New Comp Elder Crane

Hey everyone!


So this past week was eventful. I am officially training now. My greenie is from Canada(Calgary). His name is Elder Crane. He was taught a little Spanish by his Dad, and took some in school. So, he speaks pretty dang well. He is struggling to understand, because Chilenos speak so poorly, but he will be fluent by the end of the change. He is really obedient and has lots of greenie power. He reminds me of myself when I first got to the mission. He still hasn't figured out the culture, so sometimes he wants to do things where I am just like....whatttt????? But life is great. We are working hard and getting a long well.


The greatest part about training a new missionary is that on Tuesday I got to go to the temple with the other trainers. It was AMAZING. The temple here in Santiago is beautiful. I enjoyed the session, even though we were super rushed to get there, do the session, and get back to our sectors.


This week we started fully teaching the little brother of Carla, the recent baptism. He is cool beans. I am confident he will be baptized soon. We also had a very spiritual lesson with a woman whom we had found several weeks back, but couldn't find again. We taught her about the restoration, and she could feel the Spirit strongly.


Funny note-I learned my companion hates mayonaise and onions. I had to be the guy to break it to him that he will be eating those 2 things everyday for the next to years. Haha. And I don't think he is a big fan of completos, which is like the equivalent of an american that hates PB and J sandwiches. He will learn I guess.


I don't have a lot else....so


Love you all


Elder Van Dyke

Hey Paps

Well you were exactly right about my companion being the missionary who got moved up to get here in the mission. His name is Elder Crane, and he is from Calgary Canada. He only spent 2 weeks or so in the MTC because he already speaks decent Spanish. He is still learning alot, and its hard for him to understand Chilenos....but he will be there by the end of 6 weeks with me.

Elder Hall got sent to Peñaflor. Its a little small farm town just outside of Santiago on the way to the coast. I am not sure who he is with though. I just heard through the grape vine.

Elder Bybee and Wheelwright are doing good. Bybee is from Henderson, Nevada. He has one more change left after this change. So....like 11 weeks left in the mission.

Because I am training....it's very likely that I will stay here for at least 2 more changes. I bet I will have 4 changes here in total. But who knows....

Sometimes we take the detergent to the sisters that do our laundry. A lot of them really like doing it. Some people tell us they are dependent on the blessings they receive from helping us out. But that's a good idea. I am going do to something special this week...

Mate gives cancer? Meh. I dont drink it that hot. Plus my mate cup is moldy right now so I am letting it dry in the sun for a few days.

The Work----

Well we are doing really well right now. As always, its a struggle to get even members in the church at 9 am. My first Sunday here there were over 80 people in the chapel, because it was at 11. Yesterday, we had 46. People here are just flimsy. They make excuses valid in their minds.

Cool story. I found a family of members. They are all inactive....but sealed in the temple. We dropped some serious bombs on them. I am going to have them going to church by the end of this change. I am sick of excuses.

Send photos of the farm. I am interested in seeing it

Thanks for writing