5/29/2017
Milagros de Dios email from Elder Logan Hirschi

Hello Familia!  I am doing amazing here in Mejillones. We have lots of people progressing, and we even have someone that is going to be baptized next week.  The other Elders here have lots of success and blessings from God!  They have had 5 baptisms and even a wedding for two of their investigators!  It`s crazy how fast Mejillones is growing. We used to only have like 30 people in church, and now it`s like 50!  We might have to change into a ward haha!  

I got to speak in church on Sunday again!  This time was a lot easier because I could speak the language and I have studied the scriptures more!  Although I didn`t really plan anything until I got to church haha!  Like always I waited till the last minute to write my talk, but I only had to get up and talk for 10 minutes.  I started off with the usual. Tell a quick joke and get into the talk!  I began to talk and after what felt like 2 minutes I looked at the clock and I had already talked for almost 15 minutes.  It was crazy how much easier than I remember in Copiapo!  Anyways everyone liked it and I talked about the Book of Mormon.  Which was good because we had lots of investigators that need to read it!  

We had a bad day at first, because I hadn`t planned my talk and there weren`t any investigators at church.  I was actually really sad when that happened.  Then I said a quick prayer in my heart that God would give us a miracle, and 2 minutes later Shessi showed up with her family!  I felt so much better and I immediately prayed to give thanks to God!  Really I know that without his help, the mission work would never progress!  

Anyways that`s pretty much all for this week!  Thanks for all the prayers and support!  I love you guys.

Love,

      Elder Hirschi

Scripture: DnC 68: 5-6 (I just like this because it is a promise God made to Missionaries) 

Answers: 

1. How did transfers go?  Did any of the missionaries with you get transferred?

A: Yep everyone left :( ... JUST KIDDING WE ALL STAYED MEJILLONES FOREVER TA TA!

2. Do many of the members there do family history work?  Have many of the members been to the temple in Santiago?

A: Not really, in fact very few members even have reccomends to the temple!  We invited the President of the rama to have interviews with the members.

3. How are your investigators doing?

A: Good!  We have one investigator that is going to be baptised this week if all goes well!

4. It is Memorial weekend here.  Do they have a Memorial Day there or something like it?

A: I don`t think so, or at least I haven`t seen anything like it yet.

5. What is your favorite day of the week there as a missionary?

A: MONDAY!!!! Haha jk, no I really like going to church and feeling the spirit on Sundays, because really it is the day to remember the attonment of Jesus.

6. What are the youth like in your ward? 

A: Loco!  No they are all really cool, although there isn`t very many youth!

7. When do the kids get out of school for vacation?  When is their summer vacation?

A: They have vacation during our winter, so they won`t be done for a while.

8. Do you guys have a microwave in your apartment?

A: Ummmm... Yeah

Pictures:

Some of the food we made haha!  It was actually really good!

5/22/2017

Hello Family!  Lots of things have happened!  I got to Skype home the other week!  Then we had a baptism on Saturday of a 17 year old named Victor!  Then we had 5 people go to church this Sunday!  I can not express how grateful I am for the blessings God gives us!  Sometimes it´s hard to keep moving forward on the bad days, but you receive more blessing based on your faith in Christ!  And if you look at the life of Christ he never stopped serving God, and he had a lot of troubles in his life.  So if you have a problem or you are troubled, just think about Christ and how hard it must have been for him, and I don´t know about you, but it really helps to lift me up in my hard moments.  

The baptism went really well. We had 2 investigators show up and everything went smoothly!  The only thing was that the water was extremely cold!  Although after it felt really good to get out and get dry!  Victor was super excited after the baptism. He said he felt really like a completely new person!  It was really cool to see him get baptized, and his best friend who is a Mormon came all the way from Antofagasta just to see him get baptized!  It was a really good experience, and we are going to keep teaching him so he can be a strong member in the church.  

We also did lots of serivce this week!  We got to paint a house of one of our investigators! We also got to build more of the house of someone in the tomas!  

It was crazy what happend to this family about 3 days ago!  My companion and I were climbing up the stairs of an apartment building, and a woman burst out of her house running down the stairs crying.  We asked if we could help her and she just keep running down and crying, "My son, no not my son."  We heard sirens coming down the street and an ambulance was flying down the road.  Later we found out that the son of the woman, was driving a motorcycle without a helmet and he crashed and passed away.  We tried to pass by the house to help the woman, but the family was greiving and didn´t want anything to do with us.  My companion bore a strong testimony of eternal families, and it was a really powerful moment.  We left, and we still don´t know how the woman is doing, but I can still remember the fear and saddness she had that night. I pray that all of you will be careful, and listen to the spirit, because I just saw how sad she was that night and I don´t want anyone to feel pain and suffer like she did.  It would be so difficult to deal with something that big, but I just want everyone to know how grateful I am that I know families can be eternal.  My companion and I plan on visiting the woman again, and I hope that we can help her to learn about the Plan of Happiness that God has for all of his children.  

Anyways I love all of you guys, thanks for all the support and love!  Stay safe and be happy!  

Love,

       Elder Hirschi

Scripture: Alma 36:3 (“Whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day.”)

Challenge: I have been looking at all the success we have had and all the things we have been slacking on, and I noticed that we haven´t received a lot of references from the members here.  So I wanted to challenge everyone back home to think of one friend or person that might need the gospel in their lives and invite them to church or to listen to the missionaries!  

Answers:

1.  Is the weather starting to feel like winter there yet?  Do you have plenty of warm clothes for the cold weather?

 Yep I have enough clothes for the weather!  It is starting to get really cold here in Mejillones!  It is kind of hot in the day and then gets really cold at night!

2. Have you seen any missionaries lately you haven’t seen for a while?

 YEP!!  We had a meeting with Elder Texiera (from the 70) and I got to see Elder Court from the first transfer in Copiapo!  I also got to see Elder Schmid who came here in my group from the CCM!  

3.  Did you get the bump day package that we sent yet?: I did thanks so much, it is always nice to get packages and letters from home!  I am still trying to figure out how to send letters home!  Hopefully I can soon!

4. Are there any Sister Missionaries there in Mejillones?: There were before us!  Now we don´t have any sister missionaries, just Elders here.  Although in our zone we still have sisters, just not in Mejillones.

5.  Have you given any blessings recently? 

 Yep!  In all of my mission I have given 3 or 4 blessings and 1 was in English haha!  

6. When is your next transfer?

 Today!

7.How often are you able to use your camera?  Only on P-day? We sometimes use it on other days, but I think mainly we are supposed to use it on P-day.  

Pictures:

Sorry Next time

5/15/2017

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!  I got to skype home and talk to the family!  That was really cool, I will admit it was kind of hard to speak English, but I made it through haha.  Now it was super cool to see how the family was doing, and to explain what it´s like here in Chile!   I also got to see my companions family and they are doing really well too!  I am super grateful to have this chance to be here on the mission serving the Lord and his children!  There are just so many blessing that you can have when you give the people the gospel!   

We had 2 different Conferences this week, one for the missionaries and Stake Conference!  We learned a lot about how to teach the people better and that we need to always rely on the Book of Mormon!  We learned that we need to be good examples for the people around us and that we also need to plant seeds for the future missionaries!  

Not this Sunday but last Sunday I got thrown up on, then I lost the phone, then the baptism of the other Elderes fell through it wasn´t a very good week.  I was really sad!  That must have been a test of our patience, because this week we have had a lot of blessings.  We have found lots of new people that are really receptive and the other Elders found their investigator and he got baptised!  It was really reliving to get blessings after a hard week.  Just know that in the difficult times the Lord is always there, and he will bless you for your patience and faith!  

We have an investigator that is progressing very well, his name is Victor and he really wants to get baptised.  We have taught him all the lessons and I know that he is ready, so we are planning on baptising him this Saturday!  I hope everything goes well.

I´m grateful for all my family and everything that I have learned on the mission.  I hope everyone is doing well, and I will keep praying for you guys every night!  

Love,

       Elder Hirschi

Scripture: 3 Nephi: 11:33-35 (We need to help others to come with us the the Celestial Kingdom through repentence and baptism!)

Answers:

1.Are you getting a lot better at soccer now?

 better

2.How was stake conference like in Antofagasta?

 It was really big and cool!

3.What is something that we could send you to help with anything?  Is it getting cooler?  Do you need us to send you a jacket?

 No i am good thanks

4.Who are some of the members that like to feed you there?

The president of the rama

5.Can you get your Mammita’s address so we can send her a thank you for feeding you all the time?

I don´t know

6.Did the other missionaries in your apartment get to Skype home the same time as you?

No they didn´t

5/8/2017

Hello Family!  I am doing just great here in Mejillones, with my companion.  We didn`t have a baptism this week, but the other Elders did!!!  It was really cool! We got to go watch Noemi get baptized and confirmed in church yesterday.  She is a super good person and is going to be a faithful member!  

We are having lots of success too.  We had 7 people go to church this week!  We also found 2 kids that are really receptive, Victor and Kevin!  I really hope that they can get baptized and receive the blessing of the gospel in their lives!

We ate at a really good Peruvian Restaurant this week that had really good chicken, maybe the best I have ever had.  It also wasn`t that expensive!  I just have to say if any of you get the chance to try Peruvian food, do it!  Also there is lots of good Chilean food here too!  I recommend all of the food in South America!  

Answers: 

1.How do you like it there in Mejillones? 

It`s really cool!  Really small too!

2.Did you find your wallet yet?  Let me know if you find it or need us to send you a new debit card sometime.

 No, but you don`t need to send me one!

3. Did you decide on a time for skyping for Mother’s day? 

 I think at like 6:00pm but I will email you before!

4.Have you met some new people lately?  How are your investigators doing?

 They  are doing good!  Kevin and Victor are really cool investigators!

5. Do you go on very many exchanges there?

 Not really, we only have 4 Elders in Mejillones

6. What kinds of food does your mammita feed you?

 Lots of soup!!  She makes it with bones (which is actually really healthy at least she says haha)!  We also have lots of beans!  

7. Where are the other missionaries in your apartment from?  What do they like to do?

 My companion is from Columbia and he likes to play soccer.  Elder McKinlay is from Logan Utah and he did Cheer (and flirt because he told me to put that haha). Elder Kirk is from Salt Lake and he likes to Golf! 

Love ya,

Elder Hirschi

5/1/2017



¡Hola mi familia!  Here in Mejillones it's a bit more different than Copiapo, because it is really small and I have to get to know the people again.  The people are really nice too, but it just takes awhile to change from certain people to others.  The Elders here are really cool, Elder McKinlay and Elder Kirk are the other two Elders that live with Elder Castañeda and I.  They are really cool dudes that work hard and have a good time.  Elder Castañeda and I get along really well too, and he is a very good missionary.  

We didn´t have very many investagators progressing when I got here, but luckily we are pretty good at doing contacts.  We met lots of people here, most of the people will let you talk to them at least for a little while, and then if they are really nice we can keep sharing.  We found someone named Maria Oces the other week and she is really cool!  She has had some problems in her life that she really wants to fix.  She is trying so hard to change her life for the better and I wish that there was something more that I can do.  She lost her son when he was about 6 years old and her sister had some problems and had to go to the hospital for a long time (now she is better).  She also is divorced and has children that she wants to have a good relationship with them.  We are trying to help her so she can see the blessings that the gospel can bring, and I hope that she will have the chance to be baptized.  

It sounds like everyone is doing good back home!  I hope everyone can pray for our investigators this week and I wanted to thank you guys for helping me out.  You always give me the support I need and I love you guys so much!  

Love,

      Elder Hirschi

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:9-12  We all have difficulties

Answers:

1.What time do you think will be good to skype on Mother’s day Sunday May 14^th?

A: I will have to talk to my companion and ask when is a good time to skype. 

2. Have you been to see the ocean there yet?

A: Every time I go to the window I can see the ocean haha.  No but we haven´t actaully been on the beach yet, because there´s not really a whole lot to do.  

3. In America we hear the national anthem a lot and are pretty patriotic.  Do you hear the national anthem there a lot and are they pretty patriotic there?

A: Not really that I know of, but they do have a different type of music than us.  They call it reggaeton, and if you want you can look up despacito and bailando because they are like the most famous songs here.  They also have the chant for like soccer and other things, "Chi Chi Chi  Le Le Le".  They do have lots of flags of Chile and theres actaully a day that you can be fined if you don´t have a flag of Chile.

4. What does your companion like to do?  What is his first name?

A: He likes to play soccer and eat food haha.  His first name is Jacob.

5.Are there other missionaries in your apartment besides you and your companion? If so, what are they like?

A: Elder Kirk and Elder McKinlay they are really cool dudes.  Elder McKinlay is our district leader and Elder Kirk has 1 less transfer than me in the mission.  

6. Have you met any new fun people in Mejillones?

A: Yeah our mammita is really cool, she always helps us out with the mission work and makes really good food!  

7. What is the average size family of the members of the church there?  What is the largest family size you have seen there?

A: 4 I would guess, and 4... haha no I think that the biggest there is like 7 people.

Pictures: 

Sorry I forgot my camera!!!!