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

Early Christmas for Mom and Dad!

(After 3 months of NO pictures, it was like an early 

Christmas present to get 6 photos from Elder C. !!)

Dad, that is soo awesome what you and mom did at the Nativity Festival in Merced!! I'm soo proud of you guys!! And the fact that grandma and grandpa were in charge of the whole thing makes me even more proud!! I come from a VERY high class and awesome hardworking family!!

Oriana is the little girl on the left.  She is the one who will be baptized next week!

We had an awesome week dad! Lots of teaching and yesterday was the best! It was a struggle but it was soo awesome!! We're getting a little girl named Oriana ready to be baptized this next weekend and I'm probably gonna do it! This whole family is ready--- it's just the dad! I had a good serious talk with him just us with my comp listening in for a while and bore my testimony hardcore to him. He says he's tried to have a testimony before but didn't get one. I don't think he really tried. I told him that it can take a lifetime to gain a testimony of all the little small things in the Book of Mormon. Dad, this family is soo close to having the blessings of what we have! There's only children in the family and the parents so they can basically be sealed in the temple after they're baptized! (with one year membership too ya -but still it's close!)

Man there's way too many dogs here too. I was in a members house too this week and they have a german shepherd and it literally bit my hand. "Bit" doesn't sound bad but it hurt for sure haha. He was all barking and I don't know why but I thought I could get his trust.  So, I took a piece of bread from off the table and tried to give it to him, and then literally, he just bites my hand. He doesnt even go for the bread just bites my hand. Freakin dog I was about to hit that mug! LOL I'm obviously good but ya ... didn't like it. 

Dad, I'm in such good shape! Burpees and I've actually been using a pull up bar too! It's one of the ones where you twist into the wall but it can be scary cuz sometimes I've fallen so I've always got my feet pointed at the ground. I look weird when I do it but I'm not falling like that ever again haha.

Some members of our ward and some less-actives.

Some very humble members of our ward having an Asado!

ASADO!

Hey I'm going to use my comps camera and I'm in another area right now in a members house so it's a different computer! I don't have my camera but I have my comps so we're gonna see!!

Love you all and I'll tell you when I get the packages!! I got several letters from you guys! One with some awesome drawings!! Love you guys!!!

Elder Kohler Chamberlain

Thanksgiving

Hey Mom-

Happy Thanksgiving!  That's soo cool about Maya saying that about me and Kelsey filming all of that! And the words from Uncle Scott-- that's sooo cool:) Hey so this week I'm going to find a place that has international phones and computers too to try out both. I won't be able to do it on Christmas because that is what I have been told but maybe if were stuck in a members house I could do it then I heard? Well see.  We just aren't supposed to be outside on Christmas--too dangerous.

Man for Thanksgiving I actually found 2 apple cider bottles! It was rough cuz it's all vino(wine) But ya I had that for thanksgiving...then the next day I had a lomo which is basically a giant steak, egg  pizza...its weird but is actually pretty good haha. Then  I had 2 huge asados later in the weekend sooo that was worth it haha! I missed you guys sooo much but I'm soo glad you guys are being blessed from it. Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven and I'm all about that for sure!

So this week we've been teaching a lot and helped our Bishop build his house as usual for a service activity that we do a a lot. We're preparing Oriana Irusta to be baptized on the 13th of December so that will be cool! Her mom is an ex missionary too and is inactive so we're going to try to bring her back! Other than that just a lot of teaching and helping a poor old lady Elena,with her son. They have this super bad relationship because of money. The boy lent her 70,000 pesos(like 5-6 Gs in US$) and she can't pay him back and now her son is struggling and doesn't have a job. Elena is so sad but doesn't know what to do. I'm glad to know that when dealing with money issues like that you should never do it with family or close friends really because if something happened it could destroy the relationship. I'm really starting to learn that now.

Mom I'm eating a lot here but I'm working out a ton every day. I weigh about 160 but feel super good. My comp and I are getting along soooo well too!  The family's prayers are literally working and helping me a lot! Thank you sooo much!! President talked with my comp on the phone and the zone leaders met with all of us and talked with us. We're now doing random service opportunities for each other and were both feeling the spirit more stronger! Plus he's finally maturing in A LOT of the little things he would do. He's grown a lot ma so thxxxxx soooo much to you and everyone!:)

Hey mom and dad --- I love ya tonsss!!:) La futura es muy muy brillante y no necesitamos a preocupar sobre cualquiercosa!! Cuando tenemos el imagene in nuestros mentes vamos a attractar esa persona in nuestras vidas. Esa es fe! Ora para mas fe porque cuando tenemos mas fe tenemos mas consuejo!! FE=Accion! Fe sin obras es muerte tonce orar y servir in su llamamiento! YO oro para usted todo al tiempo ma! Eres la mejor!! Nuestra familia y yo podemos hacer esto!! Te Amo ma!!

Elder Kohler Chamberlain:)

PS: I hope you can translate that all correctly and if it's all correct too! haha!  love ya

Better late than never!

Dear Dad -

That's an awesome quote dad! Thanks for that!! If only people could understand that and remember that. Man I'm sorry but I can relate to that sooo much right now. I'm glad to say that I'm still grateful for everything I have. It's all still there obviously but man...that is sooo true. But it's all for my Lord and Savior and I won't abandon Him in this battle.

Hey sorry about yesterday and not writing! We were playing a lot of soccer with a bunch of kids at the church's soccer field! It was a lot of fun! At first I was a little upset cuz I wanted to write all of you guys rather than play soccer but I thought....I'm already here and I don't want to show these kids and couple members that I'm mad so I'll just make this super fun! I'm actually pretty good at soccer now-- I'll be confident and say it. But man dad... latinos are amazing! Cuz that's literally all they do (the kids) Play soccer:..They're sooo soooo good. Woowwww! Some not so much but ya there's a couple you kinda just sit there and watch and it's pretty cool haha.

Hey for the Christmas skype I've been waiting when I should tell you and please know that whenever I'm serious and talk about circumstances I don't over exaggerate.

We we'll be fine so you can tell mom and Kelsey and them but this Christmas is apparently different from other Christmases and I don't know why.

This Christmas the police will not be available to use basically cuz they will show up after about 45 mins to an hour and that's  if they even come. There will be a lot of people breaking into shops more or so and stealing so we have to stay inside. It's just one big party day where everybody is drinking and doing drugs and going to stores and stealing so its very overwhelming for the police force here to handle so they don't really even work.  So we have to stay inside for the entire day. Ya it will be boring but I'm going to make it fun! We're going to buy some nice food and listen to some nice music so it should be cool. We'll be able to skype....just not Christmas day..:/ I'm going to find out more details on this but we WILL skype. I'll make sure of it.  If I have to one day I'll use a long distance phone and give you quick details to talk with me:)

Something crazy that happened too was that someone was killed in the apartment very close to ours...there were a bunch of police taking pictures with gloves and masks on in their apartment and there were several people crying outside. We didn't know for sure but that's what it looked like and the my latin comps told me that they believed someone was killed. soo ya. Kinda sad.

We're teaching the Chavez fam (German the guy who kissed me on the cheek ha ha!) And they love to beat me at fifa on their ps2 haha. It's a lot of fun to be with them. Their kids also love to talk with us about the church but sometimes its hard to teach them cuz they have 10 kids and all they want to do is just play with us so we do that haha. They are very very poor so we just play with the couple toys they have all in the SAME room...Man They're such a humble family though and I love them tons.

My comp is getting better and the prez talked with him for a good 20 mins the other night on the phone. He's still pretty immature but he's getting better for now. Just 3 more weeks with him and then we are good!! That will also be my 4 transfer so I'll have 6 months in the mish haha so I'm gonna buy something good for me to celebrate.

I feel good and I'm still the same person I was when I left but I'm really maturing and learning a lot about the world. The world can really treat people bad but man when they choose to make the choices that they make ya it's gonna do just that. I'm sooo grateful you taught me now how to make life not necessarily easier, but better through the gospel dad. thanks:)

Anyway Love ya tons Dad( and mom if she reads parts from this too haha)

Love your son,

Elder Kohler Chamberlain

Um . . . Kisses for Elder Chamberlain?

Hey Everybody -

So this week was super good!! We taught a lot of people and we're preparing to baptize a 9 year old girl named Oriana! Her mom is an ex missionary that has fallen away from the church and she is coming back again cuz her daughter is super into the church. It's cool every time we come over to visit she's the one asking us if we want something to drink or some food or something. SHes such a sweet little girl haha! We're also teaching the Chavez family and tonight were going to have a family night with them so that should be cool! We're going to talk about charity and the pure love of Christ and the blessings from choosing the right and we have some fun games that were going to play after!

This week-- man, I had 2 guys give me besos(kisses)!!   Everybody in Argentina is suuuper lovey dovey--- I don't know...it's weird haha. I've only had one nice old lady give me one too. But this guy was literally like "kiss me on the cheek here. . . here!" Oh man I never felt so weird in my life! This guy was super dirty working on his car with black oil all over him and he had a TON of facial hair...ya that was something I won't forget ahaha....

Wow so yesterday after church my comp and I had a lunch appt with our Ward Mission Leader. We had pastel de papas which is basically shepherds pie and it's super good. Buutttt The other elders in our dorm were going to this huge fiesta with an asado an empinadas and A LOT of other food... I was soo mad but literally after our lunch they called us and said " hey the food still isn't done so you guys can come over! Oh man I was sooo excited! We went over there and there was a ton of people with all this meat in the backyard being smoked in this big brick oven pit. I was asked to say the prayer and everyone thought I did super good which made me feel good haha. We ate a bunch of food and then they had a cake for Orianas grandma! She's 80 and she's the nicest lady! She feeds us alot haha and literally loves us!  After everyone brought out the cerevezas/beer and we all played pool.(Obviously we didn't drink either) Ya they destroyed the missionaries haha but it was all good! I just felt bad that I lost to a bunch of drunk argentinians in pool. But it's whatevs.

I love the photos thxx!!  Sounds like you had a great week with Grandma and Grandpa!

So in church yesterday I got to play 6 songs from the childrens hymn book for the entire primary which was about 15 or less kids! It was sooo cool! We practiced during the week and we had a ton of fun!

I played these primary songs..I can't remember in English and I don't have time to translate it all haha:

el plan de dios puedo seguir

el bautismo

mando a su hijo

vivo en los cielo

el padre celestial me ama( That was my favvvv)

Las familias puedan ser eternas...that was super cool cuz then the whole congregation joined in on the second verse! The sprit was super strong!!

Anyway ya overall the week was super good and we're doing really good things--- I can't wait! Hope you guys are all doing good---- love you all!

Elder Chamberlain

Patience with a Comp and Spanish es muy bien!

(letter from last week that he forgot to hit "send")

Dad tell mom that she is amazing and that she should put that "Called To Serve" song on I- tunes or send it to the EFY program or something. Maybe she could make some money from it.  A ton of people listen and buy those LDS church arrangements as you already know.

Hey I don't have a whole lot of time so I'm going to write this for you and mom.

We've been teaching a lot of people and are seeming to make progress with several which is good. Raul came to church his second time but fell asleep in sacrament meeting. Were also going to help a less active girl who is a ex missionary and baptize her daughter who is 9 and REALLY wants to be baptized! It's really cool to see her literally beg us when she can! She's sooo excited but we still need to teach her a little bit. It's just the rules.

I forgot to send this letter last week dad haha. I'm doing better with my comp but prez wants me to try to stay with him cuz he says these are rare opportunities to grow when I have kids...except I won't love him the same as my kids and he's 22 years old...but prez literally told me you need to try as God would love him...And I actually felt a spiritual prompting tell me that I need to stay with him to help him. I don't know exactly yet how I can cuz he's super  unteachable but maybe somehow!

We had Elder D Todd Christofferson come and talk to the whole mission on Saturday morning at 9:30 and he talked to us for a while. He knows Spanish, Uruguian, Portugese and I think another fluently....he's a super smart guy and he shook every missionary's hand and asked them where they are from! He talked a lot about faith in missionary work and how in the next life there will be a VERY SMALL group of people that will receive the blessings that the Lord's missionaries here on the earth will receive. His wife was also there with him and she gave a super good talk in Spanish too!

Also we were teaching Dario and he was completely hammered in front of us and was begging for us to stay with him and not leave while he went to buy another beer. I said a prayer for him in English and that helped him alot but he still went to buy the beer after. We talked to him for a little bit and he wanted to come to our lunch appt but we told him no. Sorry I'm typing very fast and trying to hurry cuz of time like always.

Later that week we met with Dario again and he was crying cuz he says that he misses his babies. He has 2 little girls of 3 and 5 years old that don't live with him cuz of his drinking and smoking habits but live with their mom. We just talked with him for a while and about how through Christ's atonement that he can come and be healed from his addictions.

MY Spanish is also becoming super good too!! People are starting to compliment my Spanish a lot!!

Yesterday I talked a lot with this ex missionera about how she can put back what other people say about about her in the past. She doesn't come to church because people talk about her past sins and others and she doesn't like that at all.

I'm learning lots but sorry my comp literally walked out on me in the middle of writing Suzy so I had to follow him and end all of my writing. Things are going better but I know with the Lord that I can help him and that God wants me to help him somehow. I'll find out that reason soon I'm sure.

I love you and the fam soooo much and I'm sooo grateful things are going good!!

Love ya pops!!

Elder Kohler Chamberlain:)

PS: I bought a super old camera for 300 pesos last week and next week I'm going to try and upload photos! I'm also getting a haircut later today so hopefully they don't make it all like I'm a thug or what not haha!!

Love ya!!

(letter to Mom today)

MOM!!

Hey read some of the things in dads email cuz I had to finish writing people from last week!!

Mom we're teaching a lot and doing a lot of good things here!

We had D Todd come in and talk to the whole mission and a TON of members later in the day in the main stake center in Mendoza Centro.

It's super hard to find time to write letters or go to the offices even being 15 20 minutes away by walk. But I'll try. I'm hoping and its most likely that I'll stay the next transfer soo I don't have to leave right before Christmas and be in a different area for different people.

HEY I BOUGHT AN OLD CAMERA!!! I'm not exactly sure if I'll be able to upload photos yet cuz I obviously haven't tried but I will this next weekend and I'll try to put in a small email for the blog too!

I'm getting a haircut later today too and the last time I got a haircut she literally made me look like this thugged out guy.Not used to the back of my hair-- it was still good but man I was like ohhh nooooo not like that haha! So we'll see today and I'll send you guys photos next week!

I love you tons ma!!  That's soo cool that you've been on that diet and losing 3 pounds in one week is actually really good!! 12 pounds a month!! Just keep doing whatever you did!!

Well ma I miss and love ya tons hot buns haha:) You're the best!!

Love your elder,

Elder Kohler Chamberlain:)