June 8, 2015

Hey mom! 

On the 22 June an hermana from my ward will be at the Washington D.C. Temple. She should’ve sent you a message on facebook last night. Her name is Eliva Cocacola, her real name is hna Quiroz! BUT SHE WANTS TO MEET YOU!!!!!!

This week was very rainy.

I have recommitted myself to write in my journal.  I really like it.  I find ithelps me remember stuff from the last week better. 

Speaking of stuff from last week, we taught Catherine about the Atonement by Elder Bennion eating a red hot chili pepper so she didn’t have to. He suffered quite a bit../ eyes watered, lips numb, it was great! Catherine seemed to understand, however she did not make it to Church. We’re going to give her some time to think about the things that have been taught.  Please keep her in your prayers.

We found a couple other families this week.  One of them was a man who was interested in practicing His English. He is out of work and former navy.  During our lesson, I felt the Spirit so strong when I told him this gospel is helping me to prepare to be the best father, the best husband that is possible in my being.  Hopefully he and his family will remember the Spirit and will see us next week.

Sunday was awesome, fast and testimony day. All the leaders of the ward stood up and gave short quick powerful testimonies.  I felt inspired to be more diligent in my efforts with the ward.  Also, I had a cool experience this week. I’ve been doubting if I should go back to the Air force Academy or go to BYU or some other regular school and have to opportunity to start my family earlier. Both sides have their benefits!  So I fasted.  I received my answer in the most obvious way. We were in priesthood and the teacher asked, "and what happens if you’ve ask a good question, a relevant one, and done all you can, and its regarding something important and... you still don’t get an answer? Elder Watts?" Well I responded,"its probably because you already know the answer, you just don’t want to accept it." and yup... The words came out of my own mouth…the Academy is where the Lord wants me to be!  Heavenly Father answers prayers, and He is so interested in what we have to say. He´s quite literally the best!

Alright, gotta go edit the letter for the Academy now!  Have a great week! 

Love,

Elder Watts

May 25, 2015

Hey mom!

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY EVERYONE.  Thank you to all the Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen, and Coast Guardsmen who serve the great country of the USA! I am proud to say I’m American.

This week was different because of the trio. We visited new parts of our sector, and had to develop a new teaching style with the three of us.  Elder Letelier is back on his feet so soon it will be just Elder Bennion and I.

We did a lot of exploring and found some very dangerously muddy trails looking for off the beaten path houses. Ended up falling several times.  Grateful for detergent.  Iit was really fun to find all these different points of view of the sector we always thought we knew like the back of our hand! 

Catherine couldn’t visit this week because of difficulties in our schedule and in hers.  We found a couple new people. All because we shined our shoes. In a desperate chance to do something to receive the blessing to find new people, we decided to shine our shoes.  Believing that when we take care of what we already have, God will bless us with more! AND it worked! Now we will see if the pattern continues, and I have faith it will.  We will also have to up our game and clean our house! 

In my studies this week, I was in the book of Mormon, in the Book of M0rmon.  It was during the difficult situation Mormon is put in, being the general of the army of a wicked nation. I imagine it would’ve been very difficult to not have the support of your people who had the least bit of intergrety or honesty. Which brings us back to Memorial Day. Unlike the Nephites at this time, Honorable men and women lay their lives down on the line daily to make this world a better place and for us to have our freedom of choice. For them I am grateful! However, I’m more grateful for the knowledge that Christ lives, and that He loves me and He wants to help me in every waking moment. 

Today, we played and taught ultimate Frisbee in a zone activity.  I really really really... miss sports! It was a great time getting out there in the brisk morning and running around. I know its May and hot there, but here it’s getting to be quite... wait for it... Chilly.  Get it? 

So have a great day, I leave you with that pun! 

Love you,

Garrett

May 18, 2015

Hey mom! 

This week was awesome! It included a bit of everything. 

I’m in a trio now! Elder Ruz from Spain will be joining Elder Bennion and I this week, and maybe the next until his companions feet get better.  His companion was operated on both feet. Poor guy, shouldn’t be walking but he’s trying his best to mask the pain. So President Arrington told him to take a week off and work in the office to recuperate. Please keep Elder Letelier in your prayers that he might get better.

One of the people we taught in Conce, Brahyan, was baptized yesterday! He is dating a girl in our ward, so he came to all the activities, lessons and stuff we had in the chapel.  When he told us he wanted to be baptized, he revealed that he lived in THNO (Talcahuano) and then I got sent to THNO!!!! I was super excited cuz I thought it was fate when his street name appeared on our map... but he lives in our neighboring ward. So I passed the reference, and two months later He got baptized. A LOT of people from Lorenzo came also, aaaaaaaah que recuerdo. It was great to see all of them again. 

This week has been ups and downs though.  The hills have become a bit muddy and Elder Bennion’s shoes don’t have the best traction.  We met with a ton of people this week. One of our goals was to expand the work load to more than just the typical few. When  we got to Sunday, our investigator Catherine had to work to cover for her uncle, and the rest of our people didn’t show. 

We strive to have the Spirit always to really help the people feel what we’re saying.  We always feel we can do better.  We pray that the investigators keep their commitments we're extending so they can really see the difference the Gospel can make in their lives. I have to say that I’ve seen how good it feels, the kind of person I’m becoming because I’m doing these 3 little things that are so simple:  read, pray, and go to church.  Alma 37:6 explains it perfectly and we can apply this to any situation.  When you focus on the little things, Great things come to pass.  But that’s if we do the little things! 

This week in the trio we’ll continue to strive for the company of the Spirit.

Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Watts

May 11, 2015

Hey mom!

It was fantastic seeing you yesterday, I hope mother’s day was amazing and that whatever food ben made wasn’t absolutely terrible :P 

Grant is better huge! BROCK’S TALKING!!!!!! What is happening!?

This week we had trouble finding the people we already found. We have been focusing on finding future leaders, and we believe the Lord is answering our prayers, because we've found young energetic people who could help put the spark back into our elderly ward here :) We just have to take care of them. 

I’m currently studying the Savior’s ministry amongst the native Americans in 3 Nephi. I like how He makes a specific point to say to them "Pray in your families, that your houses, and family might be blessed. The family prayer is so important and we see a lot of people who start to stop believing because they haven’t kept that open line of communication with the Lord.

We met a fisherman from California named Rocky (Rupert) who is here getting dental work done....  Don’t ask me why but he came to our noche de capilla and shared about how one of his buddies, had lost his boat and how he had always been an active member of the Church and how the Church helped get him back on his feet to provide for his family. He was impressed by the unity the Church displayed! It was a cool experience to see how God prepares people to be receptive. Hopefully we can meet up with him again!!! 

Okay, have a great week!!!

Elder Watt

May 3 2015

May 3rd

Hey mom! This week was kind of hard. We worked really well! Had a ton of appointments and went out with a bunch of different members, but when it came down to Sunday we fell short of what we had hoped for.

This week we got to go check out a Chilean historic site, the RH Huascar, a moniter style ironclad that the Chilean navy captured from the Peruvians in 1870s. We took lots of fotos.  It was a really good experience.  Now we know why half the streets here are named the way they are! It was weird being escorted on a military naval base though. Felt out of place, like I should be the one escorting.  You will recognize that Elder Kenmner made an appearance also. (the blonde from Lorenzo arenas) 

This week our ward had the ward temple trip, so they took the 8 hour bus ride up to Santiago to help out their ancestors and also themselves! We were left to feed ourselves for lunch.  Remember how the returned missionaries from our Ward who served in Chile always talked about the Chilean hotdog, well they’re called Completos.   We made a LOT of them in the house cuz they’re super cheap. I would have never thought to put tomato or guacamole on a hotdog.  It’s really good! Elder Bennion shoveled down like 9 preparing for his fast.  He regretted that decision later. The dude just eats and eats and can’t gain a pound, while my guata (gut) has seemingly begun to appear more and more like I’ve been eating too much bread. Well, time to start dieting again. 

Marioli and Belén had the "pleasure" of being invited to go the country side this weekend... so they couldn’t come to church or meet with us much. We think that Marioli is looking for some HUGE sign as an answer .   Belén seems more calm about it, keep them in your prayers that they can receive an answer and recognize it when it comes. 

Sergio and Andrea are slowly learning the commandments. He likes coffee, and she likes tea, but hopefully they can find the need to change. She seems more open to that than he does. We will be visiting them this week with our ward mission leader Hno Efrain Puchi. He's sweet, 30 year old father of two, reminds me a lot of Ben in that he's got his head screwed on pretty straight,  We’re working very well with him! 

HUGE SUCCESS in family history! Got everything as far back as like 7 generations.  Please send me more about Grandma Katie.  Could you update her info in family search and maybe put a photo? if not send me the info and this Saturday I’ll upload it all!

Oh, Elder Bennion became a district leader. He is responsible for 2 other sectors besides us. I’ll be sure to try to help him out as much as possible as he tackles haha get it, he plays d line, this new challenging assignment from president! 

Love you!!!

Elder Watts