Week 11 - Rollercoaster Week 🎢

written: 3/15/2021

Week 11

ONE MONTH IN CHILE! Friday marked one whole month in Chile and wow do weeks and months fly by! Days at times can be slower, but when I look back on weeks and the entire month, the time flew by. 

This week was a rollercoaster ride of a week. We received news that we would be receiving more missionaries to Chiloé, along with many changes of companionships here as lots of Elders who were reassigned to the States are beginning to arrive here to Chile. My companion and I were tasked with preparing the new house for some of the new elders and we had our hands full almost all of Thursday and Friday, communicating, moving things, and preparing. I am thankful the mission is beginning to go back to its original size, although it can be hard a times as it requires lots of flexibility and quick changes, but that is what is required of a missionary so I am definitely learning patience and the need to be flexible.

This week the work was much slower than other weeks. We had two amigos in teaching who moved to the area right next to us, and we had another tough situation with another amigo going through some very hard struggles. It was very hard to not be able to teach a lot this week, but I am beginning to understand that being a missionary is not solely sitting down and teaching someone, it is service, helping other missionaries, being there for members, and just TRYING to contact and teach others. I was able to witness the blessings that come from the church and the generosity the church has towards others this week as we were able to help someone really in need, and it was great to see how our help allowed for happiness to grow and for feelings of despair to shrink in the life of someone who really needed a helping hand. Another thought I had was that although it is hard losing these people in our area, the work still continues with these amigos and the other missionaries will have just as much love and information to share and hopefully progress. It isn't about me, our wants, our goals, it is just about helping others and working together as missionaries. 

I hope to continue to develop a greater perspective, greater patience, and most importantly grow my faith in Jesus and just the process in general of being a missionary. Sometimes I expect results immediately, but that is 100% not the case. I have really been studying christlike attributes even more this week, and I love that I have the ability to develop these attributes. I hope my emails bring joy to all of you and I wish I could just capture all of Chile and my work and adventures every week, but I hope what I share inspires all of you and gives a little insight into my day to day work here! Love all of you!!!

Love,

Elder Collin Steele

pictures include: One Month in Chile; Elder Calderon, Elder Bennett, Elder Tobar, and Me; Elder Calderon, Elder Bennett, Elder Tobar, and Me; Me, Elder Calderon, Elder Tobar, and Elder Bennett; My companion and Me; and Arroz Chaufa