Hi, family!

I have a transfer coming up :O I´m going to live in the same house and the same ward, but I´m shifting to another sector to work with a new companion from Peru. He already lived in our house and served in this other sector, so I already know him a bit. He doesn´t speak much if any English, so I´m going to learn Spanish much faster these upcoming weeks. My old companion is going to train another gringo, so he´ll still be here too. I´m going to be very familiar with this ward.

Lots of people asked about the dog bite. The bite was very small, nothing compared to the pictures I saw of Abbie Harper´s bite. The treatment is easy (5 phases of shots), it´s just a pain because the clinic is way on the other side of Puerto Montt and it takes a lot of time and money. We have to take about 3 colectivos every trip. (A colectivo is kind of like a cross between a taxi and a bus. They're black cars with little sign over them telling a set route that they have to follow and they have a fixed price to board. They´re very common in Puerto Montt, and easier to find than busses or taxies—not that I´d take a taxi; they´re super expensive.)

 

Maia! Congrats on the license :D

General Conference was awesome :D It felt like it went by really fast. For those of you who don´t know, it´s where the prophet and the apostles speak to all the world. They guide us and help us know how to be happy. 

Elder Holland gave inspired counsel to those with depresson: http://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch/2013/10?lang=eng&vid=2722351290001&cid=10 (May I also recommend President Monson´s talk http://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch/2013/10?lang=eng&vid=2724034937001&cid=11)

 

President Uchtdorf gave a powerful testimony of why members choose to be members of the church. If you have doubts about your role in the church, watch http://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch/2013/10?lang=eng&vid=2721983168001&cid=12

 

But what was most noticeable to me was the big emphasis on member missionary work. Eight of the speakers, including President Monson, made direct references to member missionary work, saying that now is the time to hasten the work. People will look back on these days the way they look at the first vision and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. It is your chance to participate and build the Lord´s Kingdom. I especially liked Elder S. Gifford Nielsen´s talk http://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch/2013/10?lang=eng&vid=2722274052001&cid=6 and M. Russell Ballard´s http://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch/2013/10?lang=eng&vid=2722055724001&cid=11)

 

The work is always hard. I knew it´d be that way. I had an interview with President Rappleye (a very awesome guy) and could honestly say I was happy here. He gave great advice about the work and I felt well instructed and prepared.

Love you all!

 

¡Chau! (<-- the hermana sitting next to me told me that´s how it´s spelled)

-Elder Connor Christopherson