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!!!

The one with the chicken feet

Hola Everybody!!! i know i know you've heard the same beginning to an email for the past like year and a half but hey just hang in there cause you wont heard it much longer. that's right this week is start my very last transfer in the mission. it's ridiculous how soon all of this is coming to an end. but that's not gunna stop us from making the most fo everyday that we have left. 

so this week was great, we ended a transfer we said our goodbyes to people that went home and had transfers to other areas out of the zone, we had a primary activity where as a zone we sang "the army of helaman" and it went pretty well for only practicing 10 minute before haha. 

this new week starting off fast as we helped the new people to the zone get into their houses and get to know their new areas. it's fun to be able to serve in leadership, more opportunities to serve others. then for lunch we had a delicious, chicken feet soup. i don't know if ya'll have ate chicken feet but it's an interesting experience, especially when their talons are still attached. but it's okay, we survived.

highlights happen everyday, we laugh we preach and we walk a lot. that's what we do in this mission and thats what ill be doing until the end. all's good in the Lord's vineyard. success will come soon and you'll be seeing more people coming unto Christ and getting baptized. prepare yourself for some white clothes real pronto!

love you guys! Elder Carlos Cabrera

fact of the week:

chicken feet are apparently good for your skin, i ate 4 so i should be looking real good anytime soon...i'll be waiting

The one with the perks of being a baller

Hola a todos!!! i hope everyones been doing well up north (like northerm hemisphere) and that youre all enjoying the beautiful spring time. reporting to you live again after another week of this 2 year chilean adventure that ive been on. this week has week has been one of a lot of self reflection and growth. ive learned so much everyday and ive been able to see the Lord's hand in His work. its been a blessing to be able to. besides the normal missionary work and all the randomness that it consists of, we're just been running around with some many things, busy life as a leader. 

but funny story of the week, so every pday or tuesday we have kind of like a day to go out play sports and write all you guys. but if we want to go to another part of santiago we have to ask permission from our leaders to do so. so last night we and 2 sister missionaries wanted permission to go to this activity which they invited us to. but in the end when we asked for the permission, the leaders ended up giving us permission to go play basketball but not the sisters. when i had to tell the sisters, they were not very happy campers, they complained and whined and just didnt understand why we could go and not them and the answer i really had for them was "hermana, its the perks of bein a baller". they didnt respond to that very well but hey, it is what it is am i right?

besides that all is good down here, keep me in your prayers and i will sure keep you all in mine.

much love, Elder Carlos Cabrera

facts of the week: 

1. culd de sac is a french word and thats how you spell it, ya learn something new everyday

2. in basketball everything is possible if you have a good 3 point shot, steph can testify of that

The one with the 10 from Tennessee

Hola Everyone, yeah i know i know youre probably all getting tired of getting these emails every week for the past however long but hey hang in there guys, theres not many more so enjoy them while they last haha.

this week has been a good one, we've been working hard and preparing our two investigators that we have with bapstimal date for this sunday to be baptized. Remy and Gabriel are doing great, they go to church, they go to activities and theyre reading and praying everyday. theyre great people. i have found great joy in my mission service as ive come to recongnize the opportunities ive had to better the lives of the people by sharing the message that im here to share. and to explain the subtitle of this email, a guy came up to us yesterday out of nowehere at night and i was caught off guard and a little worried he was trying to pull something on us and then out of nowhere he said in english, "are you guys from tennessee?" and we were like "NO" confusingly and he was just like "cause youre the only ten i see" and then just walked off, we were left laughing hahaha, totally made our night. the most random, funny stuff happens here in the mission and its those memories you cherish as well. as you all can tell im great right where i am. i wish the same for all of you. have a great week!!!

Love, Elder Carlos Cabrera

instead of facts i want to give a huge shout out to some really special people in my life whove had or will ahve birthdays this month tghat i have to miss for the last time:

Happy Birthday to my Grandpa Eccles, Aunt Camille, Aunt Trudi, my handsome lil brother Caden (13), my lil princess Kami Lu (9) and my grown young lady for a sister, the red herself, Kennedy (17)

Happy Birthday guys i love you so much, sorry i have to miss your birthdays, but its the last time. You all are in my prayers and ill give you all your birthday hugs, and maybe gifts, when i see you again. LOVE YOU