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

the week as zone leader #3

Hola everybody i know its been a little while sorry for the absence but dont worry here i am alive and well no worries haha. this week has been absolutely crazy with everything going on. before anything else ya'll are probably wondering about my subject title. so my comp had to go home to get some medical treatment so for now im rolling with the zone leaders Elder MacKay from Layton Utah and Elder White from San Antonio Texas. its a party amongst us the days pass by so fast and especially cause we are so busy its unreal we are just teaching people left and right its great sometimes we can afford to take a moment to rest because somebody else needs are help.

thats the thing i love so much about the mission the days go by fast when youre not thinking about yourself. you can try and plan what youre going to do everyday but in the end you never know whats gunna happen. i have made bread, carried a giant refrigerador down the street and have taught drug addicts all in the same day its just insane but thats my life and i love it. 

i just wanted to let you guys know that i know the priesthood is real i know that Jesus Christ lives and that He knows me personally. i know that He has a plan for me and that He knows my potential and i know its the same for each and every one of you. He loves you and He wants whats best for you. 

i leave all these things and i wish you all the best week, with much love,

Elder Carlos Cabrera

facts of the week:

1. chileans can put mayonase on anything and theyll think it tastes better. 

2. every street dog rocks a stylish sweater, as if it actually makes the difference in this weather

3. when people say "go home yankee" is suppose to be offense, jokes on them i would love to be a yankee, id make so much money and id rock those pinstripes

the one with the double date

Hola Everybody!!! another week has passed and youre all probably wondering the same thing i am, where does the time go? seriously it blows my mind. i swear weeks werent his fast a year ago haha. but anyways here we are once again after one heck of a week in the life of the chilean serving missionary. Man what a life it is. ill break down the week a bit...

alright so probably highlight of the week i wold say was actually saturday like everyday is great but saturday we had what a missionary version of a double date. that means we had 2 appointments planned at the same time in different ends of the sector. i tried to cancel one but turns out a lot o people had been invited to this family Home Evening we were gunna have so i was shoot what can we do. then i get my good buddies Elder MacKay and Elder White that are in the same ward and pull them out of their sector and ask them to help us pull this off. so Elder White went with my comp Elder Andrade and Elder MacKay came with me. it was a blast we taught about 15 people the restoration and the spirit was so strong i could look everyone in the eyes and they were so intrigued and i know they could feel the truthfulness of the message. it was a party and then they gave us these giant hamburgers to eat and i nearly couldnt finish and then i remembered im american so i manned up and went to town. what a night. everyday i never know whats gunna happen but thank goodness for improv and the Spirit to guide us. id sure be lost without it. 

anyways thats the highlight of the week and today i took my kid to go hike a mountain, im a little out of shape but it was a good time all in all so enjoy the pics the sun was killer.

I love you all very much and i know the Savior loves you all even more. the Church is true and has been restored back on the earth once again. God still speaks to us today if we are willing to listen.

with so much love have a great week,

Elder Carlos Cabrera

facts of the week: 

1. chileans put smeared avocado on their burgers, what are they doing...

2. apparently fresno state football is known here, if only they were good...

3. there are still people who believe in Marxism, what does that even mean? i had it explained to me and that sounds nothing like religion...

the one with my 4th of July in Chile

well im breaking tradition today, no spanish because we're celebrating the birth of the great U.S. of A. i hope youve all had a great day and an even better night watching fireworks and enjoying company to celebrate this awesome holiday. so today to celebrate a little bit we decided to go as a american as we possible could today and cook some burgers on the grill and i even got a buddy of mine to hook me up with rootbeers that are nearly impossible to find here in santiago, all the gringos were thanking me with their lives. haha. but no it was awesome we got together grilled played some basketball, ping pong, and just enjoyed the day. there might have been at least 7 latinos amongst us but they were good sports about it. and whos gunna say no to a burger and a rootbeer? 

so it hasnt been that long since i wrote ya'll last but to update a little our recent convert Patricia got confirmed this past sunday and that was very powerul i was able to particpate in the ordinance and i could seriously feel the presence of the holy ghost and she recieved it on sunday. very spiritual day, felt the spirit a lot, cant ask for better than that. but other than that we're still working with the rest of the family Kenyi and Maria trying to get them married, might go into to wedding planning after the mission...nah probably not but yeah thats where we're at for now. 

All is great down here, not the same for the 4th but just waiting until Chiles independence day thats when the real parties get going down here haha. I love ya'll very much, Happy 4th once again and have a great week, until next time.

Elder Carlos Cabrera

facts of the week.

1. chileans are in LOVE with barbecues they just go nuts for a barbecue thats how anybody celebrates anything down here

2. even when chile loses in soccer chileans still find a reason to honk horns and celebrate, at least theyre not poor losers ill give them that

3. the average latino does not know what root beer even is, that should be a crime against humanity

 

 

thanks for everything President Videla

hola Everybody!!! i know i know im writing late this week but tusday we had a big conference so they moved my writing day to thursday! no worres im alive! haha actually ive been so busy and this week has been so crazy that id say im more than alive im all over the place!!! lets just get to the week...

Alright ell best part of the week, Patricia and Walter got baptized!!!! after a lot of drama and obstacles that the adversary put in their paths and by relations, ours, the were able to make their first covenants with the Lord and enter the waters of baptism. thhe water might have been a little freezing but hey rain or shine this thing was gunna happen. and it all turned out beautiful and they are happier and smiling more than ever. truly great day after a lot of trials, take that Satan.

 Another super cool thing, i officially have been on the mission for more than a year and this past wednesday i hit m year mark so to follow tradition, i burned a white shirt to celebrate, i know how basic. but yeah all is well we had a great farewell for our President Videla since he finishing his 3 years of mission ervice as our leader and mission father figure. but we are all ery excited for President Meservy who should be on his way here and we pray for him and his famil that they might arrive safely and get going on this awesome opportunity to serve the Lord. Life is good.

thats about it ill talk to ya'll again on the 4th so take care and much love.

Elder Carlos Cabrera

facts of the week: 

1. i might be the only Carlos that ou guys know (beides my dad and grandpa) and tat makes me feel special, but here i might as well be a john or matt or jake in united states comaprison, i might be able to even find a female Carlos if i look hard enough

2. tell one person that your "chicano" and they never forget it, they might forget your name or what color hair you have but they shall never forget the chicano haha 

3. apparently i speak ghetto chilean, how could that even be im gringo that shouldnt be possible