared with Sean this week comes from something I was reading the other day on the life of Heber C. Kimball.  He said:

“Let me say to you, that many of you will see the time when you will have all the trouble, trial and persecution that you can stand, and plenty of opportunities to show that you are true to God and his work. This Church has before it many close places through which it will have to pass before the work of God is crowned with victory. … The time will come when no man nor woman will be able to endure on borrowed light. Each will have to be guided by the light within himself. If you do not have it, how can you stand?”

I think this speaks strongly of what Elder McAlister is out doing on his mission and something for us all to think about.  Until next week, enjoy these pictures from Chile…

This looks familiar!

Mission bike?

What's being studied here?

What's in the bowl?

P-Day at the beach.

P-Day at the beach.

P-Day at the beach.

P-Day at the beach.

Elder Donoso and Elder McAlister

Dinner?

P-Day at the beach with some of the branch members.

Not sure about this one..

P-Day at the beach.

P-Day at the beach.

P-Day at the beach.

P-Day at the beach.

Joe Cool

P-Day at the beach.

CHILE

No...I don't own a helicopter

It was great to hear from Elder McAlister today.  Sounds like he is doing well, and they are successful in their work.  The helicopter story comes from me send a picture to him of the helicopter that our Young Men and Young Women got to go up in, which is owned as part of a business by a member in our ward.

Sounds like he had a good p-day today, and go to see more of the country.  They have three baptisms coming up, and I hope he gets to see them happen before either he or Elder Donoso are transferred.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey Everyone,

It is good to hear from everyone. Sounds like Thanksgiving was good and everyone was dying from eating too much food. It sounds like Christmas decorations are starting to go up. Also, the hutch in the house looks really good I thought that you guys bought a new one. The Utes game sounds like a lot of fun too. The Christmas tree looks really good that Jessica sent me. Brooke, I need to see a picture of yours too when it is decorated. Sabrina it’s really good to hear from you, I hope you had a good Thanksgiving and you look like you had a blast at the Utes game.

This week was pretty good and super-fast. We have been working hard with some families and one of the family's life has turned around. This family that we have been working with for a long time has had a hard life. Both of the parents have tried to commit suicide and their kids are hard to work with. They are super poor and barely have a house. Since we came in their life's, they have changed and I have really seen how people in this gospel are so caring. They are doing okay now, money is really hard to come by for them, but this family has certainly changed. The other family we are working with are an incomplete family, meaning the parents were baptized but not their kids. This family is really awesome and they love us like crazy. They always want us to come over and they are saying that we are a family now. The father and the mother were baptized 12 years ago, and they were only members for two weeks when they moved and lost contact with the church. Now we are bringing them back in. The dad of the family is a big muscled guy. He teaches Kung Fu and has a 4th degree black belt, or whatever you call it. He kind of scares me, but he is awesome. Guess what…this week we now have 3 people with a baptism date. We have Javiera on the 14 of December and Junio on the 21 of December and the last is on the 28^th, which is Franco. After them we don't have any really solid investigators other than Claudia who has some problems but we are close with her.

This week we had an activity on Saturday were we did “Be a Missionary for a day” for the members and it went pretty well. We had on missionary with one member and it was hard because I got the old guy, and they sent us to the other side of our sector. I thought he was going to die on me (HaHa). I don't think that he has walked that much for a long time. We just went to visit less active family´s and our family wasn't home, so we went for another long walk to an investigator and I taught the lesson while he caught his breath. I did have him share his testimony at the end, and it went okay. But the activity in general went really good.

Funny story, the other missionary's saw the picture of the helicopter and now think that I am really rich. I tried to explain that it wasn't ours but they said I was lying and that we are super rich. So now a lot of people in Linares think that I am super rich and my family has our own helicopter. Well I thinks it’s kind of funny!

The work with Elder Donoso has been going well, and he is okay, I know that he is more scared of the shots than he was from the dog. But the work is going pretty well down here. It’s weird to think that we won’t be companion’s next cambio that is coming up super-fast. 

So today was p-day and guess what we got to do. We got to go to the beach which was really cool, but it’s not the kind that you think were a lot of people go to swim. It’s more of a beach people walk and take pictures at, so pretty much a tourist beach. The water is freezing and that's why we were allowed to go to it. It was super fun and I will send some pictures to you guys. It was so much fun, and we went with some recent converts and we got to try some of the sea food down here which is really good. The water looked so cool but the sand was more of a black color which was weird. I can’t send photos today because I forgot my SD card reader. 

That was my week, it was super fun and hot down here. I am doing my best to learn Spanish and do better in the lessons. I want to say thank you guys for your support and thanks for all that you guys do. I am thankful for the pudding and the candy in the package. The photos where really cool to and I loved Sabrina´s photo that she drew for me. Love you guys and thanks for everything.

Love you guys!!!

Elder McAlister 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This thought shared with Sean comes from Elder Henry B. Eyring talking about the Spirit. He said “Of all the times I have felt the promptings of the Spirit, they have come most forcefully and most surely when I was asking Heavenly Father what he would have me do for someone whom I loved and who I knew had a need.” 

This tells me that we need to pray for those we love, teach and work with and then we will receive the prompting from the Spirit on what to do and say.  I think this is an important message, especially doing missionary work.

Until next week...enjoy the start of the holiday season.

Trip to Concepcion

Here is Sean's email this week.  Sounds like he had a great week, and the change up of going to Concepcion was a good experience. He finally received our package after so many weeks of waiting for it to arrived (hope the Christmas one gets there faster). He sent 9 new pictures, and it is great to see him looking so well. The pictures are posted after his email.

Unfortunately, Elder Donoso had a dog attack this last week while they were on their exchanges, and is now facing a round of shots, he is in prayers.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey Everyone,

Guess what, I received my package this week which was awesome. So thank you for all the candy and the pictures and the SD card reader. I am going to send pictures today. It sounds like Thanksgiving should be good this year. I have totally forgotten about Thanksgiving. It sounds like some of you guys had an exciting week!

This week was really good, I went to Concepcion this week for three days. The reason why is we had a conference for the new missionary's. It was a really good conference and we got to do some mini cambios while I was there. The conference was really good, we learned what we should do in our area books, and how to find new investigators. I have a few pictures of where I worked in Concepcion and it’s an amazing city. A lot of the houses I can’t stand straight up in because the people in this country are very short and so their houses are small. Then there is me being a giant in this country. Our mini cambio went really good, I worked with an Elder Naranjo who is Chilean and a super hard worker. He walked faster than most people could run, which was ridiculous. We worked with some less active people and some investigators. The super fun part of the night was we had a noche de hogar and that was a lot of fun. The members made so much food for it though. We taught them about the temple. I really hope I get another opportunity to work in Concepcion, because it was awesome. The bus ride was about 4 hours long just to Concepcion and 4 hours back. On the way there in got to be on a double decker bus and I was on the top and in the front which was really cool. I saw Jason Mittens who was one of my friends in school and we are hoping to work together soon. 

This week me and Elder Donoso had pretty good success, we found 2 families and a few investigators. In one of the family's we found the parents where less active and we got them to come to church this week and they have to kids who are 19 and 16 and we are going to baptize them both. The family absolutely loves me and Elder Donoso and they are reading the book of Mormon and doing everything we ask. They are asking for us to come over all the time. I think them and the other family and Claudia, who is another really good investigator, are answers to our prayers. The baptism went really well and I will send pictures of that also. 

When I was in Concepcion Elder Donoso was attacked by a dog, and now he has to get 5 more shots. He made sure he got a picture of the dog that bit him. I have loved working with Elder Donoso lately, it has been really cool and we are having really good success. This cambio has been going super-fast, I can’t believe we are in our fourth week of this cambio. I have realized time does really fly by in the mission. Oh also my Spanish is getting better and better. I can understand a lot now and speaking is a little difficult for me still. I can tell you Chileans don´t speak Spanish, they speak a fast slurred language (HaHa). I am still learning Spanish to my knowledge.  

I don´t have anything else for this week because I spent three days in Concepcion, and riding on a bus. I will send pictures for you guys. Thank you guys again for the package, and your letters, they do mean a lot to me. Thanks for the prayers and the examples you are to me.

I love you guys!

Love,

Elder McAlister

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This week Cherilyn shared scripture from Isaiah Chapters 50 and 51 with Sean this week.  50:5-9 and Isaiah 51:7, 16.  

Verse 16 reads, (Speaking of the Gathering of Israel) "And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people." 

Cherilyn said it is the Lord's work that we are about. The Lord will guide us, protect us, and put the words in our mouths at the moment of our need. He will lighten our loads and make us strong as we push forward in His work.

What a great passage and what strength we can gain from that knowledge.  Until next week enjoy the pictures from Sean this week...

When new missionaries and Elder McAlister arrived in the Concepcion Mission. He looks a little tall.

Concepcion

Concepcion

The Elders in his casa thought it would be funny and throw Sean's bed on the roof, so he just went out and laid on his bed! 

Elder Bueno and Sean bringing his bed back in the house.

Baptisms in Linares on November 16th.

Alonso and Elder McAlister

Dinner with some members.

El Huaso

Working with other Elders and in different areas

Here is Elder McAlister's update this week. It seems he is always short of time, trying to fit everything in on p-day. When you only have the time at the computer to sit down, read all your emails, and try to respond, it must be a challenge.

It sound like he is doing well, the language is coming along, and the baptisms sounded like a great experience.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey Everyone,

It sounds like this last week was a little more relaxing for you guys. It’s crazy to hear there is snow already in Utah, here it is just burning hot. Sounds like mom and dad are having a lot of fun with their new phones. Jessica sounds like you are just working and the BYU game sounds like a lot of fun. Brooke so are you done with you internship now can you work there or was that only for school? Sounds like Sabrina is having fun and was a volleyball star for the last time until volleyball starts up again. 

Well this last week was looking for new investigators and working with the few we have. We do have one more baptism this week, and there was six baptisms on the 16th which was really fun. We baptized one kid named Alonso, and our other Francisca was baptized by her grandpa which was cool. We are baptizing Alonso’s brother this week and I am baptizing him! It was a really fun day because we had six kids baptized. 

This week we had a mini cambio again, because Elder Donoso had to go to Concepcion for a meeting of the leaders. I worked with a different Elder for two days. Elder Espindola is the Elder I worked with, and it was pretty fun. We had amazing lessons and the members are really good over in their sector. We had an activity with the young men and we played soccer. Guess what, I scored one goal, which was really cool. Because I’m the only gingo and I scored against all the Chileans. It was super fun working with him and his investigators were amazing also. 

This last week nothing much really happened, we have been looking for investigators and we found one really good family, but that's about it right now. We need more of the members help and references, but the members are really hard to work with. I am really liking my mission right now the language is lacking because Elder Donoso is talking in English a lot. My Spanish is much better then when I started. I can understand a lot of what people are saying but it’s trying to talk is the hard thing for me right now and trying to remember words. I can tell you Spanish is really different here because we got a new missionary, and when we went to the first house with him he had no clue what was going on. The thing is he is from Bolivia (HaHa). I can tell you guys Elder Castellon is really crazy and really different person, a good missionary and a hard worker. 

This week I get to go to Concepcion and work over there for two days and I have a meeting for the new missionary's. So this next week should be fun. Lately on p-days we go shopping and play some soccer sometimes. But we have to walk a lot so most of our time is walking to Top Dog, our favorite restaurant and then walk to the internet place and write you guys. That´s what we did today! 

We are low on time today, so I am going to buy an SD reader next week so I can send pictures to you guys. Thanks for your letters, and thank you for all of you support. I can’t wait till I can speak the language and teach people more than I am. I love you guys, and keeping doing and being who you guys are.

I love you guys!!!

Elder McAlister

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The thought time sent to Sean this week comes from Thomas S. Monson on perseverance. "Persist in your task until you complete it, many begin but few finish. Honor, power, position, and praise will come with time for those who persevere. Persist in your task until you complete it, dedicate yourself, work hard and smile, for from dedication, hard work and smile will come forth, after some time the victories of life."

Until next week...

What happened to the power?

Here is Elder McAlister's email home this week. Sounds like more of the same in his life, another bike experience and some issues with the electricity in their house.  Sounds like they are working hard to find people, and they are excited for a couple baptisms this Saturday.

It's been over almost two months and he still hasn't received our package, but he managed to send some pictures this week which are after his email.  It's great to see him!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey Everyone

It’s good to hear everyone is okay and still alive. I sorry to hear about the ward are all the trials that they are going through right now. It’s good to hear that all of you are keeping busy. Sounds like some cool movies are coming out and sounds like Sabrina is going to be the next volleyball star in the family. That’s crazy that you graduate in a month Brooke and its awesome too. But it sounds like everyone is still doing the same old thing.

So I told you guys last week, but I will say it again. I am staying in Linares again for my second cambio and Elder Donoso is my companion again. We said good bye to the people in our zone and we got to play soccer for one last time with everyone. Then we said goodbye to Elder Watson who was the other gringo in my casa and has been helping me with my Spanish. He is only going to a different sector, so we are hoping we are companions soon. We met our new zone on Tuesday, and they are pretty fun, and on Monday night we got a new missionary in our house. His name is Elder Castellon, and he is super short, but an amazing missionary and only has a year in the church.

This week has been really hard with the people in Chile. We are looking for new investigators, and future investigators, but nothing is really happening. We had two of the baptisms move up so now we have two baptisms this Saturday. But we are having troubles just with finding some people.

I have one funny story for you guys. So we tried to ride the bikes again and this time something else happened. I´m riding the bike and I go off this little dirt jump and my back tire and chain fell right off while I was in the air. We thought it was pretty funny but I didn't crash or get hurt. The thing that wasn't fun was I had to carry my bike all the way back to our house. I had one tire in one hand and the bike in the other. So it was pretty funny and it was a good laugh for the people we were walking by. 

Also I told you guys about last week when we didn't have lights for two days on Halloween and the day after. This week our power was cut down by some kids. They were able to fix that pretty fast and we had power the next day. I thought I should tell you guys something about the power here in Chile. We can only have three single lights and one heater and a microwave on at the same time. When we have more than that our power goes out and we have to turn its back on. The electricity here is a lot different than in the United States. 

This week has been really good working with Elder Donoso because we have been working really well together. We are becoming better friends and a better companionship. I think I told you, but Elder Donoso speaks really good English and that has been a problem for me. Because he likes to speak in English all the time, but he helps me on how to teach the lessons and some Spanish words. Nothing much has happened this last week. We have had a lot of prayers and working hard. Soon we will have people.

Thanks for all of your guys support and the love that you guys have shown me. You’re all good examples to me and I try to use things that you guys have taught me and teach them to people. I am thankful that you guys are my family. Thanks for your emails and the stories you guys have. Even if your email comes a little late hahaha (Jessica). I thought I deleted your email last week. I I love you guys and thanks for your love.

Love you guys!!!

Elder McAlister

P.S. I have received grandma’s letter but not a package yet. So I will go look in Lider sometime soon.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Another thought time sent to Sean this week again comes from Joseph Smith, found in History of the Church, he says “A man who is full of the love of god is not content with blessing his family only, but thinks about all of the people in the world, anxious to bless the whole human race.”  This is exactly what Sean is doing.

Until next week...IT'S PICTURE TIME:

Elder McAlister, Elder Donoso, Elder Watson and Elder Bueno

Halloween in Chile

Sara Flores and Elder McAlister at her baptism.

Elder McAlister...armed and dangerous.

Elder Donoso and one of the famous house bikes!

First Baptism!

It was great to hear from Elder McAlister today.  He and his companion had their first baptism on Saturday! I would have been great to be there to see it. Wish we could see see pictures of the baptism, but still no sign of the package from home over a month ago that would enable that.

He sounds much more upbeat, so he must be over the sickness from last week.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey Everyone,

Sounds like you guys had a really good Halloween! It sounds like mom had a really good birthday and P.F. Chang's sounds really good to me right now. 

Something really cool happened this last week. Me and Elder Donoso had our first Baptism. Oh and she choose me to baptize her. I would love to send pictures, but I still haven't revived your guy’s package. It was awesome I was really nervous. She only had four names and that wasn't hard at all. The prayer I only had the night and a little to study in the morning. It only took me one time to baptize her and it was awesome. The funny thing I dunked her really hard and fast into the water. So now that's a joke here. But we got our first baptism!!!

The cambio is today, or transfers. We found out that me and Elder Donoso are staying companions for the next 6 weeks until the next one. The house is almost the same. Elder Bueno is going to stay but Elder Watson is going to be leaving. Which makes me really sad because me and Elder Watson have gotten to be really good friends and he helps me a lot with my Spanish. But he only has about 3 months in Chile. So I’m going to be staying here in Linares for 6 more weeks which makes me happy. Oh and we have 5 baptisms on the 26 of November which is something I needed to tell you guys.

We have another rat story, and I got it on film. It was another funny story, but this one we had to chase around. I will send you guys the videos some time soon. It was super funny. Also, this week we got our lights turned out on us, so we didn't have any lights for two days which was funny but really bad at night. Now I’m glad I brought my flashlight on my mission.

Halloween in Chile isn't as fun as it is in America. Some kids got dressed for it and go around asking for candy. We didn't get egged, so that was good. I have some pictures of us with some kids dressed up, which was pretty fun. I told most people I dressed up as an American and then would speak in English to them. When it was Halloween and we were contacting, I did remember that Halloween that I got hit be so many snowballs by Dad while I was trick or treating (HaHa). They don't carve pumpkins down here or anything super fun like that. I do love your costume Sabrina, it is awesome. I hope you aren't dying from eating so much candy. 

Right now it’s been hard and with the few investigators we have it’s been going really well. We don't have that much to work with, and it’s really hard for us at times. Now we have to trust in the lord and put all of our faith and trust in him. We are hoping soon we will be able to make some really good progress with our harder investigators. I said earlier that we have 5 baptisms coming up, and they are all kids of less actives or non-actives and that's helping us with the family. We are working as hard as we can.

Thanks for everything you guys have done for me and the love and email you guys send me each week. I love to read the emails and see the things that are going on at home in pictures. I hope Tillie is surviving without me and not crying because she doesn't have my bed. I love you guys and stay strong in the church and put your trust in the lord. 

I love you guys,

Elder McAlister

P.S.

How are Mitch and Xander doing? Also, the priests and the rest of the people in the Ward and tell them they are in my prayers and thoughts!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One of the thoughts shared with Sean this week comes for our beloved Prophet Joseph Smith: 

"The standard of truth has been erected; No un hallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the great Jehovah shall say the work is done."

Sean is engaged in this this work right now, bringing the gospel to every country, and ear, and helping accomplish the purpose of God.  Until we next hear from Elder McAlister...have a great week!

Shot in the butt! (with a needle ;-))

Could just be me, but Sean sounds a little down this week with losing investigators and being sick, but still has a great attitude.  Sounds like he was pretty sick, but is on the mend now.

Hope all goes well with Sara Flores this week as she prepares for her baptism, I know it will be a big lift for Sean and Elder Donoso.  It will be interesting to see if Sean or Elder Donoso are transferred next Monday, I hope they get another month together.

Still no pictures from Chile, but he should have his package this week with his SD card reader.

Here's Sean's email this week:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hola Everyone,

Hey everyone thanks for the pictures, it was nice to see all of your faces and to see that you guys are doing okay and having fun. The Sundance ride sounds like a lot of fun and Sabrina sounds like she didn't get too scared. It sounds like Halloween is going to be super fun and carving pumpkins looks like a lot of fun. Now I want to carve a pumpkin. I want to know who has the best looking pumpkin, and Brooke, Todd, Jessica and Derek's pumpkins all look great.

Halloween doesn't look like it’s that big down here and only some people dress up. To my understanding we have to buy candy so kids won’t throw eggs at us, or our house, so that's something new to me. But not as big, or fun, as it was in the states. Every time I ask someone about Halloween they tell me they don't really like it. I just guess I will find out on Thursday for myself. Sabrina I can’t wait to see you in your costume and have fun trick or treating. But don't eat too much candy!

This week was pretty good, I got really sick and ended up getting some shot in my butt, and yes I have pictures of that (HaHa). I had to stay in the house on Friday because of it. I had a really high fever, strep throat, none stop coughing and my throat was really swollen. Now I’m doing much better I have a pretty bad cough still but I’m okay.  

We still have the baptism this week, and the interviews are tomorrow for it, so we will find out tomorrow if she can be baptized. Margarita is done with us so we can’t teach her anymore. A lot of our investigators are dying, oh dying is when they won’t talk to us, or they don't want to see us anymore. Right now we have a different investigator that we might baptize later in the month of November. But we have no other real investigators progressing right now. So we are going to be searching and working with a lot of less active people.

I had another mini cambio this week with an Elder Hoopes. This one was because Elder Hoopes and Elder Flores are going to have a baptism, and Elder Donoso is the District leader, so he does the interview. Elder Hoopes is from Sandy and so we are pretty good friends now. The cool thing is he likes basketball and football a lot. That's what we talked about most of the day. It was really fun to work with another American (HaHa). 

Nothing much really happen this week I realized, other than being sick and most people skipping our lessons. This week was pretty hard you could say. I forgot to tell you guys that we are in the farthest mission away from Concepcion. So that's probably why the packages take a little longer to get here. Some other fun facts we are also in probably one of the nicest areas I was told, and I’m in the nicest house out of the entire mission so yeah for me! 

This next Monday we have a cambio (change) where I find out if I stay here or move to a different area. Also I get to find out if I get a new companion. We get that call nice and early in the morning next Monday and then I get to tell you guys what is going on.

Happy Birthday Mom, I Hope you have a great day on Sunday. I probably can send you some pictures next week because I get my package tomorrow, I’m pretty sure. I still want to wish you a happy birthday and hope you do something fun. I would love you give you and hug and tell you happy birthday. But I can’t so I love you and have a Great B-day!!!

Thanks for everything that you guys do and the love and support that you guys show me. I love reading your emails and seeing pictures of you guys. Try to have a safe and fun Halloween and don't eat too much candy! Have a real good week and I will write you guys next week. I love you guys and have a fun week!!!

Elder McAlister

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I will share again the thought I had for Sean this week, and when I read it, I thought not only does it apply to his missionary service, but something we should all consider. It comes from Grant Von Harrison in his book "Drawing on the Powers of Heaven".  He said "Unless you exercise sufficient faith, you deny the Lord the opportunity to help you in the course of your daily life."

Until your back to read the next adventure from Elder McAlister...have a great week and a Happy Halloween!