Getting "Trunky"

This week, we went to Coyhaique for the zone conference.  We had the opportunity to work with some great missionaries, Elder Ryan, Elder Christiansen, Elder Peterson, and Elder Bustamante.  The conference went great, and the intercambios were productive as well.

This coming week, we'll be doing the Puerto Montt zone conference, and planning cambios.  I want to write a little guide to doing cambios as assistant, but we'll see if there's time.

Sister Obeso is doing everything she can to make me "trunky."  (That's what it's called when you start thinking about going home, and life after the mission.)  On the trip down to Coyhaique, the whole way she talked to me about choosing a good wife, and raising a family, etc.  Since we were on a trunky subject, President Obeso and I had a good chat about his experience starting a business straight out of college.  In Coyhaique, I dreamed that I was back home about to go back to school, but I hadn't paid any bills or registered for any classes, and I woke up in a cold sweat.

In spite of all that, I am still working hard.  See y'all in two weeks.

-Elder Crotzer

Working with Elder Root

This week was pretty good.  We did two more zone conferences, one in Osorno and one in Chiloe.

On Wednesday, we traveled to Chiloe and had the opportunity to work with the Elders in Ancud.  I got to work with Elder Root.

Elder Root is very cool.  It is hard for me to explain what Elder Root is like, but suffice it to say that he is very spiritual, and I love working with him.

I want to share a short excerpt from my journal from the day.

"Today we did intercambios with Ancud 2, and I went with Elder Root.  It was awesome, I love Elder Root.  We did a short practice and lesson plan in the house, and then we went to the appointment.  We brought a member, Juan Carlos, to the lesson.  Another member, Valeska, had invited her cousin to take the missionary lessons:  Pati."

"The lesson went really well.  Pati has sincere desire and Valeska and Juan Carlos bore testimony and shared great experiences.  The practice and the lesson plan really helped Elder Root and I be more organized and unified."

There was a moment in the lesson when we explained about how one could come to know that these things were true, by the feelings in your heart.  We explained to Pati the role of the Holy Ghost, and how she could pray to know that the Church and the Book of Mormon were true.  She agreed to do so, and to accompany Valeska to church on Sunday.  We could all feel the Spirit testify of the truthfulness of the Gospel.

I'm glad that I could work with Elder Root, and I'm glad that we were able to help Pati understand more about the Holy Ghost, and how she could come to a knowledge for herself.

-Elder Crotzer

Last Cambio

Last week, all of the new missionaries arrived and the old missionaries left.  There was a short farewell for the leaving missionaries, and a few dear members friends from Rio Bueno came to say goodbye to Elder Dower and Hermana Ball.  It was really good to see these special friends from Rio Bueno again, and we all took a Rio Bueno picture together.

The next day we went to the airport, and saw the old missionaries off as they boarded their flight.  Right before they left, we sang two hymns in the airport lobby.  There was a special spirit.  We are really going to miss them.

And that's about it.  We are doing zone conferences again.