18 Months!!!! What happened??‏ (February 16, 2016)

Hey all!

So this last week, I completed 18 months of my mission.  This is so weird for me, seeing as I still have so much to learn and so many more people to help, however I am now within 6 months of returning.  My companion is enjoying making fun of me that I go home so soon.  It`s really odd to think about it honestly.

However, on top of the extremely trunky-looking time that I have, we`ve managed to keep focused and keep ourselves on the ball.  Working a ton with investigators this week, doing a lot of service, and even finding a fair amount of new people to teach.  We are excited to see the progress that has been made in this sector (and we should have enough time to see it given that there are still 5 weeks to changes).  We`ve been working a lot with one youth who is very excited to work with us.  He is a member of 18 years who, for the last month, has been working to reactivate himself.  He`s now blessing the sacrament every week, and going on visits with us about 3-4 times a week.  Also when the missionaries play soccer, he comes a long and plays too.  He really enjoys this new aspect of his life.

I now would like to take some time to ask for the prayers of all of you for my beloved sister, Sarah, who, as I`ve heard today, is in the hospital with a concussion.  I ask that all of you can pray for her well being and her recovery, even though I`m sure that my mother has already spread the word, but sadly, I`m not exactly a commonly updated person, so I`m asking a few days late.  Thank you all so much for your support!  I love you guys.

May you all have a wonderful week and a great winter.  

Todo mi amor,

Elder Forsgren

New week of changes, 1 year in Independence‏ (February 9, 2016)

Dear Everyone,

Well I`ve just begun my 8th change (4 at the beginning of my mission and now my 4th the second time) in Independencia Ward, and that`s 8th of 16 so I will be here literally a year of my mission.  Same sector and everything...  But we`ve worked a lot.  

This last week we worked a lot looking for new people to be teaching and we found a few really interested new investigators.  It was a great new chance to start teaching again.  It`s been a pretty good week for that reason.  Elder Paredes and I will both be staying at least one more change, and so we will be able to see how these new people progress and what happens with them. 

Also Chile is in full vacation phase, so nobody is in Santiago, making life a lot more fun for a missionary in Santiago...  It`s a bit difficult when your job is to talk with people and people aren`t near you.  But other than that we`re taking things slowly and patiently.  

That`s all I can think of that happened this week, but I`d love to hear how all yàlls weeks went!  I hope they went well.  I love you all,

Con amor,

Elder Forsgren

I speak French!!‏ (February 1, 2016)

Bon Jour!

So this week was a very good week where we worked a lot with the Haitians of the sector.  I really enjoyed it, because they taught us a lot of French!!  I have no idea how to spell anything, but I do know how to have a basic conversation that includes hi, how are you, what is your name, and I`m a missionary, so I feel multilingual now!  Not really, but the Haitians really enjoy it when we greet them in French.  It`s fun.  We also know one Haitian who speaks many languages, including English, so we practice English with him a lot.  He really helps us because he is a member of the ward, so we invite him a lot to the lessons we have with Haitians that don`t speak Spanish.  The Haitians really have an amazing culture, and I really enjoy working with them.  It makes life a lot of fun.  

Also this week we had the privilege of being accompanied by a less active youth who has been attending church with us, and Yesterday we could participate in his ordination to the office of Priest in the Aaronic Priesthood.  This next Sunday, he will have the opportunity to bless the Sacrament, and I`ve been so happy to see the progress of this young man.  I see a big future for him.  

So this has been my week, I have really enjoyed it and am looking forward to this next week.  It is very possible that it will be my last in this ward (but with the way my mission goes, who knows, 8 changes or 1 year in one ward is possible) by the way, the next week (and until further notice) my P-Days will be Tuesday, so don`t be surprised when I write late.

I love you all so much, and wish you the best.

Au revoir!

Elder Alexander Forsgren

Long long week‏ (January 25, 2016)

Hola a todos y`all ;) 

This last week has been a long week, full of a lot of time in the house and a lot of conferences.  At the beginning of the week we had a Zone Conference full of classes to help us as missionaries.  I really enjoyed it.  I love to learn from the leaders of the mission because it helps me work a lot.  Then the next day we had a video training session with the rest of the world from Salt Lake.  They sent a transmission to all the missions in the world.  We enjoyed it, but could only see half of it for miscommunication with the Stakes and where the transmission would take place.  But what we did learn was priceless and useful.  Then the next day (and most of the rest of the week) we had to stay in the house due to health problems.  Don`t worry, this time they aren`t mine (that`s new) and they`re all over now, but it was a long few days.

The best part of this week was (as it is many weeks) the Sabbath itself.  But not just for the wonderful church meeting, save also our lesson with a Haitian investigator.  He is a great man who has a lot of faith in the Saviour and as he goes learning more, he goes applying more to his life.  This week we taught him about different commandments (ex. Word of Wisdom) and he said, in effect, I didn`t know that, but I need to go do that now!  I love his humility and his faith, and they set an example of how I should be.

I love you all and hope that you are enjoying your winter wonderland, here we`ve gotten as close as we can to a winter wonderland in Summer, and had a thunderstorm. (almost...)  It was very refreshing, and I love to look for rainbows whenever their is rain ;)  

Con mucho amor,

Elder Alexander Forsgren

Long week and Los Andes‏ (January 18, 2016)

Hello to everyone. 

So this week just killed us.  We worked and we worked without much success and with a lot of summer.  We are currently in the middle of vacations here in Santiago so NOBODY is home.  For some reason the Santiaguinos have some law of culture that says that when vacation time comes they must leave Santiago (I don`t blame them) but it makes life really hard when it comes time to visit people.   I`m not very excited, because this week marks the beginning of the holidays, and holidays are in full at the end of February...  These next months are going to kill us.

However on the bright side, we got to teach our Haitian friends a lot this week.  They are all really enthusiastic and excited to learn.  We are teaching one who studies everything we have to say very intently in French and in Spanish.  It`s difficult to teach them because we have to be very prepared, but almost all our studies are for them.

Going back to vacations, my comp and I took a "vacation" today actually.  We went to Los Andes (a place I will probably never go in my mission) about 1.5 hours from Santiago and we went to a little lake and enjoyed some time there.  It was absolutely beautiful and I loved it.  It is a different environment, a lot more tranquil and a lot fresher.  I have hope to return in my mission, but since it`s not close to a hospital, I will more than likely never serve there in my 2 years here. 

Well I wish you all the best, and send you my love from busy Santiago

with love,

Elder Forsgren

BIG BIRTHDAY AND LONGER MISSION‏ (January 11, 2016)

Hello everyone,

So I`d like to start off this letter with a shout out to the greatest woman I have ever known in my life who this last week turned 41 (I know right? hard to believe, she looks younger) and the poor little girl was sick on her birthday!!  ¡Pobrecita! but anyways, this "little girl" is my wonderful mother, Susan M. Forsgren and I want everyone to know how much I love her and how young she`s turning!  Hope everyone could wish her a happy birthday, and if not, don`t worry it`s not too late, I`m her son and I`m wishing her a happy birthday a few days late!  I love you mostest mom, and hope you`re enjoying your fourth decade!

On the other hand I received news today that I will be coming home a few days later than planned.  Not a problem, it makes it a little closer to 2 years completely.  It gives me a few more days to work in the work of the Lord and the work I love.  

This last week was the best week I`ve had in this ward since I returned to this ward.  We had a boatload of lessens and we had 1 youth just get baptized and 2 adults reactivate in the church.  We saw a lot of less active people come to church again and we enjoyed a lot of service work.  We are really working hard and enjoying our time together.  It`s been great the little time we`ve had together and we`re excited.  We have accomplished a lot together and we are hoping to accomplish even more in the upcoming weeks together.

I hope you all enjoy your week and can achieve much success in all your different stations.

Con amor,

Elder Alex Forsgren

New Years, Part Two‏ (January 4, 2016)

Hey all,

So this week marked the end of 2015 and the brand new beginning of 2016.  The holiday celebrating the new year is always a time of reflection and change I`ve noticed.  It`s an opportunity to take in stock the experiences we`ve had in the past, but more importantly look with anticipation to the future and the things that are in store.  My companion and I were talking a lot about the potential that this year has and they potential we see in our ward and we were pleased with the progress we`ve seen up until now and we both want to see where things go in the course of the year.

So we`ve enjoyed the week and we are excited to enjoy the year.  I hope you all are too, and hope you all are keeping everything good and cheerful!

Con amor,

Elder Forsgren