Learning 3-28-11

Hey family, number one- super weird that we are in a different house. Coming home to a different ward will be weird.  This week I feel as if I am learning things that I never understood my whole life. Things taught to me ever since I can remember. But now I am actually Understanding. Before my mission I understood somewhat some key principles some of which I  will never forget. I remember one was the doctrine of charity. Until you have experienced the power and the vision that comes to your eyes and heart through this love you just can't imagine it. I remember driving the Honda and I would see someone jogging, maybe he was a little overweight. But I felt obliged to pray for that young man, that he could obtain his goals. Maybe not feel bad about something but feel better. I didn't know him but I loved him. I remember walking around Blockbuster or Smiths just to observe others and trying to put myself into their lives. It was honestly the best time of my life feeling real love for people, I didn't have to know anything about them but it just came. I lost it before the mission, Talking with Cody about it and he told me to seek for it and try to receive it once more. I have strived for it for the last year and half. I have it again. I realized it was not so much the things that I did. But the more that I drew closer to Christ. I feel as if I am starting the best time of my life as of right now with this privilege that I have now to view others for who they really are. Who have just as much value in Gods eyes as he does for me. Every person has the same difficulties and loves in their lives just like I do. And Each of us have a Savior. I have thought a lot this week about the word "save" Its a very powerful word. And on top of that a powerful action. I have reflected a lot on Christ lately and Friday a song came on. "I stand all amazed" I have heard it hundreds of times. But this time it hit me. So much that I could not hold in the tears. The older I get the more I think I'm turning into dad, you know how dad always gets teary eyed. tries to hide it but we can all tell. But now I understand why. I'm working hard. Trying to give all that I can, but sometimes its tough. I realize how much I need a savior, how much he loves me. I have also learned my purpose here in this life. I never understood my patriarchal blessing but now there are parts that I do. I have learned that this experience of life can pass by us and yet we can not catch the things that are most important. I was with some Elders and we had a few minutes to observe just a group of people outside of a market. It amazes me how people just can't see the things that God has made all around us. They don't know how  to recognize it or don't want to. We are working good and might have three baptisms on Sunday. I'm so excited for conference. I love you all and you're in my prayers. 
Love Elder Matthew James Ward

A week of miracles and tragedies March 21, 2011

This week was absurd! The week went by so fast and I think that God is molding me so much right now I love it. I enjoyed the pictures of dad and Carter. People always freak out when I show them pictures of dad. They are like you look exactly like him. I am really jealous of the Olive Garden though. Man do I miss good food. Me and Elder Findlay made good breakfast burritos and man I didn't realize how much I missed Mexican food. The food here just sucks.... ..................sucks. I miss good food a lot. This week we had a lot of miracles and a lot of tragedies as well. Diego got permiso to get baptized and the parents signed the paper then came to the baptism and stopped it.. They changed their mind. We had a beautiful wedding and a baptism for Nelly. She is just a miracle all together. Because she had been living with a member for ten years except he was married to another woman and couldn't get divorced. Then I showed up ten years later.. getting divorced takes a ridiculously long time even longer if they can't agree on the terms so some people can't get divorced even after twenty years in Chile because Chile is gay. lol missionaries for ten years have tried to baptize her. I asked them if they had ever had a fast so that he could get divorced and then they could get married. They were like no.. this was about 4 weeks ago. I explained the power of fasting and we did it.. he was divorced 6 days later and then married 4 weeks later and now she is happily baptized and my comp got to have the experience of his first baptism in the mission. I had a lot of experiences this week of God speaking directly to me. Some of which where very powerful. I know that he loves me and is helping me. The gospel is true and I'm doing fine. I love you all
Love Elder Ward

New Shoes Finally!  Hope they last--can't buy size 12 in Concepcion, Chile

Hey, Hey, Hey March 14, 2011

Man I'm sorry no pictures still, I have just been so busy running around so much. I read a book this week that changed my life. Its called the Peacegiver. I highly recommend it to all of you. That's crazy that you are all in a new house! And that dad of all people has a IPhone.. Does it recognize the huge rough fingers lol ... The packages came! and are waiting for me over in the office! I just have to go get them. I'm also getting my haircut and then we will be back off to Chiguayante. We woke up at six today to go to a hardwood nice basketball court in Conce.. the only one in all of Conce!! Ee payed big bucks and only the elite players of the mission were invited. First game I was picked last!! It was like a stab to the heart I've never been picked last before... But don't worry that changed after I started to school them all... I'm super tired now though we played full court for about 3 hours. My body isn't used to it.. lol We also have a wedding on Friday and then she will be getting baptized!!! Awesome. lol I tell about the miracle with them next week. Its crazy to hear what happened in Japan... I almost cried when I heard. I don't think you guys realize what they are going through right now. The country was alot more prepared than Chile lol... Chileanos reacted like idiots and caused problems. I bought a really nice winter jacket for a bungh of money. I didn't want to, all I did was go in to get a jacket.. but of course I went straight to one and tried it on .. loved it and then realized its the most expensive one!! lol I love you all!!!
Elder Ward

PATIENCE! MARCH 7, 2011
Hey family, its nice to have heard from all of you. First I would love to get a forward of Landons emails.. I would also love to see pictures of the new house! Its crazy that you are moving! I have been learning alot. Its been an adventure the last 2 weeks with the Hermanas. I recieve phone calls alot lol And I will definately be running out of minutes on my cell phone. Mom and dad keep making me trunky always talking about the temple. Its very diferent not ever doing mini cambios. lol But I do spend about a third of my week out in Hualqui between interviews and getting to know their investigators. I have a really good comp, Elder Parks from Georgia. But he has bi polar so some times its tough, but man does he want to work hard. We have a lot of potential in this companionship. I have been loving the Book of Mormon lately. Its tough though it seems like I just never have time for myself all I ever study is for someone else. I have learned a lot by watching some of the people who are around me. It amazes me how people can have so much knowledge but not an ounce of wisdom. I'm doing good, I don't feel like typing a lot. And also because a lot of our experiences this week are super sad. We had 18 investigators. 3 families and jazz.. over this week we lost all but 4 investigators. It was tough. But hey its what God wants right now. I love you all!!!!!
Elder Ward

Crazy Dreams and Busy Week (Feb. 28, 2011)

Hey family,
      It's super crazy how fast the time is going by. This last week I had some crazy dreams, one I was in Las Vegas as a missionary and my companion JARED and the other companionship was Blair and Cody.  Except Blair and Cody were undercover missionaries and were in charge of our safety. (this is in the future right before the second coming) and me and Jared were on top of a big truck (we were in the parking lot of the Stratosphere and it was all gloomy and fiery)  preaching repentance and the restoration to a multitude of about 4 thousand people. Half of the people wanted to listen to us and the other have were trying to kill us. But thats where Blair and Cody came in and took out all the people trying to attack us. It was flipping sweet we had over a thousand baptisms that week. Sweet dream lol.. . I don't know, I think I'm getting a little too bold lately. I just don't care about all the small talk and people rejecting you after 5 min trying to get to know them. All the missionaries talk about faith and repentance and baptism in contacts. But everyone Knows that. I throw out the fact that God has called a Prophet and that there is a man unto Moses on the earth. People either freak out and try to attack me, or the let us in. I went out to Hualqui  4 times this week so basically once a day, to help the sister missionaries, their house sucks.  I know I lived their for 6 months. I did some work on their house and I also did tons of contacts finding them new investigators. Its four girls from the states and one is a newbie. Its been a struggle but I'm learning a lot. That's crazy that dad used to be a dl over sisters too.. lol so he knows exactly how it is.. lol two of the sisters came to Chile with me on the plane lol. Its weird that they are going home in less than 2 months. My comp is from a po dunk place in GEORGIA but he is cool, super duper hard worker. I have been using my credit card a lot lately  lol I will probably be buying a jacket today I love it thanks fam... I m happy so don't worry, I'm working hard we have a lot of people really close to baptism its just sucky they all have some weird problem. I have been learning some crazy things lately I love learning. I think I will probably be staying home when I get home from the mission.. Its crazy that I can almost start thinking about that. So Sunday during the sacrament, the first counselor came up to me and whispered in my ear, Elder Ward can you give a talk for 20 minutes... wow thanks lol.. So I got up and talked. lol I Know the spirit is real and if we are doing what we should we are blessed. I love you all family and write me next week Jared!!!!! 
Love Elder ward

CAMBIOS (Feb. 21, 2011)

Hey family,
Cambios!! my companion is leaving! and I'm staying, my new comp is some gringo who only has 5 months in the mission. The are also white washing Hualqui, and putting in 4 Hermanas, and yes I'm the lucky one who gets to be their district leader.. YES! not. lol NO mini cambios, and a whole bunch of days out of my sector to help them get to know the sector. I'm excited but man it would of been cool if they were Elders. lol but I will definitely learn something. Diego still cant get permiso so we are having trouble getting him baptized. We had a birthday party for the two young boys that we baptized two months ago it was way fun. They smashed his face into his birthday cake. I also sat on a huge piece of glass don't ask me how, but there is a picture lol & gt; It was very loud and it scared my comp. My fake scream didn't help either. I'm doing good, I'm a little tired and worn out these last few weeks and would die for one day off lol... but hey a mission is two years straight there are no days off. I cant wait to get these packages toooo!! Man I'm sorry this week I really don't want to write, yeah cool stuff happened but I am just worried about the next few days. I love you all and I hope all is well!!!
Elder Matthew James Ward