Three Months

Sorry no pictures from Josh today.  Caley sent me a few pictures and I will put them in her blog.

Today marks three months on the mission. But it definately does not feel like three months, I feel like I just got here today. But I am loving every second of it. 

two strange things happened this week. First, I got cat called by some ladies on the street. They whistled at me and tried speaking to me in english, but it was not anything offensive, just really funny to me. Second, we have an investigator who really likes my hair, she used to cut hair, but now owns a shop downtown. She loves the color and the texture. 

Also, I flew over my handlebars this week, but thankfully I didnt get injured. I was riding my bike, hit the brakes, flew over, tumbled (which I learned how to do from my mom, how to crash a bike) and popped up with a sore knee. There were some people passing by asking me if I was okay and I told them I was fine and I am going to walk now. Elder Gadelha almost had a panick attack because he thought I broke something. But I have to say, it was kind of fun, in the adrenaline kind of way. But I can walk and ride a bike so no preocupados. 

We had a Family Home evening based on the sectors of Piduco. Family Home Evening was established by the Church to strengthen families, basically, one day of the week, usually monday, families have a lesson, activity, and have fun together for an hour or so. We did this on a Thursday and had some members, and some of their friends show up. We taught about baptism, the sacrament, and repentence. Then we played a game, talked, and ate cake. 

On saturdays, we have an english class, and afterwards, we play soccer, and I learned that the bishop is incredible in this sport. He is in his late 20's, pretty short, but is a monster in this game, he scored every point for his team. He cannot be defeated. But he is an awesome guy and really helpful in the work here in Piduco.

This week was really uplifiting, relaxed, and a little crazy. And I appreciate all the experiences, good and bad, because all they do is build us up and strengthen us.

I hope your week went great and will continue to do so!!

CHOW

Josh, I win for the bike wreck for sure if you just banged up your knee.  I got some nice air, a bike flip, bounced a couple of times and landed face first into a pile of dirt.  It's the one time I wish we'd had a GoPro Camera.  I got an 8 week concussion out of that as well.  At the same time, I'm so glad he's okay.  It's scary as a mom to be so far away, but I know he's being looked after by members, local leaders, up to their mission president.

 I was asked why the Church lets our missionaries ride crappy bikes and live in poor areas.  Shouldn't they have nice apartments and cars?  As a missionary, you live the same way the people in your country do.  No fancy apartments or expensive cars.  Or in some cases, not even a car depending on the country.  A lot of areas are bike missions and Josh says he covers a lot of area on a bike; up to 20 miles a day.  Living like the people do brings missionaries closer to those people they are in contact with every day.  It would be hard to touch people's lives any other way.

Pictures!

Yes!  Pictures!!! There are so many I don't know where to start!!!  Only a brother and sister could do this picture and not get in trouble.  I'm so glad they get to share a country, yet serve in their own areas.




This week just flew by, I had a wonderful week.

My spanish is starting to pick up a bit more as I am starting to understand more of the people, I can pretty much understand a lot of the members, but our investigators and some contacts are really difficult, but I am loving the challenge and all the frustrations that come with it. 

Saturday night we had a soccer game going and across the street was this man wielding a shovel screaming voy a matarte, look it up later, but he was mad as heck, thank goodness the churches here are armed to the teeth with walls and protection. 

I had my 5 week training at the mission home this week and it was awesome, I got to see some of the missionaries from the MTC in Mexico and they are all doing great and I loved seeing their bright smiling faces.

I got to mow a lawn again, but this time with a shovel, because he didnt have a lawnmower, and we were outside in the blazing hot, dry sun for 2 hours, but it turns out I can tan, so it was worth it. No but I love helping other people with hard labor. 

We gained two new investigators this week and I want to share with you the name of one of them. His name is Reiner Hernandez, he is this small, but strong chilaen guy, same age as me, and he is dating one of the members of a less active family, and let me tell you I live to see the spirit bear witness to people the truth of the gospel. We had a lesson on faith and to see his face light up with hope and thought moved me in a way that I can`t express except for the love I have him and his family. He`s going through a lot in his life and prayers of support for him would be awesome. 

I also had another great experience with a family who are not members except for their son who is and served a mission in Argentina, he is also our Ward Mission Leader. His family fed us lunch the other day and I had the opportunitity to share about the Atonement of Christ, as they did not know what this is. For those of you who are reading, its the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins, an act of love and a part of God`s plan to redeem his children (us) so we can return to live with him one day. And I just love them so much and their kindness towards us, their family is wonderful and I cherish them like my own. The spirit of thier home is beyond anything I can describe and again, I live to see the spirit of God touch the hearts of others. 

Thank you for your support and love towards me and these people, I hope its not too cold where you are because I'm working on my second summer this year, one in the states, and one in Chile

Chow

This is Josh's missionary companion.  Now that I need his name, I can't find it.  He's from Brazil and speaks Portuguese and no English.  They have both struggled with communication skills together but are working things out.   

Mom:

Thats funny (refering to my snake pokemon meme), my sense of humor has really opened up and I find myself being entertained by lots of things that would bore me, like kicking a flat soccer ball with one of the kids in a member family, their son Cristofer is like 5 years old and loves to play soccer, and everytime we walk into their store, we have to play a match, first to three, and I let him win obviously, but that would be annoying to me back at home, or how I spend time organizing things that are already neat. 

Mom the computers here are terrible, sufficient enough to send letters, but gosh I hope you get something that kicks butt. 

Here is Josh in front of the Mexico City Temple:

Picture Problems

Josh and I haven't managed to get pictures working.  It appears the Church has them use a Google Drive set up for them.  However; we can't get anything to work as their permission thing is dumb.  I have a couple of pictures that made it through.  Once we get this figured out, it will get easier.

We had a poll to see if he made it over the bush or not.  Most of figured he face planted.  He swears he didn't, but I don't know.

Josh and Caley at the Mexico City Temple

Letter to Mom

Mom I am doing great out here, I`m exhausted, we probably ride 20 miles a day, probably more on our bikes, and trying to learn a new spanish is insane. People here don`t use their ´s´ all that much and dont enunciate. They mumble and speak so fast. But I have recieved many compliments from members and investigators here on how much I am already understanding for my first week. I hope I can keep it up.

Reality hit me at church the other day when I thought about how resentful I was to serve a mission and I look down at my tag and realize, holy crap I`m actually in Chile and my heart swelled up with happiness and comfort.

Through the spirit, and relying on Heavenly Father, I realized that I have nothing to worry about, despite my emotions trying to bring me down. I find myself saying, don`t worry, this will come little by little, with patience, and time. I really do love it here.

Bishop Kunz asked what Josh's favorite scripture was while on his mission.

As for a favorite scripture. 2 nephi 17, which I think says and my father, he dwelt in a tent¨ its about Lehi, and how he was chastized for his vision by his sons, but that verse proves that circumstances don`t matter, that anyone can recieve revelation and feel the spirit of the Lord, whether in a mansion, or in a tent in the wilderness.

When I asked how much Joshua gets for an allowance he sent me this.

I get 100 dollars a month for food, hygiene, and only needs. If I want to buy souveniers or whatever, clothes, its on me. It would help, I would like it, but I don`t need it. 

"Don't worry Mom.  I got this."  That's Josh's favorite thing to say.  Well, as we found out, he didn't. 

The bank he uses flagged his account when he used his card in Mexico City and sent me a new one.  When I talked to the bank they couldn't help me.  I'm not on the account and have no power of attorney to fix it.  He didn't tell the bank he was going to Chile for two years.  There's nothing I can do.

I went to my local bank and asked if I could set up an account with Josh as a user.  The lady said they needed his signature to be on it.  He's not here so that's not an option.  I can't believe that there's no way to send him money via an account.

I got a bill from Verizon wanting 1200 dollars to pay for his two phones and iPad.  He told me that he'd worked it out with Verizon to suspend the account but they misunderstood and thought he wanted to stop service.  Legally I have no obligation to pay the bill and again without power of attorney I can't even work out something with their billing.  It made me sick knowing I don't have 1200 dollars to pay it for him now.  Maybe with a tax refund next year. 

 

First Week in Talca, Chile

Well I made it safe to Chile, and I am assigned in Talca, Chile. Its pretty big, at least big enough that my new companion Elder Gadelha, and I need bikes. Elder Gadelha does not know any english and his native language is Portuguese. Despite not always understanding each other in language, we have a ton of fun, we prank each other a lot, tease, and laugh a ton. Having a non english speaking companion is helping me like crazy. He has been in the mission for a year and today is his 20th birthday. He is just seriously so awesome and I am incredibly blessed to have him as my trainer.

There is absolutely no spicy food here. Everything is either salty or sweet. Breakfast is small, Lunch is huge. We have 3 course meals for lunch. Usually salad or pasta, and bread. After is a huge plate of just about everything, one time I had a huge pile of rice, with french fries, a grilled chicken breast, and a heap of vegetables. Afterwards is a sort of desert, typically fruit with cream or some sort of Jello. Dinner, or here is called once (11 in spanish) is usually some sort of hot drink like Mate or Ecco, a wheat based coffee substitute, and a sandwhich or bread with a fruit spread. Nobody drinks water, its all coke and juice. If you ask for water, you look insane. The food here has made me sick all week. My body is not used to it, but no worries as its getting better.

The people here are so nice, you literally cannot leave a house without some sort of food in your hands. I feel like I don`t have to go grocery shopping because we come home everyday with a couple bags of snack from members. The people here speak very fast and use a lot of words that I have never heard of. But the members really enjoy helping and apparently I am picking up fast because I get told often that its weird that I can even have a conversation. I probably won`t have this language down until about christmas time.

My zone had an activity today, we played soccer and I picked up a nickname from it. I am now known as ¨La Machina´´ or the machine. It was a lot of fun and I scored 4 points for my team, but the natives who play are amazing. I can`t compete, but I can kick straight with a lot of force.

We have two baptisms coming up this month, and I am hoping to get one more with another members husband. His son is being baptized but he hasn`t expressed the desire, he`s had all the lessons and doesn`t challenge it, he just needs the desire and I hope that I provide that to him. His name is Hermana Hernadez. His son, Nicolàs is awesome and his wife is very sweet. 

There are no dog catchers in Chile and the streets are flooded with dogs, I have been chased a few times but not bitten thankfully. They are hilarious when they try to hunt you down but all you have to do is look at them and they run off. 

We live in a house that runs on gas, has no heating, and is in the ghetto. Its tiny and I hit my head on members chandaleirs a lot. The houses are all connected like a duplex with 15 houses connected together. All the houses are barred and fenced off with tiny to no yards. The winter here is dry and not to cold. Summer is coming up soon and the sun here is crazy strong, I am going to get sunburned. 

Despite all of this craziness, I am really enjoying my time here, I can`t wait to see whats next and hopefully I`ll keep this positive attitude.

I love you all and I will talk to you next week. 

In Rancagua Chile

August 24, 2016

Dear Family of Elder Joshua Sinclair Frerichs,

Sister Harris and I just finished welcoming the missionaries that arrived this week to serve our Lord in the Chile Rancagua Mission. Here is a photo for your family.

It is clear that these missionaries are very dedicated, that they love Jesus Christ, and that they have desires to share the gospel with the Chilean people. This work will make them happy, and the Lord will bless them for the service they give.

The people here in Chile are very kind, and the missionaries have opportunities to share the gospel every day. Thank you for the support that you provide, it is very important to your missionary.

Sister Harris and I love the missionaries and we will take care of them during their time here. We ask for blessings from the Lord for all of you.

If you are interested, Sister Harris has a mission blog site, with photos, etc.  Here is the address:  https://harrisesinchile.wordpress.com

Sincerely,

President and Sister Harris

 

Leaving For Chile

I only have a few more days until I leave the CCM. I have had so many wonderful experiences, but I am ready to get out of here and find my way to Chile. 

I leave the CCM 630am on Monday and I won´t be at the mission home until at least 2am tuesday because we have like 10 hours of flying to do.

Elder Everett, my companion is our travel leader so we are just the dream team.

I don´t have to much to say, but I should have some more pictures hopefully.

I don´t know when my next Preparation day will be so for now, thank you for reading and supporting me.

Les amo mucho!​

Aug 23 2016

Hola, I'm actually in Talco outside of Rancagua, my first companion doesnt speak any English and there are stray dogs everywhere. I love it.  

My P-days are on Mondays. Anyway I don´t have much time. I love you all so much and please don´t worry about me. 

Adios