9/18/2017

Hello family, it feels like a long time since I last wrote home even though it was just last week.  Transfers are coming up soon and I think I will be changing sectors!  As much as I love it here in Mejillones, I feel like I`m starting to lose some of my juice, and I think changing sectors will give me a fresh new start.   If I stay though I will have the chance to see Danny, our investigator get baptized on the 30th of September which would be great.  I hope you all can pray for him that he can make the choice to be baptized on that day.  He really is learning a lot and progressing well. He just hasn`t been able to go to church because of his work.  He works 20 days and has 10 days to rest, so it`s very difficult for him to take time to listen to us.  

Today is the 18th day of September and here is like our 4th of July, but Chile takes things to the next level sometimes.  The people here loooove to party. They don`t even really need a reason to do it haha!  They also have lots of Chilean pride, for their country.  So when the 18th comes around everyone has a Chilean flag and is usually partying.  In fact I think I have seen more alcohol this last week then I have my whole time in Chile haha.  It`s actually really hard for the missionaries, because everyone is celebrating and doesn`t have time to listen to our message.  

Anyways I am feeling a lot better and now almost everyone in the apartment has got sick because of me haha oops.  Elder Burnthorn had to stay in bed one day because he had a bad fever.  Now he is feeling a lot better and we are working harder than we ever have.  I hope that everyone is doing well and staying safe.  I love you guys tons!

Love,

        Elder Hirschi

Answers: 

1. Have you found out anymore on where the temple will be built? Do you think they will announce it at general conference coming up soon?

 No, but it looks like we need to have 3 Stakes before we can actually get the temple built, and we only have 2, so I don`t think it will be built any time soon.

2.  Do many of the Chileans play an instrument that you know of?

 There are actually a surprising amount of flutes here. They play lots of flutes and some play violin.

3. Have you been teaching any English classes there lately?

 Every week we have English Classes, but Elder McKinlay teaches it

4. What area would you like to go if you get transferred?

 I want to go to Iqueque or Erika up to the northern part of the mission.  

5. Have you seen any missionaries lately that you haven't seen for a while?

 No, lots of the missionaries that I have been with have already finished, like Elder Carter, Elder Saarelianen, and a whole bunch of others.  It`s actually kind of sad for me.  I did get to see Elder Dionicio who I hadn`t seen since Copaipo!

6. Are you ready for a change if you get transferred soon?

 It will be sad for me, but I think it will be a good change if I do.

9/11/2017

Hello family how are you doing?  I have good news, I´m starting to feel better, because I was sick for awhile, but now I feel a lot better.  I couldn´t even talk for like 4 days it was really hard to make contacts but now I can finally speak again YAY!  Also I caught my first fish today!  We went fishing with a member today and we caught some fish and put them back out in the water.  I had been fishing before, but I never actually pulled a fish out of the water until today.  We also cut open a soda bottle and caught some little fish inside of that, it was pretty cool.  Then I started skipping some rocks and it was pretty cool.

We found a really cool investigator named Dani, actually I had known him since Elder Castañeda was here, but recently we have been teaching him and he is really receptive.  It looks like he wants to get baptized but we are going to have to wait a few weeks, because he got a new job and works on Sundays.  He still needs to go to church and get to know the members before he can be baptized.  

I am almost done reading the New Testament in English. I think I am going to start reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish again after I finish.  I want to invite all of you to start reading the Book of Mormon again, because it really grows your testimony of the Church.  I have felt the spirit very strongly since I´ve been on my mission, and I have a firm testimony that I know that this is the true church restored on the Earth.  

I love you guys tons! 

Love,

       Elder Hirschi

Answers: 

1. What is something new you have learned lately?

 I learned the word for Crab = Cangrejo.

2.Do some of the businesses there close down for lunch? 

 Some of them do,but not all. 

3. When are the next transfers? 

 We get transfers not this next Monday, but the next one.  

4. Do you ever teach the kids in your ward at church?: 

Yes we have to teach every Sunday, because we teach all the investigators that come to church.  

5. Is it warming up there yet? Have you heard about the hurricanes in Texas and Florida?

 Yeah it´s starting to get warmer, but really with all the wind it´s still pretty cold.  I have heard about Texas and Florida, actually Elder Burnthorn´s family lives in Houston Texas, and I would ask if you could pray for them.

6. Where will the temple be built?

 I don´t know, they just announced that they were going to build one.

9/4/2017

This week was pretty rough we didn´t get too many lessons in and our baptism fell through for the 2nd time.  We also changed Mamita (the person that cooks for us), because Mamita Gloria got work and couldn´t keep feeding us.  We changed to a different Mamita, and her name is Teressa, she is from Peru, so the food is really good.  She is really nice, and she is actually an investigator for the other Elders.

This Sunday President came to our Branch without telling us, which wasn´t the best day, because we were looking for investigators to go to church in the morning so we showed up 40 minutes late.  To make matters worse neither Elder Burnthorn or I had cut our hair in quite awhile, so we had to make sure we did it today haha.  No but really President was very nice about everything and said that we just need to make sure we do it soon and to go to church on time.  Also they came to announce the new temple that will be built in the North of Chile.

That´s right they are going to build a temple in the North of Chile!  It´s gonna make it a lot easier to get members to visit the temple and to feel the spirit.  I hope I will get to visit it before I leave, depending on how long it will take to build.  

Anyways thanks for the support and the prayers, it always makes a difference for me out here.  I can feel the blessings everyday, and I wanted to let you guys know how grateful I am to have a wonderful family.  I hope everyone is doing well and that you all can stay faithful in the gospel.

Love,

       Elder Hirschi

Answers:

1: Have you learned any interesting facts about the city of Mejillones?

 They have a curse that if anyone drinks too much milk, they will die the next day...  haha just kiddin´ I really don´t know that much about Mejillones.  They say that along time ago there was a tidal wave that hit Mejillones, but it was realllllly small when it got there so it didn´t really do any damage.

2: What is something you have learned from your mission President?

 I have learned a lot about the importance of Reading The Book Of Mormon Every Day

3: Do you have a favorite food you have ate there?

 Empanadas are really good, and they have a lot better bread than we do.

4: How is your health like lately?

 Recently I have been a little sick, but nothing too bad!

5: Have you cooked anything at your apartment lately?

 We cooked some really good noodles with sauce, meat, and onion.  We had to cook this last week, because we didn´t have Mamita.

Pictures: