OCT 20- OCT 26 SEMANA 79 EN EL CAMPO MISIONAL

¡Saludos de Quirihue!

When I presented myself during a quaint Sacrament meeting in our home yesterday, I had to say that I felt as if I had known all those present, the rest of the 23 of us, for quite some time! Elder Fonseca and I spent an exciting week visiting all those of the Quirihue group and, come Sunday, I truly did know almost everyone!

This is going to be an incredible time to work in this part of the Lord's vineyard. There is so much to be done in Quirihue, and so much that is eagerly anticipated amongst the strong few that are pioneers. 

There is much to tell, but suffice it to say that this town is big enough for the two of us! It is much bigger than I had thought, spacier and more modern that Longavi and Coihueco but yet a pueblo.

I love you, my family, and wish you an exciting week from the country! 

Amor de su huaso,

Elder Trent Sellers :)

Primera palada! (First shovelful) Anticipating the Concepcion Temple Ground Breaking!

El bautismo de Fernanda!

OCT 13- OCT 19 SEMANA 78 EN EL CAMPO MISIONAL

¡Hola, familia, y chao, Hualpen!

I'm leaving!

Today, after finding out cambios by playing rock-paper-scissors and popping balloons, I learned that I will be saying goodbye to Hualpen!

After 18 weeks in Hualpen, the Lord is calling me again to the country!

Tomorrow, I will be leaving for Quirihue, the humblest pueblo of the mission. Two hours outside of Tomé, where our zone is centered and where district classes are held, Quirihue is one of the most isolated towns of the entire mission. The unit itself is neither ward nor branch, rather a "group" organized as an addition to an existing branch in Colemu. The branch president comes to Quirihue for the Sacrament meeting held in our house!

I'll be living with three other elders whom I know well, my companion being Elder Fonseca! Elder Fonseca was Elder Fuentealba's companion in el CCM! He is from California, and has three months in the sector. We two will be living with Elder Baldwin and Elder Nelson, and all considered I will be the "old man" of the house!

This past weekend we enjoyed the groundbreaking of the Concepción temple! We attended the broadcast in our centro de estaca, and Elder Fuentealba had the opportunity to witness it alongside his grandma! The service was special, and it was neat to see our mission president seated behind those speaking! haha. 

Later Saturday evening, Fernanda was baptized! A great number of her family attended, and Hermano Saez, her grandpa, baptized her. The water was too warm at first for Hermano Saez but, after breaking out the fireman's hose to cool it down, the two descended into the water and Fernanda was baptized. :) Sunday morning, Elder Fuentealba and I participated as her grandpa confirmed her a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. A very spiritual weekend ended well!

Today, we are running about after having gone to centro and later played a team of carabineros (Chilean police) in basketball in our stake center!

There is much to pack, and many to visit, and so we are running!

I love you, my family, and pray that you might have a most wonderful week!

Mucho amor,

Elder Trent Sellers :)

I leave tomorrow for my new assignment in Quirihue, Chile which is about 50 miles north of Concepcion.  

Population only 12,562!

OCT 6- OCT 12 SEMANA 77 EN EL CAMPO MISIONAL

Feliz día de la raza!

O sea... HAPPY COLUMBUS DAY!

In Chile, today is yet a holiday!

After spending a morning walking through centro, we have found that the majority of all businesses are closed, and few people are in the streets!

Even so, the missionary fun doesn't stop! We have yet much planned ahead for this week, and much to do preparing for the weekend.

This past week, Elder Fuentealba and I were blessed to find a number of very interested, investigating couples and their families! Upon arriving here to Hualpen nearly fourth months ago, the work was very different. Elder Holt and I did all that we could to go out and come to know a very unknown ward. Since then, we have been blessed to find and teach so many different families, and Elder Fuentealba and I are blessed to be teaching many that are progressing in returning to church and a number that are coming to know it and the message of the Gospel for the first time. Cambios are in another week and regardless of a change, I will be blessed to have done all that I could here in Hualpen.

This week we're are anxiously preparing for a very spiritual weekend. Saturday morning, the Concepción temple will see its groundbreaking. We will see the proceedings by a broadcast at our stake center in Villa Acero. The members of Concepción have waited so long, and this day will be one to always stay in the hearts of those here. Saturday evening, seeing that all goes well with an interview still to be done, Fernanda, the 10-year-old daughter of a less-active member, Hermana Lorena, is to be baptized! We will do all that we can to see that it is a spiritual day!

May we see those blessings later this week, and may you have a wonderful week of blessings as well, my family!

I love each of you, and think of you and all that you are sure to be doing while I am here in the Lord's work.

Mucho amor,

Elder Trent Sellers :)

SEP 29- OCT 5 SEMANA 76 EN EL CAMPO MISIONAL

¡¿Escucharon?!

It was a tremendous blessing to listen once again to a prophet's voice! The 185th Semi-Annual General Conference was well-attended, even thousands of miles away in the southern, American continent in Chile. Elder Fuentealba and I did what we could to invite all those we are currently teaching to attend and listen to President Monson and the Twelve Apostles. We made small invitations towards the end of the week to give to a number of the recent converts and less-actives we're visiting, and gave the invitation to a number of unknown people we came across in the streets. Fernanda, a 10-year-old daughter of a less-active Hermana Lorena who we're teaching, attended Sunday morning with her mom and her grandparents. Her grandpa, who is from another ward in the stake, will baptize her in two weeks on the day of the groundbreaking of the Concepción Temple. It was a blessing to see her there, along with other less-active members who attended! Hermano David and his family watched from the home of his cousin.

Elder Fuentealba and I finished our missionary fun listening to the inspired words of all those who spoke. I was uplifted by every message, but especially found inspiration in the talks of President Uchtdorf, Elder Hales, Elder Holland, President Eyring, and President Monson. I took notes of every speaker in every session. My general conference notes will be greatly treasured from the mission. We watched the conference in our stake center in Villa Acero.

After such a conference, I am ready for another week of hard missionary fun in this, the Lord's work. I love you, my family, and wish you a wonderful week. If you weren't able to listen to the Conference, may I suggest looking for it on lds.org.

A special FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS from this past week to my buddy Aaron! ;) The Jake to my Elwood!

Mucho amor de su misionero en Chile,

Elder Sellers

Aaron at Trent's baptism. Feliz cumpleanos Aaron!

SEP 22 - SEP 28 SEMANA 75 EN EL CAMPO MISIONAL

¡Qué semana especial, familia!

This weekend, we will again listen to a living prophet and apostles in the General Conference of the church!

What a blessing it is to have a living prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, who speaks with the Savior and guides His Church! General Conference in the mission is a different experience. This marks the fourth General Conference that I will watch in the mission and, as a missionary, I can feel the Spirit especially strong as I am doing the Lord's work and dedicating my thoughts and service to what is beyond myself.

May we all dedicate the time this weekend, setting aside our normal outings and passtimes, to listen to the prophet's voice. A special conference, it will be certainly, as three new apostles are called!

A wonderful week Elder Fuentealba and I finish here. After a week of much work with the members, a mini cambio (when Elder Fuentealba went to Barrio Esmeralda where his family lives), and a very delicious Noche de Hogar with the family of Obispo Avilez, we look forward to what is to come!

¡Les amo, mi familia!

Les deseo una semana fantástica, y mucho provecho en escuchar la Conferencia General. ;)

Mucho amor de su misionero,

Elder Trent Sellers

Yippee, a package from home!

What could it be?

Another great Chilean meal! Muchas gracias!

SEP 15 - SEP 21 SEMANA 74 EN EL CAMPO MISIONAL

¡FELICES FIESTAS PATRIAS, familia!

Ah, what a signature day, el 18 de Septiembre, and what a WEEK, las fiestas patrias!

Elder Fuentealba and I traversed the flag-lined streets of Hualpen, enjoying the sounds of folklore and the tempting smells and tastes of comida Chilena. Empanadas, pajaritos, alfajores, asado, and glasses of mote con huesillo made for two very satisfied missionaries at week's end.

Friday we ate lunch with la familia Vidal, one of the sisters being who we bring to church in her wheelchair on Sunday, and on Saturday we spent our given two hours in a ward activity with Hermano David Silva, his wife and daughter who are not yet members, and another investigator, Michael, who we went to go get. It was incredible to see all in the chapel enjoying the activity, and it was well spent on our part!

Elder Fuentealba and I continued working as hard as we could, and that included finding a man alone in his house the night of el 18 and sharing with him. The alimento espiritual that we shared makes up for the little alimento físico that we might have missed.

Very grateful for this beautiful country in the which I am serving, and very grateful for the blessing it is to bring the blessings of heaven to los Chilenos. :)

Mucho amor de su misionero,

Elder Trent Sellers

The Fiestas Patrias, September 18th, commemorates the proclamation of the First Governing Body of 1810, and marks the beginning of the Chilean Independence.

Flags line the quaint street for Septiembre 18th

Celebrating Septiembre 18th with a kite.

SEP 8 - SEP 14 SEMANA 73 EN EL CAMPO MISIONAL

¡FELICES FIESTAS PATRIAS, familia!

This coming week is the week of el 18 de septiembre, the national holiday of Chile, and las fiestas patrias!

There's been a spirit of that in the air this past week, and all are preparing with banderas flying in every corner and offers for choripan, pajaritos, empanadas, asado, and mote con huesillo lining the streets!

We had a fine past week, highlighted by the worldwide day of service. As nearly half of the mission, we united with the members of various stakes and cleaned the streets of Concepción, scraping posters off the walls and picking up trash. Apart from service, there was much missionary fun to be had in the week, and Elder Fuentealba and I were able to work with the members and see many less-active members in the chapel on Sunday.

This week we ourselves are preparing for the fiestas, and will do all that we can to teach these happy Chilenos!

A very FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS to Aunt Dee! I am celebrating, and so dedicated a doughnut! ;)

Also, happy Grandparents Day to Grannie and Papa!

Love you, my family! Running!

Much love,

Elder Trent Sellers

Celebrating Aunt Dee's birthday with a doughnut. Happy birthday Aunt Dee!

Cleaning the streets of Concepción during the worldwide day of service!

Cleaning the streets of Concepción during the worldwide day of service!