Abbott and Hansen

Anyone who has trained before knows that the biggest desire of your heart is that the greenie to whom you have been entrusted will capture the vision of the West Mission as well as learn to face his or her fears. This was often accomplished by approaching men in the streets of Chile and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I was training Elder Travis Hansen in the beloved El Llano sector of Ochogavia. It was a hot December day in 1997 and Elder Hansen and I were kneeling down to pray before heading out for the afternoon. With a particular focus on baptizing varones, we asked to find a worthy male to share with and accept the gospel. No sooner had we stepped one foot out the door when my greenie darted towards a “varon” passing by. (I was proud). We quickly engaged a gospel conversation with a man by the name of Claudio Chaparro.

As we began to share the gospel, something familiar seemed to alert Claudio. He stopped us mid-sentence and explained that years ago he had heard this gospel we were sharing and that he already knew it to be true. He, however, had only been seventeen years old at the time, and his parents had forbidden him to join the church. Then, with a look of sudden excitement, he exclaimed, “I guess I don’t have to worry about that anymore, do I?”

Claudio proceeded to invite us over the next evening to meet his wife and two small kids and teach them all together. They both accepted the gospel and were baptized a few days before Christmas. What a present! Claudio changed jobs so he could attend church on Sundays and Elizabeth was called to the Relief Society presidency. Shortly thereafter, Claudio received the Aaronic priesthood and eventually the Melchezidek priesthood. Later I heard they had moved to southern Chile, although I still have not found them. As for Elder Hansen and myself, we were extremely grateful to have been a part of this West Mission miracle.

-Elder Jason Abbott 1997-1999

Cope and Pospisil

Missions are full of miracles, and I think by reflecting on them the Spirit reminds us that our lives can be full of the same miracles if we will just continue to believe and to live the commitment required. My first December in Santiago, I had just been transferred to the area Maipu, into a very affluent neighborhood called Ciudad Satelite. It was the only place I ever served where most everyone had automobiles. We had been taught by President Walker about the importance of leaving a door with love. He taught us that when a missionary leaves a slammed door with sarcasm or resentment or anger in his voice, his response, or his heart, that there is no impact on the person, and that we also are failing the Lord's test to see whether we are worthy to be led to those who are truly prepared. I specifically remember that we were promised that if we would leave a door with love, that those who slammed the door would, for the next two or three days, constantly reflect on the moment, and that they would regret their action and not be able to get the picture of we missionaries out of their minds, so that on the next visit of a missionary, they would be more gentle in their response, until they finally gave a positive response.

So it was in this sector that Elder Pospisil and I worked with our hearts as much as we did with our feet as we went from door to door, looking at each person eternally, and desiring nothing but eternal life for them, and exaltation, and just the small chance to tell them everything the Lord had entrusted to us to share. Well, if the affluent have a reputation for pride, it seemed doubly so in this sector, because the doors were not just closed, they were vehemently closed! Doors weren't just shut, they were slammed hard, people "no estaban ni alli" con nosotros (weren't here or there with us), and personally kicked us off their property, or threatened to call the police, or ripped us up and down, or warned us not to come back, etc. The worse it got, the more we loved them and longed for their salvation, and then it happened. Nothing we did--for we all know that the Lord brings it all to pass--but I think he had finished trying our hearts, and an effectual door was opened. As we got to the next "reja" (gate) and yelled "Halo," a woman came to answer. As long as I live, and even into eternity, I will never forget the look on her face or the moment in time. Time seemed to stop, and after we introduced ourselves she looked at us with the most curious stare, and said "pase." (come in). Once inside, she informed us that she didn't know why she was doing this, beause she never let door to door people or missionaries into her home. That was the first discussion we gave to the Correa family. In a few weeks the family of four was baptized--father, mother, and two teenage daughters. Despite the danger of being evicted from their very prestigious (private) Catholic school, they moved forward with faith. About a year later, just before I came home from my mission, Elder Pospisil and I accompanied this family through the Santiago Temple, where they were sealed together for time and eternity. It was, as president promised, "The Perfect Day."

Elder Mark Cope
March 1996-March 1998

Hartley and Ibarra's Carolita

One Saturday morning in the summer heat of March 1997, Elder Leonard Ibarra and I were finishing up a morning knocking doors on the outer border of our sector of Santa Fe, in the zone of San Miguel. The usual time had already passed for us to head in for lunch, when I said, “Let’s just knock three more doors.” The first two amounted to nothing, but at the very last door we met Carola Santander.

She seemed like a typical 20-year-old Chilean girl, living with her parents and studying. I thought it a bit odd that she had never made any contact with missionaries before, so we taught her the first discussion, and she committed to coming to church that Sunday morning. We agreed to come by the following day to pick her up for church and walk together so that she didn’t feel uncomfortable amongst people she didn’t know.

Sunday arrived, and in typical fashion Elder Ibarra and I split up to go pick up the long list of people who committed to come to church with us. It was a hectic Sunday morning list for me, running from place to place. I left sacrament meeting two or three times to go get more investigators while dropping off others. Sometime at the end of the third block Elder Ibarra leaned over to me and said, “Hey Hartley, what happened to that one girl (Carola)? Was she not home?” My heart immediately sank. It was then that I had realized I had completely forgotten about her. She was written right there on my “agenda”, and thoughts of her waiting on her doorstep waiting for us began haunting me. Had she really been eager to come, or would she have not been there anyways? “Oh, that’s just great!” I thought sarcastically. “The very first time she makes contact with the missionaries and we lie to her about coming to pick her up for church. Who is she going to think we are?”

After church ended, we ran to Carola’s house, not knowing what to say. It was almost one o’clock by then, and I was almost hoping that she wasn’t home. But, of course, that wasn’t the case.

“Nine o’clock, huh?” were the first words that came out of her mouth. “I thought you guys said I could come to church with you, but you never showed up! I was here waiting the whole time!”
Now what do you say to that? Needless to say, apologies were made, and we regained her trust. It turns out that the gospel was exactly what she was looking for, and we taught her the discussions and (this time around) took her to church. Ten days later she was baptized and within two months she was made a stake missionary. She was progressing nicely.

As I neared the end of my mission, I had the distinct impression to talk to Carola about a mission. I asked her what she thought about going on a mission, and she laughed, saying, “Are you kidding? I’m a new member. I’m just learning myself.” By then she had been a baptized for ten months. “Carola,” I said, “I’m not saying you should go, but I think that you’d make a great missionary and maybe it’s something you should consider.”

Six months later Hermana Santander was called to serve in the Chile, Osorno mission. She helped bring many others to the gospel and came home eager to serve in the church. Two years later she met a Chilean returned missionary at institute and was soon married in the Santiago Temple. They now have two children born under the covenant.

In a recent letter she said it best, “Siempre me acuerdo de mi bautismo y del dia que me dejaron plantada!” (I always remember my baptism and the day you left me hanging!”
-Elder Brad Hartley 1996-1998