District Leader.....Look out!

Sean is now the district leader, he is super stoked about it. Things are going good there, his Spanish is coming along great! He sent me some pictures and really he has problems. He has changed spiritually but at the same time he is the same old Seany!! We sure miss him. Enjoy these pictures...

I mean seriously???

A new area for Sean

Hola-

So i got changed this morning and my comp did too. We were surprised to both leave Rosende!! We had a baptism yesterday so it was nice to end on that!! So I'm in the zone Huelen with a Peruvian companion that only has 6 weeks in the mission... wait what... ha ha so I'm really going to have to step it up!! E Lloyd my other comp went to work in the office with all the money and houses and stuff!!! My comp seems pretty cool and has lots of excitement.. Our sector seems cool I have only been here for like 1 hour. Our apartment is way way better than my other, so I feel much more comfortable. They are condominiums so they are way nice!! Things are going well. It was difficult to leave and I had so much stuff!!! I had to take a taxi for like 15 bucks!! It made it much easier!! Sounds like this ward here is way stronger than my other and about 120 people come every Sunday, which is very good here. Once again I am forced to speak Spanish so that will be good so I should learn lots in these next few months. There are 4 sisters in our zone so that will be a little different!! But all is well I love you all!!

Elder Swenson

Sean and his new companion

This is Sean's new condo in his new area

Sean's latest email update

Hey-
Sorry its been a few weeks but we have been busy and been doing activities with the zone. Things are going well here and I'm still learning a lot.. The weather has actually been really nice lately.. beautiful in the day and pretty cold at night.. it will never go below 32 degrees though..the only time its really bad is at 730 in the morning when i have to run my skinny white but outside to use the shower or bathroom.. because its outside the freaking house.. so that's pretty funnnnnn! My comp is cool and we get along really well.. he is from Kaysville and is about to complete 1 year in the mission so he has about 6 months more than me.. we have lots of fun together messing with all the drunk people and the kids... we received a reference from the office the other day of a lady that lives in our sector that is interested so we met up with her and she is so prepared.. she came to church yesterday and is so excited to get baptized.. she is like 34 and has a bf that's Mormon that has prepared her well.. so we are going to baptize her.. that's the last day of the change and i think I'm going to leave so at least ill go out with a dunk... other than that all the people we have are continuing to play games and be lazy.. everyone wants the blessings the we promise them and that gods has waiting for them but no one wants to do anything about it.. The natural man is a powerful thing and and even for me and us missionaries its something that we have to try everyday to get rid of.. The natural man doesn't want to pray, or have faith, he doesn't want to treat his wife with respect, he wants to do everything that satisfies himself right now in this world!!! Mosiah 3:9 its pretty frustrating when our investigators don't understand this.. anyways i promise I'm not a gomer.. I'm the same old Sean i just speak a different language which is really a gift from god... its so fun but so difficult at the same time.. I'm still learning a lot about Spanish but also lack lots... but I'm really not worrying at this put about my language.... i worry about my gospel skills.. ha ha so all is well here-- we sleep way good and are eating OK.... the grandma that we live behind always cuts our power and gets mad at us for the smallest thing we do wrong!!! ha ha its pretty funny!! does she really expect us not to use the small heater we have.. I mean were American were not about to suffer in the cold.. love you all!!

New baptisms

Sean is doing fantastic! They had 2 more baptisms last week. Kimberly and Jennifer, 16 & 13 years old sisters. Sean was able to baptize one and his companion the other. He says the Spanish is getting way easier but still having a hard time expressing himself the way he wants to. He says it is getting pretty cold! Feels more cold inside there house than outside he says and it has been raining like crazy making the streets flood. He is liking his new companion and says there are a ton of new missionaries in the zone. The zone all went to the zoo today and thought for sure he saw Cory and Justin in the monkey cage, wait what?! Anyways, I hope your enjoying the updates, I know this will be fun for Sean to have and look back on when he is all finished. 5 months and counting.....keep on keeping on Elder Swenson, we love you!

Picture from the Zoo

Looks cold but beautiful

Sick! A dead animal of some sort with scary teeth

Elder Lloyd, Kimberly and Jennifer, Gambino Mission Leader, and Sean

The girls mother!

More Pictures and an update

Sean has a new companion from SLC, his name is Elder Lloyd. He is pretty excited about it but says he is sad to see Elder Hoyas go. Him and his new comp are in charge of 2 sectors now so he says they have a lot of work to do. It is very cold and rainy in Chile right now and he sent me a pic of him walking down the street which was flooded with water. Of course he took his shoes off so they wouldn't get dirty! He might be a GREAT missionary but he is still a girl, ha! Here some new pictures he sent.

Here he is holding his shoes so they don't get wet!

These are his favorite kids! Fercey is 5 and Lia is 11

Um...swine flu ninja's?

More Pictures....

His first baptism

His first zone called. "Zapadencia."

This is Kate's favorite! She loves Barney!!

Update for Sean

Sean is doing great! It was so nice to get to talk to him on Mother's Day! He sounded really good and I could not believe what I was hearing. Who is this kid??? He has totally changed for the better, has completely humbled himself and I can't wait for him to start really getting the Spanish language. They had there first baptism last Sunday to an 85 year old man who only had 1 leg and wore diapers. He sad it was very challenging but definitely worth it! Him and his companion both had to help with the baptism. They had changes last week but him and his companion are staying in there same area and are staying together for at least another 6 weeks! He would love your letters and packages so keep them coming!

Sean's new address

Elder Sean Swenson
Chile Santiago North Mission
Forestal 2680
Piso 3, Oficina 32
Conchali, Chile

He would love your letters!

Sean is off to Chile.....

Quick Update

Sean is doing great and is almost ready to leave the MTC and head out to Chile. He sounds really excited to go and feels like he is ready. He says the language is coming but he's worried that when he steps off that plane in Chile, he will forget how to speak! He wrote me a letter last week and talked about his teacher Brother Kinsey, and how Sean and his companion had to teach him the first lesson in English. Sean said they really prayed hard before the lesson and Sean said he cried the whole time. He said they barely taught the lesson because the spirit guided them to teach around his needs. When they finished with the lesson, Brother Kinsey told them it was the best lesson he had heard in the MTC and out in the field. Sean said by the end they were crying! Who is this guy?? I can't believe this is Sean writing me these letters. He has come full circle with being there and I have really noticed a change in him. He sounds so happy and he knows that he is finally where he is supposed to be. We are so proud of him and can't wait for him to face the people of Santiago and go crazy with the baptizing. They are going to fall in love with him! I will post more pictures soon.

New pictures

Sean and Elder Tauteoli (they played against each other in Football) He went to East and then played at Snow together~

The Group: Elder Weaver (Sean's comp), Sean, Elder King, Elder Bestor
Hermana Chapmen, Hermana Papenfuss, Hermana Nay, Hermana Tyler

Sean matrix style

Happy 20th and Valentines in the MTC!

First Letter

We got our first letter from Sean and he is doing GREAT!! He has 4 Elders and 4 Sisters in his group, and in his words, he says they are "tight!" He says he keeps waiting for the spirit to leave him and stop guiding him but it just wont...Hmmmm What an amazing feeling! He sent a couple of pictures that I will try to scan in so you can see them, but he looks good and is glad to be there. Today is his birthday so...HAPPY BIRTHDAY SEANY!! The big 20, crazy! If any of you would like to email him, you can at : elderswenson5@myldsmail.net or write him a letter and send it to:

MTC
Elders Sean Swenson
MTC box#289
CHI-SATN 03-30
2005 N. 900 E.
Provo, UT 84604-1793

I will update new pictures and letters as I get them! Until then, keep him in your prayers!!

Elder Sean Swenson.....

...has been called to serve in the Santiago, Chile North mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He will be learning the Spanish language. We are so happy for Sean and his commitment to the Lord. This is a blog for friends and family to check out to see updates of his mission. I (his sister) will post any pictures, baptisms, and any other exciting news he has for you to see. Today is Tuesday, Feb. 3 2009 he will be in the MTC for approximately 7 weeks before he heads out to Chile. Good luck Seany, and go get em!