Back in the Office

Well, being AP [Assistant to the Mission President] is a really different assignment.  It's been an interesting and honestly exhausting week.

On Monday, we spent the day in the office doing the zone leader verifications.  Basically, a 15-minute phone call talking about the plans that the zone leaders have for their zone, and if there are any special needs that should be addressed, for example, missionaries that are struggling, disobedience, or depression.  I am responsible for seven zones, so there were seven phone calls.

On Tuesday, we went to pick up the new missionaries from the airport.  The day was spent in training and devotionals with President and the "news".  At night, we walked them to their hotel.

On Wednesday, the new missionaries went to start their new visas, and my companion and I were in charge of a training session for the trainers.  Afterwards, the "news" were assigned to their trainers, and started leaving to work in their sectors.  That's when the old missionaries, the ones that are ending their mission started to show up.  They took a self-sufficiency class, and we went to the mission home, where we ate dinner.  While they took their class, Elder Jacobson and I barbecued a lamb for the dinner.  It was definitely an odd experience, and not one that I expected to have on the mission.  After dinner, there was a devotional with the "olds", and a farewell get-together, and then they went to their hotel.

On Thursday, we drove a few hours to the airport, and dropped the "olds" off for their flight.  It was really weird, because we were dropping off Hermana Latham.  She arrived on the mission with me from the MTC, and it was like deja vu being in the same airport, except now she's leaving and I'm still here.  As I dragged her suitcases into the airport, I distinctly remembered helping her with her bags a year and a half earlier, and it was a strange feeling.  Anyway, after they left, we had to plan the Zone Leader Council that was going to take place on the next day, so we did that for the rest of the day.

On Friday, we were in charge of making sure that the Zone Leader Council went smoothly, and that it was an edifying experience for everyone.  As part of the council, my companion and I gave 10-minute talks, and we were both scrambling to prepare the morning of.  All in all, the morning went well.  That afternoon, we took some time to meet with a missionary who has been having some depression problems.  We took him and his companion out for ice cream, and just talked.  I've never had to deal with a disobedient missionary, or a missionary who wanted to go home, or a missionary with mental or emotional problems.  It was a strange experience, and I'm not very good at it.

As far as cambios [transfers] went, I felt pretty comfortable with everything.  It was nice to already be familiar with the process, having served in the office before.  The real big difference, is that now my companion and I are in charge of overseeing the ENTIRE process, not just playing a role.  You have to be able to solve problems on the run.

So, being AP is a lot of work.  It's not without its perks, like driving everywhere, and living in the penthouse suite, but it's pretty stressful and demanding.  The cool part is that we have the ability to influence the entire mission for good.  I feel like everything I've learned on the mission, from el rescate in the office, to being a district leader in Rio Bueno, and being a zone leader in Valdivia, has been preparing me for these next 4.5 months that I'll be AP.  I hope I don't screw it up.  I feel like I'm going to learn a lot more about how to love everyone, regardless of perceived faults or shortcomings.

-Elder Crotzer

More Family History and a Transfer

This week, we really got into family history.  I love family history, it's so much fun.

On Tuesday, my companion suddenly became violently ill during district meeting.  We took a short emergency trip to the Clinica Alemana, and waited to be seen for about 2.5 hours.  He was diagnosed with a stomach infection, drugged up, and we were sent home.  So we rested that day.  While my companion was resting in bed, I wrote letters.

Then, on Sunday, I found out about my cambio [transfer].  I'm really going to miss the Regional ward.  I'm sad that I was only able to enjoy a few short months there.  I really loved working with the leaders and adult youth, and I'd like to think that I made some true friends there.  President came and picked me up for my cambio, so I didn't have anytime to say goodbye.  I was, however,  privileged to get a photo with the leaders that I've loved working with during my time in Regional: the Ward Council.

Sooo, my cambio.  I'm back in the Mission Office.

I didn't want to come back.  I felt like I experienced a spiritual regression when I was in the Mission Office last time.  After a day back, however, I'm glad to say that things have changed.  The office isn't the same, and I'm not the same, and I'm excited for my new assignment:  Assistant to the Mission President [known as an "AP" in future posts].

-Elder Crotzer

Family History in Chile

This week, we did a family history training for all of the missionaries in the Valdivia Zone.  It included a 45-minute powerpoint presentation, and a 45-minute practice session, so hopefully everything that was presented to them would stick.  The purpose of the training was to show the missionaries the basic process of family history, so that they could help all of the recent converts of the past year take at least one name to the temple.  All of the wards in the stake are going to have a temple trip in the next three months, so we are preparing now.

Last Monday, my companion and I finished all of the preparations for the training.  We were in the chapel from 10:00 AM until 9:30 PM, creating the powerpoint, organizing the members that would bring laptops, creating a one-page verification sheet, and finishing all of the details.  It was a lot of work, and our eyes were tired and bloodshot at the end, but everything went off without a hitch the next day, so I believe the planning paid off.

So now all that's left to do with the family history is verify the progress of all the recent converts in the zone.  It's going to be a three month process, so I really hope that I don't get moved out of Valdivia.  Cambios [Transfers] are on the 25th of February, so we'll see.

One of the families in our ward has a little girl that reminds me a lot of Madelyn, in looks and personality.  Her name is Maite, which means "love" in another language.

On Wednesday, our lunch appointment fell through, so we went to eat lunch with our friend Andres.  Andres lived in the United States for six months, and we ate a massive pot of macaroni and cheese.  Words cannot describe my joy and nostalgia.

Finally, on Friday, we moved 15 meters of firewood from the street into a shed.  It took about five hours of a morning.  It was pretty interesting watching the men cut the firewood.  They had a gasoline powered table saw, with absolutely zero safeguards.  One of the men even took off his shirt to cut the wood.  If he had fallen into the spinning saw, there would have definitely been a trip to the hospital, and possible a trip to the cemetery.

-Elder Crotzer

And the Dry Hallways Became a Sea

This week we had a baptism.  Andres, our elders quorum president, baptized his girlfriend Francisca.  Andres himself got baptized only five months ago, and it has been incredible to watch him progress in the Gospel and as a leader.  We're expecting great things from him.

The baptism itself was interesting.  We starting filling up the baptismal font with hot water at 2:00 in the afternoon, and the baptism was planned for 6:00pm.  When we got back at 5:30pm to check on the font, it was not even half way full!  So we turned the cold water on full blast, and were praying that it would fill fast enough to be ready by the time the baptism started.

Well... the baptism got started a little late.  We had a lot on our minds, and between the special musical number, the people who were supposed to say prayers but who didn't show up, and making sure that the investigators were friendshipped, the slowing filling font may have slipped from our minds, until we opened the door of the chapel... and stepped into a puddle of water in the hallway.

We flooded the church.

Luckily, the hallways are ceramic tile, and so there was absolutely no harm done to the building.  A few minutes of frantic mopping later and everything was all dry.  We certainly felt pretty chagrined, and the members had a good laugh at our expense, especially because as zone leaders, we are supposed to... set the example?  Well, it made for a good story.

Francisca and Andres are so excited to share the Gospel.  Francisca accompanied us to a lesson less than four hours after her confirmation, and bore powerful testimony of the Gospel and the Church.  We are really excited to watch her grow, and to see the effect her conversion has on the people around her.  The Lord is hastening His work!

Tomorrow, we are giving a family history training to the missionaries in the zone.  I'll let you know how it goes.

-Elder Crotzer

El Festival de la Fruta!

Hi family and friends,

Another week in Chile.  Our investigator is getting baptized this week.  She is super excited, and she bore her testimony this last Sunday in sacrament meeting.  Basically, she didn't believe in God before her boyfriend introduced her to the Gospel.  She has felt such a radical change in her life, and she is really excited to share everything that she has learned with everyone else.  She is awesome.

This past week, we organized a church activity:  The Festival of the Fruit.  It was a lot of work, but awesome.  Lots of people came, and gorged themselves on fruit.

Next week, we are going to give a family history training to the zone.  Love dem powerpoints.  Like second nature.

I have a hernia, but it's not very big.  Sometimes it pops out after I eat a lot.  My companion says I'm like one of those turkeys that you stick in the oven, and when it's done cooking, it has a button that pops out.  That's how I judge if I'm full after eating.

Love you all,
-Elder Crotzer