June 25, 2011

Hey how we doin?

I am doing well and had an interesting week. We received another companion this week and it has been a huge blessing to me. He is a really good missionary and has helped us out in the office a ton. I haven't been able to get out and work in our sector at all this week except for 1 night for 2 hours when I went out with one of the assistants. It feels to me like we didn't get very much done this week or at least in terms of the missionary work we weren't very successful but, I know I am doing what the lord wants me to do and he put me here in this office for a reason. My companion still struggles with his back problems. he is going through a lot and it looks like he will be going home in 2 transfers more. It is difficult for me because due to his pains he is not able to get up on time or able to leave the office very often and work which stinks for me but its the assignment that I have right now so I am trying to get through it with a humble heart knowing that I won't be in this position for very much longer (7 weeks hopefully haha). We have transfers this Monday and we are getting a lot of new Zone Leaders and a new assistant, which will shake thing sup a lot in the mission. I am doing good tough and I am really happy where I am at and with my progression. My spirits are up and I'm excited for another challenging transfer here in the office but I would be lying if I said I didn't have an itch to get out and do some other type of work haha. Nothing too exciting has happened here recently but at the same time I feel like I am always on my toes. I took my district out to lunch today and it looks like I will be getting some new people in my district this upcoming transfer, which could help us have a little more success. We also went and took some photos of some buildings that fell over in the earthquake that I will attach to this email. We also have a talent show and I have a baptism to go to tonight so I better get going (the activity starts in 20 minutes!) I hope all is well with you guys and I will try to send something out with more details this next week. Love you guys a ton.

Yours truly,

Elder Cody Dastrup

June 18, 2011

Heyyyy!
Hows it going back there in the USA! Well...I am still here in Chile and not much has changed. I had a really good week though and it is looking like this next week should be interesting as well. This week has been full of surprises and miracles, it started off normal but has really just turned itself into a mess. For example we have an Elder in the mission who is a young missionary and is just a great guy, super funny and is just one of those people that brightens up the room. He has been having a lot of health problems and has been seeing a lot of doctors here but nobody has been able to solve his problems. My companion and I were over at President Humphreys house (we had lunch over there with them!) and they came to the conclusion that he could possibly have cancer and that they were going to have to send him home. He will be leaving Monday morning and I am going to be really sad to see him go. Pray for him please. I have also been informed that I will be receiving a 2nd companion and he will be with us for this entire week. The problem with having him around is that he has health problems as well and CANT WALK! He too will be leaving, but he will be leaving in a week, at the end of the transfer. So I have taken it upon myself to prepare the office for him this week and I will be leaving with young men this entire week and hopefully be able to work in the street every day. I will leave my companion Elder Hinojosa here with the other Elder and take off for the day to do work.

Another thing I have really enjoyed this week has been the opportunity to be a District Leader. I got to go work in another sector this week with a younger missionary and we wen in to a house and had a really good lesson. We went into the lesson with a purpose and when we walked out the person we were teaching had accepted a baptismal goal for the 25th of this month. I have realized that the goals that I put for myself as a missionary shouldn't be to have "success", I want to have success but the way I am measuring success is totally contrary to what the world sees as success. I have made it a large priority of mine to help other missionaries progress and have good solid spiritual experiences. I have already baptized quite a bit and know that I will continue baptizing, but I have honestly found more joy in helping others. It sounds so corny but it is the truth, I don't know what happened but I just feel like a way better missionary than I was even 2 weeks ago. I love being out here and I really am enjoying all of the new humble loving missionaries coming in and the interaction I have been able to have with them.

Ok...on a little bit of a less spiritual note. I was on an exchange with another missionary named Elder Lulla and we got to talking about what he did before the missiona and he studied at BYU Hawaii. I didn't really think much of it and then it hit me...I need to go study there. It came to me like a revelation and I dreamed about being there that very same night. I still don't know why but I think it is where I need to go. (for a semester of 2 at least) I know that it is still 10 months away but, when revelation comes, it comes...haha

This morning we went and played basketball with Elder Fischbeck and the assistants (we invited President and he said he will come next week) but, we played for an hour or so and afterwards they invited us over for breakfast. It was amazing , we ate pancakes, eggs and bacon and whit hot chocolate. Also, thank you for the package that you guys sent me. It was a perfect package. I really love the beef jerky and we drank a ton of the hot chocolate this morning. I love you guys a ton and hope that everything is going well! Have a good week and wish me a ton of luck this week.

Yours truly,
Elder Cody Dastrup

June 11, 2011

Hey whats going on!?? It is Saturday morning here, very cloudy and it has been raining off and on for the last couple of days. I have come down with a pretty bad fever that is putting me in a ton of pain bu....we are still working, no worries. My companion is doing better and in interviews with President this week he told me that my job was to get as much work out of him as possible and when he can't handle the pain anymore he will just have to go home. It's kind of sad to think that there is a good possibility that he won't be able to make it for the whole 2 years, but he just needs to take advantage of the time he has left and really give it 110%. I have been so blessed with good health on the mission and even though I am a little under the weather right now, it could be a lot worse.

This week has been another really tough one and we haven't see a lot of progress here in the sector. Due to the work in the office and my companions bad back, it has been especially hard this week to get out and work. I don't feel like we are working as effectively as we could be and for some reason things just aren't panning out. Today we have an appointment with Maria and I am really hoping that it goes well. I have been studying, praying and planning all week so that everything goes well tonight, so I have confidence that it will. We are also working with another kid named Guillermo who came to church last week and we are hoping that he can start progressing at the rate that he should. The work has been difficult, frustrating and we haven't seen the fruits of our labors too much, but I know that it's coming and that we will start seeing some miracles here.

In other news, I did actually get to do some fun stuff today and it looks like we are going to get out and go to take some pictures of Concepcion as well. There is a park full of big Dinosaur statues and there are also a couple of huge building that either fell down or are half way fallen from the earthquake last year. Also, Elder Robers, one of the AP's is learning how to drive stick because Elder Keller is leaving after the cambio and the truck that they have is stick shift, so we are going to go out with him and hope that I don't die int the process! We are going to have transfers here in 2 more weeks and there are 20 missionaries going him, so I think that I might actually be out of here....(it's a small possibility but its a possibility) I am fine with whatever and I really just hope that I can remain happy no matter where I am at. I love you guys a ton and think about you whenever I have a little bit of spare time (from 10:59-11:00 at night). I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the AZ summer!

Con mucho mucho Carino,

Elder Cody Dastrup

June 4, 2011

Hey!
How are we doing this week? My week has been on full of ups and downs. My comp and I got off to a rough start this week but as any ex missionary knows....that just happens sometimes. We worked out our differences and now we are really getting some work done. We have already found a ton of new investigators this week and it is looking like we might have 1 or 2 in church this week! Woohoo! Maria told me the other day that she won't be coming to church this Sunday because she has to go watch her grandkids....We have more or less had to drop her, which was a tough decision, but I feel like we did our part and she wasn't willing to do hers. I feel like I have grown a lot this week in terms of maturity and as a leader and I honestly feel like I am just a way better person than I was 1 week ago from today. I have realized that every person has their own personal battles and doubts and we as missionaries have been asked to step in and fight, step in and destroy all of their doubts. Now more than ever I have really felt the weight of my calling and I LOVE being a missionary. Not a ton has happened this week but I feel like next week, the way things are going, I will have some interesting experiences.

I am glad to hear that the package I sent go to you guys. All of the stuff I sent is stuff that I had never seen in the States before and things that they eat or use a lot here in Chile. The 2 wooden things are Trompos (the spinning top) and the other thing don't have a clue what it is called. Type in "How to throw a trompo" on youtube and you should be able to see a video on how to do it. I am glad to hear that you guys are all doing well and that you have received a lot of blessings as of lately. Also, it was cool to hear that Tiff and Jeff are going to be living in AZ again! I can't wait to get back and have a lot the family close. I haven't heard from a lot of friends and some family in a while but I hope all is well with you guys and that you are enjoying your lives. Just remember to make the best out of every day and every situation. I love you all and send you all a big hug via email!

Con mucho mucho Carino,
Elder Cody Dastrup