September 19, 2017

This week I was able to go to Huanhualí my last sector and spend the day working there. It was a ton of fun, it was like I never left haha. One of my converts there is going super strong and going to seminary every day and going to the temple with the ward. She also wants to go on a mission so it was awesome to see how much she has progressed. Also there is another kid that got baptized a week or two after I left that is getting his papers ready. It was a really fun day and great to see the people I worked with before.

Yesterday was the 18th of September and it's pretty much the 4th of July here. So everyone has a barbecue and we eat a ton of food. We were able to do a zone activity and we went to some sand dunes in Concon. We played soccer, threw a frisbee around, and tried to fly kites but it didn't work out so well. They all got shredded haha. But it was a ton of fun just to run around on the sand. 

In the pictures I had with President in one of them and that was the ward activity we had for the 18th. He dressed up a bit with the hat and the poncho. He danced cueca, a traditional dance here so it was super funny to see him dancing.

I'm reading the old testament and today I was reading about the temple of Salomon and it was pretty cool because it talks about a font that was put upon 12 oxen. 

In Alma 35 it talks about how the Zoramite converts were cast out of their homes and they had to flee and be refuges in another land. They had to give all of their worldly possessions up to be able to believe as they felt was right. Maybe we won't have to give it all up but we will have to make some sacrifices to be able to believe and worship. That might mean a couple friends, old habits, or a couple of hours on Sunday but we should be willing and ready to make those sacrifices when the Lord asks us. 

September 12, 2017

We wrote early today because we are going to go do a p-day with the Goulds and the assistants. You'll be getting some pictures of that. Not much has happened in these past couple of days. You never responded to my other email!!! Do you and dad have any advice on what I should do? (He's trying to figure out work/school after mission, and he will get back the day AFTER classes start back up at BYU :) Can you try to find me a sweet job? Just so I can have somewhat of a plan when I get back.

Hey this is something I just shared with a friend:

This week especially I've felt so grateful for the chance to be a missionary. It's like Ammon was saying that when they started they couldn't have imagined the blessings that God was going to give them on the mission. I've seen a lot of changes in myself, stuff I never thought about before the mission. It's has definitely been the best almost two years of my life up until this point.

I'm very grateful for this chance I'm having to serve a mission and to be able to meet so many people. I've learned a lot from the Chileans and from my companions. I've grown a lot closer to my Heavenly Father and I've learned about how I fit into his plan. And how others fit into that plan. I know that Jesus Christ lives and that through him we can repent and be happy. 

Thanks for everything mom, I love you guys a lot and I hope the family is doing ok!

Love 

Elder Cheney

August 31, 2017

As you can probably tell by the time I am writing this it was a long trip.It was really fun and we got a lot of stuff done, but I'll tell you about it after answering your email. 

I asked him about anything he wanted to share from the Book of Mormon for my seminary class.

One of my favorite quotes about the Book of Mormon is from President Joseph Fielding Smith: "No member of this Church can stand approved in the presence of God who has not seriously and carefully read the Book of Mormon" It just goes to show the importance of reading and truly studying the Book of Mormon. 

One of the most powerful experiences or testimonies I've had with the Book of Mormon is with our last convert, Victor. He started reading the Book of Mormon at the beginning when we invited him. His learning curve was so much faster than other people I taught. He would leave lessons with a couple questions or doubts and he would come back with his own answers that he had found after searching and prayers. Some answers he read and some were given to him through the Spirit. When we read the Book of Mormon with prayer and real intent it will answer our questions, we will feel the love of God, and we will be on the path to exaltation. In my own life it has given me a foundation in the Gospel and I have set a goal to read it every day and I think that is what has helped me most to get through tough times. Ponder and sincerely read the Book of Mormon. There are days when I am tired and it's hard to get through a chapter (I still have to read my chapter today) but I know God will bless me as I ponder in the stories and words that are in there. It has expanded my mind and given me a vision of what God has planned for me. I am grateful for the sacrifices of many people to make the Book of Mormon possible and I know that it is the word of God that is meant to guide us through these days. 

Tell your seminary students to share their testimonies with me too! I like to read them. Also I forgot but can you thank the primary kids for me? It was really cool to read their letters and they gave me a lot of ánimo! I love me some handwritten letters. 

So we left on Tuesday, me, Élder Smith (my companion), and Élder Gould (the housing guy). We went up to Coquimbo which is about 4 or 5 hours to the north. The goal was to buy 4 matresses with the frames, fix 3 windows, patch up about 4 walls, and drop off various things like rugs, blankets, and heaters. It was pretty intense and we were out until about 10:30 tuesday and wednesday night. It was fun too because it was the first time that I was in the North of the mission, so I've only heard stories of it for a year and a half. It was different from what I thought, I was thinking that it was going to be a barren wasteland but it was more like a resort. It is really nice up there. We got to go to a place called Vicuña that is about and hours drive from Coquimbo so we got to see all parts of the mission. I can't find my camera right now, but I'll send some pictures next week. We took our p-day today to move some more matresses and patch up a wall and then we drove back down too. We got back pretty late, but it was a good trip. It was nice to work on the houses and get out of the office a bit too. 

This week will be change week (Woooohhhhhoooooo!!!!), so I won't be writing until next Saturday, the 9th. Wow, August passed by quick. 

We're still not sure about the changes, we should find out tomorrow (companions and whatnot) but the assisstants said that there might be a couple of surprises so I'll keep you updated next week. 

I think might spiritual though will be the above mentioned about the Book of Mormon. Thanks for the email mom, it's nice to hear from you guys. I love you a lot!!

Elder Cheney