Apostles really know what they're doing.

January 20, 2016     

Clams and he liked them?!

Things are good with me, the same I guess haha. The broadcast was good it was a conference for all of the missionaries in the world, different than I thought but awesome. I learned a lot, the apostles really know what they're doing, which is to be expected. Yeah, I'll write a little bit about every picture when I send them. Haha yeah I liked the clams! I think that when we went to Seattle for choir tour is when I decided that I like sea food. Even the clams were really good. I don't know, but we eat less here haha. That's okay, because I don't want to come home with a belly, I'm gonna be skinny and in shape, sort of. I'm definitely swimming a lot when I get back to get back in swimming shape. I don't know what religion they are(Haitians), but they definitely are strong believers. Their names are Odesán and Toussaint. (pronounced Oadley and Tusant) It's been good with them. We went to them with and Elder in the mission that speaks French, and they're doing really well. The communication is a hard thing though.

I totally didn't have an accent and I don't accept that haha. It probaby won't be that much stronger if I'm not with another latino. My next companion might be my last. Well you've heard the exact opposite. Chilean spanish is unlike all other kinds of Spanish.

I also feel like I have more energy when I eat better, so that's why I'm eating better haha. I can pet the cats and all, I just can't touch my eyes after petting them or else they itch really bad. I think my allergy has gotten a little better, because my eyes used to swell up if I did that. And I mean the people, it's not just here in Chile, but the whole world. In just ten years everything has gotten way worse.

I will most definitely need some new clothes. Honestly I'm thinking about only taking two or three white shirts home, the rest are going to be pretty yellow and kinda gross. It will be good to have shoes though. The most interesting thing? I don´t know, I met a Chilean from Easter Island on Tuesday, the first one that I've met from there. We also had that devotional thing which was pretty cool, gotta love devotionals with the apostles. Well I hope that you have a wonderful week as well.

Love,
Elder Stam     

More Clams

The Lord knows the way to be happy

January 13, 2016
              

Dear Mom and Dad,       

Christmas dinner with Chilean Family

The week was good, a little long but still good. The sector is good as well. We are in the hardest time of the year right now, because there are a ton of people that go on vacations, and you can definitely tell. We try doing house contacts but it seems that there is hardly anyone at their house. I think that I will be skinnier because they give us less food haha. I weighed myself yesterday and I weighed 66 kilos, which is like 153 pounds or something like that, so I think that I have lost a little weight. I weighed 70 kilos in the MTC. We are walking a lot, almost too much. It's been killing me, especially in the sun. The sun here is so much stronger. Haha, I can't wait for that day that I swim again, it's going to be incredible. I'll try to send a picture next week of my comp and me, I don't have my camera at the moment. Elder Baker is going to school at BYU Idaho so he won't bee too far away either. Not much has been happening here, just the work of the Lord I guess haha. Our most progressing investigators are two Haitans, they're really cool. The Haitans believe a lot in God from what I can tell. They ask us a ton of questions about the Bible and I definitely leave their house every time knowing more and more about the Bible.

I do not have a Spanish accent. :P Mom, it sounds like you don't know much about the Spanish that they speak here in Chile. It's probably the hardest Spanish in the world. There are a few latinos that don't understand the Spanish when they get here. Imagine that, it's like going to a place that speaks English and not being able to understand them. I guess that you will know better when we come back here.

I have been eating mostly fruits and vegetables. Lots of strawberries, yogurt, bananas, peaches, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, just things like that. I've learned to like a few different things here. We definitely have to make homemade salsa when I'm home, especially since I kind of like tomatoes now. They aren't my favorite things in the whole world, but I don't really find them that bad anymore. I'll have to figure out how to make the chilean spicy salsa stuff that they have here, it's really good. What could I do to be less allergic to cats? You have to expose yourself to them more right? I'm not going to go rub my eyes after petting them, that would be one of the dumbest things I could do. I think that cats are super cute though haha. I have been thinking about Uncle David,  I don't know what it's like to be in his shoes, but I'm sure that it's hard.

The people say that Chile was a ton different only 10 years ago. It's really crazy how fast that it's changing. The Lord always knows the way to be happy, and the world doesn't. That's okay, just do what's right and we'll be more blessed. That's about it.  It's good being a district leader. It's not a ton different, we´re just in charge of a few things. I think that it will be pretty fun doing an interview, it will be interesting to talk to the people. I'm sure that I will get the opportunity. It will be cool to see the change in the people. The fruits of your labors are not always seen, but the important thing is that you are planting the seeds. That's pretty much what the whole mission is about. Planting the seeds are harvesting the plants that are ready to be harvested. God talks a lot about that in Doctrine and Covenants. Thanks for the email! I hope that you are well and without problems and that you have a wonderful week.

Love,
Elder Stam

World is separating itself more from the things of God

Jan 6, 2016

                                 

Mom and Dad,


So things here are great, it's definitely a lot different than my last sector. I think that I am going to get a little skinnier in this sector, which is good because I have a little of a belly at the moment ha ha. I get along great with my companion, he's a really funny guy.  I definitely don't have any complaints at all. It's funny, the house almost looks like a shack, it's a good house, perfect size for two people that are never really home. I am sure that the Elders that are in my old area are going a great job with the sector. Elder Rivera is a great missionary, and his companion, Elder Guzmán, is also a wonderful missionary, so they will take care of all mis amigos there in los cristales. We have a few awesome people, everyone here has a story. I feel like this sector is a little harder, but I'm up for a challenge. The hard thing is always finding new people. Most people this time of year go on vacations, so a lot of the houses are vacant right now. There are 8 missionaries in the district, including us. Haha, there is a piano, and yes, I have been playing it a little bit. The members here are good as well, they are really willing to go with us to teach people, which is perfect.

I'll send a description of the photos next week, but remind me so that I don't forget.

The time goes fast when you are working hard and you aren't thinking about the time at all. I miss the condos. We should go there haha. I would prefer to go during the winter though, have a fun time in the snow. I am going to start eating a little healthier, I eat pretty bad. I want to eat more vegetables and fruits. I've actually come to really like vegetables here in the mission, even cauliflower haha. I've been healthy, without any problems. I haven't had any problems with allergies either. The cats have been rough though, there are a lot of cats here and they are totally irresistible haha so I always pet them.

Well dang, that seems like a pretty amazing fireside. So that South African Elder is really that good huh? That's really cool, I hope that he has had a lot of success on his mission. Lexi Walker was from our stake? Jeez I feel like all the people from Utah are all really talented. I don't know if that has something to do with the church but to me is seems like almost everyone in Utah has a talent in something. That would be really awesome if David Archuleta decided to be part of it also. I think that it would be pretty interesting talking with him about our missions. He served in one of the wards in our mission, before our mission was created. I almost met the Elder that he trained. His name is Elder Intriago, he was a really cool guy.

I honestly think that it would just be easiest to study nursing or something like that. I'm thinking that I will go to snow college for the two years, and then transfer to the U of U. The U of U has a really good medical program, right? I just want a job with which I won't have to worry about money. The future, it can go in so many directions.

If a person is perfect, they wouldn't have to go to church. I've just came to the conclusion that the world is separating itself more from the things of God, and it is ripening for destruction, as says the Book of Mormon. So that's that.

The best thing? I don't know haha. We are teaching some more Haitians, it's hard because they don't speak Spanish super well, but they understand, and they are probably the most interested people in the church that we teach. They have some great questions. I'll have to think about funny moments and I will tell you one next week. Well thanks for the email, I hope that you have a wonderful week without any problems, and if you need anything, just let me know.

Love,
Elder Stam      

Arms length, that's right!

Surprised I was transferred, but life is good.

December 30, 2015


Mom,          

Transfer day, Elder Stam was sad to leave this area. 

So President Cook told us yesterday that we would be writing today. So the letter is going to be a little shorter because I don't have anything to respond to. But it was nice talking to you guys and seeing you all last week! I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas, and that you have an amazing new year. It's crazy that we are already starting 2016. I come home this year!!!

So the big news of this week is that I was transferred again. :( sad, I really liked that sector. I think that it was the hardest area for me to say goodbye to. I had a lot of friends there. I didn't think that I was going to leave either, Presidente told me in our interview that I would most likely be there another change. But it looks like God wanted something else. Now I'm in the area El Parrón. It's in the zone la cisterna sur. My companions name is Elder Baker, he's from New Mexico, and we are serving as district leaders. So that's that. He has been out on his mission about 21 months, so it looks like I am going to be his last companion. I'm thinking that this might be my last area, but I really have no idea. When he goes home, I'll have about 4 months left. I hope that this is my last area, because it's my sixth and I think that if I get changed it would be like a month before I came home, and I wouldn't be too happy about having to learn a new area right before going home. But we will just see what God's will is.

Well there isn't much more to tell you, life's good, it's still really hot outside, probably will be for a few more months. I just hope that you guys have a fun new years, and that you send me pictures!!

Love,
Elder Stam

Jan 1, 2016

Dear Mom,

Alright, so I don't have a lot of time, but I'll answer your questions. I thought Jackson was a little cutie pie, it's gonna be crazy to meet him in person when he almost has a year, but that's okay, I should have more nephews and nieces to come. I am pretty sure the members were sad. They were a little shocked because it was really unexpected. Another Elder and I were both transferred and we both thought that we were going to stay one more change there. I don't know a ton about the new area, but so far it seems pretty awesome. It's a ton different than my last sector or than any other sector I've really had. It's limits are Gran Avenida, Vispucio, El Parrón, and la Granja. I live with just my companion, and we live in a little shack I'm going to say behind the house of a member. It's not a bad house though, it's pretty big for just two people. My new companion is pretty cool, he's really funny, I am sure that we will get along really well. From what they have told me, there are about 50 people at church every week, but to me it seems that there are a lot of members, so we will see on Sunday. I wouldn't say that it is upper class, but the people here are more economically stable here. It's normal for a missionary to be in an area for 6 months. And if you really want me to come home like two weeks early, I'm sure I could talk to president and he would let me stay here until I go home. We don't do much, we need to be an example for the other missionaries, we pass numbers to the zone leaders, and we give the district meeting classes. The teaching here is good, but you always need to be finding new people. Well that's all that I have time for, have a wonderful day and happy new year also!

Love,
Elder Stam

Forget yourself, do what He wants and success comes.

December 16, 2015

                                  

The week was good. Quite interesting. We did a lot of contacts this week and we found a large number of less actives. It was really strange how many we found. I have no idea how to take care of a baby. You are going to have to show me one day.  Jackson does look like a really big baby! From the pictures that I've seen he looks big. There is a family in this sector that has a baby that is like 5 months old and he is a tiny little thing. He's gonna be a little chunky kid haha.  I like those shoes as well, the brown ones I got here. They were really cheap haha. I got the Christmas package yesterday! I won't open it though haha. I also got a little package from Jay and Lynette, so tell them thanks for me, and that I really appreciate it! Yeah, I can call at 5. Elder Rivera is going to call at 3 so it would be perfect. Speaking of next week, we had to change P day to Friday, and that is the day that we are calling you, so I don't think that I will get to write you guys next week. Also the week after, for New Years, we are going to have P Day Friday as well. So the next two weeks I have P day on Friday, just so you know. But I will call at 5, so don't worry. It should be a lot better if we don't have three connected. Haha I don't plan on getting married soon, so I will still have a few years to just be with you guys.

Her name is Maria, what an unusual name huh? Haha there are so many Marias here it's kind of funny. She is still progressing. We haven't had an opportunity to see her this week. She is doing great though. She has had problems with her kids. All the kids here are really rebellious. So she has been struggling with that a little. The best thing this week was probably finding all of the new people to teach. Yesterday we had two lessons with new people, this week we have probably found 6 or 7 new people to teach. The people in this sector are incredibly humble. I am pretty sure that I will speak like a gringo my whole life. There are very few, and I mean very few elders who go home speaking like a latino. I'll try to work on it though. Yeah, photos, will do.

Happy anniversary! 32 years is a long time, but the eternity is a lot longer, you're just getting started haha. Oh man that is going to be a good game. I'm sure that Utah will win, I have faith in them. They haven't lost a bowl game in several years, I doubt that they will lose one against BYU. Tell me how it goes.

President is an awesome guy, for real. He is obviously called of God. It was so awesome that he bought me peanut butter, I freaking love the stuff. Hah, I think that I have learned a lot about trials on my mission. The mission is just a trial in itself. It's really hard to wake up every day knowing that you have to walk all day, trying to talk to people, being rejected all the time, every single day for TWO YEARS. But, if you just forget yourself and just do what He wants you to do, it's not even a problem. For example, yesterday I really didn't want to go out and do contacts again, because we have done them a lot this week. I didn't have the best attitude about it. But I just went out and worked my best anyways. And what did God do? He about smacked me in the face. Yesterday was probably one of the most successful days of my mission. We found like 5 future investigators, and we have two lessons with new people that we found that day. It's funny how God works, but if we just give up our will and do the Lord's will, he will totally bless us. Yesterday also helped me be more humble, and made me realize that I just need to trust that God will lead us to the people that are prepared. Long story short, we have trials to knock the rough edges off of us, and the trials that we have can help perfect us.

 We went near the temple today and we went in an LDS store and I saw one of the Joseph Smith Papers books. It was gigantic haha, a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be. It looks like an amazing series though, with a ton a revelations and doctrine. I would love to know more about Joseph Smith, the guys is really mysterious.  I won't think about it too much about decisions when I come home yet, it's still pretty far away. If I think about it a lot, it's going to take longer to get here haha.

Funny how you ask that,  I do remember at my setting apart I was told that things would not be just mere coincidences but acts of God.  I think that little story I just wrote answers that question.  It changed from week to week but I would say that we are teaching an average of 18 lessons a week. We are improving though, little by little. A typical day is waking up, exercising, showering, studying, doing the work, eating lunch, working again, coming home, planning for the next day, sleeping, and repeating. That's a typical day haha, I can explain it more in detail when we talk. I feel like we just talked on Skype, it definitely wasn't 7 months ago. Time goes way too fast, that's all I can say.

I hope that you have a great week as all. Maybe we will have a little time to write before I call you on Christmas, but we will see. Have a wonderful Christmas, and enjoy the snow for me!!

Love,
Elder Stam

The work is progressing!

December 9, 2015

                    

Mom,

Don't open it til Christmas? Mom I don't think you realize how hard that it. You get home and you just have a package of stuff there staring at you, tempting you. But I'll try to not open it. I feel like I just talked to you all, it's strange that it's already time to call again. I am pretty sure that we are going to be with the Inostroza family, so that you guys can meet them. Things have been going good this last week, it's been really hot. I got really burnt today because we went and played soccer outside for a few hours. Yes we have found a few new people. The are mostly less actives, and they're all really nice, they just have a few problems and doubts, the usual. There are always a few that progress. We have an investigator that came to church for the first time this week, and she really liked it.

Wow how incredible, a clean room. My Spanish is pretty good, the only problem is pronunciation. They all say that I talk gringo. I just don't understand how to not speak with an accent. I've tried so hard to fix it but this gringo accent is a curse. Yes he got baptized, it was really awesome! We have our own house, we live with four missionaries. It's two floors but it's still pretty small. We do have members next door, they were recently reactivated by the Elders in the other sector. Yeah, yeah, photos. It's just that I haven't really taken that many photos.

College will be weird, but we will see. I think that the allergies are getting better, but I don't really know. They aren't going to go away permanently, but I think that they are better. My eyes don't really itch that much anymore. I want to go to the South of Chile also, it looks awesome down there. I don't think that Elder is going to have the money, and I don't really care, I've just gotta rub it in his face a little bit ;) haha.

President Cook is really awesome. He is pretty relaxed, he's not super strict, but he does expect us to keep all of the rules. He does it in a good way. Recently for P Day we went to Buin Zoo again. It's cool down there, it's just like any other zoo though, so it's not super special. They do have some awesome animals though. This P Day all we did was play soccer, and now I'm red as a tomato. It's usually just wake up and go do something, the activity or whatever, then go to the feria and buy fruit and food and whatever we need, then relax for a couple hours, and come and write, then go work. That's the typical schedule. Our mission was big before with about 250 missionaries, but it has dropped and we only have about 200 now. The interview went really well. He read that I wanted peanut butter on the blog that you do for me and he went out and bought me peanut butter. It was pretty funny. He's a great man though, I always learn a lot from him. He just asks about everything and I just tell him the truth about it all, I feel comfortable with him.  Haha Pres Hutchison is a pretty inspired man, I think that he is doing a great job as stake president. I don't really know much of what he has done but I could tell that he would be a good one.

Ohhh Cafe Rio, I miss that place. No there is nothing specific that I would like to know.  Also it would be awesome if you only bought me one more videogame. Call of Duty Black Ops 3. After that I would like you to buy other things. I have heard recently of a book series that is called the Joseph Smith Papers. I looked at the books and they are pretty expensive and there are a lot of them, but it would be cool if you could buy me one or two of them, I would really appreciate it. Love you mom!

Love,
Elder Stam             

Trying my best always

December 2, 2015

                                    

Elders Stam and Rivera

Yay for packages haha. Dad told me that you cleaned out my room. How messy was it? It was pretty disastrous when I left. But that's okay, it's your problem, not mine. ;) I'm sure that anything that you guys did it would still feel like home.

Things were good this last week. It was pretty hot this week, and I could swear that there were more drunk people than normal. We have been trying to find new people to teach. We are going through all of the old people in our area book, looking for them to see if they are now interested in listening. We teach quite a few people, it would take quite a while to write about all of them. But it was just a normal dinner appointment with the Inostroza. They didn't even know that it was Thanksgiving. Nobody knew haha. But that's okay. We sacrifice some holidays to have a few new Chilean holidays here. That's good that you went with Mike and his family, they are good friends of us. I'm sure that he will stay in Utah also, it's pretty hard to leave that place.

Yes both of Elder Rivera's parents speak Spanish. He couldn't speak very much when he got here. The advantage that he has is that he could understand it, and he already knew a lot of vocabulary, which is the thing that is hardest for me. I have had 7 companions now, not including Elder Walker and Elder Johnson from the MTC. If we count them, then I have had 9. The number of investigators that go to church changes, they don't really go every week, but if everyone were to go, we would have like 10 or so in church. The baptism should happen this week, he is going to have his interview tomorrow and if it all goes well he will get baptized. I think that is how most kids are. We are all just stubborn, and don't like to be told what to do. But we all just need to humble ourselves a little bit and listen to other people. I really don't like school studies though. I like to learn, but I think that schools just need to teach in a completely different way. It's really boring listening to a lecture. That's a pretty neat story though that you told me about how you were helped in college to have your mind opened.  The Lord blesses.  Visiting teaching is a pretty big problem here too, no one really wants to do it. It's really bad sometimes how lazy the people are, but I know that it's a little bit the same everywhere.

 I would never cook for Thanksgiving. That's one thing that my future wife has to have, cooking skills. If not, we are eating macaroni and cheese and cereal for the rest of our lives. So it's your fault that I have these allergies. Thanks mom. Haha we need to go to a place hidden from everything if you buy property. I wonder what it will be like right before He comes.

I like having emails though, it's a pretty lame p day when you don't have very many emails.   Haha I have a bet with another elder what I won't get married for at least a year after coming home for $1000. So I'm gonna be $1000 richer. It's just what missionaries talk about haha. If we were to go anywhere else in Chile, it would be to the South. The South is much better here, from what I have heard.

Handsome guy, no not the dog!

 Well, just take the little push with him in sharing the gospel. You never know unless you try. I am trying my best to keep all of the mission rules. Everyone in the zone has interviews with President Cook tomorrow. We always have an interview with him every 3 months. We meet with him every once in a while, when he wants to teach us something, for zone conference, for interviews, things like that. My district leader is Elder Kamoe. My zone leaders are Elder Thompson and Elder Alfaro. Our district is 8 missionaries and our zone is like 24 or so missionaries. Nope, they don't really put up lights here, a few people, but not a lot.

We went to a zoo today for P day, so we saw a lot of animals. But it's still different in a zoo. They are always sleeping and not doing anything, and there's glass in the way. I would like to see animals out in the wild. They don't sleep that much when they are in the wild it seems.  Thanks for the email, I hope that you have a wonderful week with the cold weather!

Love,
Elder Stam