Tenga Fe

Querida Familia, 

I´m so grateful for all the photos you´ve sent me! The house looks great, I can´t wait to see it completed. I´m awful at explaining the photos, I realized right after I sent the email last week that I didn´t explain anything about the photos! We put curtains up in the capilla. I contacted a man on a horse, I thought it was funny - we were walking up the mountain visiting the people in the campo and he walked past us on his horse, so I gave him a passalong card. haha. And the last photo of me with a trash bag --- that was a DEAD baby lamb in mamita´s yard! So sick! We left lunch and it was laying there, beheaded! Mamita´s big black dog, Tomie, killed it and ate it´s head and then threw up the head, (we found it about 5 feet away). Nasty. We got trash bags and I scooped it up and we threw it away in the town dumbster. Yeah. I forgot to explain to you about Mamita´s dogs: Tomie and Jane. Tomie is the HUGE black bear dog and Jane is this little mouse. They sleep together in a dog house and it´s so cute. hah. I sent you photos of them before, I´m pretty sure. Things here are good. I got a little refriado the past few days, to the point where I was so conjested I couldn´t hear anything. Which was awful because I have a hard enough time understanding people as it is. I love you family. I´m excited for your keys trip, sounds full of adventures and memories. 

A lot happened this week, most recently - yesterday - we had district conference. The conference was in La Union - the nearest biggest city - about 1 hour and 30 minutes away. We retended a school bus (not as extraordinary as it sounds, basically just a Mormon Mom van) and tried to get as many as the members as possible to go. It turns out, only six ended up coming and two were little kids. Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven. Flashback: Saturday night before our lesson with our investigators, Luis and Dayana (yes, Mitchell - A FAMILY!) We prayed and were sure that we were going to challenge them to be baptized si or si - even though we knew Dayana would be really unsure. But after we taught the lesson, Elder Cayoja packed up all of his stuff - and turned to me and said - "Do you have anything else?" and I was thinking, "What are you doing! We had a goal!" and so in my heart I said the quickest prayer, and I felt a strong impression, "do it." And I didn´t know how I would relate it or how it would all work out, but the words just came, and it made sense and I challenged them to be baptized. Right away, Dayana said, "Yes! If I know it´s true, yes!" and Luis agreed as well. And then we put them for the 28th of July! It was just a testimony to me, that we have to plan and have the faith and courage to do the things we know the Lord has asked us to do. Of course the Lord wants them to know the truth, of course he wants them to be baptized - so it´s our duty to invite them. They also came to the conference in La Union. In the photos, he is wearing the bini and she has a small braid in her hair. He reminds me of Roberto. and they have a 5 year old little girl, Natalia. President Rappleye spoke along with the district president, Sister Rappleye and the new Senior missionaries. I hope they enjoyed it. Praying they enjoyed it. 

We had intercambios with the zone leaders. I think it changed my mission. Elder Turner told me that when he was in an interview with the old mission president, he was telling him how he wanted to be a good missionary and his Mission President told him, "Prove it." Whoa. At the end of the day he asked about how things were going in Lago Ranco, so I told him basically how I felt things were going. He told at the end of the last cambio in the interviews with President Rappleye that he and his companion expressed their concerns about Lago Ranco and my companion. and he told me that President Rappleye expects a lot our of me and that during the interview he said, "I´m sending a Class A missionary there, things are going to change." Whoa. But like mom said, "Don´t let success go to your head, or failure go to your heart." 

I miss you family, I love you. I found a bunch of new settings on my camera, so I sent a TON of photos! hah. so cool. Stay safe in the keys, send me photos. Today we ate at the cafeteria Isamar and I ate a completo - hot dog with everything. It was delicious. Today is a beautiful, clear day. A nice break from the rain. Mitchell, I already knew you were an amazing missionary, there´s a song on the Tennessee tribute to Joseph Smith that talks about Hyrum Smith´s perspective and it reminds me of us. Listen to it. "...and brother I´ll follow you." Miss you brother. Cassie, those photos! Save them, you look HILARIOUS! hahah. I hope your not in too much pain. Keep watching the Office. "Not one of your woman problems, Phyllis!" Aleksi, I´m glad Dorothy got to visit you - you guys look so great. I love all the photos! Mom and Dad - I love you. How did we get so blessed? 

I love Lago Ranco more than ever. I miss you. 

Confie. Crea. Y tenga fe. 

Love, 

Elder Maxwell Poirier. 

Happy Father's Day!

Greetings Family, 

Another rainy, cold week here in Lago Ranco. I can´t believe you´ll be in the Keys in a week! Take lots of photos. Cassie and Aleksi look so great in all the photos they sent me. Cassie, this is me writing back to you, I miss you - enjoy the summer - you look like a mermaid with your long hair - Yram and you look great. Tell me about Aleksi´s friend that´s a boy? He reminded you of Mitchell, haha. Mitchell, your last weeks letter was really great. Youre my best friend. I love you brother. Aleksi,  you look so adult! I miss you guys. Mom, thanks for all the updates. The ward will be completely changed by the time I get back. I think it´s funny that dad talks about Mitchell as if he´s already back! haha. I can´t even imagine what everyone´s thinking. Stay strong Mitchell. 

I had as many people in church as Mitchell had investigators! Our branch is more like a twig. We are in two very different missions. I love the members here, so humble. and so devoted. I directed the meeting this sunday for the first time and blessed the sacrament (also for the first time, in spanish) and Elder Cayoja told me I did a good job, "...and I never tell anyone they did a good job." haha. This week was better. I´ve decided I hate getting angry over little, stupid things. and instead of focusing of my frustration - I focus on solutions. and as far as Elder Cayoja goes, I don´t want him to look back on our companionship and think - wow, he was a jerk. I want him to look back and think, dang - he was obedient and he was a great companion. I still remember what my MTC teacher Hermana Bingham told me when I thought I had difficult companions, she said - "kill them with kindness." So I´ve focused on trying to do acts of service, smile when I´m frustrated, and pray. But things are working out. We have some investigators and hopefully can get them coming to church. The thing is everyone lives SO far away. We´ve calculated that we walk about 12 miles a day, YES. 12 miles?! Crazy. And to get people to go to church is a sacrifice in itself. But with the Lord, all things are possible. 

I love you family and I´m so grateful for the lives you live and the hearts you´ve touched. 

Dad, HAPPY FATHER´S DAY! I hope you know how much you mean to me. Recently, I´ve noticed that I see something dirty or broken and I won´t do anything about it. aka, lazy. But I started thinking this phrase in my head, "what would dad do?" and then I get up and I clean the mess or fix the broken. My companion has benefitted a lot from this new way of thinking. and so has everyone around me. We have a clean house and a very clean capilla. Dad, you´re my hero. Thank you for your example and for living the faith. 

Mitchell, tengo algo de mucho importancia para decirte. Estaba pensando y, imaginete - depues de la mision, nosotros podemos sacar nuestro titulos de negocios - y empezar nuestro negocio de cocinando pies. De verdad, sería genial! Piensalo! 

I love you family, have a good trip in the keys! Mitchell, one of the other branch presidents was telling us that when he was on his mission, he served with his brother - as his companion! he said he was his best companion! So jealous. 

Mom, for my package - August 2nd is Elder Cayoja´s birthday - could you send it to him and put a letter or something in it for me. I´m pretty sure we´ll be together and I think he´d share...I hope he´d share. haha. 

Love you family, 

Elder Maxwell Poirier 

P.S. "Harry...I think there´s someone standing over by the church..."

Hosteleria Phoenix

Dear Family, 

It´s June. You are all warm and I´m freezing! This computer is awful so I can´t send too many photos, I didn´t take that many this week anyhow. I´m doing alright. Mom asked about the Mamita, she´s amazing. She´s really humble and sincere. She reminds me a lot of Auntie Marlyn Shreeve. Her food is good too, she lives right behind us - we live in one of her cabanas - she owns a hostel. It´s called hosteleria phoenix. I think. It´s right on the lake and is beautiful. Phoenix, like Dumblerdore´s patronus. I´ve had a lot of Harry Potter moments this week. For one, we went to La Union (two hours away) for zone conference, and we were traveling with our luggage, It just reminded me of that one time we were in King´s Cross Station looking for platform 9 and 3-4 with all of our Hogwarts luggage. Also, I taught some principle in our district meeting and I felt like Harry in the D.A. I was happy to get a letter from Rett and Emree! I love you cousins. Enjoy your warm summer. Emree, I can´t believe you have braces! I had braces like a year ago! Rett, good luck at Basket ball camp, think of me while your on the court that I won the national championship game. Cassie got an iphone, go figure. But at least she now has zero excuses to miss a week writing. Thanks for all the photos! I  hope you´re enjoying your time with Aleksi. 

In church, we had 21 people! Which was great. I had to give a talk on la obra misional. I´ll get to give a talk every other week, whoo. and I sometimes have to lead the music, which is awful because I can´t sing! so embarrassing. 

While Elder Cayoja was logging in the tithing, I was reading the Lihona, and I kneeled down in front of the heater to get warm - and then I smelt something burning - and I looked down and my pants were burning! and I had two huge holes right in the crotch of my pants! Que verguenza! Luckily the church building isn´t far from our house...

So Elder Cayoja...aye...in the mission,  there are two types of missionaries. Obedient. and Chueco. But you can be chueco, or chuecito - or CHUECO. I thought he was chuecito, but I´m starting to think he´s chueco. He does things that aren´t right. He  hates knocking doors, and I love knocking doors. Since I´ve been here we´ve only knocked a handful of houses. One day we were walking, and he asked - what are you thinking, and I said, "I feel ineffective, I want to knock doors." and he got ticked off. He called me impatient and went off. "You want to knock doors, FINE." and  he turned the corner and started knocking doors. How ridiculous. Then I told him how I want to leave the mission knowing that I gave it my all. He told me that that was egoistic and prideful because the mission isn´t about me. and now whenever we´re in the street he mocks me and say´s in a singsong voice "I feel ineffective...merrr..." So I´m struggling. I´m trying to think positive. I´m trying to be obedient and stand up when I know we´re not doing something right, but he seems to have a way around everything. I knew I´d get a chueco companion, it was only a matter of time. I wrote a letter (nicer than this obviously, but only a little) with my concerns to the president. I´m keeping up the animo. It´s hard though. 

Can you send me the recipe of no bake cookies, it´s a recipe with pb and coco and oat meal? 

thanks for the tswift lyrics aleksi. haha. 

and Elder Broadhead left short sleeved shirts, so I have two - just in case. 

and the mp3 works great! There was a bunch of music on the computer in the capilla, so I have plenty. thank you!

Can you change the color of my blog - I´ve gotten two letters saying the black with the white made them dizzy! 

I love you family. I need your support. I´m praying for a lot of patience. Because as much as I hate to admit Elder Cayoja has a point, he does - but not in the way he thinks he is. I need lots of patience. 

I love you family. 

Love, 

Elder Poirier.

P.S. 

Don´t give up, don´t ever give up. 

Robeto y Johanna! como estan! Estoy bien, Lago Ranco es increible! Muy bonito. Que les vayan bien!

Lago Ranco

Dear Family, 

Mamita!

My new home

My closet

Tight Quarters

What a week. What a long, long week. I made it to Lago Ranco! Whoo. Tuesday night I had to say goodbye to Colon. Sad. Hermano Alex and his wife, Rafeala made me and Elder Arce completos - which were delicious. It´s a hotdog with everything: lettuce, avacado, ketsup, mustard, todo. So good. Mamita´s son, Yustyn, gave me a chilean flag shirt! It´s really cool. and during lunch, Mamita surprised me and Elder Arce with a HUGE chocolate cake! It was incredible. Maybe everyone was celebrating that I was leaving? I hope not, hah. Then, the hardest of all. Roberto and Johanna. It was a sad goodbye. I hope they know how much I care about them. I hope the ward knows how much I care about them. and how hard I tried to do my best there in Colon and then I got transferred. 

Welcome to Lago Ranco. I am in a little country village in the middle. of. nowhere! haha. I feel like I´m in that movie, Pleasantville. I think that´s what it´s called. The one where the girl and her brother go into the tv and live in this perfect town aka Lago Ranco. Everyone is really nice and even though it´s small, they have everything. Supermarket. Hostel. Pizzaria. Mail. My house. I live in a teepee. I sent photos. It´s a house teepee. I sleep on a matress that´s on the floor. I shower with slugs. Which is kind of gross, but you get used to it. It rains all the time. Pours. I´ve decided I don´t care what I look like, just as long as I´m dry and warm. I have a new  Mamita. I think her name is Uva Neira. She´s really nice. Papito isn´t a member, but apparently they´ve been mamita and papito since forever. and they live with Papito´s mom, Sara. She´s funny. Every Wednesday I´m going to be teaching Mamita english. Her daughter lives in Utah and she´s been wanting to learn. I´m pretty excited. She bought this whole English program, so we´ll see how it works. As you know, my companion is the branch president. and I´m his consijero. We´re the only two priesthood holders in the branch. Yesterday, Sunday, it was us and three hermanas. I sent you a photo of the capilla aka the white house. These members are strong. One lady walked 2.5 miles to get to church! Walked! I love serving here. It´s not going to be easy, but it´s going to be worth it. I direct every other sunday and the sundays that I´m not directing (Elder Cayoja), I give a talk - and vice versa. Elder Cayoja is from Bolivia. I´m pretty sure he was a gangster, from the stories he tells me. He´s a hard worker. We have a vision to strengthen the members, get the menos activos active and be constantly finding people to teach. Our sector is huge! and people live way out in the hills. We walked for an hour back from one of the houses. But I love it. It´s so beautiful here. Today, Elder Cayoja and I ate at this little Restaurant. The baker made a fresh hand made pizza! and it was so cheap! It was delicious! I´m not even lying, it compared to Luna´s! We´re thinking of making it a Pday tradition. 

Things I forgot to tell you in my past emails: 

1. Elder Arce wants you to write him quotes (mom) inspirational, etc. he likes all the ones that I have. He was such a good companion, D´aww. I miss him. 

2. Mitchell,. did you know that the 22nd of September is when Joseph Smith got the Golden Plates!? Awesome! 

3. My last day in Colon, mamita made breaded stake and rice! She just made it because, little did she know - THAT´S MY FAVORITE! fate. 

4. On my last sunday, I got to give Roberto the Aaronic Priesthood. Family, it was incredible. and difficult. all in Spanish, obviously. 

5. EVA! Thank you for emailing me! The family is growing up! I don´t like that. and thank you for filling me about he who must not be named. haha. Miss you. 

I love you family, 

You´re forever in my thoughts and prayers,

Love from the sheep and cows that surround me, 

Love,

Elder Poirier. 

P.S. 

Aleksi - Peter

Me - Susan

Cassie - Lucy

Mitchell - Edward