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

March 14, 2016 A Stake Conference for just Chile with Pres. Nelson

The empanadas Pablito taught us to make

Our district

Cooking in Pablitos kitchen in an old house he was born in 60 years ago

Cooking in a mud oven

Making Brazo de Reina a dessert with caramel sauce

Hey guys!!

So, first off thanks a ton for the birthday package mom. I loved the BYU shirts, and the candy :) I gave everyone in my district a Jolly Rancher sucker after district class and they loved them. Because half the district is from South America and has never seen those things before, so well done! ha Also I have a bunch of stories from this week.

1. While contacting in the streets, one of my companions goes up to this guy sitting down listening to a little handset radio and starts talking to him. And one of the first things my comp says in the contact is "Hey do you have any questions about religion in general for us?" (which by the way is a ROOKIE move. hahaha because first he probably is going to either ask a stupid question, or not know what to say and just end the contact haha) anyways the guy says "yeah I do have a question for you kiddos... what type of rooster was it that crowed after Peter denied Christ?" and we were all just busting up inside. I was like "uhh... an african rooster with green feathers???" haha. and he told us that in aramaic or somethig rooster actually means trumpet, and so it wasnt a rooster that crowed but rather the trumped that sounded in the night. We hear such crazy things talking to everyone all day in the street. haha

2. So Monday night after a family home evening we were coming back to the house and at 10 pm we were finishing our contacts, and this mini van stops on the street and this man jumps out of the car with a US soccer hat, and a BYU shirt and starts talking to us in english, and then his whole family got out of the car. and turns out it was a family from St. George who the dad had served in Lirquén 30 years ago, and the daughter just finished her mission in Viña Del Mar in January. and they were visiting their missions. It was super fun to talk to them, and it really cheered up our whole night. And their 2 little brothers reminded me exactly of cole and brit. they had BYU shirts, and nike elite socks, and retro flat billed hats and everything. haha it got me super excited to tour around here with you guys in august. The mom took a photo and I gave her your name and number mom. so if she hasn't called you yet, she will. she wants to give you ideas for when you come down here,  :) also they gave us a bunch of cookies (nutterbutters, oreos, chips ahoy etc.) super fun!!

3.We had a super special Stake Conference yesterday, that was transmitted from SLC and it went to all the stakes in Chile. And President Russel M. Nelson directed it, and him, and Elder Soares, and Dean M. Davies all spoke and they all spoke in Spanish! Which the members all loved, and I thought it was super cool as well. the theme was KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS. the same as pres. monsons talk, but directed to the saints in chile. which lets be honest a lot of members pick and choose which commandments to keep. like they drink de-caf coffee thinkings its okay because the caffeine is the reason why we don't drink it (which is not true) or buying bread on Sundays etc....

4. A super fun activity we did in the morning with the zone is where we went to the house of this member in the ward of the zone leaders in Penco and he taught us how to make empanadas and this dessert "brazo de reina" or "queens arm" which is just loaded with manjar (carmal dressing) and sugar etc. ha I will send pics, because the coolest part is how we cooked them. In a mud oven :)

P.S. the internet in concepcion wast working and so we are currently writting from Elder Fuentealbas grandparents hosue :) and we ate lunch here as well. haha :)

love you guys tons!!!

Elder Hartvigsen

March 7, 2016 The Bible and Book of Mormon support each other!

Trying to find people to teach!

Returning from lunch through the forest

Finding this "Mapuche" (the native Chilean Indians) family from our ward collecting pine cones

  Pine cones to use in their home made of brick and mud oven to made home made bread :)

other cool facts I leraned this week. We found this returned missionary (inactive) that HARVY UNGA baptized! 

and you know the kid from the movie 2 brothers, and all of the episodes on the mormon channel about him? yeah he was in Lirquén when the huge earthquake of 2010 hit Talcahuano!!

Hey guys,

so... things are going well here in Lirquén. We don't have any investigators really, but we are working on that. We are planning an activity to go to the plaza one day with a table, and a bunch of Books of Mormon and cool pass along cards that I made that how how the Book of Mormon and the Bible support each other, and how the B.O.M. clarifies a lot of things that are just lightly mentioned in the bible. Hopefully the activity turns out successful.

Oh Brady, something super cool is that this week I met an elder in my mission that is from Lima, Peru. Actually one of the wards you served in. His name is Ricardo Sialer and he is from the ward "Bolognesi in the stake "Chorrillos" and is the nephew of your ward mission leader Percy Sanchez. and is a part of the family Lomas-Mermutt. And turns out (mom and dad) that, that is actually the very same ward that we went to church when we picked Brady up in Lima. How cool right?? And Elder Sialer, told me that he remembers seeing me when we went to his ward. haha how crazy right, now we are in the same mission. I think he didnt' know Brady super well. He said he only left like once to accompany him or his companion I don't remember, but recognized me, and my last name obviously! 

   

... some cool things about my sector, every Thursday we eat in this restaurant called "El Rincon Marino" because the Bishop is the owner. And so we eat there for free, instead of eating at his house during the week. I am going to for sure take you guys there when you come yeah? Also the Bishop speaks english, because he served his mission in Arizona. And he has literally 5 brothers in the ward, and they  all have callings like the ward mission leader, the high priest group leader etc. ha they are a super strong family and are great. Literally all of Lirquén are family. Everyone married someone from their same ward, and they all just live their whole lives here so everyone is related. Its a great ward.

Also Get pumped for General Conference coming up!! Such a great experience. 2 different people while we were contacting them said, "no thanks I dont want to listen, I already have my religion.... but you know what, I LOVE your tabernacle choir you guys have, they are increible" and we were like "oh we know they are amazing... you know what on April 2, and 3 there is going to be a Mo Tab concert in Penco (the stake center) its going to be live transmitted from the united states. You guys gotta come!" I think we are going to have some visitors for general conference  :) haha

Thanks for the birthday packaeg mom. I havn't opened it yet, but it got here today. Love you guys tons!!

Elder Hartvigsen

pic "trying to find people to teach"

Feb. 29, 2016 Happy leap year! And a happy birthday to Chase! Big 20!!!

My new trio

The hills in my new area!

Our meeting house.

My beautiful new area.

A P-day hike in my new area.

A ward priesthood activity (hike)

Our ward mission leader.  One of two who showed up for the activity.

What does this actually say?

A beautiful summer day in Chile!

Look what we found in our apartment!!

A closeup!

Hey guys. So this week has been a super crazy one. I feel like literally a million things have happened. First off, I got to my new sector Lirquén which is right next to Penco. Its GORGEOUS!! I will send some pics of the ocean and the hills. It literally reminds me so much of my first sector because of all the hills. If I finish the mission here, I will be returning home in such good shape. Not to mention the fact that my comp Elder LeCheminant is 6 foot 4 and his legs are twice as long as mine, so we walk super fast. Anyways, things are different getting used to a trio again. Its kind of awkward in the contacts, and teaching lessons, and walking down the narrow sidewalk.... someone always gets left behind. Its also kind of a difficult change for me, because I spent the last 7 months being the person in charge. My comps were new and so I sort of just made all the decisions, and always took the initiative in everything. And now I feel like I have become junior companion with Elder Fuentealba. ha its weird. 1 because I don't know the sector at all, or the people, but I am just not used to being dragged around places and everything, and so its sort of a hard change. But its all good, Im sure there are lots of things Heavenly Father wants me to learn here.

ummm.... its funny because Elder Fuentealba is chilean, and was born in Talcahuano. And has lived in Antofogasts, and Santiago (where he did his mission papers) then moved to Brazil, where the missionary call got to him, and sent him back to right where he was born. And turns out that he actually has a bunch of cousins and aunts and uncles in Lirquén. And the fact that half the members are related here, it means he is family to half the ward basically hahaha. Also his grandma lives in Talcahuano and came to our church yesterday with her grand daughter my comps sister to visit and drop him off a package of candy and stuff haha.... small world right?

Also we had an amazing special training meeting with Elder Bednar and his wife, and the area presidency and their wives. It was basically a 3 hour question and answer thing with them all. It was incredible! They were all in Buenos Aires, Argentina. But they broadcasted it to over 6,000 missionaries in the area (Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay or 1 other country im not sure). And I learned a ton, Elder Bednar is seriously the most incredibly capable teacher I have ever seen in my life. And right now one of my favorite apostles! haha :)

Yeah let me tell a super quick story about my first lunch here. Tuesday we had to go to the training in the morning, and then to Chillán in the afternoon for a medical appointment of Elder Fuentealba. We got back from penco to our house, and the bus dropped us off at the top of this massive hill where we picked up our lunch (because the lady lives alone) so we brought it back to our house. The thing is that we were in our suits from the meeting, and in a big rush to get home and off to Chillán. So Elder LeCheminant starts talking us through the "short cut" to get home, which consists in the equivalent of hiking down Timpanogos through trees and bushes, on little deer trails, in your suit and tie, and dress shoes... hahaha and so like 20 minutes later we get home, and open the lunch and to our disappointment... it was rice and fish :( ahahah So we then hustled off to the bus terminal and it was a miracle that we boarded the bus right as it was leaving the terminal, and rode an hour and a half to Chillán, and had to wait another 2 hours in the doctors office. Anyways.... this week has been full of adventures like that!

Without boring you guys too much, just know that I am doing well. And had a super great birthday, President and Sister Arrington called me to wish me a happy birthday, and a super super sweet lady from my old ward called me through a young man (that she knows) on his cell phone to wish me a happy birthday!

anyways, have a great week, and let me know whats up in Alpine :)

con amor,

elder hartvigsen

Feb. 22, 2016 Transfer day has arrived!

Fernando who served his mission in Argentina

Our Bishop who is super young and great!

Hey everyone,

so FINALLY..... after 7 months of being in Hualpén I am getting transfered to Lirquén (the names actually kind of rhyme haha) Anyways, Im pretty excited. Lirquén is like directly across the bay from my first sector in Talcahuano Centro. So I think its going to be VERY similar, because of the harbor, the ocean view, (maybe smelling like fish), and lots of hills!

The strange thing is that I am going to be in a trio. AGAIN! With Elder Fuentealba (Elder Seller´s son) who is Chilean and has about 7 months in the mission, and Elder LeCheminant who is from Utah who has about 5 months in the mission. And I am going to still be District Leader. So thats the big news of the transfers. Im sad to leave all the people that I learned to love so much, and I have so many memories in Cerro Verde, because I was there for 18 Sept (independance day) Halloween, Christmas, New Years, and a million other little things. ha.

This week we had a fun ward activity that was "remembering the returned missionaries" and there are 12 RM´s in this ward, and so we invited them all. And with a clear demonstration of this wards commitment level to the church, only 3 came. (The bishop, the gospel doctrine teacher, and this kid that got back last year) I will send pictures. And each week there are bout 80 people that go to church in this ward.... and only 10 people went to the activity. Which was pretty pathetic, but you gotta keep your perspectives right. Because there were 2 youth there, and if they felt the spirit, and it helped motivate them a little bit more for the mission, or frankly, if someone was touched by the spirit and left a better person than they were the activity was a success. We watched the mormon message of Sid going who left rugby to go on a mission, and it was a really great night. I will send pics of that!

Other than that, not much has happened. I will be excited to take you guys around to visit all of these great sectors that I have been in when you come. As for you.... keep reading the scriptures daily, and praying for missionary experiences. Because I know that even living in Alpine, UT there are people that need to hear the gospel from you guys :)

con mucho amor,

Elder Hartvigsen

Feb. 15, 2016 The gospel changes lives

Why does Chase have a Lord of the Rings Backpack?

Hugo and me! A great day!

Elvira, Santos, Hugo, Me, Nelson, Hermano Sepulveda, Elder Soliz

Hey guys, yeah sorry for not writing a big letter last week. I sort of got caught up in responding to your individual letters, and kind of forgot. But not too much happened... haha so let me tell you what happened this week. The most exciting this, is that we had a baptism!! Our Investigator Hugo got baptized on Saturday. I don't know if I have told you anything about him yet, but he is like 65 years old. And rents a bedroom behind the house of one of the members. And the missionaries were teaching him like last year, and he almost got baptized but relapsed in his addiction to alcohol, and began drinking again. And ever since I got here almost 7 months ago I met him, and he seemed to sort of be the typical drunk guy you see on the street. So I didn't really think anything about him. Also he was in such bad shape, that he couldn't walk on his own, nor could he even talk. He just slurred all his words together constantly that you couldn't really even understand him.

And we had been visiting the member  lady Elvira that is the one that rents him part of her house. We actually did a service there one time, and she is the lady that gave us a plate of seafood. haha. remember her? Yeah, so like a month and a half ago (right when my comp elder Soliz got to the area) Elvira told us that Hugo wanted to go to church again. So we arranged to go pick him up with a members car. We showed up and he decided that he didn't want to go, because he had a little problem with someone. Anyways we went back the following week, and ever since that first day that we went to church he has been progressing incredibly well. After a couple lessons we taught the word of wisdom, and told him that he needed to stop drinking alcohol, coffee, and tea, and he agreed, and gave us all the tea and coffee that he had in the house. And we went and gave it to this guy in the street who was digging through the dumpster :) haha And the coolest part about it, is that ever day we go by there is countenance changes a little bit, and he looks so much better. He walks better, he talks so much better, and we are 100,000% sure that its because he has been living the commandments (the word of wisdom especially.... which in Doctrine and covenants 89 states the very specific blessings that come to those who live this commandment.)

So it has been a really cool experience to see this HUGE change in Hugo`s life! And I think that is part of the reason I stayed in this sector for SO LONG.... to be able to see first hand the drastic changes that the gospel can cause in the lives of people. Something that I have wanted to see my whole mission, and now I just gotta keep teaching the rest of Chile so everyone can experience the same thing! haha :)

Anyways, next week is transfer day so I think I will be headed out of Hualpèn. But I will let you guys know about the details when I find out! 

and something randomly COOL that I learned in the scriptures this week... that isn't entirely necessary for our salvation, but still very cool. Is that Nephi in the year 590 (B.C.) approx. saw in vision Christopher Colombus come to America and discover the promised land. yeah I already knew that... but then he saw the revolutionary war as well (1 Nephi13:17). cool right??? and it talks about the europeans being white and beautiful, that came to take over the land. And all this happened according to gods chosen timing, because The Lord says in 2 Nephi 1:1-11 that  the people that live in that land (the nephites, lamanites etc.) will prosper if they serve god, and keep his commandments.... but when the day comes that they fall into transgression and unbelief, the lord will bring other nations to that land the take it away from them! THAT WAS US! compare those 2 scriptures and study the chapters they are dang cool :)

Love you tons, and have a great week.

Un abrazo,

Elder Hartvigsen