Tuesday, December 30, 2014

DEC 23 - DEC 29 SEMANA 36 EN EL CAMPO MISIONAL CONCEPCION, CHILE

"...I wanna wish you a merry Christmas!"

En serio, ¡espero que todos ustedes tuvieran una Navidad fantástica y que la pasaran muy bien!

It was a great Christmas week here!

The highlight of course was talking in Skype with my very favorite people, but the rest of it was good, too! ;)

Tuesday we had our Conferencia de La Misión, with the entire mission. It was so awesome seeing all of the élderes and hermanas that I've come to know. I ran into all of my old compañeros de casa, mi papá Élder Withers, Élder Kemner and Élder Archibald (my very first two compañeros and some of my greatest friends), Élder Ospina, and mi abuelo Élder Catrón and my recently-born tío Élder Harvigsen, and the rest I just can't count now. It was a great experience, and every zone performed a skit or song. Our zone sang "Venid Adoremos." Presidente Arrington and Hermana Arrington talked to us, and later we were able to listen to an autoridad del área who spoke to us about being misioneros consagrados. Right before lunch, we watched the Christmas Mission video that the mission put together, which included pictures of the families of every missionary. It was spiritual and emotional, thinking of our families and the reason we are here, and at the end Presidente and Hermana Arrington left us with a challenge and promise that we one day be sealed in the temple to our own families. There really is no great joy that that which comes from eternal families.

Christmas Eve, we went caroling in the hospital in Linares as a zone. We sang on every floor, and sang to patients and families alike. Later in the day, we passed by a few families of the rama to wish them a feliz Navidad and to sing them each a carol. 

La Noche Buena misma and Navidad, we passed with la familia Cárcamo in Linares. We had a traditional and grand Christmas dinner with them (Presidente, Hermana, Benjamin, Liz, and Jeremias) and one other hermano solo from the rama, Hermano Muñoz. After dinner and unlike home, we opened Christmas presents, late that night. We had done an amigos secretos with la familia Cárcamo, and every one had a gift. We had a great time opening presents, and although I left a few presents to open for when we would get back to Linares, I spent that later part of that night reading through the advent calendar. Thank you, family, for that, one of the greatest presents I have ever received, and as well for every other gift that you gave me. I received a lot this Christmas, and it really humbles me. Thank you not specifically for the gifts, but for loving me and caring for me so much.

Christmas we passed played fútbol and basquetbol, and I played wearing my new jersey of the U de Chile. (My real favorite equipo, though, is Orlando City, and thanks my dad for the awesome shirt of the team! ¡Es tan bakán!)

We ended up staying one more night in Linares, and Friday we came back to our good 'ol casita in Longavi.

AHORA, BREVEMENTE...¡CAMBIOS!

We have cambios! We found out this morning that Élder Mariano leaves to Chillán, and I will be staying in Longavi with a new compañero Méxicano, el Élder Ramirez! I'm going to be living with two Méxicanos! jaja. It's going to be great, and I'm going to be working on la comida Méxicana! At the same time, I am going to miss Élder Mariano an awful lot. He is único, el hombre, and brings animo with him wherever he goes. I've learned a lot from him, and I thank him for that which he's taught me, mi querido compañero brasileño.

Ok, family, ¡FELIZ Y PROSPERO AÑO NUEVO! ¡Ya saben que voy a estar pensando en ustedes cuando pasamos al año nuevo!

¡SALUD!

Mucho amor,

su Élder Trent Sellers

La cena navideña

A grand Christmas dinner with la familia Cárcamo!

We played fútbol Christmas morning

Yo y Elder Mariano


Yo, Élder Mariano, Élder Flores, Élder Herrera

Monday, December 22, 2014

DEC 16 - DEC 22 SEMANA 35 EN EL CAMPO MISIONAL CONCEPCION, CHILE

¡Feliz semana de Navidad, familia!

Wow, what a week it's going to be!

This past Saturday we had our actividad navideña de la rama, and it included a visit from el viejito pascuero straight from his vacation in Hawaii! He came in a Hawaiian t-shirt, shorts, and all, and he brought gifts for all of the kids in the rama! It was really special, and impossible not to feel the Christmas spirit! 

We, as missionaries, helped llevar a cabo the activity, and we got to serve the members and their families as they enjoyed the time together. :)

Tomorrow we have la conferencia de la misión in Chillán, over an hour from Longavi, and tonight we're staying here in Linares with los líderes de zona as we have to catch the bus bright and early at 6:30! It's going to be a fun trip, even though a little early, and the conference is going to be so awesome! I can't wait to see all of the élders and hermanas and all of the many friends I've made here these past few months.

Wednesday, we are going to come here to Linares to carol in the hospital.

Thursday, we'll be SEEING each other when we can Skype! WOO! We'll be spending the majority of the day with la familia Cárcamo, apart from also having an activity de la zone that morning, as well. There are four of us missionaries, and it loooooks like we'll be taking turns Skyping from about 6:00PM onward! I'll be Skyping first, it seems, around 6:00 tiempo Chileno! CAN'T WAIT!

Ooo, wow, there's a lot to say, and we'll have to say it then!

¡LES AMO A USTEDES, FAMILIA! :)

Amor de su misionero,

Élder Trent Sellers


¡Jo jo jo! del campo de Chile

¡Bautismo de Teory!

Actividad navideña de la rama

Monday, December 15, 2014

DEC 9 - DEC 15 SEMANA 34 EN EL CAMPO MISIONAL CONCEPCION, CHILE

¡Que fantástica, la semana, mi familia!

¡TEORY SE BAUTIZÓ!

After moving back her baptism from el 29 de Noviembre, Teory Yañez Romero was baptized this Saturday, el 13 de Diciembre, and I was given the great opportunity to baptize her. :) Teory is 33, a mother and grandma, and one of the most alegre, happiest people I know. After investigating for more than 10 years and coming to know the Church through her mom Hermana Carmen and two brothers, she was baptized and later confirmed a member Sunday morning by Elder Mariano.

She had been taught everything multiple times before. Something, though, made the difference, and after so much time she came to the decision to finally be baptized. As she explained it to us, nothing had really changed. She had seen how the members of the Church were, and the difference that the Church had made for her family, and she had come to know it was true. 

That is another testimony to me that, although we need to study and understand the teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the greatest and most convincing evidence is found in the blessings that we receive as families. Everything in the Gospel, and the reason I am spending this Christmas away from sunny Florida, is to bring happiness and joy to other families. I can't tell you how many blessings I have received in this, my own family.

Now, even when I'll be away this Christmas, it's going to be a good one!

After the busy week this week, we have a lot planned coming up. Tuesday, the 23rd, we are going to have an entire MISSION CONFERENCE for Christmas in Chillán. We are going to be leaving from Linares early that morning, making an hour trip to Chillán to get together with the entire mission (some 250 élders and hermanas, más o menos) to celebrate Christmas! 

The 24th and 25th, we'll be spending a majority of the time with la familia Cárcamo, la familia of our Branch President! More on that later. Momma and my dad, again, anytime after 4:00PM our time (I believe we're two hours ahead) will be great to SKYPE Christmas Day! ;)

Que tenga una semana super buena, mi familia.

I'm still working on ideas for Christmas cards...they're not going to arrive in time but I'm still going to do something!

Mucho amor de su misionero,

Elder Trent Sellers :)

Monday, December 8, 2014

DEC 2 - DEC 8 SEMANA 33 EN EL CAMPO MISIONAL CONCEPCION, CHILE

¡Buenas, mi familia!

It's been another week of Christmas, and Christmas has yet to arrive!

I guess that's something different in the life of a missionary. Every day is like Christmas! We talk about the Savior, every day, and in everything we do. There's just a little more Christmas Spirit this time of the year. ;)

Things are going well in Longavi. This week, we bought our árbolito from Líder and decorations from small shops in Linares, and put everything together in the casita. Todovía nos falta un poquito, but things are looking good in the little house!

Friday, we had interviews with Presidente, and at night a Noche de Cine Navideña for the rama that we hosted as the missionaries. Saturday, Elder Flores and I both taught the clase de guitarra, which is now becoming more of a general clase de música as we are beginning to teach a little piano, o teclado, as well haha. It's awesome teaching music in Español! haha. 

The idioma is really coming along, and it's been really neat becoming accustomed to speaking Español every day, with my companion and practically everybody!

A few weeks back, I taught my companions and the family of Presidente Cárcamo Racoon Bandit, and that's been a hilarious new tradition of the rama! It's the game that we play a lot at home, that Elder Evans taught us, where you make signals with your hands and freeze or put people on the floor for 10 seconds. Ah gosh, it's so funny! It's made the voyage to Chile now haha.

Ok, quickly, FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS a Charlie Grace (de Twent), Uncle Bill, and Uncle Jerry! Also, a speedy recovery to Aunt Susie! I'm thinking of all of you!

Also, I'm very sorry to hear about the passing of Brother George Romney. I love him a whole lot, and Sister Romney and all of their family, and I send my regards and prayers for them. What a blessing it is to know we can be with our families, really, forever. 

Ok, les mando mucho amor, mi familia y todos ustedes queridos.

¡Que tengan una semana buenísima!

Amor de su misionero,
Elder Trent Sellers


P.S. Momma and my dad, enjoy the BEACH! Gosh, imagine the distance between the campo of Chile and the sunny beaches of Florida haha. 

¡Los misioneros de Longavi y nuestro árbolito de Navidad!

Elder Mariano (Brasil - compañero mío), Elder Herrera (México), yo, Elder Flores (Bolivia)

¡Feliz mes de Navidad!


Monday, December 1, 2014

NOV 25 - DEC 1 SEMANA 32 EN EL CAMPO MISIONAL CONCEPCION, CHILE

¡FELIZ DICIEMBRE, querida familia!

¡Es el mes de NAVIDAD!

O sea, only one of the best times of the year! Maybe even especially in the mission, December is one of the greatest months of all!

This week we helped armar dos árboles de Navidad, and the Christmas tunes are just beginning to be played...in English, too! 

There's a lot going on this month and, between all of the fun of the holidays, we as missionaries get to focus in teaching others about the true meaning of Christmas, who is Jesus Christ. :) As we are sharing with the people of Longavi, He is the greatest gift of all. 

This month the Church is doing an advertising campaign called HE IS THE GIFT, o EL ES LA DÁDIVA en español, to help all come to recognize the gift of the Savior. Keep an eye out for it - especially in YouTube on December 7th. ;)

Now, to backtrack...

HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT THANKSGIVING, my family and amigos amados! Gosh, what a week it was! We didn't celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday with a huge meal, and I definitely wasn't with my family, but it was a good day! And, perfectly, arrived the Thanksgiving package on Thanksgiving! THANK YOU, momma and my dad! Oh my gosh, PEANUT BUTTER! And CINNAMON JELLY BELLIES, Aunt Dee! Hahaha oh my gosh, that made my day! 

Really, momma and my dad, thank you for everything. :) You really take care of me, even when I'm in Chile!

Ok, my family, ¡me toca irme! y más temprano que querría.

Para que no me olvide, I received a card from Grannie and Papa this week! Thank you, mucho, Grannie and Papa! I love reading the cartas from Grannie, and hearing how things are in Brooksville. ;) 

Ok, ¡Les amo!

Su misionero, en el campo,

Elder Trent Sellers

Armando el árbol de Navidad con Michael

Armando el árbol de Navidad con Michael

Los Viejitos Pascueros

¡El paquete llegó!