Serving a Mission in Chile, Antofagasta for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Serving a Mission in Chile, Antofagasta for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Serving in the Chile, Antofagasta Mission

Monday, October 7, 2013

4th week in Chile proves to be challenging......

This was a rough week for Elder McMullan.  I debated whether or not to even post this week.  He actually didn't email me until much later in the day.  He emailed Tim this am, and told him that he didn't want him to share some things with me.  Pierce apparently (in his words) wants me to think that everything is going AWESOME down there!  (Nothing negative.)    He knows I'm not one to "sugar coat" things..., so not quite sure why he thinks he needs to sugar coat things for me?   This blog is to portray reality, not the Disneyesque version.

I will share just a couple of things he mentioned.  He said that so far, the mission isn't exactly what he expected it to be.   He inquired quite a bit about Tim's schedule during his mission. (25 YEARS AGO)  I'm so grateful Tim is able to relate, and can give him advice and insight. (Also grateful Tim has a great memory!)

Pierce admitted that he has had moments when he felt as if he was wasting his time there.  He also said " The missionaries here, are basically home teachers.  We  do everything that the members do in the states.  My companion hates contacts (tracting) and I don't know if we are really supposed to do them, because the members are supposed to find people for us.  We really don't get much help from them though.  I want to go and tract and contact every house in our sector, but I know my companion won't want to.  I can only communicate so much before he has to take over and that's not really fair to him.   I figure there HAS to be at least 1 person in our sector that is ready to hear the Restored Gospel, and if there really isn't anyone, then I can at least say that I tried everyone!  It would really ease my soul. It’s just hard sometimes to go out and visit with the same 15 families everyday or every other day.   I feel so useless at times.  And the fact that I can't carry on a conversation for very long, really bothers me." 

As a Mom, that really DOES bother me and it hurts to read that.  It''s awful to hear your child struggle when they are SO far away and there is NO WAY  for you to help them through it.  (at least for another week when he gets your email..., and by that time, the crisis will be over.  HOPEFULLY)  But it also enables me to rely heavily on the Lord, and trust that this whole process and experience for the next 2 years, will be life altering and it will mold our boy into the Man that he was meant to be.  I KNOW and trust that with all my heart. Even though this was a hard week for Pierce emotionally, I'm also glad to see he is having some opposition. (Is that mean? normal?)   How sweet would those special moments be, if ALL of his experiences were amazing?  How can we grow if we aren't cut back and pruned once in a while?     

On a happy note, he did share that they have an investigator, "E", who they have been teaching.  She is progressing really well,  so he hoped that they would be able to "place a fecha"  (set a date)  with her tomorrow when they visit with her, to be baptized. :)    

No pictures this week.  :(  He couldn't get the computer to cooperate.  

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