¡Hola, todos!

This week has been good, and I´m getting along with Elder Pezo, which is really good. 

(We forgot to take a picture--sorry).

This week, like all of the best weeks, has had its ups and downs.  I started off the week, by meeting my new companion, Elder Pezo, from Cusco, Peru (by Machu-Pichu).  In fact he said that he has a grandma that speaks nothing but kechwa (the Inca language)!  He´s a hard worker, and wants to find the best, and most prepared people in our sector to teach. We have found several very interested, humble people this past week, and have worked very hard to animate the members and investigators.  However, at the same time, it has seemed  that each of our most promising, progressing investigators has hit an obstacle, that we don´t have much control over.  Whether it be surgery, the need to get married, loss of contact, or anger with bad experiences within the church, we have seen many very promising baptisms hit roadblocks that simply require patience. As the week went on, I became extremely occupied by this challenge, and it affected my attitude, and energy for the missionary work.  Later, my companion and I watched a mission video that talked about pushing yourself just one degree more, to be one degree better in the Lord´s work. In the video, the scripture, 2 Corinthians 6:12, was presented... and with everything that had happened, it hit me extremely powerfully. In spanish, it says, 

´´No estáis limitados por nosotros, sino que estáis limitados por vuestro propio corazón.´´ 

The English version of the scripture is a little different, but the literal translation of the Spanish version, is ´´You are not limited by us, but rather you are limited by your own heart´´. As I saw this, the Spirit hit me hard, and I felt that this scripture had something very important I was supposed to learn. I was disappointed that our plans and the people we were teaching were not going exactly as I wanted. However, I was allowing that disappointment to interfere with my work through the week, and I was not allowing myself to be happy in my own stubborness. I have realized, that often, we hold ourselves back in many instances when we need to work our hardest, and focus on others more than ever. This week ended on a good note, because I was finally able to understand that. :)

(In response to some questions...) About the light the world campaign... yes.... but ILUMINA EL MUNDO sounds cooler. As a ward, we went and gave food to homeless people, which was cool.  As for Chilean Christmas traditions, they don´t have anything that isn´t like the US during Christmas, really. Except pan de pascua (fruitcake). 

I´m excited to see you, and talk to you guys via Skype!  Christmas time is really fun here, even without snow ;) Hope you had a great week! I´m doing well, and continuing to work hard on finding and helping people. Love you, and talk to you later!

I hope everyone else had a great week as well, and i´ll write next week.

-Elder Checketts