Tamales and Tarantulas

Elder Cowley and I with the Zone Leaders

No time to write. Had a crazy day, but everything is great. We are working hard.

Eating well. Mmmm homemade tamales.

Seeing some very cool Chilean Rose Hair Tarantulas.

Scoping out our area.

Now it's time to get back to work.

Catch you next week,
Elder Connor Nef

Bienvenidos a Chile

Well, we said our goodbyes at the Mexico CCM, and six of us (Elder Wirtz, Elder Hamilton, Hermana Holt, Hermana Panek, Hermana Manwaring, and myself) arrived 3 hours early to the airport. I spent the time talking with Elder Wirtz about nerdy stuff. Talked with a few people in line for boarding, the flight attendant, and the guy next to me on the plan (an electro engineer from Mexico City).

The Arrival

After 11 hours, one time change, a connecting flight, and two hours of sleep, we arrived in Concepcion, Chile to find our mission president and missionaries greeting us with a big sign. It was a happy welcome, but I have to say that I felt a little gross from having been in a suit too long in 85 degree weather with little sleep.

with President and Hermana Arrington

No matter. We were whisked away to the mission home for lunch, testimonies, and orientation, after which they paired us up with our trainers.

Teamed Up

I was teamed with Elder Nathan Cowley from Cary, North Carolina - my aunt Diane's ward! Small world. Funny, previous to my arrival, Diane gave me the heads-up, "Hey, keep a look out for an Elder Cowley from my ward. He's serving in Concepcion, Chile." Well, I didn't have to look far. He's a cool guy. Great trainer.

with Elder Cowley

Quillon, Chile

Quillon - marked with red dot

This week has been awesome. My first area is Quillon, an inland, rural, richer part of the mission. Some people have pools here. It seems like it's kind of a vacation stop for tourists. The area reminds me of California's Central Valley, only a little more humid, and instead of mountains, we are flanked on one side by a range that looks like the Saratoga Hills.

The temperature lingers around 100 degrees, but it hasn't bothered me at all. The food is delicious. Rice and beans are the main staple, and tomatoes are served with every meal.

Had a traditional Chilean drink comprised of juice, puffed wheat seeds, and a dried baked peach. It was good. The wheat seeds helped tone down the sweet and offered an interesting texture.

The people are nice, even when they completely reject us. The ward is small, 80 people, and I am closest (so far) with the ward mission leader, Mario. Great guy.

Apparently My Accent is On-Fleek
We live in a small house on the property of a less-active. They are cool, but I can't understand them much. I can't really understand anyone yet because Chilean is spoken fastest, slurred most, and comes with more slang than other forms of Spanish. However, what little Spanish I do speak, people keep remarking on how good my Chilean accent is. Go figure.

Chileans Like to Share - and So Do We
When we got to our area, we had no investigators. However, on Friday a miracle occurred when we went to the chapel for a ward party. The Hermanas were going to teach a guy at the church a few hours before the activity, but he didn't show up until we did. Mario, the ward mission leader, started talking with him and signaled for us to come over and give him a blessing. He told us his problems (Chileans like to share) and we gave the blessing (my 3rd time anointing in Spanish). Then my companion shared a lesson and the guy set a date for another visit and committed to come to church. Nice!

I know this may be hard for many of you to believe, but I don't talk much. Yep, the language barrier has me temporarily stumped. But this was expected, and I know the challenges I am facing are only a passing thing. Just give me a little time and practice and you won't be able to shut me up.

I am a soldier in the Lord's army and it's Go-Time!
Elder Connor Nef

Adios Mexico MTC!

Hey Everyone!
Guess what - I am currently in Concepcion, Chile! Right now I have no time to write, but will fill you in on the details of the adventure next Monday. In the meantime, here are some final pictures of our fantastic MTC District.

Elder Hamilton, Me, Elder Williams, Elder West

MTC District with Maestro Martinez

Donuts and chocolate milk courtesy of Hermana Holt's parents! Awesome.

This is the coolest!
Love to All,
Elder Connor Nef

Salvation is Not a Cheap Experience

Begin with Prayer
This week has been one of drama and inspiration. So it was more than appropriate that the week began with a devotional recording of Elder Richard G. Scott speaking on Prayer. It was the happiest I have ever seen him. The gist of his message was how to receive answers to prayer, outlining three types of answers and what they might mean.

1.  Good feeling. Sense of peace = "yes" answer
2.  Unsettling feeling. Stupor of thought = usually "no"
3.  Silence = God wants us to study & ponder & continue trusting Him.

Elder Scott also urged us to not complain but ask God what we need to learn in the process of prayer.

The More the Merrier
We received another new District into our Zone! Four sisters and six elders in this crop. And, I am happy to report that they are all going to Chile (northeast and Concepcion south).

Is There Such a Thing as an Islander Who Cannot Sing?
A highlight of the week was during Sunday School class when Six Polynesian missionaries sang "Love At Home."  Verse 1 - English. Verse 2 - Tongan. Verse 3 - Spanish. It was the best rendition of that song I have ever heard. Is there such a thing as an Islander who can't sing? I don't think so.

Fun Facts:

-  They give one haircut here - military short. I think I need hair gel.
-  While running to get the doctor for the sisters, I learned that sprinting in mission clothes is surprisingly easy.
-  My Branch President is the coolest guy who works for the Church with financing Temples and helps with logistics for visiting Authorities.
-  The Spanish word for "Sunburn" is "Toastarse" = To toast oneself.
Makes me think of the Seinfeld episode where Kramer covers himself in butter and falls asleep on the roof.
- The Spanish word for "dinner" is "cena"....Cena...JOHN CENA (trumpets: doooo-do-do-doooo). Sorry, couldn't resist that one.
-  My MTC teacher was robbed at knife-point and despite repeated attempts at stabbing and slicing, she escaped with only a tiny cut on her finger. So cool.
-  Outside the MTC there are these giant sculptures that look like Quidditch goals or giant Lego arms.

Quidditch sculpture or Lego arm monument? The Locals don't even know.

Infirm Drama
Some strange sicknesses have been sweeping through our District this past week, mainly with the sisters. Sister Doxey started getting a splitting pain in her side so bad she was taken to the hospital for overnight observation. When she and her companion returned the next day, Doxey's companion, Sister Hawkins began having fainting spells. Doctor said it was stress, but the following day she was more sluggish and ended up fainting again, this time I was there to catch her. We were having a one-on-one teaching session and I looked up from reading just in time to see her eyes roll back and start to fall.

Sunday, we all fasted for the health of our District. In the meantime, our teachers noticed that we have been giving blessings in English, and they say we must learn to do them in Spanish (my goal is to learn the Baptism and Confirmation ones by tomorrow).

Anyway, after some more blood work and another fainting spell, Sister Hawkins is now getting around via wheelchair. We're hoping they can figure this out so she can get back to full capacity.

Christmas day, the hill was on fire, but stopped at the city's edge

It's Never Been Easy!
In the middle of this fiasco, our teachers showed us video talks from Elder Eyring and Elder Holland about how missionary work is hard, but we need to press through. It made me think of the conversation between Jack and John Locke in Season 2 of Lost.

Here's the Scenario:  Both Jack and John are arguing about pushing the button in the hatch when Jack (a man of science) asks John (a man of faith) why he finds it so easy to "Believe." John's response was an impassioned "It's never been easy!"

Salvation is Not a Cheap Experience
And that's the thing. Faith is not easy. Salvation is not easy. If it were easy, people would be flocking to churches in droves and lining up at the baptismal font en mass. But Elder Holland's message, like John Locke's, was that "salvation is not a cheap experience" and has never has been easy. Not for us. Not even for Christ. So we should expect (especially missionaries who are in the work of salvation) that our faith will be tried. We will have to undergo testing to grow our faith. Elder Holland said:

"Why is missionary work so hard?... If you wonder if there isn't an easier way, you should remember you are not the first one to ask that. Someone a lot greater and a lot grander asked a long time ago if there wasn't an easier way...

"When you struggle, when you are rejected, when you are spit upon and cast out and made a hiss and a byword, you are standing with the best life this world has ever known, the only pure and perfect life ever lived.  You have reason to stand tall and be grateful that the Living Son of the Living God knows all about your sorrow and afflictions. The only way to salvation is through Gethsemane and on to Calvary."     (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Missionary Work and the Atonement)

Then he ended his talk with an amazing scripture on why missionaries are out serving and enduring. We are sacrificing to bring a message of salvation, of Good News.

Bougainvillea Tree outside Monson Bldg

2 Nephi 2:6, 8-9
6  Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah...
8  Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.
9  Wherefore,...they that believe in him shall be saved.

Experiencing Gratitude
While being here in the CCM, I've really come to appreciate my upbringing. I did not know how uniquely versatile I was until I got here. This isn't a prideful thing - just increased gratitude for my parents in raising me to have knowledge and practice and experience in many things. Thank you.

Well, this is officially my last P-day in the CCM (Mexico MTC). When you next hear from me, I will be writing from the streets of Chile. I head out next Monday afternoon and arrive in Concepcion 10am Tuesday. Looking forward to it.

I have loved my time here, but I'm looking forward getting to work.

Tenga Una Buena Semana!
Elder Connor Nef

Invest Yourself in This

Me, Elder Hamilton, Elder Williams, Elder West

OH MY GOSH I GOT TO TALK TO MY FAMILY CHRISTMAS DAY! So Great. On Christmas day we had four devotionals.

Christmas Day Devotionals
1.  Live Q&A with Elder Bednar (Personally, I couldn't think of any questions to ask).
2.  Mormon Tabernacle Choir 1.5 hour music devotional (music was so soothing, 1/4 of the missionaries fell asleep).
3.  Member of the Seventy with his family bearing testimonies. Oldest son served a mission in San Jose, California (man, these chairs are uncomfortable).
4.  Hispanic/Native American/Islander Heritage fireside and how their mythology matches with the Book of Mormon. Jesus definitely visited the islands.

It was all very good. But in the case of a Devotional binge-fest, it's nice to have friends around. One of my buddies here is Elder Plourde (Interstellar was filmed in his home town in Alberta). At dinner I got some Martinelli's from Elder West because his family smuggled him two bottles.

Happy Birthday to Me
Sunday was my birthday and I discovered that I am the youngest in my District. There was cake at breakfast (how thoughtful of them).  Then at church, I gave my first talk in Spanish for Sacrament meeting. I talked on agency/prophecy/Apostasy/Restoration. Basically, many are called but few are chosen kind of thing.

My new scripture cover

That night, we watched a devotional from Jeffrey Holland from January 2013. Really inspiring. The first 5-10 minutes of his talk was exactly what I spoke on in church! Cool. Let me share some highlights.

The Generation that Will Not Fail 
He said that there has never been a more exciting time to be a missionary in the Church, and read a quote from the Prophet Joseph Smith.

"The building up of Zion is a cause

that has interested the people of God in every age;

it is a theme upon which prophets, priests, and kings

have dwelt with peculiar delight.

They have looked forward with joyful anticipations,

they have sung and written and prophesied

of this, our day."

Prophet Joseph Smith

Elder Holland said of those early prophets and priests "that although they knew they would not succeed in their day, they were able to continue to labor because they knew we would succeed."  He said that this dispensation was different because, "This is the generation when the work will not fail. This is the dispensation that will receive the Son of God as the Lamb of God."

Invest Yourself in This

Angel Moroni on Mexico Temple

The whole tone of his message to us missionaries was to Invest Yourself in This. "Because of the significance of the last days, you have to be the best missionaries we've ever had, because no task has ever been put before a missionary like the ones we're putting before you."  He said, "We expect you to be mature, powerful, bold, spiritual missionaries. And you have to have an abiding conviction of this work in your heart."

He also said that the word "astonish" comes from a root that means "thunder." And how we too can astonish people and cause them to feel personal earthquakes (so to speak) like the angel in Mosiah 27, not necessarily by speaking loud, but through the power of the Spirit.  His formula:

Seek personal conversion

Obey rules of the mission

Strive to have the Spirit

Work hard

"Missionaries are under obligation to come home having had at least one convert - YOU!"

This was probably one of my favorite talks.

It Was a Good Day, Then Night Came
By nightfall, my great day took a turn for the worst. I got food poisoning. When I saw the doctor in the morning, he said my weight was down and my heart rate was high, gave me some meds and Gatorade, and told me to sleep. Which I did (missed gym and some morning class). I prayed I would have enough strength to last the day. Frankly, there were times when I was surprised I could still walk and talk and focus. As the day went on, though, I slowly felt better.

The Lord really does answer prayers.

I'm invested!
Elder Connor Nef

Merry Christmas

Riding the bus home from the Temple

I have had a great week. Memorizing has come faster and I'm at the point where I can speak Spanish 75% of the time. Not bad, eh?

Answering Your Questions:
- The CCM (Mexico MTC) now has 120 missionaries, when I came there were 200.
- My Zone has 2 Districts.
- My District is fun and we get along well.
- My job as Zone Leader is to be an example, be a soundboard/advice-giver, and make sure everyone is at least speaking Spanglish (a great motivator to grow my own Spanish).
- Found out that I am the best at playing volleyball :| It makes it both fun and not fun (I'm really not that great)
- They gave me my Spanish scriptures and a bunch of other study helps.
- Devotionals are every Sunday and Tuesday, which is either a visiting member of the Seventy, a pre-recorded message of an Apostle, or a video (we watched the film Legacy on Sunday).
- The weather here at Christmastime is like Spring at home.

Mexico City Temple

Specific Prayer

Sunday, President Tenorio (MTC president) spoke on the topic of Specific Prayer, and he used Genesis 24 and the servant of Abraham as his example. 

And he (the servant) said,

Oh Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee,

send me good speed this day,

and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.

Behold, I stand here by the well of water;

and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:

And let it come to pass,

that the damsel to whom I shall say,

Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink;

And she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also:

Let the saying be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac;

And thereby shall I know

that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.

Genesis 24:12-14

Abraham's servant journeyed to the well to find a bride for Abraham's son, Isaac. Not wanting to mess up, the servant asked specifically what he wanted to happen to know for certain who Isaac should marry. God heard the prayer and answered it, just as asked, Rebecca then became Isaac's bride, and the rest, they say, is history.

The president then told all sorts of stories from his own life where specific prayer worked. Very inspiring.

Well, later that night as I was pondering the president's words, I offered a specific prayer to know if this principle worked. After the prayer, I opened my scriptures and read a little, when I happened to find a verse that I had looked for for years and could not find. There it was - the last verse of the chapter. And the Spirit bore witness to me of the power of specific prayer.

What a great help prayer is in this learning process...and in life.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Elder Connor Nef

Thank You Jeremiah!

MTC courtyard near my classroom

The city and campus here in Mexico are pretty. The landscaping looks just like temple grounds, and it is common to see a variety of birds (green parrots, crows that look different from home, and sparrows).  The low-laying fog every morning is especially cool.

I am feeling more settled. By Wednesday evening, my spirits were lifted, thanks in part to the prophet Jeremiah.

Fun Story:
Like I said last week, the vocabulary memorizing has been a little slow for me, and discouraging. At one point, I took a bathroom break.  And when I walk into the restroom, I hear a guy from the far stall call out, "Hey, is somebody there?"
     "Yo no se," I respond, somewhat perplexed.
Apparently, this guy had his Preach My Gospel reading material with him, and says, "Hey man, I've got a scripture for you. Listen to this." And from his closed stall, he begins reading aloud a verse from Jeremiah.

My bowels, my bowels!

I am pained at my very heart;

My heart maketh a noise in me;

I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard,

O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.

Destruction upon destruction is cried;

for the whole land is spoiled:

Suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment.

How long shall I see the standard,

and hear the sound of the trumpet?
Jeremiah 4:19-21

Soooo funny! The hilarity of the verse and the absurdity of the whole scene had me laughing so hard, and when I shared it with my district, we laughed for another solid five minutes. Thanks to Jeremiah and a weird missionary in a bathroom stall, this was the stress-reliever I needed to clear my mind.

Secret Weapon: Prayer
Since then, studies have come along a bit better. Though I'm lagging a little in putting to memory 10 full phrases per day, I did memorize the First Vision in Spanish. Baby steps, right? My secret weapon is Prayer, because it wasn't until after I prayed that the First Vision actually stuck. Guess I'll be praying before all memorizing.

Elders in my MTC Zone

Life in the MTC
My companion and I are Zone Leaders.
Teaching:  We began our weekly TRC: a program where volunteers from the city come in and listen to us newbs teach in Spanish for 15 minutes one-on-one. Pretty nervous for that.

Food:  Tortillas, rice and beans are a staple at every meal. Instead of salt and pepper at the tables, there is hot sauce and chili powder.

Exercise: Due to the rigorous study schedule, fitness is a must. Seems I am the designated fitness leader for my District, so we do a variety of activities: running, soccer, volleyball in the sandpit, and weight lifting.

Instructors:  I have four teachers - all from Mexico. Hermano Martinez, Hermano Sanchez, and...I can't tell you how to pronounce or spell the other two. My bad.

President and Sister Tenorio

Presidente Tenorio
The MTC president, President Tenorio is cool.

He learned English in two weeks, proposed to his wife after first seeing her, stopped a thief in the temple, and has been kidnapped and robbed at gunpoint more than once.

Lady of Guadalupe Celebration
December 12th, all of Mexico celebrated Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe - a holiday commemorating the virgin Mary's appearance to an Aztec Indian, Juan Diego, in 1531.

with Keanu (we were in Zion Choir together)

In celebration, we've heard fireworks blasting and Mariachi music playing all night, every night. In their mix was a song way back from your mission, Dad, La Muchilla Azul.



The locals may be celebrating the holiday, but I am content with celebrating Spanish phrases and verses sticking in my memory bank. And it's getting better every day.

Thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement. And, thank you Jeremiah!

Love you All,
Elder Connor Nef