Chile Independence Day- September 19, 2011

Hey family this week was the the celebration of the independence of Chile! I sent some fotos of us flying volantines they are super fun to fly and also pictures of kids in the ward dancing the national dance. I think its the ugliest dance ever. haha It was tough to work this week but we kept working hard. I did find out that I am being transferred to Concepcion. I will be the zone leader there with a very young companion, but I know him and he is really cool. So it will be a fun way to end the mission. Its crazy to think that almost all of my friends are gone from the mission. I feel old. I also can't believe that I only have 6 weeks left of my two year mission. Ha best part of the week is I called the office to find out if I had mail and they were like yes you have 3 letters! Awesome, so at the conference we had I go to the back to get the mail and every zone has a box of mail but us. Our box got stolen that morning as they were loading it into the truck. So If you wrote me I guess it wasn't meant to get to me!!! I have been having good studies lately, I am almost done with 3rd Nephi so I should be able to finish the triple before coming home. Its going to be weird to have a new companion after being with Elder Zepeda for the last 5 months. I have been to the house I'm going to be living in, its on the fifth floor and super nice it even has a balcony. I'm really excited! But if there is an earthquake I'm screwed. Well I love you all and can't wait to see you, sorry for such a lame email but I only have so much time today since Saturday was our pday. But I love you all and cant wait to see you!!

Elder Ward

Another Fast Week - September 12, 2011

Hey everyone, thanks so much for all of the emails I loved them. I really enjoyed dads email this week. So we worked really hard this week, we talked to a lot of people and walked probably more than 50 miles easily. I would probably say even double that. We did not have a baptism this week. She wants to talk with her father more about it, the rest of the family supports her but he doesn't. We are giving her 2 more weeks. She said if not with or with out his support she is going to do it on the 23. The not so cool part is I will probably not be here. So me and Elder Hadfield went out to Longavi today to say goodbye to all the people we met there. Its weird to see how fast new converts progress. Its only been a year since I've been there and a few of them have been to the temple more than once and have great callings. Its amazing to see how much we are blessed by our Heavenly Father. And to see how different peoples lives are with the restored gospel. So one more week until cambios, the last one of my mission. I'm pretty nervous, anything could happen with our mission president. Until then I am going to just work hard here. I am kinda ready not to be a zone leader anymore hahaha. I'm learning so much and growing. As I think to myself, "have I changed" I'm not sure. Most missionaries say yes but I don't know. I have learned a lot and changed a little, I for sure have grown more in the gospel in knowledge and application. But I'm pretty sure I'm the same Matt, same desires that I had from the time I read the Book of Mormon the first time when I was 17. I'm not trying to compare myself in a I'm better type of way but I think I just made a lot of those big changes in desire before the mission. I'm still the same Me. Different in somethings but I'm still me. Ive thought about it a lot the last few days hearing other missionaries about how much they have changed. I know who I am. It helps me overcome everything in my life that's difficult to me or I don't understand. I know why I'm here. Its stated so plainly in my patriarchal blessing. And the best part is I like it. Its the desires I have. And to think I received that blessing before I had those desires. That man was inspired of God. That right there should prove to me God knows me and that this is his church. I can't wait to see all of you in seven weeks and don't worry I'm still working. I love you all this email was kinda weird but its what came out of my mind. I love Chile I'm looking forward to this week its their Independence Day on the 18th. I love the mission and will work hard.

Love,
Elder Matthew James Ward

Hola Family

Hey family how’s it going?  Thanks for all the emails again, I really do enjoy reading all of them.  I know I can be somewhat lazy and not write a lot.  But its starts to get a little old after 2 years and especially when I feel as if I was just emailing you.  I’m not enjoying how fast the days are going by.  I sent some photos of my shoes, they have been retired.  But don’t worry mom the super ugly ones you sent me 6 months ago are still holding up.  And about the visa card, I can’t even use them so don’t worry.  And yes I got my package!!!  I loved it; Blair sending that Petsmart card really got me.  He knew what he was doing sending that.  This week I learned a lot reading the book of Helaman.  Sometimes I wonder how I don’t see things, when I reread the Book of Mormon and something impacts me that I have never underlined or highlighted before.  I have been a little distracted because I have discovered the amazing Encyclopedia of Mormonism on the BYU website.  I have heard that there is an app for church books now.  I want it.  Jared this is your assignment!  We played American football this pday and man is it so much more fun than soccer to me, maybe because we always play soccer.  We should have a baptism on Saturday it all depends on Tuesday.  But the 22 year old girl is more than prepared, she is just a little nervous.  I got my hair cut and like usual people asked me if I gained weight!  It always happens.  Because it makes my cheeks look even bigger.  I don’t know I have not gained too much weight on the mission only about 10 pounds.  Yes it’s all fat but I can get rid of that at home.  Or just give it to Cody that fool looks like a twig.  I was given a cup cake yesterday after lunch; all it did was remind me of how much better Jessica’s are. I love how amazing our memories are, and our feelings and everything.  I can’t wait to taste beautiful and delicious cup cakes again.  I’m enjoying the Nesquick whose idea was that they are a genius.  Well I love you all, and mom don’t worry about my feet I can handle it. I honestly just love you all and can’t wait to see you again. I will keep working hard and take it day by day.

Love Elder Ward

I'm So Tired!

WOW I’m so tired... I get home at night and Elder Hadfield makes fun of me because all I want to do is go to bed. I enjoyed all of the emails this week its crazy how fast this last week went. We had a few days of just pure rain and contacts. Contacting for hours and not being received by anyone. The amazing thing is that it doesn’t even affect me anymore. I’m just happy to be working. It’s just sad that we have not been getting into houses lately. Me and Elder Zepeda get along really well and work well together, I actually don’t like doing mini cambios anymore because I just like staying with him. We have been comps forever. I had a woman ask me for my shoes. She told me if I was a true disciple of Christ I would give them to her. So when I took off my right shoe and she saw the damage they had, huge holes, my right shoe is bad. She changed her mind and actually apologized to me afterwards for trying to test/mock me as a missionary. I also went out to Constitution this week with Elder Hafen from Las Vegas. I learned a lot on this trip, probably one of the best of my mission. It amazes me the trust that the sister missionaries have in me. I learn a lot from other missionaries and enjoy looking at them and trying to think of them how their parents do or even their Heavenly Father. Me and Elder Hafen also had a very nice lunch on the beach in constitution. It was nice to relax and talk with him. We also had interviews this week; my interview with President Humphrey was really interesting. He let me know of the options for my last cambio.  One is to die as a zone leader in a struggling zone. The other is a lot cooler; he might take 4 hermanas out of a sector and put me there. I would possibly train and be a district leader. He has been thinking about it for a long time and said I’m the one he feels for the job. So I’m nervous but also very excited to find out the cambios next week. Sunday was fun, we left church and got hit with a crazy storm on the way home it was like the movies!! I was completely drenched in about 20 seconds. Hey I love you all and thanks for the emails! I can’t wait to hear from you next week and see you in 9!!

Love Elder Ward

Hey family and friends, thanks for all of the emails. I really do enjoy reading all about what is going on in your lives. And the time you all take to remember me and write me. So I’m glad to hear that Cody will be home on WED! That’s crazy I remember saying bye to him when he left. Strange I remember saying bye to Jared before he left and just crying lol. And to think that was four years ago. Crazy. Mom and dad have to feel old. So I heard from the office i have mail that has just been sitting there for weeks. It’s a great perk of being on the outside part of the mission. lol I enjoyed the pictures from Melissa also. It seems as if you all go to Deer Creek a lot! I could only imagine Adam on a scooter! Whose idea was that? A while back I watched a man get pegged by a truck on a scooter. So as for me here in the mission I’m still continuing to have experiences. This week I was just obsessed with studying and trying to learn. Trying to view the world around me in a different way. I would actually get really upset when personal studies were over and I am forced to stop and study with my comp lol. Cool but not as cool lol. We have been teaching a young woman who has been going to institute she is awesome should be baptized in two more weeks. Me and Elder Zepeda work really well together and teach well together, it has been four months together now. It’s going to be hard to say bye to him soon. I’m scared that I might get transferred next time. LAME a New area for six weeks. Contacting this week was really tough; I had people tell me some very rude things. And we have been teaching a less active family that I’m just in love with. It killed me to see them not come to church this week. It amazes me how Satan has so much power over the hearts of men. He twists the views of men. Telling them that providing for them temporally is so important that the man has no time and just completely neglects his family in the spiritual matters. Which are the only things of which that will last.  I am getting to know the missionaries in our zone really well. I don’t know I just love to see and listen to them. We are all so different but yet the same things make us happy. I know maybe missionaries might not always be perfect, most of the time those who are looking at them are less perfect. Missionaries are asked to do a ridiculously large amount of things. It’s tough. I’ve studied the plan of salvation a lot this week and I love it I am learning so much. It’s like things are just unfolding in front of me. I just don’t know how I would live without the knowledge that I have. But we all progress personally. This morning we had an experience, we were playing soccer... And I was on the side lines waiting for my teams turn. When a younger missionary slips on the ball and breaks his ankle, it was very bad. Of course like everything else no one knows what to do and everyone looks to me and Elder Hadfield. Elder Hadfield gets everyone calm and out of the way as I am talking to the hurt missionary and trying to get him a little more comfortable. And as Hadfield got the chapel keys for the gate so the ambulance could get in and he also was talking to the mission president and office couple about the insurance and getting the hospital ready to receive  him. I was the lucky one who got to keep him calm (the injured elder) and talk to him for the 25 minutes waiting for an ambulance to come. He is going to be fine, Hadfield accompanied him to the hospital and they got him all better now he just has a few month recovery, but he will have to go home he will be home tomorrow. I didn’t enjoy it, what annoyed me more than anything is the other Elders. Not being able to help at all and acting dumb. And especially more after, when all of their comments were about themselves, maybe not being able to play anymore, or even making fun. And it hurts man, like how can you possible see something like that and not feel for the person or his family. Especially afterwards I was just pondering on what God wanted me to learn, because things don’t happen by chance. It once again reminded me how small I am. And how even though we are the perfect creation, and have dominion over all things. We are still very mortal and weak. So it’s been an interesting pday. I’m honestly waiting for my mission to be over, so many experiences good ones and ones that I would much rather forget. Well I have interviews this Wednesday I’m excited, I hope president will tell me about the upcoming cambios. Well I love you all and don’t worry about me. I will see you all in ten weeks!!!

Elder Ward

I’m Staying Here!

We had cambios and I will be staying here! We are all so excited here in Talca well at least for that. All three of us are all staying here, but Elder Doxey had to leave he is going to be home tomorrow. Man it was so tough saying goodbye to him. And he wasn’t even my companion all we did was live together for 4 and a half months. I hate it; it feels like everything that I have come to love in the last two and a half years has just been taken away from me when I begin to love it the most. I want it to stop, when will a relationship that I make last more than a few months. And will the relationships that I had continue after the mission? I hope so I have amazing friends and family. These are just a few of the thoughts of a missionary who has almost been gone for 2 years. This week went really well I am learning a lot about the convenios that we made and make every week. And also what perfection is, and why God will sometimes ask more from us than what we can actually give. To where we fail most of the time. I love hearing what people are learning about, or thinking about what I’m learning about. Because you can almost always find out in some way what is going on in a person’s life by what they are learning. Because you’re usually learning what you need from god at that moment. I got to do an interview for a man this week that really humbled me, he committed to pay tithing and he only has three weeks left of work and then has no idea what to do. But he told me that he would rather have his family in God’s hands than his own. It’s amazing how sometimes God just loves to slap you in the face with some humble pie. Just look around there are so many things in this life to help us stay focused on the reality of our need for God and our Redeemer. And not all the time are the things we just see but most of the time things that we feel. I absolutely love the mission and I’m learning a lot of things.  I enjoy the hard days more than the easy ones sometimes. Man I cannot wait until I can do what I want when I want though lol. It was like every day at the climax of my studies the time was up and I would beg for more time! I hate it; one hour is not enough sometimes. I miss going out to a "spot" to study, getting in the car and parking at a good view and studying for hours. Well hey 12 more weeks and I’m home its crazy, I have a feeling I’m going to feel very strange. I won’t be strange though, just feel that way!  And hey I was serious about the cup cakes from Jessica one for every month I had to suffer without them! And I will probably eat all of them in one sitting!!!!! I hope everything goes well working on the explorer and that dad takes some time to relax. Also I can’t wait for my package!!! lol last one! I would have loved some fireworks. jkjk And I just love you all!!! Can’t wait to hear from you next week and see you in 12!

Love Elder Matthew James Ward

Next week I will send some pictures it’s been a few weeks lol......

Hey Everyone Another Week

Hey every one another week has passed and your also probably wondering why I’m writing on Tuesday and not on Monday.  It’s because our president decided to take all of the zone leaders all the way down to Concepcion for consejo de lideres because he was super excited because the mission baptized a lot of people this last month.  So I spent Sunday and all Monday either in meetings or in buses. We also had a big soccer tournament held by our president. I was a goalie and I destroyed the whole time only a few goals were scored on us and we played for 2 hours. I’m doing great,  I’m feeling better Hermana Humphrey has been taking care of me she gave me a bunch of medicine and I should be fine in a day or two more.  It’s great to hear that things are going good at home, dads email cracked me up lol.. Some other missionaries asked me if dad always wears Hawaiian t shirts lol... I’m learning a lot and am enjoying the mission its amazing me at how fast it is going.  I can’t wait to go to the temple I miss it so much. Well I’m running out of time we were given like no time to email but whatever..... I will just write a big email next week.  Next week is cambios and it’s a big chance I will leave.  I have been here for 18 weeks and me and my comp both die at the same time.  So one of us will be leaving president told us yesterday as he was driving.  But hey we will see what happens. I love you all and can’t wait to hear from you next week. And I’m super stoked for my package!!!!

Elder Ward

Another Email July 25, 2011

Hey family, This week went by pretty fast, I was sick for 2 days though. I still am a little sick, its so hard to stay healthy during all of the weather changes and on top of that have to be out working in it. This week we hit our goal as a zone.. yeah.. lol not.. Personally I love the mission and enjoy working and teaching and seeing people accept the restored gospel and their lives change, but this week I got pretty fed up with some of my leaders and myself. I'm just getting so tired of the stupid numbers and how your only an "effective missionary" if your baptizing! Well that's how missionaries see it. And I have tried really hard as the time being a leader to not become one of those missionaries. I caught other missionaries getting on a missionary about numbers, and I didn't do anything. So the next day I talked with the missionary and there are a lot of problems going on. And what came to my mind was the quote by President Monson, "Don't let a problem to be solved be more important than a person to be loved."  So I tried to listen to him. I love listening. Man this week I have learned a lot we are getting a lot done here in the zone. I'm worried about cambios though, in 2 weeks I might be getting transfer. I am glad to hear everything is going OK back home. Its getting hard to email because the weeks just feel like they are mixing together. Its just all so quick and so repetitive. I want to stay who I am, Yes I want to learn and grow and serve. But I refuse to be changed into someone with the wrong desires, just to achieve. If the desire is right, go ahead change me. lol Well I'm not to exited to walk home, it just started pouring outside and I don't have an umbrella with me.!!!! I finished the temple book by Elder Packer, AWESOME! I learned a lot of really cool things. I cant wait to go to the temple. I love you all and cant wait to hear from you next week!!!
Love Elder Ward

Hey dad yeah this Thursday we have a mission conference I am excited because I hope I will be allowed to do nothing lol and just listen. It will my last conference so I will be giving my farewell testimony with 3 months left in the mission lol.. I really hope those cards come lol same with my mission card, I have been living off of nothing. lol... Dad help from the ward doesn't exist here! We do everything. We do all of the visits to all the new converts of the last 2 years, it usually takes about 6-9 months for someone to be assigned to visit them and on top of that see if the person actually does it. We did get a new ward mission leader this week and we are really excited for that. That's still way cool that your involved with the missionary work. I love you dad! Can't wait to see you in 14 weeks!!
Love Elder Ward

Quick Week

Hey family, that's super awesome that Jared now has a job! I was getting worried, how is he going to take me out to lunch when I get back with no money! no that's great news tell him I love him.. (since he doesn't email me) That's crazy to think you are all in summer and way hot weather and I'm here in cold rain. It rained for 5 days straight. One day was so hard, that I thought I was in a movie. I couldn't hear my comp and he was 2 feet from me. lol.. Also we got caught in Hail for about 2 hours on Saturday. That was the first time that I have ever done contacts in the hail. Man time is just flying by can you believe it. I mean some days are long but looking at the big picture its so fast. I tried really hard this week to slow down! And just listen learn and ponder. I learned some really cool things. Man I saw a preview for Harry Potter, I'm super jealous!!!! Kayman would win something ! lol .. I hope dad is taking some time to rest not working to hard on that car! I'm doing great I'm learning alot and working hard. Because I'm afraid if I stop working for one hour I will get distracted thinking about home. It has been quite a long time. I love you all and will email more next week!!!

Love Elder Ward

I'm Getting Tired!

Hey family this week was absolutely crazy! Talk about a fast week and a very exhausting week too. Well first off thanks so much for all the emails that you all sent me. I love hearing from all of you. And some of you I would die to hear from. So this week We did three mini cambios and I was able to get to know some of the missionaries better. Its amazing how different we all are and how sometimes people are struggling so much inside and no one knows it. I'm tired of missionaries comparing themselves. I am who I am. God called me, and I will progress different then others. Maybe faster, maybe slower. But when it comes down to it, It comes down to how devoted we are to God, and keeping our personal covenants. Other missionaries are having difficult times with their companions, and I had some good conversations with them. I love seeing people that are sad, leave being happy. I feel like that is what life is all about, or at least my life. Serving others and helping them become happy through Christ. On one mini cambio I did an interview for a woman who is about 25 I spoke with this woman for about 2 hours. Half way through the interview I felt like she was not being honest with me so I asked her and then she opened up and it came to be one of the most powerful interviews I have been able to experience. She had recently separated from her husband, because she being 4 months pregnant came home to him cheating on her. So they get in an argument and a fight. She loses the baby, next her desire to live. She already has a 3 year old daughter. And said that if it was not for her she would of done it. She would of killed her self. But she didn't, the weeks passed and the depression came. Next she found herself losing hair and every ounce of happiness was leaving her life. She told me that she decided to get down to pray, the first real time in her life.And she asks God if he exists and is she is loved by him. And if so to show her, and guide her to true happiness. She told me less than 2 minutes later two goofy gringo missionaries knocked her door. And that before she said anything a new fresh missionary who can barely speak said all he could. Good morning, we are missionaries sent from God. We share of the love that he has for you. Can we share with you? She never told them this, and didn't tell them why she let them in. But continued to listen. Even though she could not understand she said the whole time she could feel it. This woman needs the atonement of Jesus Christ. She still has more to do before being baptized but she knows she is going to do it. I had the privilege to feel the spirit work through me and guide her through the scriptures. Amazing experience. We also had a man come to church and he loved it! He said he wants to bring his family next week. Sunday night I was with Elder Hadfield. When the mission president called him to let him know that his grandmother had died. That was a tough 20 minutes me and Hadfield. I love him so much, we have been together in the mission for 7 months now as friends. Its amazing how when you become close to the savior, you can feel the pains of others. Or better said the pain that He feels for them. Or at least an ounce of it. All I know is that the atonement of Christ is real. Hadfield is amazing he went through it like a champ. Yes it was tough but he knows The plan of salvation. Today for pday we went out to the campo with a new convert family and had a bunch of fun! I even destroyed some wood! one swing I destroyed that log. And everyone said I couldn't because of the knot that was in it. !!lol I am learning a lot here on the mission and I am scared to think how little time I have left. Except I do know that Jessica does owe me 24 of her heavenly made cup cakes. One for every month that I have had to suffer with out them!! So tell her I will be expecting them when I get home!! lol I hope dad doesn't work to hard on the cars! and Jared I'm praying for you about the job! please email me! Emily get some rest!!!! I love you all the church is true!!!

Elder Matthew James Ward
PS. mom dad I finished Mosiah this week, totally going to beat you!
P-Day Fun and a Grave Yard they walk by daily

PS  mom dad I finished Mosiah this week, totally going to beat you!

It's Freezing!

Thanks for all of the emails this week! I loved the pictures Melissa thanks so much. Its weird to see how much your kids have changed I could almost smell the In and Out in the picture! This week the girl that I got to help teach and see baptized here in Independencia had her first interview with the bishop on wed and she got a calling and set a goal to be on a mission in 2 years when she turns 21. Awesome she also is almost completed reading the Book of Mormon. So things are doing great here, I couldn't be happier. At least here lol.. Yes I Lost my wallet in a collectivo or taxi thing racing to the terminal at 7 in the morning because I was in charge of all the missionaries that would pass through Talca. We also had consejo de lideres in Chillan that was a lot of fun. Its crazy to see all of my friends dying slowly these next few weeks. Today we threw a big party at our house because I remember how dang sucky my first 4th of July was in the mission and couldn't let that happen to the new Elders. It was a lot of fun all 20 of us sang the National Anthem together it was awesome!! But things are going great lately and I'm having a lot of fun, I'm healthy and learning a lot. Its so cold here though, you are so lucky to be in the best city in the whole world right now!!! I love you all and can't wait to see you soon, then I can just tell you stories in real life lol....

Love Elder Matthew James Ward

CONSTANT COLD FEET!

Ok family, so here in Talca its so dang cold. My feet have not been warm for almost a week now. I am extremely grateful that my package arrived and I at least have thermals now so I'm not as cold out walking in the midst of darkness every night. I loved the package I shared it between about 10 missionaries between the three I live with plus I had 3 mini cambios this week so I wasn't even in my house 2 days this week. lol Thanks Emily for the In and Out clothes a lot of the Eders were really jealous of that. Man dad it sounds like your crazy busy with the new calling. Here ward missionaries don't exist we are lucky if we go to a sector that even has a ward mission leader. So tell your missionaries to suck it up and go work.!! Twenty of the people I have baptized have been through contacting. Some of which I had already contacted before, before they accepted the second time a few weeks later. If they already finished contacting the whole sector do it again! We baptized a woman in Chiguayante that we had contacted 3 weeks prior and she completely rejected us, and she accepted the gospel and was baptized after the second attempt. We never know what happens in lives of others. Just because someone is not ready now, doesn't mean that they wont be receptive tomorrow. But hey I don't know how it is in Las Vegas, maybe its harder to find people through contacting. I'm sure you will figure something out with them. Mom is in the primary again, big surprise lol.. she will do great. Things here are going great, all four of us in the house stayed here so we are all super excited because we are all good friends. There were a lot of changes in our zone though. This last week we had a few miracles in our zone. There is a family of 4 out in Constitucion and the mother and 2 sons had dates to be baptized but didn't want to do it with out their father and the sister missionaries have been trying for 2 weeks with him. A little over a week ago I went out to interview him to see whats up. He felt good and liked everything but couldn't get over Joseph Smith and Prophets hoy en dia. So I asked him what he would be willing to do if he knew it was true. He said everything, stop drinking, stop smoking, working on Sundays and that he would be baptized and pay his tithing and plan for the temple in a year. I shared some scriptures with him describing how he is not going to know until after a trial of his faith. The big problem were the commandments I promised him if for one week he would complete with the commandments he would receive a divine answer that he needs to be baptized in this church. Sometimes us missionaries give very bold promises when we feel like its what God wants us to say. And he took it very serious, he completed everything, he even said no to drinking wine at a birthday party that his boss at work threw for him. And Thursday night he told the sister missionaries not to have me come over Friday to interview him again because he has received no answer. They told him he had one more day to complete a week and he agreed. I came out Friday and the house felt different I could feel it. He was very eager to speak with me and the sisters told me to come prepared because he was against being baptized and had a lot of questions. In the interview he told me of the struggle he had completing the commandments. And how at first it was just to do it to prove me and the sisters wrong about how he wouldn't get and answer. Until Thursday night, he was looking on the church website and it hit him different. That night he had a very vivid and specific dream. He was baptized with his family that Saturday afternoon. God is a God of miracles, he fulfills his promises. Coming out of that room with this man, and watching him explain to his wife and two sons that he wanted to be baptized and do all he could to live with them forever. Talk about bringing tears to your eyes. It hit me hard, I loved it. A definite perk for being a zone leader, having the privilege to interview Gods children and help them progress towards baptism. Just a story I wanted to share with you all. I love being a missionary, all the rejection and the cold, rain and aching is worth it when we have experiences that I will remember for the rest of my life. I'm doing good.  Just hit 20 months in the mission wow. But still got four left to work hard. I love you all and hope to hear from you next week.!!


Elder Matthew James Ward

Strange Week

Alright family, this week was very strange. I worked extremely hard this week, Its as if I constantly come home tired. I am better from the cold that I had finally, I still cough sometimes but I am over it for the most part. Happy fathers day dad! I got to speak in Church on Sunday, I was given thirty minutes.. thanks lol.. So this week I went out to Constitucion to help the sister missionaries three times this week and interviewed nine people to help prepare them for baptism. We should have a family being baptized this next Saturday. Its such a long bus ride out there, two and a half hours out and two and a half hours back. One night we did not get home until 12:15. But hey Anything to help some one be baptized. We had a mini cambio with the assistants and I went out with Elder Keller to Constitucion. But we had the mission truck, sweeeeet... so much faster than a bus and way more comfortable. Here in my sector we had a lot of days with constant rain and cold. We had another classic Rain day where we didn't get into any houses for the six and a half hours of work time in the evening. Plus I love it when dogs bark at you constantly and all the people in their houses look at you like your the dog crap that they just stepped in. Its strange how so many things happen but yet I'm still happy and excited to work. We got into one house this week and in the middle of the lesson a woman came over, And an instant demonic feeling came into the house, even though she seemed like a normal nice woman. I looked at my comp and still stopped the lesson and left. Idon't know, I don't mess with feelings sometimes. Especially when they are difficult to tell if its a prompting or not. I still just do it. We also taught another family and had to leave because the father came home drunk in the middle of the lesson and it was horrible. Me and Elder Hadfield went out to Constitucion this week on a mini cambio and we dressed up as twins and everyone made fun of us, but we loved it. Shows you what us missionaries do for fun sometimes. lol. We have one more week till cambios and its possible that I might leave but I'm pretty sure that I wont. I still have not received that package which I could really use right now in this cold weather. I love you all and thanks so much for all of your emails!


I love you all!!

Elder Matthew James Ward

Family and Friends June 13, 2011

Hey family I loved the fotos. And yes I remember dad taking me and Jared there when I was like thirteen lol. That is super cool that you went out there, when we went I'm pretty sure it rained and there were two old men with buckets full of fish and we caught nothing. That's crazy that Jared is going to go and sell security systems I hope he does good at it, that would be super good for him to make some money. I am super excited to get my package I'm pretty sure its up in the office I just have to wait when it will get to me...NEVER.. lol Its starting to get pretty cold here in Talca and the I absolutely hate the fog. You just get home completely wet. We had a baptism this Friday, a family we found and reactivated. And after four weeks of work the son Nacho was able to baptize his little sister, now he is planning with the bishop to serve a mission. AWESOME.... We worked almost everyday this week, Thursday I couldn't do it I had to stay in the house. But don't worry mom I'm taking great Chilean medicine that doesn't work at all.... lol But I'm getting better I should be better in a few more days. Me and my companion are working really hard, but the missionaries in our zone are all having a tough time helping people progress towards baptism. But we should be able to visit every sector this week and get some work done. Get some miracles happening, sometimes missionaries want to see miracles but don't do anything to make them happen.We could of had a lot more people baptized this week but a lot of the missionaries didn't ask, or invite investigators to do it this week... But hey we have a lot of new missionaries in our zone so we are going to go around doing mini cambios with them so we can try to help. The assistants will probably come down this week to help again about every two weeks they are down to help. So I won't have to pull my hair out by myself. lol... I am doing great though. I have studied the atonement every day this week after lunch, I love Jacob four, verse nine, ten and eleven I think... I used it a lot  this week throughout the day to keep me focused on my mission to help people have faith in Christ and Repent. I am loving it here in Chile right now we have to week left of this cambio and then transfers we are all hoping that our house stays the same. I only have three cambios left this is crazy, I am going to work my heart out. I love you all and miss you. My comp made me super trunky for food, he talked about in and out and other restaurants this morning, plus we played volleyball and it was actually a good competitive game. I had so much fun, reminded me a lot of home for sure. But hey I'm working hard, I'm super happy. Even though I'm a little stressed with the zone. I cant wait to get my package still and I loved all the emails that I got from all of you. Especially the pictures. I love you all.....

Elder Ward

Hey Family, (June 6, 2011)

Hey family, this week was super fast, we had a 3 days with the assistants at our house and they did mini cambios with me and my comp for 3 days it was super cool. They had to stay at our house for 4 days because they were traveling between all the zones for interviews and our house is the coolest and we have 2 extra beds. We also had another mini cambio with two missionaries in our zone so I was comps with my comp for like 2 days this week. I got sick and had to stay inside Saturday I Hated it, I feel so bad staying in but all the other missionaries made me. We found sun chips in the big super market in Talca!!! we were all in heaven for about 2 minutes until the bag ran out. It was 2.300 pesos a bag.. that's like 5 bucks.. but totally worth it. I am learning a lot right now even though the time is going by so fast. That's super cool that dad got that new calling Jared will have to start going out with the missionaries and I will when I get home. Dad will be super good for the ward and missionaries in the obra misional!!! Better be studying that Predicad mi Evangelio!!!! its an amazing manual. Thanks for the pictures mom I really enjoyed them. It was a good pday getting so many emails from family and pictures. I enjoyed it a lot. I have found a way to spend less money on food, so its starting to help my wallet a lot and I don't have to use money from home either. I really hope that package gets here fast, Its starting to get really cold here. Some nights the fog is so thick here in Talca you can barely see 10 feet in front of you and you can feel the moisture and you actually get really wet from it. This place is so different from Las Vegas the people too. But the amazing thing is that our purpose in life and what brings happiness doesn't change. Its the same where ever you go. Its amazing how everything is depended on God and the atonement of Christ. I continue to learn every day. I love you all so much, don't worry about me I'm working hard and super happy. I loved hearing from you all and cant wait to get letters in this package even though I probably wont get it for 3 more weeks because I'm so far from the mission office.


Love Elder Ward