Visit to Pirque

Pirque area

Hey family!  

Well it sounds like things are going wonderfully out there in California.  It's great to hear that scout camp was a success and that mom is going out and doing visits with the missionaries!!!!!  Way cool!  AND Wow, it sounds like little Elder-Roo is doing big things out there in Brazil and that's CRAZY to hear about his trainer, HOW AWESOME IS THAT!?!?!?!?!  

Well, this week went by really well and super, super fast.  It sounds like, yes, you guys have already seen that I DID happen to find Elder and Sister Doll out here in Puente Alto, and it IS amazing having them in my district -- what a treat!  

Great to see friends from home -- Elder and Sister Doll from Concord

Lots of big things happened this week, and probably the biggest was the baptism of Micaela which took place yesterday.  Micaela is 9, and her mom was an inactive church member, and we have been teaching her and her mom over the past few weeks and, yes, she decided to be baptized!  Her uncle baptized her, and it was a really great experience for everyone.  I think that the greatest part of the experience was when Micaela's mom gave a talk during the baptismal service, and gave this super awesome testimony of how important this gospel is, and what a key step baptism is.  It was way cool to hear her give a talk, because since our visits, she has slowly been coming out of inactivity, and I feel that through her 9 year old daughter's example, she really was saved.  

Micaela's Family at her baptism

Micaela's Baptism

I was able to do divisions (splits with other missionaries) on Thursday and I went to a sector in the zone called Colonial with Elder Pimintel, from Ecuador.  Even though I am the District Leader and I was supposed to be the one capacitating (training) him, I promise you that he taught me way more than I taught him.  The elder is an amazing teacher, and a way good example.  He just had this special way of taking the doctrine and making it really simple and really easy to understand... I think that sometimes US missionaries make things more complicated than they need to be... I'm pretty guilty of that..... But anyways, I finished the divisions with a new insight on the importance of good teaching skills.

Another cool thing -- on Friday Elder Packer and I got to travel out to Pirque and do a baptismal interview for the trio of sister missionaries in the district, and Pirque IS SO COOL.  It's like wide open range, farm town, like the exact opposite of my sector.  My sector is a bunch of tiny houses bunched together and Pirque is like Idaho -- lots of open spaces.  It was awesome -- I got to see horses and cows, and it took like a way long time to get out there.  My already high respect for those sister missionaries, like tripled, as they have to walk SO MUCH!  It was a good interview -- her name is Camila, and she is 13 years old.  Her father was baptized a few months ago, and he was able to baptize her and from what the sister missionaries told me it was a really great baptismal service.  

Road in Pirque

Fog in Puente Alto

Anyways, sadly I am running out of time, but I want you all to know that I love you, and that the church is true, and we are so blessed to have it in our lives!  Keep the faith, keep being amazing!  

Until next week, with much love, 

Elder Schwartz

More pictures....

With Elder Schade

Fiat

Lunch....?