Things are a little Different

Things have been going pretty good down here. A little different ...the mission is starting to change a little with the system of things. It's made me feel different, I feel that we are starting to lose focus on the people and to only focus on the baptisms. Which I swore a long time ago I would never do. It's made me think a lot more about myself as well and I haven't liked that one bit. But this up coming week we have interviews with our president so I'm really excited to see what he can have to say to me to help me be a better missionary. We were able to find some sweet people this week, We have been working well with members and had three new families presented to us. That's what I love to have confidence from the people to help their loved ones. I have come to love the people here so much, I think it could be a bad thing sometimes because it will be really hard to leave here one day, the people always tell me that times going down. Scary that really sucks I want to be out here for as long as I can I need to get better and change a lot more. haha Its been good though, I think the mission is just going through a change and it's made a lot of us uncomfortable. I went on an intercambio with my Friend Elder Haralson and he has felt the same ever sense the things have been changed up. But I'm trying my best to do what I'm supposed to I just feel a huge need to be better as of late and want to know what more I can do. Sounds like the Chavez curse still lives ... I've been kinda sick the last few days too just like the girls, just a head cold but it hasn't affected the work at all so thats been good! love and miss you all

Love- 
Elder Chavez

We ended the Week Good

Well this last week was pretty good, but kinda hard. We had good fun days with our district and our zone but with this last week being transfers we had to help out a lot and we ended up losing a lot of time. We kinda had to run around all over  the place. I have now officially been to every single area in this zone. I got to go to Melgar this last week which is the area of my good friend Elder Haralson ,my companion from the mtc. I had to go there to help them out with a baptism interview. I forgot to tell you that my district had grown ... in the past it was just my companion and I with two other elders but now we have two more Elder with us. So that makes things a lot more fun. So after a whole week of running around we got to my birthday which was pretty fun. I woke up to some fun phone calls from the members singing to me, and then that night we went out to celebrate. haha one of the familias invited me to dinner, so we ran and ate some hamburgers with them. My one really good friends here. Sister Sandra couldn't do anything on Saturday so we went to her house yesterday and she made me a huge fruit salad. I'll have to send you a picture of it. We ended the week good though. We have a new family they have actually come to church for a long time but haven't wanted to take the discussions from us because they wanted to be ready. So this last week we started to visit them and they are way excited to be baptized, they have a date for the 3 of October so we are working really hard with that. I really want to get lost more, I feel like for a while there I lost some of my vision and started thinking more about me and that was really wrong of me. I hate the fact that I have only ten months left, I want to get better and I don't have the time I need. But I guess that's why I have the lord, to help me with that that I can not do. 

Love-
Elder Chavez

HaPpY 20Th BiRtHdAy MaSoN!

Happy 20Th Birthday Elder Mason Chavez!  I can't even believe that 20 years have passed since you made me a mom.  I Love you so much and I am so grateful that you chose Me for your mom!  I hope this year brings you more adventures and lots of blessings! We miss you so much but are so grateful for your example and service.  And just think ... this is the last birthday we will spend apart.  I hope you know we are thinking of you today.  We will celebrate in your honor by eating lots of Mexican food.  We love you! You are my Sunshine! 

Love-

Mom

I can still be Joven!

Well this last week was a pretty good one, we were able to do a lot of things. Like I said in the past, my new mission president has established some goals for us that we should try to complete each week. And to be totally honest I think it's cool that we need to be finding new people every day and always inviting people to be baptized,  but at the same time I have felt uncomfortable doing it. I have always worked really well with the members and that's how I have always had success but with this new system working with the members doesn't cut it. So I have really gone out of my comfort zone in the last few weeks, but this last week I started to figure things out a lot better and we were able to have success. We had a baptism which was really cool, it was pretty spiritual, the sister was super happy! She came out of the water and grabbed my hand and looked at me and just said a huge Gracias!!! Haha but I could see it in her,  she felt the change it was an awesome experience. I'm excited for what's in store ... we got our transfers, and I'm staying here in Chicoral with my companion. Haha looks like I'll be in this pueblo (town)  for six months haha but that's sweet I feel like I need to do something more for them still. We have some people who look like they could get baptised in the upcoming weeks. So we'll have to see what happens there. Looks like things are going good at home I'm happy for all of you. Feels weird to be turning twenty but hey it's just a number doesn't mean I can't still be joven (young). Haha!

Picture of the area Mason is currently serving in Chicoral Colombia

Getting Wet Baptism September 5, 2015
Judith

Baptisms in the works!

Things have been going pretty sweet in Chicoral! We have the baptism all set up for this Saturday and then we have cambios (transfers) this next week, so I'm pretty sure I'm headed out because we are starting to progress. Haha just my luck but who knows maybe not. We have been trying really hard to find the chosen people and it has been so hard. haha we have been contacting like crazy and pretty much everyone has told us no. But we were able to find one new girl named Maria Jose.  She is new in Chicoral and her boyfriend from Bogota is a member so she was wanting to get the lessons. But it was sweet we met her at like 8:50 one night this week. I thought the day was going to end with nothing but she came over to a members house ans said hey I'll get baptised. haha She went to church on Sunday and is really excited, she has a date for Izzy's bday the 19th so hopefully we can get her there. This new way of teaching has been really different for me but it's allowing us to see if the people want to progress or no so our numbers are lower but we have real progression!