It's a Little Chile Down Here...But Kinda Warm in Brazil: Chile in January

With familiar friend, Patrick

Dear Fam, Friends, Everyone!

Happy Monday! Sorry that this email is going to be so short. I am runnung out of time, and Elder Sercovich still has to do a few things, and there is just one computer in the church.........

It's sad to hear that my Niners lost, but it's okay, we´ll take it next year. I am very happy to hear that everyone is doing well, though -- keeping busy and that they are talking a lot about missionary work over there in the Concord stake. That makes me happy.

This past week was interesting. It started our really slow, and stressful, but that all switched in the second half of the week, and it all ended on a high note. At first, lots of lessons fell through, and we actually got told off by a few of the people we contacted, and that always hurts, but Elder Sercovich and I were able to push through all that, and come out on top at the end of the week. A few highlights: the youth had EFY (especially for youth activity program) this week so we took advantage of the spirit of EFY and did visits with them right after they got home on Saturday and had some STELLAR lessons, and they are all really excited to go on missions now. I love visiting with the youth. You guys arent going to beleive this, but one of the power families from my first area, Geronimo de Alderete, moved and now they are in my ward here in Tobalaba, The Jaras. I am not sure if you remember them, but they were the ones that bought me the big birthday cake and shoved my face in it. Seriously, they are one of my favorite families in the whole world, and now i get to work with them again. On Saturday morning we did a service project. The ward is constructing a house for a sister to rent out, so Elder Sercovich and I went over there and painted. On Sunday we had a WAY cool experience with a sister and giving her a blessing. Long story short, Elder Sercovich and I taught her and her ex-bishop, inactive husband (from another ward in the stake) by chance like a month ago because we were visitng her mom (who does live in our ward, Hna Pavez) -- they are all inactive. Anyways, they left town because they have a beach house up north, so we weren't expecting to see any of them until like mid March, BUT Sunday at church an hermano (brother) pulled Elder Sercovich and I aside and told us to go to their house, because the daughter really needed a blessing as she is super sick. But it was super cool because the sister specifically was searching for Elder Sercovich and I, so we found her and gave here the blessing and it was like this way big awesome experience that I can tell in more detail another day. I did divisions this week too, with Elder Lee, another missionary in the zone who is AWESOME. He has like 9 months in the mission and is a powerhouse, seriously, and it was so awesome getting to know him better too. WE HAVE THE COOLEST ZONE IN THE WHOLE WORLD. Seriously, all of the missionaries are SO awesome.

Anyways, I love you guys, and I hope that you're having a great week. I finished the Book of Mormon again on Friday -- IT'S TRUE. If you havent read it yet, I invite you to do so, it will change your life, and thats a promise!

Lots of love!

Elder Schwartz