Another Strange Week!

So this week, we ran into a bunch of Muslims or Islams or something, they didn't know Spanish so I helped them find a house in hualqui. I guess they were having a big meeting with all their people in South America or something. In Hualqui, the most under the radar place in the world lol at first I was like uh... I'm white, from America and I'm Christian in south America, they are going to kill me lol.. But no they were nice and I helped them. Then Wednesday we ran into a man named Achmet who lives here in Hualqui, he as traveled the whole world except for New Zealand and Australia. He knows 8 languages and has studied religion his whole life. He is from Egypt. He really shook my faith he pounded our religion hard, so I decided to bear my testimony in English, in English I know for 100 percent fact that my testimony is powerful and true. Yeah according to some of my old friends, yeah I knocked his socks off. But man did he shake me I have never been shook like that, after the hour we talked with him he gave me a hug, said thanks and God bless you and said he would read the Book of Mormon, not analyze it .... lol I also got a new bed and we cleaned the house. So I am learning alot through experiences here in the mission and I am learning alot. But man I do miss the simple things that I loved in life like going to get a pop with my sisters or to Canes with mom.. lol But hey i'll be back before you know it and I have a lot more work to do here in Chile and more work on becoming the man God and my family needs me to become. I love you all, Know that I am here for a reason and for a time. Not forever. wow, a dang cow just walked into the cyber cafe I'm using the Internet in lol.. Just want to leave my testimony, that I don't know everything, I don't have a lot of education. But when I can read a book, pray and feel the power of God overcome my body and testify to me of the truthfulness. A book that has taught me everything i know and will continue to shape me into the man whom I want to become for those I love and for the God I love. I don't need to know what language it was from I don't need to know the Hebrew name for God. The power of the true gospel burns within my heart and nothing will ever make me deny it. I know its true, if not I would have come home plenty of times. Be strong family and friends, Daily prayer and reading is the most important, life is simple. Its supposed to be fun and full of joy. If not I know for sure I wouldn't have choosen to come here. I will email more next week. Life is what you make of it and how you react to what is given to you.

Love Elder Matthew James Ward

Strange Happenings

5-17-2010
I am going to start by saying I am going to try to make this email even close to describe the events of the last week here in Hualqui. First we started off the week with a companionship inventory, alot of things where said and we are good now as a companionship. But yes I still hope I am only his comp for 4 more weeks plus maybe I can get out of Hualqui. lol This place has an ancient Mapuchi blood curse on the town, and that the Devil visits once a year to check on his servants in the world and that Hualqui is where they all meet. We got into a new house this week, we are teaching a family now but their house has evil spirits the shower turned on twice and same with the TV once during the lesson they say that they unplug it at night and the father squeezes the nozzle to the shower as hard as her can but yet every night it goes off. They see demons in their kitchen alot, they described them like the dementors off of Harry Potter. Yeah creepy huh. We Blessed their home and invited the spirit of God into their home. Man did I feel better after that, but hey we will see where it goes. Oh then a really sad experience happened. I went out one day with Elder Garey and as we were walking a man stopped his car and said Elders! so of course we came, he told us there was a woman trying to commit suicide near the river which is a 5 min walk from where we were. We ran down there and found her. A little tiny 62 year old woman who was shaking as she wanted to throw herself into the river. We got her to walk with us and we found out that she is really sad and her husband died 2 years ago, he used to take care of her and spend time with her. But now she said she had nothing to live for, we talked more about us and her, the good things in life and we asked her if we could walk her to her families house where she lived. It took 1 and half hours to walk the 300 yards to her sons house. When we got there the daughter in law was home, she wouldn't let us in, wouldn't let us give her mother in law a blessing and the part that made me most mad, wouldn't let her mother in law in the house. So we walked her to a members house and gave her a blessing and after about 30 min she felt alot better, we took her back to the sons house and he was home, he took his mom in but slammed the door on us and told us to never come back. Then we did more service this week, I chopped wood for 4 hours man I am a machine! The gloves are coming in handy thanks! It just feels so good to hit something as hard as you can and watch it destroy what you hit lol... I enjoy chopping wood alot. Then Sunday we had a man give us a story that the devil fought him in his house and tried to get him to deny the priesthood yeah creepy. I am starting to see things lol... no I'm not but its kinda creepy here with all the fog and everyone having crazy evil spirits. The other elders their investigator who just got baptized got attacked by an evil spirit had to go the hospital and everything it was bad, but the Stake President came down with the bishop gave her a blessing and they attacked back with the power of God! OK yeas this email is ridiculous but its only a little bit of the stuff that happened here in Hualqui. I make fun of it to much but people here are way serious bout it. So Jessica the girl we baptized 3 months ago, we had a lesson with her and her boy friend Felipe, and a young man came to teach with us. For a second I had to sit back and just observe, here I was in a room with four recent converts all under 25 and all members for less than 4 years. 2are getting ready for temple marriage and one to go on a mission and one sending in his papers next week. Hit me hard- Well I am out of time I love you all and I Hope you don't freak out from my email. Hey i love you guys have fun in Vegas for me!

Service -digging holes

Hello family this week was crazy! So I did alot of service! I dug 2 big holes one for seaweed and another one for a fire for trash. Our investigators loved how fast I could dig a huge hole. Its alot easier here, the dirt is actually soft. So the call home was great, we talked to a prophetess this week she cursed me and jazz. But man I am starting to love the mission now as I am learning and can almost speak fluently in Spanish. Just a few months and the language won't even be a problem. Its amazing how much the Lord knows each and everyone of us personally and can answer the prayers of multiple people through each other. The Lord is really blessing me right now, except that my bed broke! and I am now on the ground ;( ..... But hey the work is going good, we have a Mission conference this Thursday and alot of people to visit and teach. Well I am going to go finally buy my jacket today! and my hour is basically up so I have to go. But I love you all!!!!! and I miss you guys but I am really learning and having fun here. Short email I'm sorry, But I will write more next week!

Con Amor, Su favorito hijo Elder Ward

Date: Mon, May 3, 2010 at 9:58 AM

Subject: CAMBIOS!!!

Hey guess what this week was Cambios! I'm staying in Hualqui with the Peruvian! great news huh... Not lol Well this week was alot better, the Lord blessed me with knowing Spanish finally this week was actually quite easy when it came to speaking. We did service, Chopped wood for 5 hours it was just me Elder Rawe and Elder Godfrey doing it lol man it was fun. And no I'm not small they are just really big gringos, they are both 21 I am 19 lol ok.. We taught alot of new people this week and are trying to find some good investigators right now we only have 2 good ones. Oh yesterday I helped one of our investigators with her English homework she is 20 she had her friends over to have English help to. Man they thought I was so cool that I could help them, and I thought it was cool cause I was explaining how to use there, their and they're in Spanish lol same with all the possessives in English its like 20words in Spanish its like 4 lol.. So The other elders Garey and Godfrey tried 4 times to scare my companion this week because they don't like him either, but they ended up scaring me every time.. yeah Emily would of freaked! I am excited to call home this week and hope everything works if not talk to you Christmas. I am excited to hear from all of you, Oh yeah I hit six months last Wednesday so we made a fire Elder Ward (Jared) style, Thanks for the box that started it up for us;) lol It was alot of fun Well I'm doing good and I'll talk to you all Sunday!

Love Elder Ward

Jared how dare you email me with a photo of a xbox controller.. I miss it.....

Thanks for the Package

Hey hey hey Family! Whats going on!? This week was a lot better, kinda. I just learned to really bridle my tongue and watch what I say. I got the package!!! THANKS SO MUCH, so all the food is gone already though because I had to share. But man the watch and blanket are awesome! The pictures too... So this week, we by far got some of the top numbers in the mission isn't that great! 11 lessons with a member and 32 others, and 180 contacts! wow! I DON'T CARE ABOUT STUPID NUMBERS. I care about the people we are teaching and whether they are progressing or not, and if my time and the things I do help them change for the better in anyway. (He is still struggling with his companion) Im learning Spanish though! so hey, I just wish I could be comps with someone who cares and has love for the people. I have been studying caridad y amor (Charity and Love) every day because I really need it. lol.. And by the way its really cold, and we don't have a heater. Yeah welcome to Chile lol it sounds like I have had a bad week but I really haven't. I have learned alot about who I want to become and what type of missionary I want to be also. Man I am so happy to hear that the people I love back home are all good and happy... Jared didn't email me I am mad I want a picture of what he is up to I miss that kid. I took out 100 dollars because I am buying another coat and an umbrella, but I am out of the hour I have to email so I love you all!!!! I'm happy dont worry!!!

Family Baptism

We baptized the family this week! It was really stressful because the califont didn't work, you can see it in one of the pictures. ..... So yeah I got to baptize in cold water baby! 3 people to! I did Jioseph first, he was easy he is really small. I had to be careful with his name because there are random i´s so its hard to pronounce. Then I baptized German and I had to do it twice because I missed a word. By this time I was freezing because I had been in the water for about 6 minutes and I finally baptized Karen she was easy to just the name was a little tough. Afterwards I had to pull the plug and wait for them to be done changing before I could. Yeah I was really cold. But it was an amazing experience to baptize a whole family it doesn't happen that often.

Don't Freak Out!--I've been sick!

Hey family! Thanks for sending me yet another package I can't wait to get it! This last week has been tough because a few of the days I have not been able to work due to being sick. DON'T FREAK OUT, the mission took good care of me. But the bathroom here in Hualqui, that might need to be replaced! lol and don't worry mom I am not boring at my lunch appointments now that I am getting used to the Chilean PERMISO aka the word that allows you to do what ever you want and I can speak Spanish now lol.. Ha we had a noche de hogar with the ward where President Chavez came and spoke, we had 93 people there! Including quite a bit of less actives and investigators! yeah! Beforehand me and Elder Godfrey were in charge of not allowing the kids to play on the stage so we played with them in the cultural hall just not on the stage, I just happened to have balloons in my bag;) lol but then I saw the saddest thing in the whole world! Two boys and a little girl playing with paper airplanes that didn't fly!!! Yes of course their Moms made them, and I thought to myself, man I remember how cool I thought my dad was when he would come home and could make me toys that actually flew. And on top of that more than one type, you know I made some and had some fun with the kids! Kudos to you dad for teaching me well... Oh and that big Book of Mormon we made for the missionary work part of the noche de hogar, it was pretty tight it opened up and we had a bunch of church stuff in it. I'm not getting along with my companion at all, he is just a big ball of pride he hides behind the, oh im a poor latino... but no he pops Mr money bag toys out of his suitcase but yet wants me to pay for the bus and the food, Yeah RIGHT.. lol All he cares about is numbers. I am learning patience and trying to let all the things of conference take part in my heart lol..... But we work hard, so I can't complain we are just missing the whole love part of the work so I actually don't enjoy it to much I hope I get transferred in 3 weeks I won't though. Karen and German are being baptized next week by ME! lol German had to work this week ;( But they made a plan to get to the temple in a year already! tight I know... Thanks to everyone who sent me letters I got a few this week, including Trevor! That came out of nowhere I will be sending him one soon though;) oh and the last pic is how kids ride bikes here... Elder Godfrey was like hey if you were in America you'd all have a bike.. I Know horrible, but it was really really funny. America is the promise land! This week I studied Moses and Abraham, yeah I felt like a little piece of nothing, but the Church is true! lol I love you all and I can't wait to get the blanket I need it lol...

Love Me

All the Medication that he is taking now, he has lost 20 lbs.

The Power of Water-Service in Dichato

Hey family,
So this last week just flew by! We did our normal Missionary work and we also got to go to Dichato, we were supposed to build homes but lacking the materials so they had us clean up trash and broken homes.. I felt like Iwas back at work again, its quite funny how much of my job experience has helped me in the last 2 months. lol It was really sad, I had to joke around with the other gringos and talk about other stuff or else I would have cried. Then we had Mission conference, and then General Conference It was really nice to listen to something in English for once. Things are just so much better in English. The Spanish is coming slowly I am talking alot more now, I sat down and wrote almost 800 words I know in Spanish. yeah tight huh. Overall, I feel like I was just emailing you so I don't really have that much to write, oh! German and his son came to Priesthood session and liked It, that's a big deal saying that its an hour bus ride from their house. We should be baptizing their whole family this Sunday ;) Just the mission is going good, right now I am just finishing all I can with learning Spanish and working as hard as i can. Well I love you all and I will talk to you next week, oh we had 2 pretty big earthquakes. it was fun..

Love your son, Elder Ward


Dichato--the power of water










Riding home to Hualqui-they all changed into comfortable clothes

Hey family! How is it going? For me here in Chile things are going really good ;) and its not that cold yet so don't worry and I am preparing for the cold weather. This last week I got a new companion from Peru, he has been a member for 4 years and has been out a year this week. So I found out that I know a lot more Spanish than i thought, this week has been complete Spanish for me. Since my new comp can't speak English it takes my Spanish study to a whole new level. But I can almost understand everything said to me and I can talk and people actually understand me now. So I'm content for now! The Lord is blessing me a lot. We spent a lot of time contacting since we only had 4 investigators, now we have 11 lol my new companion is way tight. Except he locked himself out of his email account so we have to go back to the house to get the phone to call the office to try to get his account fixed so hopefully I will be able to get back on Internet. If not I love you all and be safe! I will try to email again in a few hours.

Ha so I'm back on the computer here in Hualqui. My comp is still having a hard time with his email, but I was able to get him on the phone with the old people in the office so I hope that they can help him. So this next week is going to be crazy because we have district class Tuesday, then the whole zone is going to Dechato to build homes on Wednesday. Then Thursday we have mission conferecia and then general conferencia too. So pretty much we already have alot of our time planned and then contacting and meeting with our investigators and jazz this week is just going to be crazy. Elder Garey and Godfrey are still in our house so at night I get to speak English con Elder Godfrey for about 45 min ever night. But I'm going through a weird thing were I can't speak English or espanol, and I far dang sure can't write either of them too.So it sounds to me like Jared is breaking my Honda! Stuff doesn't wear out if you treat it right. Geez, dad you were probably in the garage all day! I'm sorry that my emails have been so short but we are just so busy and its not getting any slower anytime soon. It continues to amaze me at how much you can experience in one day! And I am continually learning and becoming. I lost some of the letters I had written so I have to re-write some of them but I sent a bunch off about a week before the earth quake and then a week after it. So I hope somebody is getting my mail! lol I go to bed tired, then I wake up more tired. I swear someone is beating me in my sleep! But yet somehow when I'm out working I am fine, its so weird. So its taken a whole week to barely get to know my companion because what is usually said in one or two days took me a week! hahahahai read Cody's blog man I miss that guy. My new comp has really shown me what its all about, new convert only him and his mom/brother and the missionaries knocked their door and shared the plan of salvation. So he throws it at almost every person we contact I love it! Most missionaries are scared of teaching it. I am excited for the rest of the mission, so far some days go by so fast while others feel like two years. But this last week felt like one long day! But only one so its all good. I love you all! Talk to you next Week!!!
Love Elder Ward

Getting back to Normal!

Hola Family! How is everything back in the promise land! It's good to hear from you and thanks mom and dad for the emails they are always nice. So this week back in the Chilean jungle has been quite fast actually and I had a lot of fun. We are starting to teach a lot of our old investigators again so the work is back to normal. I will be getting a new companion tomorrow so I am very excited, he is from Peru and doesn't know English.... so I guess it's the Lords way of saying learn Spanish dummy. I'm going to miss Elder Denis, but I am way excited for change. Since the earth quake we have had a lot more attendance in church we almost have had 200. So things are looking good. Oh and Emily, horrible news, the earth broke my watch! So I'm watchless :( I have experienced two things I thought I never would in my whole life, Wednesday I was shaving and about to get in the shower... Earth quake...... Then yesterday I'm using the bathroom and.... Earth quake. For a second I thought I was going to have to run out the door with my pants down. Its already a crappy bathroom but add a earthquake and you have a death trap. We have had an interesting week here in Hualqui, me and Elder Godfrey went out to the campo way out there to invite some inactives to church we had alot of fun. Saw an Aloe Vera plant that I swear was 10 feet tall, yeah beat that Grandpa. We had berries and spoke with some crazy guys preaching the gospel with megaphones. Yes we Went and talked with them. lol I hope everything is going good back at home, and that you all show each other that you love each other. ... I am learning a lot and also learning how everything in life is just how you choose to react to it. Nothing can force you to do anything or be sad. Its the beautiful gift called agency. I made my companion slow down last night, missionaries miss one of the most beautiful experiences of life. Relaxation and allowing the lord to teach us, receiving revelation and being calm. We walked SLOW and looked at the stars. You can learn a lot from just looking up. Realizing there is a God, and wanting to know him. Reflect on your life, look at why we are here. And think of who you really are, look up at the stars and allow the Lord to teach you. It works every time. Do that, then I would like to see arguments that are good for nothing happen, they won't. Sometimes we allow things to overwhelm us to easily, and if we just stop and learned to trust God, man that would be something. I'm still working on that one. The mission continues, I am doing good and don't worry. I would love that blanket though... and more pictures in the next package..

Love Elder Ward

Hey family! Whats going on? That's pretty crazy that people are getting married that are Jared's age! Its good to hear that the beautiful Vegas weather is still going on, I miss Vegas so much. These last few weeks have been a tough time but the Lord has helped me alot. This last week I have been able to understand and start speaking alot, so just more time and work and the language will come. We took a trip to Concepcion today, its alot better than it was last week. Alot of building are going to have to come down and alot of stores are starting to open up. If we don't get hit by another big earth quake things should be back to normal in a month or two. I have not been taking alot of pictures, I just don't want to. I have taken some but not more than I need. And I dont need alot of pictures of this. We are back in Hualqui though, its me Elder Denis, Garey and Godfrey. We cleaned the house the first day we got back, and a day or two later we got water and power, the only thing is alot of water pipes and sewer pipes are broken, but they keep it all on anyways. So you will be walking down the street and water will be coming up out of the ground, its weird. Last night we thought for sure another quake was going to come, cause everything cut out like power and cell service all at once. But no we were good just more stupid tremors, I am so ready for the earth to stop moving lol. We have food don't worry, all the big stores are done for but all the little stores out of peoples houses around our house are still up and going. So we have had alot of bread, guacamole and aji sandwiches and don't worry they got the coke a cola going again to. WE are not in Chig anymore so we don't get to help with alot of the big service any more. Once your out in Hualqui the mission president makes us stay there. And no I didn't get to keep the jersey, some elders took them though. Anyways, I have been able to study alot and learn alot this week. Since sleeping hasn't been the easiest lol Oh and if anyone makes fun of the toilet bucket thing mom bought, don't! Its alot better than plastic bags. But we have water again so we are set! Just people are freaking out about another big earth quake that might hit especially after last night. I'm not to worried though we are in a good house, it only has a few cracks in it nothing to big. Alot of things opened today like the postal office! I sent off a few letters I hope they get there before mothers day! they should. I also went and did alot of my visa papers today, the men were mean and the women were very nice to me. It still amazes me how much bigger gringos are lol and I'm only 19. I have lost weight but not to much, I still weigh 76 kilos so I have only lost about 6 kilos (13lbs) . But for a while I was worried there. I hope all is well at home and that my bro will start to email me, I emailed him again, I miss him alot I did only get to see him for a week. I hope his friends are not making him to busy. Well I love you all and I will work hard this week, every week it gets a little better. There is a line here at the email place in Hualqui so I have to go soon. But just know I am safe and that I will have lots of stories to tell. Bye

Con amor, Elder Ward

So, if you didn't hear!

So, if you didn't hear.. i was sleeping just minding my own business when a freaking 8.8 earthquake hit my little Chilean house. The aftershocks are just winding down and its been over a week. CRAZY! First thank you all for caring and praying for me, surprisingly I didn't do to much praying myself besides the normal. I feel bad for that, but I'm sure the lord understands. So within the next few days we should be able to make it back to Hualqui we just have to get the whole food thing situated. I have experienced alot of things that I never thought I would experience, but I am I grateful for all the things that I have been able to learn this last week. I can say I learned more this last week than my entire life. Alot of it was taking the time to reflect and ponder, the Lord will just open your hard head and teach you if you allow it and are patient. We had a meeting in the chapel in Teirra Bella, yes the one that we put up chairs and tables against widows and doors and found weapons in order to defend our lives lol.. but it was only scary for about 3 days its fine now, just the long process of recovery. Anyways we had a meeting where the Area Presidency and our Mission President and their wives came to visit us. Probably the most spiritual and amazing meeting I ever had. These people were sent from God to speak to us, the 12 missionaries in Chiguaynte. I am extremely grateful to have had those men and women visit us. Even though I was wearing my red volleyball shoes and hadn't showered.. ooops . I love all of you so much, I don't think I can express it through a stupid email but its all I got. Just know how fragile life is and how nothing we are without the Lord and the plan of salvation. Take time to think and ponder, and especially show others that you love them. Yesterday was a fun day! we finally had a big meal at a members home and afterwards I got on their roof and spent about 40 minutes fixing it. It was difficult but worth it. Also we went to a school that was being guarded by the military to help unload food from the Church, man that was fun the Church is amazing. We had about 120 people helping and we made a line and passed either bags or boxes person to person. And it rained almost the whole time. It was so fun, but after 3 hours I got really tired. But the Lord provides us strength its amazing. Well I love you all and I am out of time we have to go back to the school to unload more food. Remember how important it is to rely on our Heavenly Father he provides all.

Love Elder Matthew James Ward