The one with the last email

Well, here we are guys. after all this time that ive been writing home and keeping you all updates on my life in chile, its finally coming to an end. by this time next week i should be home in Fresno and this crazy/awesome experience ive had in chile these past 2 years will become a memory fo the past. i dont want to say that these have been the best 2 years of my life because that implies that i wont get any better from here on out. better said, it has been the best 2 years FOR my life. this has truly been a once in a lifetime experience to have been able to serve as a full-time representative of the Lord Jesus Christ and to have had the opportunity to help great quantities of God's children in such a variety of ways. Never again will i be able to walk through swarms of dogs and not be concerned if they have owners (most dont) , never again will i be talking with random alcoholics and drug addicts about the importance of Jesus Christ in our lives and how he can help us, never again, never again will i knock a door and when the door opens decide if i should begin to speak english, spanish,or creollo. never again will i be able to wake up and ahve my only concern be what the Lord wants me to do with my day. My mission has truly been one of a kind. It's shaped me, molded me, broken me down, and built me back up again. i have felt the heat of the refiner's fire as the Lord had slowly shaped me more into the person that he wants me to become. I have come to a greater knowledge of my Redeemer and i have come to know Him personally. I testify that he lives and loves us all more than we can ever comprehend. i know all these things and more to be true and i will never be able to repay the time I've had here in Chile for what it's taught me. I don't consider myself to be different, I'm still me, just a better version of me. I cant tell you all how excited i am to see you all again and i want to say thank you for all the love and support that I've felt throughout this whole journey. I guess this is it guys, i love you all and ill be seeing you really soon!!! catch me at the lake, the pool or your nearest Chipotle.

much love always, Elder Carlos Cabrera signing off for the last time

the one with the last skype home

Hola!!! so everybody the weeks are coming down to the end and after today i'm only going to be writing you all 2 more times so hang in there and bear with me haha. this week was awesome we had a full week of work and visits and just helping people but obviously the highlight of the week was mother's day this past sunday. usually i don't get too excited for mothers day since it just leads to stress about what to get mom since im awful at shopping for girls and what do you get a girl that has everything she evers needs...a son like me. but that's beside the point, i was excited because i was able to skype home to my family and see all there beautiful faces and man how time has passed. crazy to think this was my last time skyping them, since in a few weeks i'll be by their side again. no tears were shed, no goodbyes were difficult, it was a mere see ya soon and we left it at that. best skype of them all. Family truly is the most important thing that there is, i didn't understand that truly until i was without them after all this time. like they say, you don't appreciate something until you don't have it anymore, well i have the blessing of being able to experience that lesson and then get them back. 

we're doing great, we're working hard and finishing the race strong and trying to be able to say the same as Paul did when he came to his end by saying, "I have fought a good fight, i have finished my course, i have kept the faith"-2 Timothy 4:7

i love you all so much, take care and happy late mothers day to all the mothers out there that i know and love.

love, Elder Carlos Cabrera

The one with the last zone conference

Hola everyone!! so this week was when the "lasts" start happening as i experienced my last zone conference in my mission. it was a great conference we learned a lot and at the end a bunch of missionaries came up to me saying goodbye and some of them i'll probably never see again. how crazy to think? it made me sad to think that this is coming to an end and some friends ive made here i might not ever be with them in person again, thank goodness for technology though or else that would really rough. but things have been good, we had a barbecue today with the homies and we really enjoyed ourselves. im starting to have to say goodbye to people for good and im not a fan. but itll be fine its never an actual goodbye its just a see ya later. ive learned that principle the hard way haha. i hope you guys are all doing good and that youre preparing yourselves to have my back in town once again, you still have time no worries. I love this work i love this country and i love being Elder Cabrera, the day i look down and not see that name on my chest is gunna be an awfully sad day. but im just going to make the days count. love you all mucho and have a great week!!!

Love, Elder Carlos Cabrera

The one where i was a soapbox preacher

Hola a todos!!! yup thats right im writing all you guys again and on a monday! forgive the change of routine it's only temporary. wow what a week ive had!!! as i'm getting towards the end i'm appreciating more and more what i do everyday and i don't have much to report for now but i want to share probably the coolest experience we had this week. 

so this week we were walking around contacting people when all of a sudden we passed a park and saw three family members sitting on a bench and we asked them how they are doing, what they're up to and we just got to talking. turns out the family was from venezuela and one only had been in chile for about 2 months. but they started asking us what two gringos are doing here in chile and we started sharing what we do and what we preach.and as we got to sharing the restoration more and more family showed up to the point where do full benches of about 8 people were listening to us as i shared the first vision. it was awesome i felt like one of those old school missionary that use to preach on soapboxes to the crowds of people. what a sweet experience.  

i love this work so much and im going to make the most of the time i have left to do be apart of it. 

love, Elder Carlos Cabrera

sorry no pics this week!!!