Feliz Navidad!

We got to talk to Brian today! It was so much fun to hear him talk about his experiences in Chile. He was at his momita’s house using the phone. She said hi to us at the end (she speaks some English). She sounds like such a sweet woman. She said she just loves Brian. He has grown so much in a few short months.

Brian and his companion, Elder Reeder, eat lunch with their momita and her family every day except for Sundays. (On Sundays, they eat at other members’ houses.) They live about two blocks from their momita. He says they’re an incredible family. They have five kids, and I think they have a few teenagers who are still living at home.

His momita’s husband used to be a bishop. He used to have a job that took up a lot of his time, but then he was called to be a bishop, and he knew that he’d need to find a different job that would allow him to dedicate more time to serving the Lord. Now he’s self-employed, and he’s doing much better than before, even though he works fewer hours. He drives something similar to a taxi, only bigger, I believe.

For Christmas Eve dinner, they had salad, potatoes, and pork. He said it was delicious! Just like Scott, Brian says Chileans have a big lunch and then a small snack around 8 pm.

Bri said the Chileans all have little plastic Christmas trees that they decorate. He said they put up some lights and decorations. He and Elder Reeder went caroling with their momita last night, brought them cards, etc.

Elder Sheahan and Elder Reeder live in a small, two-story house. He says it’s one of the nicer houses in that area. They live in Valdivia, which is a few miles from the ocean.

Brian said that the LDS churches in his area are newer. They were probably built in the 90’s. They’re a little smaller, but he says they’re the nicest buildings around.

He said they have a lot of one-room grocery stores in Valdivia, in people’s homes. But they do their grocery shopping at a bigger grocery store.

Brian’s companion, Elder Reeder, is almost done with his mission. He will go home in six weeks. Brian really loves his companion.

Brian’s mission president (President Lovell) and his wife are from the south. President Lovell doesn’t have a thick southern accent, but his wife's is more noticeable. Bri said his mission president owned his own business.

There’s a lot of unemployment where Bri is. He feels like the people where he lives don’t make much time for religion—they get too caught up in the rest of their problems and don’t make time for what would help them the most in life.

He said Valdivia is gorgeous. It’s really green. The weather there changes fast. One minute, it will be pouring rain, and an hour later, there won’t be a cloud in the sky.

I asked Bri if he could see a change in himself in just a few months, and he said he feels like a different person. He’s still the same Brian we all love, but he has learned so much about what life’s really about. He said he’s learning to love working hard more than he ever has before in his life. He and his companion could take time for dinner, but he says they usually never do. They want to do all they can to serve their Heavenly Father and teach His children about the perfect plan He has created for them. Bri said he has learned so much about priorities and using your time in ways that are pleasing unto God. He said he wants to always remember to take time for quality scripture study every day. He loves studying the word of God. He said that he has learned to be more careful with his priorities, and really work hard in life and do all he can to serve His Heavenly Father.

Brian told me one of his favorite talks right now is “Consecrate Thy Performance,” by Elder Neal A. Maxwell, an apostle who passed away a few years back. Here’s a link if you’d like to check it out: “Consecrate Thy Performance.”

Feliz Navidad!