Yeaaahhh thats right! I´m 20 years old. That’s really weird to think. Well, just gotta roll with it! yesterday I thought I was gonna die of all the food that people gave me to eat. We went to eat with the pensionists at a peruvian restaurant near the office. Oh, peruvian food is soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good. Some of the best meat I´ve eaten in Chile. Every time we contacted a house, Elder McDermott would say to the people: "but ya gotta let us in! Its Elder Pomar´s birthday!!" We laugh a lot with Elder McDermott and Elder Serrano. Elder McDermott is the funniest guy I´ve ever met. His technique didn’t work a lot, but it gave us 1 miracle. We contacted this lady who was leaving her house to buy bread for dinner, and she let us in after we promised to bless her home. This family was really in need of help. They´ve had a lot of hardships, and the 9-year-old grandson who lives there has heart problems. 10 years ago the missionaries passed by and had left a Book of Mormon. Lucia, the grandmother, has read it from cover to cover since then. I just get so humbled in thinking how much God blesses me when I don´t deserve so much. You just gotta humbly go in stride, helping them to come unto Christ. 

And conference... Whoa. Just incredible. I was really touched by Jeffrey R. Holland´s talk on Sunday. The love of God is really infinite. And it was really funny to watch the priesthood session. We watched it as a zone. All the missionaries were groaning the whole time because it was all "palos" (now to understand what palos is ya just have to speak to your friendly neighborhood chilean cause there is no translation) about how we have to get married after the mission. I still got a long time before I gotta think about that. As a sticker that my dad sent me says:

"Trunkiness never was Happiness"

haha Love you all! Thanks for the birthday wishes. Have a great day. For those of you who are not LDS or Mormon, as they call us, I invite you to let the missionaries in. They are true messengers of Jesus Christ, and it will only bring you happiness. The joy I feel is unlike any other. It’s surreal, because it’s a spiritual one. God is our father. He loves us. He sent his son to die for us, and God continues his work today through living apostles and prophets. The bible is the word of God, and I solemnly testify that the Book of Mormon is as well. As I read it, pray about it, and apply it, it’s changed me for the better. You wont regret letting those smiling young men in your door.

Catch ya next week!

Elder Pomar

Hey every one!!!

yeah, SO RAÚL, MAGALI AND CONSTANZA GOT BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! It was such a wonderful experience. We had technical difficulties with the font again (I’m starting to think that its impossible not too haha!!), but it all was great. A lot of non members came. They all just look soo happy and its cool to see the changes in their faces. They look happy.

And God has not stopped blessing us. We received a new companion this week called Elder McDermott. He´s gonna be the new mission financial secretary, and so we´re in a trio with him. He´s so much fun. A total character. He´s from St. George Utah so he´s my second gringo companion.

We found a family of 6 Haitian immigrants this week. They are incredible. They don’t have anything, but they are sooo happy. They just light up when we come over, and every time we leave they begin to clap there hands and say good bye soooo happily. They just want to be baptized. I speak to them in broken French/criolle (the little that I´ve learned), but the spirit helps them feel the peace. I love them.

Well, that’s about it. I’m gonna do something so I can remember more about what I’m gonna write haha! I know that God lives, and he communicates with us through modern prophets. We will listen to them today and tomorrow in General Conference. Listen to their counsel, and you will be happy.

Love you  all!!

Elder Pomar

Sorry in advance for the short email. 

THE SANCHEZ FAMILY IS GETTING BAPTIZED TODAY!!!! Its gonna be such a great day. We have a ton of things to do so that everything goes well. I´ve been learning a lot with my new companion. Its funny how God puts us with the people we need to stretch us and help us grow. You just gotta be happy while ya do it! 

I’m doing great in Chile, enjoying all the "flaites" and empanadas. I cant imagine that one day I´m gonna have to leave. Lets pray that It comes slowly! 

Love,

Elder Pomar

You´re gonna have to forgive me for the short email today.  Wow, I looked at the calendar the other day and I have less than 5 months left!  It’s so crazy that it’s almost over.  That's why I gotta give it my all now!  I can't be like the San Jose Sharks and chump the game in the last 30 seconds of the 3rd period, am I right? 

The Sanchez family are the greatest.  Raul, the dad, is a machine.  He´s getting baptized next week, hopefully along with his daughter.  God has wrought so strongly within him.  The guy took the Book of Mormon on vacaciones and read up until 1 Nephi 10!  He is just such a genuine guy that´s gonna help the ward a lot.

We also have a 10 year old girl named Constanza whose getting baptized next Saturday as well.  Its miraculous how everything happened.  Her mother, Elizabeth, was a member as a child, but for reasons of study and work, went less active.  When she invited Constanza to be baptized at age 8, she didn't want to.  Two weeks ago we knocked her door without knowing anything and now Elizabeth is really excited to get back to church and she´s taking her 3 kids with her!  It just brings me so much joy seeing others change.

Well to finish, here´s a spiritual thought.  We have to give our all to God

"for I, the Lord, require the hearts of the children of men."  Doctrine & Covenants 64:22

What are you holding back?  Give it up to God and He will give you His all in return.

Love,

Elder Pomar

  Well, looks like God really wants me to learn Portuguese. He´s put me with another Brazilian hahaha!!! That’s 3 Brazilian companions in a row. After I leave the office, I will have spent 9 straight months with Brazilians. Below is a photo with the 3!

It was sad to see Elder Martins go, but it’s been great with my new companion. He´s a real fireball. Elder Serrano is from Río de Janeiro and he´s got a strong personality (like me). It’s been fun. We have to collaborate a lot to put our two ideas together, but I´ve never seen so much personal progress in me as a missionary, and we are seeing a lot of success. 

I´ve been really stressed in the office this week. One day 4 big challenges came out of nowhere and I had to go flying out of the office to all parts of Santiago. We thought that a few missionaries that arrived on Tuesday had not received an entry stamp in their passport. I felt like I was going to explode! But the funniest thing was that when I got to the airport (cause that’s where the officials said I had to go), We realized after the airport official examined the passports that the stamps were there. Only that they were sooooooooooooooooooooo faint that it was almost impossible to recognize. The whole office got a big laugh out of it. I did too! I need to follow my own advice and not get so stressed. Everything will work out!

And when I got to the sector to invite people to baptism, oh it just brought me back to life! Its so weird how preaching the gospel will literally take away fatigue, stress, and anguish. As it reads in Alma:

 "And the Lord provided for them that they should hunger not, neither should they thirst; yea, and he also gave them strength, that they should suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were swallowed up in the joy of  Christ." - Alma 31:38

Look for that joy of Christ in your everyday life. It will bless you forever.

Love you all!

Elder Pomar

PS: IM A GRANDPA IN THE MISSION!!!!!!!!!! ELDER FERREIRA´S TRAINING A GREENIE FROM INDIANA!!! WOOOOHOOOO!!! :D