The CCM - Week 5

Hola from Chile hermanos y hermanas! I'm having an awesome time here! Guess what? I only have one more week here, and I'm so excited! We started all of our classes in just Spanish and every sunday we listen to everyone in Spanish and it's pretty good! I have finished my three fast sundays here because every two weeks you have a fast sunday for the Latinos that show up here. It's really weird that I'm actually going to leave because I feel like I can never get out! Hahaha! But hey, Ryker is out in the mission now so thats awesome for him! Guarranteed he hardly knows what anyone says! Hahaha JK not that bad! But my week has been awesome. Just been teaching fake investigators and practicing! But I did have some pretty cool experiences!

Entonces I had to give a talk in priesthood about the missionary objective in Spanish, and it's funny because while I'm up there I have no idea if anyone knows what I'm saying at all. I just pray they do hahaha! Also we watched The Testaments in Spanish, and I probably felt the spirit more watching it in Spanish than I did watching it in English. It was nuts, and I loved that feeling! Also I have grown a deep appreciation for temples here because every saturday they have wards from chile come to the temple, and while talking to these people they always say that it took like 8 hours or more, usually. Just super far away and they can only come like once a year. The members here are truly faithful and it's kinda sad how many people don't use the temple and they are so close. We even have missionaries here getting their endowments for the first time. Crazy I know! Well I love you all! 

And I'm getting super good at soccer by the way hahahah! love you!

"2 More Weeks in Spiritual Prison" (The CCM - Week 4)

Well hello brothers and sisters and family and friends. What's up in the 480! Well this week was pretty standard. Basically we had p-day and temple, which was awesome. And actually this morning all the elders left for their mission, so that is crazy! What's even more crazy is that I only have two weeks left in spiritual prison! Yay! Hahaha JK. It's good to be here. You learn a lot while you're here, and it will help me a lot in the field, but I can't wait to get into the field! Well, tell Kaylee she has a present in the mail that I'm sending today so she will probably get in two weeks hahaha. Well the first mail I sent you should be getting there any day now! Well I love my teachers here. They are super awesome, and I'm super grateful for them! We are tight with all of them except one teacher. When he plays investigators he picks the weirdest ones ever. It's over the top like I laughed out loud in the lesson! Hahahaha well I hope everything is going good ,and your stomach is filled with good food because I get to eat mystery meat and mashed potatoes and rice. They served blood sausage yesterday and intestines another day! I'm gaining a little weight, but I'm exercising good to keep in shape so don't worry! Well we went to this sandwich place and they were huge! You will see a pic! 

Well it's time to get off, but I love you all and you will have more mail every week till I'm in the field! But my brothers and sisters I want to know how my nieces and nephews are doing because I miss them more than you know. So don't slack! Love you all especially mom and dad! Bye!

Elder Holland (The CCM - Week 3)

Wow wow wow wow! Elder Holland came and spoke to us at the MTC here today, and it was insane. I was sitting like 15ft. from him and it was absolutely amazing! I could feel the power in his words and it was just so awesome. I knew that he was a man of god and I felt the spirit so strong. He basically changed my mission because he changed my outlook on how I see missionary work. I owe my mission to Elder Holland and I will always be grateful for his testimony. He gave a broadcast today and oh my gosh he just speaks with such power and such conviction. This is the work of the lord here. We are here to save souls, not to get baptisms. I can honestly sit here and just talk all day to you about him because it was that good. One thing that stuck out to me was 'never ask the question why is this work so hard?' It's hard because salvation isn't a cheap experience. Think about that.. Let it sink in because that's powerful and can apply to all of us. 

Well, this week has been really great. I just loved it! Me and my companion have been doing really well and give awesome lessons! The language is coming along just dandy, so I'm excited! I can't wait to get into the field. I'm half way done! Crazy right?! Well I'm going to be sending more letters home. I have one for Jefferson and Brandon in there, so make sure they get it. 

Well I love you guys so much this church is true and blesses families. Once a missionary always a missionary.

The CCM - Week 2

Hey, well this week was pretty good in the CCM! It was pretty freaking, long not gonna lie at all, but m glad I had mail when I got onto here because that's what I look forward to all the time is p-day! I sent some letters home so you should be getting some in two weeks but if you send mail send it to the mission home because I will be there by then. I guess it takes a lot longer to send in than out, but it's okay. 

Mom, I need my athletic band for physical therapy and you need to call the bank because my card isn'I working in the ATMs, so ya that's what i need! Also pictures of all you guys. That's very important to me! 

Well on sunday an area of the seventy came and spoke to us, but he spoke to us in spanish but it didn't matter because I still felt the spirit strong with him and I loved it! Well I'm just learning learning learning. Basically, my spanish is okay but I'm getting better. It can't all come at once right?! Well it's so beautiful here and i love the weather. Like I could probably live here. And I was able to go through the Santiago temple which was beautiful and I loved it, but not as much as I love you guys, haha. It's crazy here. I just was able to read the letters the grandkids left me today and I bawled my eyes out.... I miss home so much, but I'm staying strong, haha. It's just surreal because our roommates left today to the field. I can't wait for the field. It's gonna be sick. 

I love you guys! Write back soon! oh and my p-days are either at  2 or 4 my time. love ya!

The CCM

Hello everyone! I'm so excited to talk to you! You guys have no idea, I feel like I have been waiting forever to talk to you guys. It's so crazy! I want all your addresses so I can send letters every week on my p-days. 

Well, I love you guys so much and I realized that even more since being here. It makes me wanna cry all the time. The MTC here is called the CCM, which is pretty cool and all the people here are really awesome and nice. It's actually like 50/50 on Americans to Latinos, which is weird, but all the teachers are chilean but can speaK english as well. My teachers are all awesome, that's for sure. So today is Tuesday at 2 is my p-day, but it could change because districts are leaving to the field in a week. 

This first week has been so long. Probably the longest of my life. For all of you that think school is bad, you have no idea! I sit in a class all day trying to learn how to speak Spanish, and I'm not gonna lie, I'm picking it up pretty good, i think. We just started to practice talking to investigators and teaching so thats been fun. That's basically the most fun here besides writing and physical activity. But I WANT ALL YOUR ADDRESSES PRONTO. Es muy important to me and get my mailing address from my mom. She should have it or i can get it next week for ya. 

I just cant wait to get out in the field because thats where the magic happens. Love you guys! Can't wait to see those cardinals win the world series!!! 

Love you! Can't wait to hear back!!

I Made It!

Hey guys! I made it! 

This is just a short letter just telling you that i made it to the MTC okay. I don't know when my p-day will be, but I should find out soon. My flight was super long and I have had basically the longest day ever. Make sure to send me everyone's emails too. I want to write to everyone. Chile is an amazing place. It's so beautiful here. I met Elder Sherman at the the Phoenix airport -- he goes to Mountain View and he is super cool. My companion now is pretty awesome. He plays baseball like I do.  I have a couple pics of here so I will send it you on my p-day, but all my classes have been super cool, the teachers are all awesome and I already love it here. I just cant wait to get out in the field! 

Well got to go! Love you guys! Talk to you soon!

Elder Hale's Farewell Pics

 After getting set apart:

Steak dinner with friends and fam the night before leaving for Chile:

Brock's last hitting practice in TWO YEARS:

The final farewells at the airport:

Brandon and Brock - best buds!

Bye-bye Brocky!

Have fun in Chile!