Well my birthday was great! Judith and Ricardo had their baptismal interviews with our District Leader Elder Vargas; just love him-dang Peruvians! I had three different birthday parties here. I guess I’m loved a little bit :) I had one party with my zone and Elder Dumm, whose birthday was the 13th of March. Our Zone Leaders gave us some cake to work off - literally everything we eat we work off because of the amount of walking that we do! Then we went to visit with Fabian, Jordana, their children, Fernanda (a member), Ignacio (Nacho) and my good friend Luiz (he is the little boy peeking his head in the photo on the table in the picture with their family.) Fabian and Jordana are very active non members! They have been investigating the church for about 3 years! Kinda crazy-they are not considered investigators; they know what they have to do, so work is focused on other people. It’s sad but that’s what we have to do!
Then we went to Fabian and Lillian, my favorites! Fabian is the one in the blue sweater with me all the time in the pictures. I love him so much! Lillian reminds me of you a little mamma, she’s an angel! Yes, the picture is of their family and they consider me their white son! And yes David I am the tallest in the picture! Fabian is on the fourth step up! They are tiny. It is Fabian y Lillian, me, then in the back Alejandro, (a member), his wife in front Crystal (a member), their son Daniel, and then Ricardo behind Daniel with his soon to be wife Judith, and their son Lucas. Judith investigated the church when she was 9. She had a baptism set but was to scared of the water and didn’t go to the baptism. She is 23 years old now and Ricardo would not listen to the missionaries until a week and a half before I got to Chile. I know that this family is one that my Heavenly Father has prepared for me to impact. Ricardo is doing great he used to smoke 20 cigars a day! Now a week and a half later he is clean and has quit smoking. The power of the Holy Ghost testifies so strong every time we are in their house, because their hearts have been softened and are so excited to be married and later go to the temple with Alejandro and Crystal who are trying to get there to. All this excitement with their daughters and their families has been impacting Lillian and Fabian a lot. I’m really hoping and pray everyday as we asked them to get married and baptized that one day they will say yes. The lesson that impacted them the most was when we shared with them Doctrine and Covenants 131. (I don’t know some where for sure-its confusing cuz I teach in Spanish and my scriptures are Spanish, so it’s a little rough to try and remember in English, but it’s about the 3 degrees in the Celestial Kingdom where you cannot progress to a higher level after this life. They were really nervous and may have realized the importance! Yes, we teach deep because they are stubborn!!!!!!!!!
Earlier that day I spoke in church on the 4th article of faith. Lillian was really attentive. I thought I was going to be more nervous for my talk but it was really good. It was really easy to talk for 20 minutes in Spanish. It was pretty cool how the Holy Ghost communicated to my companion and I because that morning neither of us knew what to speak about or what each other chose to speak about until we gave our talks in church. He spoke in the Holy Ghost and faith in Jesus Christ and I spoke on the 4th Article of Faith-it was great. Obviously someone needed to hear that message. Our little branch is growing! The week I got there was there were 27, then the next week 37, and this week we had 45 and one family of four was not there. Edifying the branch is a main priority because that is who we work through-the members. Ricardo referred us to his sister, her husband and their daughter and others! This little town is going to be great. My Mission President met with me and asked me how it was going in Dichato. I said its rough-but good! He said I want you to know that Dichato is one of the hardest sections in the mission. I just laughed, I was like-awesome what do I got coming to me :) He said the reason you are there is because you get your purpose as a missionary, you are willing and submit yourself to the Lord. You are humble enough to know nothing is possible without His help-this is the reason you are in Dichato.
We had a record of 8 new investigators last week, one of which is still listening to us. Other sectors have in the 20’s and 30’s in one week but I love it because it challenges us to live up to the potential Heavenly Father has for us. He knows we need more work, practice and humility! There is no way we would be successful without the Lord helping us, because a successful missionary is not someone who baptizes a million people, a successful missionary is one who the Lord works through. When the Lord works through you, you know He is pleased.
Another cool thing is we have a new program on the computer every one 18 and older in your section that has been baptized is in these records with address and all. Dichato has just fewer than 200 members wow!! Chile has an 80% less active rate-its ridiculous. It’s all good we just need to re-activate them! I love this work! I’m so glad and privileged to be a part of it. I love all of you family and friends.
Love,
Elder Dillon Denzlo Hancock
P.S. Dear Elder still works down here mom!
P.S. Dear Elder still works down here mom!
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