Happy Gringos

Hey Mom!

This is the "gringo room' where all of us from the United States watched General Conference.

Elder Ah You is sitting next to me.  

General conference! The zone leaders also brought me 2 packages from the offices that same day so it was that much better!  One was from the Strattons (fun tie and candy!) and the other was a small envelope with these four Instagram books you sent.  I love reading them!  We passed them all around to the other missionaries in between sessions.  Thanks Ma!

Asado with Hermana Gisella and Juan Manuel!!  Elder Barton is the blonde guy next to me.

This week was awesome! I miss Elder Ah you and Elder Barton soo much though!

We've been working a lot with 2 families named Familia Rivas and Familia Guevarra. Both of them are almost the same. Both of the moms are very young like mid 20s and aren't legally married but are members and the husbands aren't members. They each have different problems in their relationships but we're really helping them and I've learned soo much. At times I feel weird with my age, teaching people about how to live their life and how to fix it (like I've ever been where they've been before). I'm soo grateful for the spirit and how much it helps me and everything that I've learned and that I'm learning everyday.

I'm sooo glad you guys liked the video! At first I wasn't going to do it because I didn't think I could! But I thought when will I get the chance to do this again?  So I did it without tearing up or anything haha.

Yes I love everything you sent!! The Ipod works perfect and I've been using it every night and I love it!  I'm sooo happy I have what you guys gave me!! I'm going to save it all sparingly...except the ranch cornuts..... those things are freaking gone ahaha!

Hey so for this week we're working on the skype deal cuz its this next Sunday! We have church from 3:30 to 6:30 is the thing....it's really dumb because there's not really much to do on a Sunday morning and people use the chapel for another ward in the morning. The church pays for a little bus to go on a certain route and it picks up all of the members. They'll do this until November or so until there done redoing the chapel to make it bigger because the church is really growing here which is good! 

I'm planning on skyping after church so like at 7:15 to 7:30 p.m. my time (3 or 3:30 your time)  My comp is 2 hours back cuz he's from Peru so he might call in the morning but I want to skype and I don't know if I'll be able to go to their house in the morning. I will come to the ciber to make more emails this week and let you guys know so we can set a sure time.

Oh-- on May 16th there will be the cultural celebration for the Cordoba Temple and Elder Uchtdorf is coming! The dedication will be the next day! I'm soo excited!!

Other than that my district is doing good and I love helping everybody out in anyway I can. Love you all!!

Elder Kohler Chamberlain


(another letter from May 7, 2015)

Im super good! My companion Elder Charca have been doing really good and were trying to find more people to teach. Yesterday Elder Zeballos came to talk to us. He spoke in spanish in general conference but knows english too. Hes the first counselor in our area presidency and was sooo cool to hear! Him and his wife along with president and sister goates talked to us!

Its really starting to get a little cold here haha! I swear its soo hard to get out of bed like the cold just drains you! But im gonna buy a nice jacket to wear to get warmed up before I work out in the mornings.

Im learning soo much mom and its been helping me a lot:) Im really just trying to learn the gift of consistency which was mentioned yesterday.

We can really try to do whatever we want but we will never achieve it unless we are consistent. We put that into perspective for our investigators and enduring to the end. We do A LOT of little things that result in our exaltation and because of the CONSISTENCY we had to go to church every sunday, read our scriptures everyday, pray everyday, go to seminary, fast every month, do hometeaching eery month and sooo many more things is why we are happy and successful in what we do.

Something we teach is simply we cant eat all the food were going to eat in one day but we need to save and eat it day by day. Its a simple concept but sooo many people dont even do it or arent aware of it. I can stuff myself with food and be completely full. It wont matter cuz tomorrow im going to have to eat again.

Seriously I learn soo much:)

A Taste of Home

Here is Kohler and Elder Ah You the day he received all of the things we sent him in the package.  Elder Ah You's parents flew to Argentina to pick up their son and were kind enough to take a package for us!

Dear Family,

Wow that's soo cool that a lot of people talked about what I wrote to Spencer.  I totally remember that campout.   It was super hard for me. I'm glad Spencer got to use it and that he did well!

Ya Elder Ah You and his fam came over to the other elders pension! They took a video too but I don't know if they sent it or not! The Iphone 6+ is huge oh my gosh!!  His mom has one!

This is the video that Elder Ah You's mother sent us!  I don't think it will play well on the blog though.

THANK YOU SOOO MUCH FOR THE GIFTS!!!! I'm not gonna lie-- the corn nuts are already gone ha ha!...You gave me ranch dressing too!! And Peanut Butter!!!  I've actually found some peanut butter but I'm sure this is way better! The I-pod is definitely the best...I teared up at the song kelsey and hailey made. Also the one hailey sang for the christmas one. Spencer's pirate song was sooooo good too! I can't even believe too how you just made that type of piano song up like that mom, and dad's singing...Ahh!!  My family is sooo talented. It makes me super proud to come from a family like you guys:)

Haha I hope Kelsey had fun at prom. I can't believe that it's already been one year.

The other day my exercise band holder ripped from using it soo much and Hermana chaparro sewed it up for me and I'm soo happy! But this last week I've been learning how to work out with almost nothing! Surprisingly if you want to find a way, you can!

The video you guys made from the Easter pageant was awesome! You guys all looked soo good! I'm sure that was a lot of fun! The music was really cool.   I'm going to look for that to put on my mp3.

I'll email Grandma Marshall today:) I don't get a whole lot of dear elder letters that often.  It's every zone meeting which is every month or sometimes longer.

I'm glad you liked that little rice dessert recipe! I love it haha!

Mom I love my new comp! He's super funny and weird but he knows pretty good English and I help him a lot! We went out to work a lot this week and we had fun throughout the week. He goes home after this transfer so I'll have a new companion after this and maybe a new area after 6 months of being here. He was a zone leader for 6 months in his other area and he helps me out a lot with being district leader. Being the district leader is fun! I just get all of the numbers for the work we did in the week and I give them to the ZLs and I teach and do interviews for baptisms.

OH my gosh speaking of that, the sister missionaries had a girl named Valeria that was baptized this last Saturday and I had to interview her on Friday. I wasn't really nervous or anything but I just wanted her to pass so people wouldn't say, well maybe you were too harsh on your first baptismal interview.

I asked her later in the interview what is the word of wisdom. She told me that she didnot understand me but I knew I had said it right and I was using my paper with the questions. Then I asked, What do we do to keep the word of wisdom? She told me, Uhhhh  we pray?  I got really scared because I obviously couldn't let that pass. So I helped her a little and just said, "we don't smoke...and. . . ."  after saying that she told me "oh ya I remember" and she listed off the rest of the things we don't take/use. The baptism was super good and she'll be a good member from what I felt.

I'm sooo happy and I'm doing sooo good and we're working really hard which is true success. Wish I could make people listen but its all good.  I'm doing my part and the Lord is doing the rest. I'm sooo happy to be helping these people. Elder Barton called me the other night too and we are soo tight so that made me really happy.

Elder Barton and I saying goodbye at the terminal in San Juan. 

This is me getting a half liter of blood taken out of my arm haha. I've never done it before and I was nervous just about doing it in this little clinic but it all looked fairly clean and what not! It was fun haha!  The nurses thought we were too scared! We were giving blood for this less active who doesn't come to church because she was going to have an operation so we came in and offered to help her out!

This is another comp in my district.

Hey I did get some dear elder letters from you guys! And I really liked those! Dad gave me an awesome lesson on some success principals and that has helped me with some things here! 

Well, I love ya mom! I'm doing exchanges with another elder in my district so I can have a little more time to send pics! I love you all!

Elder Kohler Chamberlain

(sweet paragraph from a letter Kohler wrote to his Grandma Marshall today)

Grandma, I do love being here. I love being able to help these people that have been living the way they are for ALL their life. I've thought much about the song "Because I have been given much" I too definitely must give! Living in these experiences has made me stronger in many ways and for that I'm grateful. I didn't come here to have it all nice and comfortable for me, I came here to grow and learn so I'm grateful for every challenge I get to help me with my future.

Super Fun P-Day!!

Here is one of the little dogs we found

This week was super good, sad, and funny ahaha.  Good because we got a bunch of new referrals from this girl in our ward so we should get some solid work in. Sad because my comps grandpa died.  His family tried to call the mission president to get my comp to be able to talk to his grandpa on his deathbed. He had a heart attack and wanted to talk to his grandson out on his mission. He had then gone into a coma for a couple of hours and the doctors said if he wakes up he'll be in the hospital for the rest of his life and that was IF he got to wake up. My comp was too late though after finding out about all of this but he got to talk to his dad who was really struggling with it.  I could hear some of the words my comp was saying to his dad and he came out crying and all. He's a lot better though-- he's a stud.( His grandpa was super good friends with President Eyring and he came to his funeral)

I had sooo much fun today mom!  We had a super fun Asado today that us and the other elders and sister missionaries made! Just a bunch of good meat and a lot of coca cola which is basically all they have haha. We cooked it and everything and played cards, listened to music and played with these cute little puppies haha   This week we have been keeping 2 baby puppies that we found! haha --I didn't want them at first but now we made a little house out back by this window and we've been feeding them milk and stuff. Oh my gosh it's been soo funny ahahaha just like when the other missionaries came over they're all " you have dogs??"  ...we're not really suppose to and I didn't really want to but Elder Barton just asked for a couple days really.  But now we gave them away to some people haha-- but it was a fun memory LOL.  It was such a great day.  Like ya preaching the gospel is "fun" but it's not like fun fun ya know? Lol-- I don't want to sound bad but I hadn't had this much fun since I was in my house...I don't know it was fun to just chill with these missionaries and talk cuz we never do that even on all the other pdays cuz we're all always doing other stuff.

You guys sound like you're having a lot of fun on the Easter pageant! That's soo cool that you guys all got set apart to be representatives like that! Wow I can remember that night when Pres. Layton set me apart. So we got new transfer calls last night and I'm staying here again in San Juan with Elder Barton again which is unusual cuz usually you don't stay with a comp for 3 in a row except in the offices. So 4 and a half months haha but it's cool he's fun and I like my area! Mom, in basically 2 more transfers I'll have a year...this is soo weird! March 14th I'll be at 9 months out...I still feel like I'm new and what not but I'm coming up on my year... I like it and I don't like it cuz I'm getting a lot done!

Anyway ma I love you and dad soooo much!! Tell Dad happy birthday for me!! He is soooo awesome and I'm sooo happy his event went well! I actually thought about that this week! I'm going to try to write him a little something but its really late cuz we had a lot of fun today--more than we have had in a while!  Man Spencer is so big now...whatta stuuddd!!  I love you tons ma!  I'm working hard for you all! Tell Brandt he's a stud and I miss/love that guy! Love you!!

Elder K. Chamberlain

We made a little space for the puppies with windows we found.

   

Week of Christmas in a New Area

We couldn't find Kohler in this picture but he said he was there and  told us about Elder Christofferson being there.  What a wonderful experience it was for all the missionaries.

FOTOS CON ELDER CHRISTOFFERSON, ELDER WALTER F. GONZALEZ
PRESIDENTE GOATES Y CADA RESPECTIVA ESPOSA Y POR SUPUESTO LOS MISIONEROS DE TODA LA MISION ARGENTINA MENDOZA!

LLEGADA DE PRESIDENTE GOATES Y LA HERMANA GOATES.

President Goates enjoying the music of his missionaries!!

¡¡¡¡LAS ENCHILADAS MAS MEXICANAS!!!! ANDELE PUESSS...! A COMER!!  HECHAS BY  ELDER GARCIA CON AYUDA DE ALGUNOS MISIONEROS.

(My letter to Kohler before Christmas)

My sweet amazing missionary son,

You probably didn't know this, but YOU gave me the greatest gift a parent could ever ask for last week.  You told me that you hadn't received and probably won't receive all the packages I have sent you in time for Christmas---not even the one I spent a lot of $ on to have it sent Fed Ex to make sure you got it.  It broke my heart when I read that because I wanted so badly for you to have gifts from us to open on Christmas Day.  But then you wrote, "Mom, it's ok.  It's just another sacrifice on the plate of being on a mission in a foreign country . . . para el senor (for the Lord)."

Kohler, when I read that, I just wept.  I have been thinking about that statement over and over again this week.  Just a few days ago, I listened to a song on your playlist, "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go" and the words of the third verse rang so true to my heart because I thought of you down in Argentina:

"There's surely somewhere a lowly place, in earth's harvest fields so wide

Where I may labor through life's short day, for Jesus the crucified.

But trusting my all to thy tender care, and knowing Thou lovest me.

I'll do thy will with a heart sincere, I'll be what you want me to be."

YOU ARE THAT SONG----You are doing every word of that song.  You are doing God's will with a sincere heart and you are becoming exactly what He wants you to be.  Kohler, by your faithful service to your Father in Heaven and your positive attitude when you found out you wouldn't have any gifts for Christmas---THAT in turn, became one of YOUR greatest gifts to me.  Does that make sense?  It's like it just came around full circle to me.  Maybe someday you will get those packages in the mail and until then, please know that we really tried and that we love you with all our heart!   But I can't even begin to thank you, Kohler, for your unwavering testimony and the strength you are to our family.  This truly is a Christmas gift I will remember forever.  

I can't wait to talk to you on Thursday!  Dad sent you the instructions for video chat.  I hope we can do this ok.  Hopefully you have been talking to other missionaries and have found out what works best, especially in the new area you are in.  I hope you will have an enjoyable week and feel lots of love from the members in that area.  I also hope you like your new companion.  

I love you so very much!!  Feliz Navidad Elder Chamberlain!  

Mamasita (btw, I love it when you say " love you tonz, sexy buns! "  ha ha You always make me laugh :)  

(LETTER FROM ELDER CHAMBERLAIN)

Hey sexy bunz haha;)

Mom I have sooo much to tell you when we talk this Christmas! I sent dad  a lot of stuff about the skype or oovoo that we'll do but it's gonna be hard... I have a gringo comp that's super cool but we don't know any of the members in this new area or if some of them have computers or what not and most of the cibers here don't have cameras or may not be open on christmas...

We'll be searching and I might come in tomorrow or Wednesday. Probs Wednesday cuz there's a little christmas party for all the missionaries but its split for half and half of the mission. 

Hey Mom thanks for saying that to me. It really does mean a lot. I didn't want to move before Christmas and I had a bad feeling. I guess I'll just tell you some of the things I have going on.

So our pench (apartment) it's just me and Elder Barton( from Kaysville Utah) who's super cool but our pench is pretty bad and I'm going to tell you about it later haha--

The good things are that the people here are super nice and receptive to us...the other elders here both left and had no investigators and nothing before us so we had to wash the area, but we found a grandma, mom and her son who has other children of baptizing age and they all came to church with us THE FIRST INVITATION!! Ma we are hoping to baptize a lot here! We have sooo many Abs which are abri la bocas and I forgot  how to say that in English....open the mouth/ contacting ok haha and a lot of people want us to come over...sooo I'm super excited for that. But hey I actually have to go now I'll talk to you later!! I'm doing super good here and I'M learning a lot ma!

Love you sooo much-- I'll talk to ya soon!!!

Elder Kohler Chamberlain:)

First Transfer Right Before Christmas

Hey Mom!

So Oriana's baptism didnt' go through because she needs 3 asistencias/ times going to church and the mom was mad because we have a super good relationship with her. But now I found out I'm leaving my area and going to San Juan which is extremely hot especially now that we're in the middle of summer...haha but ya now I can't go and baptize Oriana in the font and I have to tell her mom that today! So ya she's probs gonna have a tantrum that 2 new and random missionaries are going to baptize her daughter...if you see this please pray that she'll be calm. I've had to calm her down many times and when I do this either later today or tomorrow it will be hard for her cuz she's close with us.

So ya my new comp is Elder Barton. My first gringo!! I already know him cuz he works in the offices and we are going to have sooo much fun!! The only thing is I'm going to a new area so I won't know anybody there for Christmas. But I heard the 2 other things. They don't make a lot of food over there cuz it's pretty poor too but the people are super nice! I'm going to say goodbye to some members of my ward tomorrow. I leave for my new area with Elder Barton this Wednesday morning at like 11 or something from the offices.

So Elder O. is gone too.....MY Fave Christmas present!! Haha--- nahh I learned a  ton from him but it's better that we go our separate ways now. He'll be in his house by wednesday with about 20 or so other elders and sisters.

I'm sooo glad you liked the pictures!! I'm going to try and buy a cheap camera today so I can send more in the future!

I got The Romney's letter and Brother Mask's letter and I loved them both!! Tell the Romneys I wish Camry good luck and that I miss my trek ma( Sister Romney) haha! She's soo cool. If you see Bro. Mask, tell him that I'm for the Team River and he'll know what I'm talking about haha:) Its not a for sure thing but I'm thinking about doing it haha:) ( Futbol )

Hey ma so I got a letter from your package that you sent... It was a letter from Fed Ex saying its in Buenos Aires but they can't send it to me and we think it's an excuse soo they can steal whatever was in there....I'm soooo sad..... was there like sentimental stuff in there...?? plzz  tell me what was in there cuz actually I didn't know but President Goates said to not ask anybody to send packages cuz they won't get here... neither can I send them...Idk I guess that's just another sacrifice on the plate from being in a foreign country? It's whatevs... Para el senor:)

But ya I'll let you know how my new pension (apartment) is and how San Juan is! My apartment is actually pretty nice I heard so we'll see. Although I did hear that some of the areas are soo hot that they give you air conditioning!!!! Soooo that will be cool if I have AC!!

Hey I have to figure out the details again for skyping/calling etc.  Since I'm going to be in a new area for Christmas, maybe I'll be able to skype on Christmas Day now!

I love you sooooo much Ma. You're literally the best, most awesome woman I could have for a mom:)

Love, your son

Elder Kohler Chamberlain