the one with the Benjamin baptism

Hola Everybody its me once again from beautiful Los Andes, Chile. well another week come and gone and it was an eventful one on top of that. obviously biggest highlight of the week is that our awesome investigator Benjamin got baptized and it was so special and he feel so great and clean. we ran into him the morning before his baptism and he said he couldnt sleep all night because he was so excited, it doesnt get much better than that. moments like that make all the rough parts of the mission worth it. we get rejected a lot, we get yelled at, a whole bunch of hard stuff, but in the end i dont remember that stuff. the good moments the happiness that i feel and see the miracles that happen, the changes in peoples lives for the better, thats what sticks with me when all is said and done. 

Llay Llay is beautiful and im still getting to know it but it has a lot of great potential and a lot of great people, not much more to ask for. The church is true guys. i cant stress that enough. some of you that read this arent "mormon" or members of the church of Jesus Christ but i invite you to think "why not?" this is true just take the time to find out for yourself and stop just hearing me talk about what i know. find out for yourself because its right in front of your face. take hold because itll be the best decision you'll ever make in your life. i love you guys and thats why i say what i say.

I wish you all a great week and i send you my best from down here. catch ya later guys.

Love, Elder Carlos Cabrera

facts of the week:

1. my companion makes broken underwear super delicious, haha okay thats a translation theres this dessert here called calzones rotos which translates to brokern underwear, its some good stuff never thought id say that.

2. never have your back facing a latino, its a sign of disrespect and you risk offending someone..better to just always have your back against a wall

3. here in chile they call kids and young people cabros or cabras which literaly just translates to goats, every young person is a goat according to a chilean

the one with the riptide and the general authority

Hola Everybody!!!! man what a week it has been i cant believe we're already abck at tuesday feels like i was just here but time flies when youre soo busy.

theres so much thats been going on but ill try to give ya'll some good highlights at least alright where do i begin?

Well this àst thursday we had the awesome oppotunity to recieve a class from a General Authority Elder Texiera who is in charge of the south america south area. lots of responsibility. let me tell you guys hes a stud, he speaks 5 langages, he teaches better than anyone ive ever met and the spirit just hits you straight in the face when he talks. I had the opportunity to talk with him a bit and participate and it was great, plus i got to hang out with all my buddies (see photo at bottom).

But on top of that im loving it out here in the country LLay LLay. We had the opportunity to participate in a ward talent show and i sang with the other sister missionaries in the ward while my companion played the guitar (hes a shredder). it turned out really well we sang Riptide by Vance Joy good jam. so now im best friends with all the members so thats cool. and this week we're gunna have a baptism!! so stand by for photos!! things are cooking up here in Llay Llay, im excited. but yeah as you can see all is well and i wish you all a great week at school, work and in life in general!!!

Love, Elder Carlos Cabrera

facts of the week:

1. batteries here are ridiculously expensive

2. theres this place where you can get american soda, i bought my self a 12 pack of mountain dew, time i treat myself

3. latins love hearing english lyrics, they say our tone of voice when we sing is very pleasing to the ears, im happy to be of service

the one where i go to Andes

Hola everybody!!! so here i am reporting to you live from my new area in Los Andes!!! talk about different we are sure not in santiago anymore!! my area is called LLay LLay a little town in the mountains and its really pretty!! ill make sure to send photos the next couple weeks!!! My companion is Elder Guiñazù from Concepcion, Chile. hes so chill and nice hes young in the the mission has about 3 months so im leading things here its a new experience and im excited for it. i miss santiago but this is a once in a lifetime experience, dont know too many people whove been to the andes mountains but im one of them now. 

it was hard saying goodbye to people in my old area, i grw to love them a lot but thats the mission for ya, the goodbyes are hard but thats when you know you actually love what youre doing. i hope to see them again one day.

Thats about it so ill attach a few goodbye photos and i hope you all have a greatt week!!!!

Love, Elder Carlos Cabrera

facts of the week:

1. taxis dont exist in los andes

2. the people in los andes consider those that live in santiago a different type of chilean

3. it takes two hours for me to get from where i live to central santiago in bus

sorry these facts werent that good this week...

the one with the nasty pancakes

Hola Everybody!!! so lets get down to it, Im Elder Cabrera im in quinta normal, santiago chile and another week has came and gone on this 2 year adventure that im on preaching the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

This week was a little rough but i saw some miracles in just a few 7 days. its crazy the things i see on the daily, drunk dudes, old super friendly woman, people trying to speak english and haitians that dont speak a language that i know. still working on the french, its hard. but this week was good i had the opportunity to interview a young guy named Brian for baptism and during the interview i could feel how strong his testimony is and ity even got to the point that he cried, he was so ready and it just bore further testimony that what we are doing here, despite the rough parts, is totally worth it. what we have to offer is happiness, call it what you may but in the end it just makes people happy, thats good enough for me. its happiness because its the truth. 

im sorry i dont have more to say this week but sometimes the things that happen to me, words just cant do them justice. but dont worry when i get home ill give ya'll the rundown about it all. you might have to tell me to be quiet after a certain point haha. 

I love this Gospel, i love the truth and i will defend until i take my last breath on this earth. i love you all so please, reach out to your local missionary and let him or her teach you a thing or too, its made lives around the world better, no better reason to listen.

Have a great week!

Love, Elder Carlos Cabrera

facts of the week:

1. even in malls here that seem as if youre in the US just arent the same, major downfall: there are no directories to tell you where the heck anything is you just walk around until you find what youre looking for...so frustrating

2. there is a hot setting on the shower and there is a cold setting but an in between does not exist, you pick your battle burning or freezing but you just cant win

3. nesquik powder, when put in pancake mix does not make the affect that one hopes for, i thought i stumbled upon a goldmine but in reality it just makes it taste like nothing,...learned my lesson

the one with conference with President

Hola everybody man its been a busy week this past 7 days and theres no way i remember everything that happened but it had to be one the most fun weeks of my mission. im doing super well down here we're teaching so many people its hard to get to everybody and we're just having a blast. 

so yesterday we had a zone conference with our new but awesome President Meservy. it was so spiritually uplifting and i learned a lot, i can tell i have a lot to learn still in the mission and from our inspired mission president. plus his kids are awesome Micah and Jayden. But theres not much to say about this week, Elder Mackay and I are just having the time of our lives being companions and he continues to rip his pants in hilarious ways, ripped them yesterday right before President showed up, had to staple his pants together so not everyone could see his underweart hahaha 

but other than that the work is coming along a lot of potential in the making. and im loving being a missionary and seeing the happiness that i could bring to families. they just light up when they see our faces at the door. i have a firm testimony that this is the best thing i could be doing with my life these 2 years ive dedicated to the Lord. the Lord has a plan for me and im slowly being molded by the experiences and opportunities i have here, not a better 2 years for my life than this. 

i love you all and i wish you a great week,

Elder Carlos Cabrera

facts of the week:

1. buying in bulk doesnt exist here like costco or sams club, its a shame

2. there has to be a million ways to cook rice because peruvians know everyway to do it

3. haitian babies have to be the cutest babies on the planet, i cant tell if theyre speaking creole or baby jibberish, but i love it either way