1 Done, Me to Go.

Dear Dad, Mom, Aleksi, MITCHELL, and Cassie,

I'm going to cry! I can just feel the anticipation reading your emails. MITCHELL'S HOME! or he's really, really close! I love you so much family. Mitchell's HOME! It doesn't seem real to me. I'm so happy the Snider's are there too! and Emma! and the Dearmans! Gah! So great!

September 18th was a chilean fiesta! We went to the parade in the center of Lago Ranco and watched all the clubs, teams and volunteers march across the stretch. It wasn't like an American parade - Everyone stood in a circle and the people who marched, marched through the center. My favorite part was the cueca. The dancer's had the same wassa outfit as mom and mewhen we danced it! It was incredible. I got a little teary eyed thinking about it, there was a dad and his daughter - they were so good! Dad, I got photos of the fire station and the firefighters. It's all volunteer work, no one is paid. Crazy. The little boy in the wasso outfit is the Mamita's grandson. He didn't dance the cueca but the day care walked in the parade so he was in it, hah. A photo of the Mamita's hostle and me and my companion watching the sun set and that bird in that one photo kept swooshing down and trying to attack me! Feliz 18!

Elder Trejo's still felt really sick these past few days so we haven't gone out much...on Friday we had to travel to Osorno (2 hours away) to go to the doctor. He has some cousin of broncitus and was given an additional 3 days of rest. I took advantage of our time in Osorno (so much stuff to buy!) and now have everything for the package to send home! I took a photo of everything, just to document in case anything gets stolen. I have it all ready and will probably send it tomorrow. It's going to be a surprise, I don't want to tell you what's in it. Happy Christmas in three months.

The 21st we had an empanada activity in celebration for the 18th. (Most people travelled or had family, so it's the date we decided to celebrate). We thought we could prepare everything all on our own in the capilla - we thought wrong. A mexican and a gringo making chilean empanadas...Mamita saved us, and helped us make the masa and the meat and the eggs and onions. I can't wait for that sweater to get here, because she deserves it. She does so much. I was thinking of what I could get her to agradecerle and the sweater's perfect mom, thanks!

Yesterday, I spoke in church. I prepared a talk about missionary work based on John 21:17 "Me amas? Apacienta mis ovejas" and a talk by Jeffery R. Holland called 'feed my sheep' I started talking about Mitchell and how he left two years ago and tomorrow he'll be coming home! And then I started to cry! I miss you so much Mitchell, I'm so proud of you.

Cassie! Happy 18th birthday. I'm going to write you a nice letter, but closer to the 29th. So you won't get it until mid October. and you can just count what's in the package as your birthday AND Christmas gift. What are the big plans? Remember in our old house that time you fell asleep in Mitchell's and my closet? Remember what you were wearing?! Wear that for you're birthday, it's appropriate.

Today, Elder Trejo and I went for a hike. We found this place called 'La Pizada del diablo'. It was absolutely incredible. The water was SO blue. It was one of the first times, here in Chile, that my breath was actually taken away from me. I hope the photos show just a small part of what it was like.

I'm so happy there are so many people to welcome Mitchell home. I love you brother!

OHMYGOSH! I just saw the photo of Mitchell with the Group!

Ok, I love you family. I'm so happy today.

Love you forever,

Love,

Elder Maxwell Poirier

P.S.

I should've just left and saved the videos for next time. I'M A MESS! Mitchell, we have the same nametag! I love you brother. Served and Returned with Honor.

Family, I love you so much!

Photos September 24, 2012

Hermano

Dear Family,

 

I kind of feared something would happen on September 11th. But I'm glad you're all doing well. I hope Nana is getting better. I miss and love all of you.

Today, we got on the bus to go to Rio Bueno (to buy food, email, because everything will be closed on Monday, etc.) and when we stopped in Ignao - one of the towns in our sector - Corina, her mom, and daughter all got on the bus. We greeted eachother but it wasn't the same. So sad. It was the first time we've seen them in weeks. I felt really awful because aside from the friendship that we had, or all the progress they've made, the saddest part is that they know everything we've taught them is true. And whatever happened, distracted them from the goals they had. Never let the false voices of the world distract you from your eternal goals. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way to have true and everlasting happiness. And on top of that - this is my LAST email to Mitchell while we're both missionaries. It's weird because part of me is REALLY, really happy that he's coming home and that you'll all be together - but another part of me, equally feeling is that we won't both be missionaries anymore, full time, everyday, in the field. And that makes me sad.

 

Dear Mitchell,

 

I love you brother. You really are my best friend. You've been my example for as long as I can remember. I'm so proud whenever anyone asks about my family to say how we're both serving missions - and how you're almost done! I miss you brother. I'll never forget that time that we tried out for the track team in Bessy Creek and we had to run backwards and I fell! haha, and then you stopped to help me up and then we both didn't make the team! Or when we were on the soccer team at the YMCA with Giselle and we cried every time we lost. And our coach was really mean and yelled all the time. When we lived in the apartment and we always had to run to catch the bus, that was always so stressful. When I passed out in church and you and Cassie told me you'd do all my chores and everything for me. bahah. Rope swinging at the Sniders. Making pies and watching pushing daisies. It's crazy to think that it's been TWO years since you left and over two years since we said goodbye. You're an incredible missionary, a faithful friend, and an honorable brother. I look forward to the day when we will meet again as Alma and the sons of Mosiah. "Alma se alegró muchísimo de ver a sus hermanos, y lo que aumentó más su gozo fue que aún eran sus hermanos en el Señor, sí, y se habían fortalecido en el conocimiento de la verdad; porque eran hombres de sano entendimiento, y habían escudriñado diligentemente las escrituras para conocer la palabra de Dios". And so it will be with us. You're my best friend Mitchell. Thank you for always being there for me. ¡Nunca se dé por vencido! ¡Regrese con Honor!

 

I love you brother,

I love you family,

Love,

 

Elder Maxwell Poirier.

 

P.S. My next email will be when Mitchell is HOME! Please send me photos of every moment! Maybe even a short video or two! Elder Trejo told me that we'll email as late as possible to make sure that we get to see everything, he really is one of my best companions. Love you so much family.

 

P.P.S. MITCHELL'S COMING HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Family!

Family,

 

This past week we had zone conference. Our zone (La Union) travelled to Osorno to meet with President Rappleye and Elder Wilhelm, from the seventy. We talked about what we need to do as a mission to improve. and we focused a lot on finding families, which is what Mitchell's been telling me. Fue muy lindo y tengo ganas para mejorar. Siempre hay espacio para mejorar. Elder Wilhelm told us about his conversion story, which was really powerful. This past week we saw a miracle. All this week, my companion and I were focused on getting people to church. We knew that if they could feel the spirit during our lessons, they would want to come to church. So we worked really hard to help them recognize what they were feeling and committed them to come to church. On Friday, we were feeling really good - "we're going to have someone in church on Sunday!" I kept saying. We even bought food to make breakfast and pass by all of their houses to make sure they were up on time. We were so excited because since I've been in Lago Ranco we've had people in church twice. and on one of the two occasions, the family dropped us because they didn't like it.Sadly, on Saturday one by one, they all flaked out. Elder Trejo was so mad. But I didn't want to believe it. Someone was going to come, we had worked so hard! On Sunday, no one that we invited came. No one that we invited. The hermana Laura invited her brother - and he said, "sure." and he came! And he liked it a lot and we have a cita with him this week. So even though our prayer wasn't answered in the way we thought it would be, it was answered. I realized two things this week: Getting people to come to church in Lago Ranco is SO freaking hard. and two: Without the members, missionary work can not move forward. It's everything we learn from Preach my Gospel - work with the members. Miracle.

Mom, we downloaded all the hymns and put them on my mp3, now in church we have music! So even though I can't play the piano, I found a way to have music so we don't sound like a bunch of Poirier's singing our own version of the song.

September 18th is coming up! Every city has there own way of going all out. Lago Ranco has put up red, blue, and white christmas lights all over the streets, I really like it. And if you don't have a chilean flag in your window by now, you´re not american. People dance the cueca in the street, kites are really in, and empanadas are starting to grow on the trees! It's the biggest holiday of the year, and as a result Chile will be taking the 17th, the 18th, AND the19th off. No seriously, everything will be closed and everyone will be celebrating. The 17th is our next Pday but because the ciber will be closed I'll be writing on the 15th. Don't forget!

I sent you my profile for you art projects - have fun!

We had mutual this week for the first time in years. Mamita is the Young Women's president and we're really trying to help all the members fulfill their callings. We put together a scavenger hunt list, where they'd have to go and run all over Lago Ranco and take a photo with random things, "someone dancing the cueca" - "someone wearing yellow shoes" - "someone eating" etc. We had four jovencitas and one joven. So we the jovencitas went and took the photos and with Ricardo, our menos activo hombre joven - we made pizza. Success. Everyone had a really great time and are all really excited for the next mutual. We're going to make peanut butter oatmeal cookies. It wasn't even my idea, they all liked them so much from the conference that they want to learn how to make them.

Today, we bought completos, sat by the lake, took photos, and pet a horse. The horse reminded me of Chesney.

I really love Lago Ranco.

I love you family,

Love,

Elder Maxwell Poirier

 

 P.S. Mom, thanks for writing me weekly. Aleksi, I miss you. Halloween! I want to see your house. Eva, Rita is just like Rett! that's so funny. Looks like she chose her teammate - makes sense, Mitchell and Cassie are teammates too.