12/28 Hello All!

So, first off, this week was changes, and Elder Evans and I are staying together for another change. 6 weeks ago, I told you guys that Elder Jenkins and I would be together for another 6 weeks and that all went down the drain, so we´ll see what the change brings I think haha. I am super excited to be able to work another change here in Chen Chen. So with all of the stuff happening in the zone (the obedience stuff), President decided to open up two new area, and literally every companionship had a transfer. We will also have 4 missionaries training here in the zone, which puts a lot of weight on the shoulders of their district leaders to make sure everything is going well there. With the new areas opening up, we have had to scramble to find rooms and stuff to put in those rooms for the missionaries, and we were able to find some stuff that could at least be a temporary option for them until we can figure out something more concrete. We had to make an emergency run to Ilo yesterday to buy all the bus tickets for the missionaries leaving, check out the rooms, and then get back to Moquegua in time to be able to receive all the reports from the DLs, so we didnt get to bed until like midnight, then got up early this morning to send off all the other missionaries going to Arequipa. So we are going to be tired today haha. Also, with the new areas opened up (President is going to open up another area during this transfer as well) we are now the biggest zone in the mission (32 missionaries!!!!!). 

So, we finally have a family who might progress! Their names are Vicky and Eduardo, and their 16 year old daughter, Milagros. We have kind of been working with them on and off for a few weeks, but they have finally showed some signs that they might progress. They need to get married, but are willing to do it and they also have the financial means to do it, so that could happen. Eduardo is SUPER catholic, but told us the other day that he believes in everything we have taught him. We are working to help him pray to know if it is true, rather than just taking our word for it. Vicky is super gung-ho and wants to get baptized and everything. She has a testimony and is really just waiting to get married. Their daughter, Milagros, has never been baptized, so she wants to learn more and be baptized as well. They said they were all going to go to church on Sunday, but only Vicky went. Eduardo was sick and Milagros, being a teenager, slept in and never made there on time haha. But, pray for them, they look really promising, and we dont really have a lot of people to teach so this could be it!

We found out this week who our new mission president will be when President Zobrist goes home. Some guy named Doug Johnson, from Salt Lake City. We were all expecting a latino president, so i think we are super surprised. I will actually meet him before I go home (for like 3 weeks), so if he´s cool, awesome, and if not, well, I´ll be with him for 3 weeks so whatever haha. 

Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, and happy bday to Christian---warn the good people of the Tri-Cities who drive.

Love,

Elder Matheson