Elder Parker Spanbauer: Week 20 Vallenar

July 27, 2015

Hi guys! So this week was a good one! We taught a lot and had quite a bit of success! So our last Sunday was not so great because only 34 people showed up at church. That was the lowest amount I ever experienced here in Vallenar. This week however, we had 45 so its going back up and there was like 3 big families that were all sick so we should be having at least 55 people every week. Jonathan came to church for his 3rd time! We were surprised because we called him in the morning to remind him and he didn’t answer so we were a little worried that he wouldn’t show but he did! Honestly, I know Jonathan is going to be baptized but he simply needs to pick a date to get married first. He has every intent to marry his girlfriend but keeps telling us he wants to be economically well off. He also says he wants to go on some awesome honeymoon with his wife but we are trying to tell him that those things can always wait. We are really just waiting and trying to help him set a date to get married. Who knows, it could happen when I’m here or maybe not. We will just have to see. We have also been teaching an investigator named Maximiliano and his girlfriend is a less active member. The thing with him is that they live together.... and the girlfriend named Ivonne has a kid. He is super sick with something so that whenever he goes outside and gets cold..... he will get extremely sick. This complicates things because she won’t go to church without her son but he can’t go so really, she just can’t go right now. Maximiliano told us that he simply wont go without Ivonne so... yeah. We recently had a "Noche de Hogar" with them, which is the same thing as like family home evening. Elder Malan and I made a bunch of American Pancakes to eat with them. Then we shared a quick message with them after. Maximiliano has the desire to be baptized but simply needs to go to church and complete a few other small things first. We have been teaching other people too but they aren’t considered "progressing investigators" yet because they aren’t completing their compromismos. Also, we went to a member’s house this week. (La Familia Tapia) They are like my favorite family in the branch. The dad is a return missionary and they have two of the cutest little kids ever! haha Anyway, they invited us over to eat American Cheeseburgers! I know... my luck! haha The second time I’ve had cheeseburgers here only this time they were amazing! After we taught about the importance of parents in a family and like the responsibilities of the father and the mother in any family. Then Jonathan (The dad) sang us a song with his guitar that he wrote when he was in his mission (Argentina). It was such a cool song and he is an amazing singer. He then shared some amazing Mission experiences with us. We asked him and his wife to be "hermanadores" or "member friends" for our investigator Jonathan and his girlfriend and they accepted. Things just got real;) haha Anyway, that about sums up my week. It sounds like the family is doing well! Glad your back is feeling better dad. Regan, keep hanging out with your friends and enjoy your summer! Rylie, stay out of trouble and don’t be basic! Tori, Happy-freaking birthday Sis!!! Mom, I love you as always and the rest of you as well! Grandma, I hope all is well with you and Richard! I love you all so much! Until next week!

Elder Spanbauer ☺