Week 80

August 25, 2014

 

Family and Friends,

 

Wow!! what another great week!! Time is going tooooo fast!! We had a pretty basic pday!! we played soccer all day so it was sick.

 

Tuesday was a great day! we had an outdoor district meeting in a park so that was some great zone bonding time. Later, my companion and I taught a very productive lesson to some of my favorite investigators that I've ever had, Ivan and Ligia. They are both semi professional soccer players here in Bolivia. They play with us every week on pdays! They both have accepted to be baptized on the 6th of September!! They are boyfriend and girlfriend. They're both 25 years old and are literally the best members of JAS (YSA) and they aren't even members yet! They always have members to their houses. They decided that they don't want to get married quite yet because they are going to consider going on missions!! We almost would prefer that they get married but hey I can't complain! It's a good problem that they have to figure out!

 

So Thursday was a great day! We had our monthly leaders council with President Hansen that takes all day long. It was so awesome. President Hansen was supposed to come here to guide us. He's a great mission president. Funny story, about half way through the meeting my companion's tooth started to hurt so bad he couldn't stand to be there. So we rushed him to a dentist. We were there for about an hour and a half and I was just waiting, thinking to myself what the heck is happening?? Because I could hear him screaming and the dentist trying to calm him down. Well he walked out perfectly fine saying yeah we can go back now. I asked him What Happened!!??? He said...I got a root canal but I'm fine now, lets go back. haha  So we went back and finished the meeting.  It was the most random 2 hours of my life! :)

 

So this week  I listened to two of the best talks I've ever listened to. I'm going to put a link at the bottom of this page to the two talks. I invite you all to take a small moment of your time and listen. I promise they will change your perspective on everything. One of the talks is by Elder F. Melvin Hammond....he's Elder Weekes and Elder Porters grandpa! The other is by Brad Wilcox, a professor at BYU. His talk is considered one of the greatest talks of all time....so...LISTEN!!!

I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have no doubt He is our savior. He died for us. I love Him. Until next week!

 

Love,

Elder Berrett

Here are the two talks that he refers to:

The first is a written talk that gives you the option to have it read to you...
http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=178


The second is a youtube video...

 

Until next week!

 



Week 79

August 18, 2014

 



Hola!!!

 

Wow!! This week was amazing! We had changes last week so Elder Kenney left my house, which I was sad about, but to replace him was Elder Porter!! Elder Porter is the cousin of Elder Weekes!! It's like I have 2 best friends and I live with one now!!! He's the man. Super awesome!! So I'm going to be here in Sacaba for another transfer which is fine by me!! I LOVE it here!

 

Tuesday was amazing. We worked our butts off and it paid off. We taught 9 lessons and found 12 new investigators that we are very excited about, all in one day. We set a goal to never pass a family in the street without at least trying to talk to them. We have two specific families that we are praying for. The Bravo Family and the Alvarado Family. They have baptism dates for September.

 

I did get a little frustrated this week and did something I'll never do again and that is get in an argument with someone from another religion. It's not Christlike and the most pointless thing to do. Everyone just leaves mad and the spirit can't be with us the rest of the day. We got approached by someone from another church and they asked us a million question as we kept walking to another appointment. They accused us of stuff that I've never even heard and said really horrible things.  So my comp and I decided to talk back and well we definitely shut them up but I didn't feel good about it.

 

Everyone seems great!! Kayden is an Elder!!! Awesome!! Now he is only missing the name badge! haha Pronto!!! I can't believe that school is back in session. What the heck!  Every time I wake up a whole week has passed. And that's impossible!! Charlton Bassett got his call! That's so awesome!!! I'm so happy for him!!! He'll be talking with the Argentinian shaaa!!! That's awesome. Tell him congrats for me!!

 

The work is simply amazing right now. I love everything about where I am. I know the Lord has put me here in Bolivia to be humbled and share His Gospel. I know Jesus Christ lives and this is His Church. I'm so grateful for his everlasting atonement. The gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored through a prophet and I know it. If you don't know that. Ask God, he'll tell you it's true. I love you all so much! Have a great week!!

 

Elder Berrett

 

Men working...

Cooking with my pensionista!

A family full of little girls we are teaching and I love every one of them!!

One of my investigators had a UGA hoddie, so I had to take a pic!

Week 78

August 11, 2014

 

This week he didn't give us an update.

He just wanted to chat and talk with us.  Basically he is having second thoughts about coming home early! 

 

He is really feeling the time slipping away from him and is confused about what he should do.

We just gave him some advice and told him to be prayerful about it and that he will know what to do.

 

However, he did send some pictures!

 

 Sandra's Baptism

Lexi's package I got last week!

We played with the box after! :)

At the temple with Niviva!

At my surprise birthday party!

 



Week 77

August 4, 2014

 

HELLO EVERYONE!!

 

First off, thank you for all the wonderful birthday wishes! I was so happy to read all your letters! It was really a great birthday!! I went to church and then we went and worked normally all afternoon. We met some new great families and taught some very spiritual lessons. My companion ,at like 7:30, told me he had forgot that some members had a reference for us and that we could pass by to take down the name and number of the reference. We got there and sure enough all the missionaries from my ward and the family had a mini surprise party for me! It was super awesome! We had cake and I got my face shoved in it. After, everyone shared a few words that truly made me feel good. I was super happy!! :) I woke up and realized it was my birthday and my last one here in Bolivia. I was actually pretty sad all morning thinking about time and how little there is. But I prayed and asked for help to not think about that and just go to work. That's exactly what we did and we had a great day. I'm starting everyday off with a prayer like that until I get home so I don't waste a single minute!!

 

So this week honestly was an awesome week. Well, it was awesome for us because we just worked. I didn't feel like a zone leader this week at all. It was amazing. As for you guys I don't have much to say because the week was full of just visiting and looking for new people. We found a few new great people that we are very excited about.

 

Saturday was awesome! We got to go to the temple with our convert Nivia. She went for the first time to do baptisms for the dead. We were super happy to go with her and have that experience. She took a few names from her family and she felt super happy afterward.

 

I LOVE Jesus Christ. I love what he did for us. I'm so grateful for his ever lasting atonement. I'm sure, without a doubt ,that he lives and directs his church. If there's one thing I've learned out here is that the church is true and that we need Christ. We need baptism, so that we can get the point to be able to make other covenants in the temple and eventually have an eternal family.

Thank you mom and dad, for teaching and raising me in this gospel. I'm so happy. I love you all. Until next week!

 

Love

Elder Berrett

Mom:

Hi babe! Are you still there?

 

Kyler:

Hi! I'm here!

 

Mom:

Happy belated birthday! It sounds like you had a wonderful day! I'm so happy that you were surprised with a little party and celebrated with cake! I'm guessing you have not received your package?

 

Kyler:

Not yet! But tomorrow I have to go pick up all the letters and packages for the zone so I'll probably get it tomorrow!! :)

 

Mom:

We'll I sure hope so! If not, it should be there soon! Do you have any pictures for us?

Kyler:

No I don't :( My adapter isn't working!

 

Mom:

Ok! I understand! Did you like all the photos I sent ya? We had a great time! But we missed having you there!

Kyler:

Yes, I loved the pictures so much! It looked so fun! I wish I could have been there. Next year! :) I have to go mom! I have an appointment!! I love you!

 

Mom:

Bye! Love you too! Have a great week! muah

 



Week 76

July 28, 2014

 

Hey Everyone!

 

Well, first let me start off by expressing how jealous I am that you guys are all at the beach. What the heck. But I love the pictures! Dang it ! I'm so jealous. I wish I could be there with you all!

 

So this week was very different. We didn't get a whole done because we had an elder (Elder Garcia) in the hospital allllll week. He's one of the elders that lives with us. He just got out today but he's still pretty bad. Anyways, last week we went to do service helping a family in the ward cut a bunch of bushes. Kind of like we had in our back yard years ago. About 5 minutes into it Elder Garcia kind of yelled. He was like 3 feet from me, and I turned around and saw him grabbing his leg. I looked at the ground and there was a big ole black widow!!! The man got bit by a huge black widow spider. (I'm so happy I watched a show about those years ago so I could tell what it was) He felt normal for about only 2 minutes. We immediately put him and his companion, Elder Kenney in a taxi and sent them to the hospital,(Cochabamba doesn't have ambulances) and we got the next one we could find. By the time he got to the hospital he wasn't breathing normal, couldn't talk or walk. It was literally the scariest thing I've experienced here in the mission. They took him and I guess basically gave him anti-venom. In just this week that he was in the hospital, he had over 30 different shots. He basically had venom in his blood all week so he had to be there to let it leave. I slept in the hospital for a total of 2 and half days being his companion and helping him. Let me tell you guys, I would literally rather take my chances falling out of a window 2 stories high than go through what Elder Garcia has gone through. His recovery process has looked so incredibly painful. My companion and I spent a lot of time there so his companion could go to their appointments.

 

BUT, there is good news so don't worry. Our investigator Sandra who we found my first week here got baptized on Saturday!! It was a great baptismal service and she was truly happy! She has her interview with the bishop tonight to go to the temple this week!! We are excited for that!! :)

 

Well, I cant believe another week here is gone. Time is something I just don't understand anymore. I still feel new in the mission! haha Well I'm loving it and hoping it doesn't come to an end. Sorry this letter is a little short. I really just don't have much to say since we were stuck there all week. haha

I love you all!! Have a great week!!

 

Love,

Elder Berrett

 

PS...HAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

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HHHHHDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

AYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY BERKLEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)))))

I love you so much and i cant believe you're 16!! what the heck! I hope you love your day! Have a great one :)

 

me with spider man in the hospital :)

So let me explain the spartan outfit. The YSA in the ward was doing an activity before the baptism on Saturday so while we were waiting to start I asked if I could put on the outfit. I really liked being a spartan. I think I might see if you can major in it at BYU. haha

Sandra's Baptism