May 2, 2016 Happy Mother's day!

Sopaipillas!  Helps toes to feel better!

Look at those worn out shoes!

Hey guys, so things are going well here. The truth is, that we have not been able to work too much lately. We spent 1 full week in our house without working... and now we are starting to work only a couple of hours a day. Because my comps toes are still recovering. Oh man, these things are nasty. I feel bad for him, and its definiately testing my patience, haha. I mean.... I had a comp with health issues before remember? Elder Flores... but this is different, because its hard to maintain a really positive attitude when 1) you cant really do much, and 2)any investigator that we had 2 weeks ago... is probably not going to be progressing by the time we get around to visit them again. So yeah. thats kind of how its been the last little while. Sorry for the lack of details, because it really hasn't been that  exciting of a  week.

But I have been studying a lot in the Book of Mormon, and where I was reading in Alma 43 is super cool because it talks about Moroni making preparations for war. And more specifically the steps that he and his army took to defeat the lamanites, its definiately worth studying again!

p.s. I am sending a couple pics of things we did this week. (made sopaipillas and asked the neighbor to let us borrow her rolling pin, and turns out she let us use her electric dough kneeding machine! haha sick right? It turned our lump of dough into 26 round sopaipillas in like 5 min. and it would have taken us forever to do it by hand)

also I let my comp borrow my sandals, because his feet didn't fit into his shoes for a whole week, and they actually only half fit into my sandals! hahaha what a ruckus!!! You should have seen him walking around the busy streets of concepcion last week bare foot, with flip flops on, and his big old toes bandaged like nobody's business. I have never got so many weird looks before in my life. hahah one lady even stopped and said "okay kiddos... your religion is great and everything, but you need to take care of your health and go home right now and rest." we were like "yes debbie, thanks for the advice, we are on our way home right now!" hahaha

April 25, 2016 Surgery......

Elder Fuentealba's bandaged up toes

Watching Testaments

Our kitchen

Our retro bathroom

Hey guys! so its been an .... interesting week to say the least! Don't freak out mom, I didn't have surgery.... my companion did. haha He has had some awfully gnarly ingrown toenails and finally got them taken care of. So we have not been able to leave our house for a few days, and those few days are going to turn shortly into a week. haha so it stinks for him, but at least he can get it taken care of right?

I am super grateful for my great health that I have had in my mission. Because a an elder from Arizona this week (finishes in July) but had to go home this week because he got MONO. And I feel really bad for him, because I know exactly what he is going through. Remember my terrible summer with mono? Yeah thats why I am thankful that I got sick before the mission and not now! :)

Other than all that, there really hasnt been many other things that happened. umm when we couldn't go to church the priests came and brought us the sacrament (water and a chocolate cookie because we didn't have bread. haha) and so that was nice of them. The members here are geat, and are treating us well. So well mothers day is in like 2 weeks, so I guess we need to set up a time for when its going to be best to skype. When do you guys have church??

sorry for the lack of details, it really has been an anti-climatic week. But I will send a couple pictures anyways :) 

Elder Hartvigsen

p.s. This is our little make shift home theater, watching "the testaments" with Elder Fuentealba´s bandaged up toes haha :(

in case you were curious... this is our home. Notice the 1970´s bathroom style? haha its like grandma jessies old blue bathroom! And I think its the first (and hopefully last time) I have ever had bars on the window of our bathroom. haha #sketchy! and we have 2 showers as well. One is electric, and the other gas. and they both work about half the time. So its fine, because sometimes you can just switch off  between showers when one stops working! :)

April 18, 2016 Lirquen forever more!

and the lirquen chapel is one of the biggest buildings here, and it looks huge from this side because you can see all 3 stories!

this is a BBQ that we did last night with this great guy named Jorge Rojas who is from Argentina.

this purplish house, is where we live! haha

Hey guys! so today is transfer day, and Elder LeCheminant is headed out to Talcahuano. And me and Elder Fuentealba are staying here. So Im actually really excited that I can finally go back to being in a normal companionship. Its going to be a lot nicer than the trio I think!

anyways, its nuts that I only have 2 and a half cambios (transfers) left. So I just have to blithering make the most of them!!! haha because I think I will probably finish my mission here as well! So this week we did another "meet the mormons" movie night for a ward activity. Its seriously a super great idea, because its a super great movie. And would be a very effective way for people to get to know the church. The only problem is that the members dont participate. We announced the whole activity and were invited everyone the entire week and when we started the movie (30 min. after the designed starting time) it was us 3 misionaries, and the ward mission leader and his wife, and 3 of the youth. hahaha it was a joke. Anyways people began to come nice and slowly and at the end of the night there were 20 people. No investigators.... but it was still a fun night. Thats definiately been the biggest struggle of my mission, GETTING THE MEMBERS EXCITED AND INVOLVED.

So on sunday the entire focus basically was "missionary work." Me and Elder Fuentealba gave talks in sacrament meeting, and the 2nd counselor in the bishopric told us before hand "if you guys can get the members to come up to you and ask when they can accompany you during the week, and give you references right then and there after sacrament meeting... you did an outstanding job!" haha I feel like I gave a good talk, because I shared what John Nichols shared in a church talk a few years ago that I have always loved. That every person on average needs 7 positive interactions or "touches" with missionaries or members of the church, to be able to accept the gospel. And how its similar to a game of football. With the goal being advance 100 yards to get a touchdown. Its possible. BUT VERY RARE that one players takes it for a 100 yard run and scores. It almost always happens that all the short yard gains, put together allow the team to slowly make it to the other end and score. Or in other words.... its possible for someone to hear the gospel for the first time, and in 3 short weeks be baptized immediately. Buts its not common! So thats why every one of our positive interactions we have with people talking about the gospel, all add up over time!

I also shared a story of how I was snowboarding one time when I was like 15 years old or so, and sat next to a russian man on the ski lift ( I have no idea if ou guys remember this or not) and how for a couple weeks before this I had been praying for an opportunity to share the gospel with someone. Living in Alpine utah, I had the desires, but had no idea how to do it, or much less WHO to share it with. So I was prompted that very morning to put a pass along card in my ski jacket, and so when I was sitting next to that guy, who asked me if I was a mormon, and how many wives dad had hahahe etc. I was able to simply give him the pass a long card and invite him to see lds.org

So after the talk, this girl in the ward comes up to me and gave me 2 super great references!!! Of her aunt, and her neighbor. Now Im not saying I gave an outstanding talk or anything. But I am gratful that the spirit was able to testify to her, during the sacrament meeting and she recognized the prompting and acted on it. Now Im just hoping and praying those 2 people will receive us, and progress :) and If not..... bueno, "¡hay que puro seguir no más po!" (you just gotta keep on trying!)

enjoy your beautiful utah weather, the rain is upon us here. haha :(

con mucho amor

Elder Hartvigsen

April 11, 2016 Punta de Parra

Hey guys, so we had a super great week this week. The highlight was definiately when we taught this super great 15 year old kid named Salomon. He just recently moved here from Colombia and seems pretty interested in our church. He is friends with an inactive kid (axel) and so we visited axel and his mom, and Salomon came over. Anyways, he committed to pray and wait for an answer about April 30 to be his baptismal date. And he committed to come to church with us, and then so did Axel and his mom (those two have not been to church in more than 5 years)....

We were super excited but sort of realizing that he probably wasnt going to come. Because ALL CHILEANS say that. They always commit to things and never followthrough. I think the reason he surprised us so much when he showed up to church is because he isnt Chilean. hahaha I know it sounds terrible, but I totally think its true! He and axel were the first ones to show up at church, then us, then we opened the church and waited for everyone else to arrive. I think he really liked it as well, so thanks for your prayers this week. We have found a great pèrson! Just keep praying that he progresses! ha :)

Also I had a mini cambio on wednesday where I forgot to bring my rain gear, and luckily a member let me borrow a yellow rubber rain jacket he had ( I looked like the guy from curious george ) But I was super grateful,... even though I got absolutely SOAKED from my thighs down, haha. 

And this morning we went on a super cool hike to this beach called "punta de parra" and I will send a bunch of cool pics. For the first time in my mission, I was actually TEMPTED to dive into the water. hahahaha the water was greenishly clear and gorgeous!

well we are in week 8... because this cambio has been an extra long one. I will let you know if anything happens in the transferes... have a great week! love you tons. And we will be talking on May 8th. #mothersday

con mucho amor

Elder Hartvigsen

April 4, 2016 Soaking up all 10 hours of General Conference!

Hellooo again everybody ;)

Well... I sure hope all of you were able to soak in ALL 10 hours of general conference this weekend! It was legendary :) Seriously. At about 12:55 on Saturday morning which would have been 9:55 am in Utah, I pictured you guys back home, and chuckled to myself seeing dad sitting on the coach with his iPad or notebook, and ready to rumble for conference. And trying to get cole and brit to come down from their rooms to watch because conference was just about to start. And I pictured mom in the kitchen making a fresh batch of Belgium waffles! YUMMM. I don't know if thats what really happened, just what I imagined to myself. ha. But seriously such a cool opportunity for all the members of the church in the entire world (15.5 million) to be gathered to hear the voice of the Lord through his chosen prophet and apostles.

I was on such a spiritual high, with some incredibly powerful talks, and music by the choir. And like Elder Holland put it "coming back to reality" can be tough sometimes.... "coming back from out mountain peak experiences". I really liked that. Both of my questions that I have been thinking about for a long time were answered in Conference. And just like I thought it would be, they weren't even necesarily something that someone said. But rather something that I knew I needed to change, or that I could do, based on how I felt (promptings of the spirit) when I watched the conference. 

And hey, how about those 4 new temples. cool right? Especially the 2nd one in Lima!!!! haha thats so sick!

Well our number one struggle in this entire zone of missionaries is getting people to commit and bring them to church. So please pray that we will be able to somehow through the spirit get to their hearts, so that they will understand the importance of church in preparation for baptism, and that they will have the desires to go!

I love you guys tons. And am so glad that we belong to the Lords church. And I rejoice again with Elder Stevenson.... that we will NEVER EVER again have to ask the question "Where are the keys?" Because we live during the restoration of the gospel, and the keys will never be taken again from the earth!

Remember that the greatest blessings of conference come "After the conference is over." Take advantage of the technology we have and Ensigns etc. to re-read and re-study the conference talks over and over again. They are scripture for us in our time, TODAY!

Con mucho amor

tu wachito lindo

Elder Hartvigsen ;)

Mar. 28, 2016 Pascua de la Resurreccion! (Easter Sunday)

Hey guys, so I hope you have all had a great week. Seriously this week has been super super good for us. Remember how I was sort of bummed last week for being a bit sick, and the work was just going really really slow. Well Im not sure what we did to deserve such a good week this week .... but we seriously have found so many different new people to teach. Granted not all seem like golden investigators, but there are a couple who seem promising. So we are excited for the chance to be able to work with lots of new people and see if they progress or not.

A funny story this week, is how we were knocking on doors on this certain street that Elder LeCheminant "hates" (because he has been here for 6 months and has talked to everyone on that street and really doesnt have much desire to keep knocking on those same doors hahaha. basically how I felt in Hualpén everyday) anyways... we knock on this guys door, that my comp had never talked to. And you have to realized that this house was a POOR HOUSE. Like seriously, Or at least from the outside thats how it looked. Made of 2x4s and plywood. With thin tin sheets to cover the walls and roof. Like the most basic of chilean construction that there is. Anyways the guy Reinaldo says know that he is sort of busy etc.... and Elder LeCheminant just says "can we please just share a 2 minute video with you about Easter and Christ´s resurrection?" and he was like... yeah sure really quickly, come on in. And Elder Fuentealba and I look at eachother both thinking the same thing. How are we going to show this guy the video thats on my thumbdrive when Im sure he doesnt have a computer even a half decent TV. anyays we walked in.... I immediately look on the wall to my left, and spot this BIG OLD 50 inch or so LG flat screen smart TV. hahahaha I looked back at elder Fuentealba and just had the biggest smile on my face trying not to let the guy notice. hahah and then I remembered I was in Chile. And thats how it is here... Brady knows what Im talking about. You could have the junkiest little shack as a house, and all the kids have smart phones, or tablets, and a big old smart TV. haha

And well on a sad note, I totally found out about the terrorist attack in brussels. And then a couple days later found out that Mason Wells was one of the missionaries, so that is just awful. Also a member showed me the interviews and stories online. So im sure you guys will have already sent me that stuff, but anyways thats just terrible. Keep them in your prayers!!

Keep getting pumped up for general conference, and remember to watch it with QUESTIONS IN MIND. I am doing the same thing, and I have the certainty that throught the spirit (not necessarily something that someone says) our questions will be answered. I know that this church is true. That Christ directs his church, and I also know that we are getting closer and closer to the second coming every single day. So thats why general conference gets sicker and sicker every 6 months! hahaha The prophet is inspired. Keep reading the scriptures daily too!!

Love you tons!

Elder Hartvigsen

Mar. 21, 2016 La Semana Santa, passover week, people eat seafood instead of meat.Thi

Elder Melo from Brazil!

This big ole completo for only 2$.  That ok with me:)

I'm in a sweater because winter is coming!

Hey guys! well its weird that this week is going to be easter and its not even April yet. haha well... what are we gonna do about it? So here in Chile there is a catholic tradition that apparently you are not supposed to eat meat during "la Semana santa" (the passover week) and so everyone eats seafood to replace their meat for those days.... haha its just another foolish tradition  pushed upon everyone here. luckily we aren't allowed to eat seafood here!! :) even though thats the only thing that people sell and eat in the center of town. eeewh it smells awful :/

I hope you have all seen the new church video "halleluja" its super great. Its powerful, and I love the part about the people showing picture of their loved ones that have died and stuff, and how "through adam all men die... but in christ all shall be made alive."

Grandma annette wrote me this week, which was really sweet of her and I responded with a thought from the scriptures that I had been reading this week. Helaman 14:14-17 talks about the importance of the resurrection. Well basically physical death is a NECCESARY STEP in life right. Its necessary that we die, because thats the only way to be able to be resurrected. And the resurrection is what brings us back to the presence of God, and allows us Eternal life. Its definiately worth studying (those verses, along with any other scripture related to the resurrection :) haha its super cool)

So this week, not gonna lie has been pretty hard. A long and not super great week, because I have been sick with a cold and a fever and have really just struggled with desires to work and everything. Because of my lack in physical strength and also the work is going incredibly slow here. Our ward mission leader isnt really doing much, and its hard to keep the members kicked into motion, and missionary work without the help of the members is 100% useless. So its been rough, and I get along pretty well with my comps, but just kind of different now that I have a companion that takes charge and wants to lead everything, and its just a whole difference type of experience than what I was used to the past few months.... anyways I dont want to complain or anything, but just letting you guys know how I feel. You cant always have amazing weeks right? 

But we did have stake conference and it was super cool how at the end of the saturday session the Stake President got all serious in his talk, and sort of emotional, and through his priesthood authority invoked a blessing upon all of us there in that session (there were very few people) and he blessed us that we (more specifically the members there) would be able to be a "light among their peers" and be an example to everyone. And that they would be blessed because everyone of them left something behind in order to come to that session that night, and that that act would not be forgotten in heaven, because WE ARE ALWAYS blessed when we put god first!

thats so true. I love you guys, have a great week. keep studying the scriptures, and know that trials are for our benefit...., even though we can almost NEVER see the benefit in the moment. it takes time to see :)

Elder ckelly hartsfinger