September 5, 2016

This week was a good week. Elder Carter is my new companion from New Mexico. He is right off the boat and got to Chile a week and a half ago because he did the MTC in Mexico. He's a good guy and I'm excited to work with him.

I just really want you all to know that writing stresses me out and I don't like it. It's too much pressure to write too much. But I'll do it because I love you. 

The baptism was for a kid that his mom didn't want to get baptized for a while and then last week she decided that he can make his own decisions so he decided to get baptized. We just helped set up the interview and teach him a little, but the guy is a machine. His name is Benjamin and he is ten years old. 

Other than that I have had a cold all week but I'm finally getting better, which is lame because it's supposed to be getting warmer. 

But we're doing pretty good, the people are feeding us a lot so we're not going to starve. 

Love you guys!

Elder Cheney

 

(Note, we got an email from the mission president that Daniel is now a trainer!)

 

August 15 and 22, 2016

August 15
That cupboard was my old candy store! (referring to a little cupboard we refinished for Clara and Lily) They gotta take good care of it. But that is going to be really cool to go up there!

I've seen like 3 seconds (of the olympics)  on a tv before we asked them to turn it off haha. We haven't seen too much. But they are on every tv. It's the olympics or soccer. USA! USA! USA! I miss the olympics a little bit, but there will be more. 

Good faith mom, he won't let you totally crash and burn. (responding to my worries about teaching seminary) They ask about me because like they say here I'm regalón. 

I miss the trees a little bit. North Carolina is really pretty. 

This week Jenny, that girl that got baptized when I got here, we were teaching and I asked if I could use the bathroom and she was like "Elder, just imagine you're in your house." And that was really funny. 

A lady named Monica, came to the church yesterday. Even though we had like 4 people that said they were going to come only she game. So that was disappointing, but Monica had a really great experience and was able to meet some of the members and she liked it a lot. 

This week I've been studying a lot about humility and the importance of being humble. It is really important. I liked Doctrine and Covenants 112:10 and it says "Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers." We need to be humble enough to recognize our dependence on a superior Being. If we can do that we can receive the guidance that we need. we just have to be humble enough to ask it. 

That was the week, everything is good, we're eating a lot

Love you guys,

Elder Cheney

August 22
Writing stresses me out, I don't like typing haha that's why. 

You guys went on a lot of vacations without me! I think I went to Huntington beach one time. Not a good week for phones, you guys should all get nokias like us, I haven't broken one yet. (referring to the fact that both David and I water damaged our phones).

Just pray a lot and do the preparation, if you do your part God will help you teach. I really don't know what else to say, that's what I do to get ready for lessons, pray, study, pray, and then I kinda just go for it. And always see what I can do better after. 

I want some icecream. There are a serious lack of Cookout milkshakes in Chile. But there are a lot of really good food. We did a Family Night this week and we made sopaipillas pasadas again. They were really good because the sister made them and we kinda just watched. But she told us how to make them. 

My companion is Elder Palilla from California. He's a cool guy, but he has a huge giggle problem. If anything funny happens this guy just can't keep it together. And I'm pretty funny so he laughs a lot. But I really like working with him and I've learned a lot from him. I think we're probably going to get split up this change (this Wednesday!!!!!!) so we'll see who I'm with this week. I'm kind of nervous for changes because there are a lot of things that could happen. 

I think I already sent you some pictures of where we live, but it is pretty much a townhouse. It's pretty good, it has a nice shower so that is all that really matters. It's not as cold here as it was in Olmué. We live on a peninsula so it's pretty cool that we can almost always see the ocean. 

We've realized that we eat a lot of fried stuff and drink a lot of soda, so we're trying to slow down on that, but the people here are just too nice. They always try to give us soda, even if we ask for water. It's pretty funny, they refuse to give water. 

The ward, Quintero, has an attendance of 100-110, and I really don't know what else to say. They're good people, they love the missionaries. They always give us lunch. 

Yesterday we were contacting and we had 10-15 straight people that really didn't want anything and then the last house on the street we were going to contact, we knocked the door and a 17 kid came out and we were like "We're missionaries... can we share something with you?" And he was like "Yea, do you want to come in?" And I said "Yea, vamos" so we went in and there were like 4 teenagers that are all cousins I guess. They're all evangelico but we shared with them about the Book of Mormon and some other stuff and it was pretty cool. They all said they are going to read and that we can go back this week. It was a cool end to a week that we have been having trouble finding people to teach. We have a lot of hope for the kid, Sebastian that he can progress. I'll let you know what happens this week if I don't get transferred. 

In my lecture of the Book of Mormon I read 3 Nephi 12:16 "Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven." A question that came into my mind was: Are my works glorifying my Father in heaven? If not what do I need to do better? In everything that we do there are people that are watching our example. So this week use your light to glorify Heavenly Father!

I hope your happy with this email because it is huge!

Some requests:

Send me some pictures from my childhood that I can print out (baptism, sports, family events)

Get my siblings to email me! I don't even know if they are alive (Melissa is the only one putting out an effort, but she's forgiven because she has children.) The rest have no excuses. 

Eso no más, Love you guys!

Elder Cheney

August 1, 2016

That sounds pretty cool, you'll have to tell me how it is. It sounds like it's putting more of the responsibility on the kids so that's awesome.   In response to the new seminary doctrinal mastery program.
Tell Cameron's mom congrats and hola from me. Cameron Smith, who just left on his mission.
This week we are teaching Juan Carlos. He is really funny and humble. We reads everything we invite him to and he prays when we ask him to (just about everyone gets too embarrassed to pray the first couple of times but he went right on ahead). We invited him to stop smoking and drinking and he agreed. I think he has felt a little empty before in his life because he told us that he wants to find peace in his life. But we'll see if he is willing to obey the commandments.

Today in the morning one companionship of sisters in my district asked us for a blessing of health so we met up with them in the office of the mission because it is like right in between us. We saw president and he was like oh yeah do the blessing in my office! So we went to the office of president and I gave the blessing with President and an assistant right there. I was really nervous haha, but I got it all out.
We got to church and about three minutes before Sacrament Meeting started the ward secretary comes up to me and asks me if I could speak for like 8 minutes. I was like oh crap and just started marking scriptures with pass along cards. I decided to talk about the Sacrament because it's a classic and just started reading scriptures off and whatever came to my mind. I think it went pretty well, the Bishop didn't ask me to sit down so I didn't say anything too bad.

This week I have gained a strong testimony that obeying the commandments makes us happy. God knows that when we obey the commandments we will be happy, that's why he gives us the commandments. And when we are not obeying the commandments, like Alma says we "are found in a state that is contrary to the happiness" Alma 41:11 (It's a translation I don't know what it actually says) So the invitation this week is to choose happiness and obey the commandments!

Love you guys!

Elder Cheney

July 25, 2016

Freaking Cosmo hahahaha I love that guy. That's sweet about Dustin, he has to work there when I get back so I can get some sweet discounts. Sounds like you guys are doing good! Is Dustin putting pictures on instagram? I only have one Christmas wish and that is that my brother can keep his promises.

This week was a little wild. We have had to travel a lot in bus and have been really busy. Last Monday I had a really bad cold and was blowing my nose all day then Tuesday we left to work for a little and then I starting having a fever so we went back to the house. The thermometer said 39 degrees Celcius and my companion says that's like 102 fareinheight. My head hurt like no other and I was burning up. So I should probably be dead. But yea I was really uncomfortable, but I slept practically from 5pm to 5am (We had to get up early to go to a zone conference.) But the blessing was that when I woke up to go Wednesday the fever was gone and just a little bit of the sniffles. Now I'm all good, 100%.

I did my first baptism interview and it was a really great experience. It was with a girl that is like 21 and her testimony was so awesome so it made it a very enjoyable experience and I'm looking forward to doing it again. 

A scripture that I read in personal study that stuck out to me in Alma 39:14. It says something like "Don't search the riches or the vanities of this world, because behold, you can't bring them with you." I was thinking about that and was like oh crap, I have some things that I like that I don't want to lose. Then I thought ok if I can't bring my stuff with me, what can I bring with me? And the answer is knowledge and your family and friends. So I'm glad that if I can only bring a few things with me they're the things that are most important. Right now I'm working on bringing my friends home and after the mission it'll be my family, but it is a blessing to be a part of this work. 

That's pretty much all that is new with me, it rained a little bit, how's it going up there?

Love you guys!!!

Elder Cheney

Catch up emails

As many of you know, Daniel's grandfather passed away a couple of weeks ago and I have been in Utah for the past few weeks with family and have not been able to share Daniel's emails. So here is the catch up, including a quick note we received from his mission president--

June 27
Were you a chaperone? (referring to a youth conference trip to Palmyra.  I wasn't a chaperone, I was the cook!)  I didn't know you went to Palmyra that's pretty cool! I want to go again when we get back, it was a really good trip! Speaking of that this week was one year since I left for BYU! That's crazy haha, time flies. 

Tell me before you send the package, but can you send a bunch of coins too? They're good to give to people and I didn't bring any. 

This week was a lot of walking, it wasn't too cold so that was good!

This week was the finals of the American Cup with Chile and Argentina. Chile won, and it was cool but obviously we didn't watch the game and there was a lot of celebrating last night. 

So it's really late for this, but tell Dad happy father's day!

This week has been really tiring, but I want you guys to know that I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the Church of God.

Love you all!

Elder Cheney

P.S. I going to print some pictures so I need everyone to send me some good pictures! (I have to be in the picture to qualify!)

July 4
Wow oh wow oh wow.

2nd week that you missed writing me! Feel bad! Ok that's enough. (I missed writing, was spending time with my dad in the hospital)

This week has been very interesting. I'm going to start learning how to knit so I can make myself some dope socks and maybe a tie. 

I sent a letter for Dad's birthday today so let me know if you see it. Also has the letter for Dustin got there yet?

I was showing a family the pictures that we took as a family during Christmas and the Sister said that you looked beautiful, because you're a Gringa woman.

Since you didn't write me this is going to be very short, but I have a quote from this past conference that I liked very much. It's from President Eyring "Where and when we feel the closeness of the Savior depend on each of us." So think about that this week and what you guys can do to enjoy more the closeness of the Savior. 

Love you guys and hope you have a good week!

Elder Cheney

July 10 (After he got the email about his Grandpa)
Mom, I'm sitting right next to the window in the public internet place crying haha, the people are watching me. Could you send me some of the stuff he said about his mission? Thanks for the email even though it probably wan't easy. I'm really greatful for the example of Grandpa Money in my life and the influence he had on me through you. He's a lot happier than we are right now (Alma 40:12). I hope you guys are all doing good and if there is something I can do, let me know! I am grateful for the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation that this time is just a snippet of our existence. That's awesome that he kept up with his Spanish! Really close, Cuando damos...

Looks like we're going to have a baptism this Sunday! Rosa, I think I told you about her already, but she is going to get baptized this week. Also we have changes this week too, so we're a little nervous. I have been thinking and I don't want to leave Olmué. I've been with these people for 5 months and it would be really hard to leave them. I don't know if that means its my time to go or what, but it'll be hard when I have to go. It could be this Wednesday, I'll let you know what happens. 

Love you guys a lot and hope you are doing good with everything about Grandpa. THE GOSPEL IS TRUE!! 

Elder Cheney

July 17 (After the funeral)Looks like it was a good program, and dad gave the dedicatory prayer! I was thinking and I'm sad that grandpa died, but also not too sad. I read Alma 22:14 in my personal study this week and it says "... (Jesus Christ) breaketh the bands of death, that the grave shall have no victory, and that the sting of death should be swallowed up in the hopes of glory." It is awesome to see that it is so true that the grave doesn't have victory and that death doesn't have a sting when we have this hope in Jesus Christ. I really am so grateful to you guys as parents for everything that you have done for me to help me get on the mission. Hope you guys are doing good and tell everyone I said hola. 

This week has been probably the most stressful week of my mission. Remember how I said I didn't want to leave Olmué? The Lord has a funny way of knowing that what we don't want is what is best for us. You probably saw by the pictures but now I'm with a gringo in a sector called Quintero. We are really close to the ocean, we can see it from our sector. My companion is Elder Palilla from Los Angeles, California. He is hot off of his training so he has one transfer less than me (4.5 months in the mission). He was here before so he is helping me a lot to get to know the sector because I am practically lost. That is pretty stressful but also I got called as District Leader so I have a ton of responsibilities with that. There are 4 companionships in my district and one of them is the zone leaders. I thought I barely had free time before, but now there is no time for anything. In the night I have to call everyone and see how their day went and give them advice and a whole bunch of stuff that I have no idea what to do. Usually the zone leaders would be able to help me but the zone got put together with another zone and there are 24 missionaries in the zone (usually there are 12) so they are really busy too. It's kind of like when Nephi had to build the boat but had no idea what to do. That's me right now. 

Honestly, I miss Olmué, it was a good sector. And I knew where I was going there. But I know too that I'm going to love it here. I feel like I'm going to be here for a while and I'm ok with that. It's weird to get used to living with another person that isn't Elder Gonzalez, but he's a good missionary and wants to serve. 

Also we had a baptism! I'm not sure if Rosa got baptized, but I hope all went well with that. The little girl that we baptized is Jenny. She is super awesome and there was a whole ton of running around that we had to do to prepare for that which just added a little to the stress. But she's baptized and super happy so we're are going to work with her to help her keep strong. 

That's pretty much it from my week, just a little bit of crazy stress, but I hope you guys are doing good and I'm praying for you,

Love,

Elder Cheney

***From his mission president:
Dear Cheney Family,

It is a pleasure for me to greet you and to inform you that your son, Elder Daniel Gray Cheney has been assigned to serve as a District Leader in the Chile Vina del Mar Mission. He has demonstrated a sincere desire to serve the Lord while sharing the gospel, and he has diligently set forth a good example to his companions. His responsibilities have increased along with his opportunity to help others.

I thank you for raising your son in such a dedicated way and pray that our Heavenly Father may bless your family while your son serves in this great work.

Sincerely,

Raúl Antonio Díaz Navarro

Mission President

June 13 and 20

June 20

The Chileans are going to make a singer out of me it if kills me (and it probably will). We had a talent show and after all the members went the missionaries sang "Come thou fount of every blessing." There was  like 80 people and only 4 missionaries so I was a little intimidated, but we pulled through. 

Also we got some really good cake this week and that was the only picture I took this week, so I gotta start taking some more. 

Someone thought I was Brazilian, I don't know if that was an insult or...

This week the teaching drought ended!!!!!!!

First, we were on interchanges during a game of the American Cup. Chile was playing so no one wanted to listen to us. We decided to say a prayer and we prayed to find the person that wasn't watching the game. So we walked a little more, talked to some more people that didn't want anything and then finally we found Estefany. We were able to teach her and her mom and we left a Book of Mormon with the introduction for her to read. We went back two days later and she read until 1 Nephi 9 and remembered just about everything. It was super great and we're going to meet her "partner" to keep working with them!

Also, we taught Cherry (daughter) and Rosa (Mom). We taught in a family night and they had been with the missionaries before us, but we haven't had much of a chance to teach them. We were talking and Cherry said that she ahd wanted to get baptized from the first lesson the missionaries taught. It was so awesome and we invited them to get baptized the 10th of July. Were going to keep working with them too to help them get ready for their baptism. 

This week I want to share a scripture from 2 Nephi 2:24 that says, "But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things." I love this scripture because we really just have to trust that everything has a purpose and God knows that purpose. In the end, all He wants is us to be happy and He knows how to make us happy. 

Hope you guys are happy and everything is well!

Love,

Elder Cheney

June 13
 So thanks a lot for this email! Also I gave your email and address to someone that has a daughter in Charlotte that is less active and wants to go to church but doesn't know where to go, if someone emails you, her name is like Yanina or something like that. 

There's not a whole lot of questions so I'm going to have to go off of what I got. 

We had a Zone meeting this week and one of our zone leaders bought a bunch of ties, in his words "I looked for the ugliest ties I could possibly find." So all the elders in our zone got new, ugly ties. I was pretty happy because it was free. 

Also this week Marta made some onion bread for us! It was really good and I'm going to try to get her to teach us how to make it. It is exactly what it sounds like, bread with onions. We ate it all that night haha. 

Sunday I gave a talk in Sacrament meeting. It went pretty good, there wasn't too many confused faces, so I guess everyone understood me. 

In Sunday school we were talking a little bit about the glory of the world and the glory of God. Someone in the class said "The glory of the world is in obtaining everything, cars, houses, jobs, money. The glory of God is in leaving everything and serving your fellowmen." I loved this because I know I'm the happiest when I'm serving someone else. This happiness is also something that is lasting, things get old and wear away but the service we can give to people and the relationships we can make with people are lasting. So remember to do your good turn daily!

June 8, 2016

I think I'm going to start doing the thing a lot more where you write the email because it is really easy and less stressful. He says this to mom!

We don't have a great retention rate in Olmué  but it is really good for (new converts) them to have friends. If they have people inviting them to Family Home Evenings, Dinner, or just to spend a little time together it is a lot better for them to stay active. But we'll see what we can do to help Marta. 

What am I doing? Being a missionary

What am I teaching? The Restored Gospel

How is the Language? It's like a foreign language, but getting better 

Normal day? We wake up at 7 exercise, eat, and shower until 8:30. We study until 11 and then we leave to work until 9:30pm with an hour of lunch.  We plan until 10pm and then we eat, write in the journal, and whatnot until 11 and go to bed.

We don't really have a lot of investigators after Marta got baptized so we gotta go searching.  

Hope that is sufficient! This week it started raining Thursday in the morning when we were studying and didn't stop until Friday in the night. It was very wet both days. It's kind of like Forrest Gump when he's in Vietnam (I think) and there's like 6 different types of rain. But my shoes were so wet that they transferred dye to my feet. So one day my feet were a little brown and the other a little black. 

Also we had changes this week and I'll be in Olmué for at least another 6 weeks!!

We had a Zone Activity because we met our goal for baptisms and we went to the dunes and played in the sand for a bit and took some pictures! We tried to go sandboarding but there is no one that rents boards at 2 on a Monday in the winter so we had to use our imagination. 

Also we saw a dog that was huge and barked like a velociraptor so we took a picture with it. It was as mean as it looks I promise. 

Also I have to give a talk in Sacrament Meeting this week so pray for me!!

That's about it from this week!

Love You Guys!