Life is starting to get back to normal here in Talca, but obviously there are still buildings down and all people want to talk about is the earthquake, but we are back to proselyting everyday. Its kind of hard right now because what these people need is comfort and peace, but our purpose here is to talk of baptism, and even though I know that baptism will bring them what they need, it’s not what they want to hear. So we’re first trying to build a relationship of confidence and trying to comfort them. I know all will be good cuz we talk purely of the atonement which is the best way to teach. We have some investigators that are good, but they’re just kinda stuck and don’t want to keep some of the commitments or just need a little push. We need to start looking for new people....I hate doing contacts! But it’s really neccesary so I just gotta work hard and do it. Oh yea we’re going to have a family night on Wednesday with an inactive family and i need ideas for games we could play so if you could think of that that’d be great.
We had a baptism yesterday! We finally baptized Maria, and it was great! We’ve been spending a lot of time with her and her family this week, and we have a great relationship with them. Their aunts, uncles, cousins and grandma all like us, which is good, but the only worry that I have is that if we leave, will they stay with the church, cuz they don’t know or have much of a relationship with other members. So our focus right now with them is to assign a family to visit them and take care of them. Before the baptism we got to hear a few talks and they were really good, and our Bishop just has a way with words....he just always uses too many haha. He’s a really powerful guy but he always talks sooooo long. Anyways in the middle of his talk there was an aftershock, and he told us all to calm down, be tranquil, and that it was only a replica. Then he said in the name of Jesus Christ amen, lets go to the baptism font! In the font I almost said Maria Isabel Montenegro Caceres, by the authority of the melchezidek priesthood....but I caught myself and said the right words. I’m used to giving blessings and those words are almost automatic. After the baptism I sang a solo of Mas cerce, Dios, de Ti (I cant remember what that’s called in english) and we finished.
It felt really good to be back in the church again, there’s just a good feeling there that helps relieve the stress and sometimes routine like feeling I have. It was good to talk to the members and see that they are all okay too. People are still really scared, so we try to calm them down. I wish people would calm down here, but they have families and houses to care of whereas I only have to worry about myself. So I guess they have reason to worry. The weather is still hot, and I’m really looking forward to fall and rain, but I’m sure ill miss the sun when I’m walking around soaking wet in about a month. We have been back in our house since last Sunday so don’t worry about that. We have light, water, food, everything. Where we live it almost looks like nothing happened, so that helps me feel normal with the whole earthquake thing. Oh I almost forgot, this week I had surgery on my toe because I had an ingrown toenail, so the awesomeness of this week just continues. It doesn’t hurt or anything but I had to take a day off so it didn’t get infected, but I’m fine now and working. Tell everyone thanks for their emails! It was great to hear from the brother and sisters! I’ll try to reply to all of their emails too. Tell dad that I love him and all the little critters that are running around there (Addie, Cadence, Talmage) I LOVE YOU ALL!
Love
Tanner
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