I DID IT!!!!

I decided to send Kyle's final email home rather than just a short version, because I think it is such a wonderful way to summarize many of the important lessons he has learned while in Chile!  We are beyond excited to have him home, but so grateful for all his has learned and for the blessings our family has enjoyed!  We love you Kyle!  Welcome home:)

JFI

I have put Kyle's flight and his talk information at the end of this letter in case some of you didn't get it the first time.  We hope we might see you there if you are in town.

Love Pat and Dennis

Wow. I don't even know where to start.... I really won't worry about telling you about what happened this week for 2 reasons.... 1. it rained ALL week long so that often means that not too much has happened and  2. I really have just been reflecting on everything lately and would rather talk about how I feel right now. 

Seriously, I can't believe these two years are almost done and that I'll be coming home next Tuesday. I seriously can't even believe it!! It's just so crazy to comprehend that everything is coming to an end... But on the brighter side of things, I'm SO ready for a nap! hahahah These two years have definitely taken their toll on me but I'm still staying strong!!!! 

First off, I just want to say thanks to everyone who has helped me on this journey. Whether you've written me every week, once a month, once while I have been on my mission, or those who just "meant" to write but never got around to it :)  Really, just the fact that you've been thinking about me means the world to me and has helped me out in everything I have done while I have been here. I cant tell you guys how HARD these last 2 years have been.... health issues, the weather, discouragment and everything else! But they have definitely been the greatest two years. I've learned so much!!!! Something that I like to say is, that maybe  these haven't been the best 2 years OF my life, but they have definitely been the best 2 years FOR my  life. I can't doubt that at all! 

These past two years I've learned SO much. First off, I learned Spanish and now I'm FLUENT!!! If you haven't noticed, my english isn't too great anymore:) I vividly remember walking into the MTC on July 11, 2012 and I got to my class and just freaked  out because I couldn't understand what they were saying to me! and now to think that when I come home, It's going to be the same kind of feeling to hear english again!   So please speak to me in spanish if you can ;) 

I've also learned how to have patience. Being a missionary isn't the easiest because you are literally glued to your companion 24/7. It's HARD!!! Especially when you two don't get along the greatest which really happens more than you think. But now, I know how to be friends with anyone and I try to understand their point of view. "The only people you don't like are the people you don't know yet." that's been my motto for sure. I'm so grateful for this opportunity to be able to reflect on all the companions I've had and everything that I've learned from each and every single one of them!! It's been great. I've had companions from all over South America so my future trips are going to be great! 

I've also developed a true love for the people here in Chile and the people that I've been teaching. These last 2 weeks have been crazy for me and full of emotion. I'm SO excited to come home but I'm going to miss the people here so much!! I literally cry like every night just thinking about the great friendships I've made here that I know will last forever. I'm so grateful for the people here and their humility in everything they do and their desire to help us. 

I've also learned how to live after the mission.  I've learned to cook food from many different countries, how to budget my income, how to clean a house and how to run away from rabid animals and crazy people trying to throw rocks or trash at us:) Who knows this just might come in handy at some point! 

But I think the biggest change that I've noticed while being here on my mission is how I left as a young kid and now I feel like I am coming back with so much experience under my belt!! It's incredible how things have changed. I'm still the same old KYLE as before.... but there definitely is something different about me. I've learned that this church really is true and that the gospel is the only way for us to truly be eternally happy. I'm so grateful for this gospel that we all have the chance to have it in our lives. I for sure know it's all true and can't wait to keep sharing it throughout my life!!! I've seen this message that I've shared millions of times, change the lives of people 360 degrees... yes, I've baptized a few people here and there but let me just say, It's SO great to know that I'll at least have 1 REAL convert as a result of my mission. This convert may have been the hardest one to teach, took the longest time to teach him, went through the most problems, AND was the most stubborn, but he's never going to fall away. And that convert is me. 

Thanks so much for everything everyone. I love you all SO much and well, next time you'll hear from me, I'll just be Kyle again :) See you all next Tuesday if if you can make it to the airport, if not, I'll be talking to you all soon! Love you all a ton and have a GREAT week!!! I know I will :) 

Love, Kyle 

Here is his return information once again if you need it:

Arrival on Tuesday June 17th in San Francisco @ 10:19 am

Delta Airlines flight 2349 - Terminal 1

Report of his mission to Chile

Sunday June 29th @ 10:00 am

Los Altos Ward Building

190 Jordan Ave.

Los Altos, CA 94022

Here are a couple of pictures he sent home this week.  I think we better check his luggage to make sure the lab puppy is not hidden inside.  Also a final picture with Pres. and Sister Essig!

April 25, 2014

This has been another wonderful month for Kyle as his time in the mission field goes by so quickly!  He had a beautiful baptism this week of a sweet sister and they hope her entire family will be able to baptized soon as well.  He was so touched when as she came up out of the water she reached up and gave him a hug.  He just adores her entire family!

He was able to attend the temple this week and so enjoyed his time there!  They are only able to go once a year while he is there, so this was a special day for sure.

He has had a bit of a struggle this past couple of weeks due to an injury.  He said that walking around with the boot made for quite an interesting few weeks but as you can see, he still can smile for the camera:)

His release date is June 17th and we are excited to hear about his experiences firsthand.  He sends his love and wants you all to know how much he appreciates each one of you!  Thank you for being such a great support while he has been away serving as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!

March 17, 2014

Mission life in Santiago is going well for Kyle!  Here are a few pictures from the last few weeks we hope you enjoy.

 His new friend is hoping Kyle might be willing to share his lunch!

 They were able to spend the day at the temple with some investigators and shared with them the message of the importance of temples.

 He is getting quite creative in how he makes bread these days:)

 I don't think the bathrooms are always made for tall Americans!

A wonderful sisters baptism this week!

Feb. 25, 2014

Well, I am way behind in updating Kyle's blog.  He continues to be doing well and loving the last few months of his mission.  He was transferred to Colina for one transfer, but as of this week he is now back in Santiago.  Here are a few pictures of his time in Colina where once or twice a week they would set up a display at the local Ferria (Farmer's Market) and share pictures, video's and pamphlets  telling about the church.  He has also been teaching English classes while serving in that area.  Thanks for checking in to see how he is doing!

 English class!

 Teaching at the Ferria

 Colina

 Enjoying a little local fruit!

Recent baptism

Jan. 6, 2014 - FELIZ ANO NUEVO

It has been a wonderful few weeks as Kyle celebrated the Christmas season with his companion and the other missionaries in Santiago!

Here is a small part of his latest email and as you can probably tell, he is so happy and grateful the the tender mercies of our Heavenly Father as he leads them to those that are ready to hear their message.

"I have like zero time today, but let me just say in these last few weeks, I've recieved MORE personal revelation, felt the spirit more, and taught better than I ever have in my life!! I love the feeling that I have right now! We have had two INCREDIBLE lessons lately where I'll just be talking but its definitely not me... its the spirit just using me as an instrument to talk to the people we're with and teach them what they need to know! My companion and I just walk out of lessons sometimes speechless because it's such an incredible feeling.... I just LOVE IT!!"

Saying good-bye to his trainer as he gets ready to go home.

Christmas Stockings!!!!

Christmas caroling with speakers in his backpack:)

Something sweet from his niece who asked Santa for "Sugar and Peanut-Butter"

last year!  I guess she decided Kyle might like some of the same!

Dec. 9, 2013

The last few weeks have been filled with lots of activity for Kyle and his companions.  He decided that Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same without homemade rolls, so he decided to make them for some of the missionaries.  They have already decorated a tree in their apartment and are ready for Christmas as you can see from the pictures below.

Kyle also celebrated his 21st birthday yesterday and a family was so wonderful and helped him feel like he was at home with a cake and delicious lunch!  It was a great way to introduce his new companion to the wonderful people in Chile.

He is now serving as a district leader and is a trainer to a new missionary from Arizona.  They are having great success in finding people to teach and he feels it is in large part thanks to the spirit that his new companion has brought to the mission.  They had a recent visit from an area Seventy and he loved the message that he shared with them about the sacrament.  He reminded them that we take the sacrament each week "so that we might have his spirit to be with us."

He sends his love to all of you and was so grateful for your letters and birthday wishes!

Hope you enjoy some of his recent photos.

Nov. 18, 2013

Another great month for Kyle with many wonderful missionary experiences.  He loved listening to conference at the beginning of October and then this past week Elder and Sister Holland came to visit his mission and they were able to go and hear him speak. He made the comment that this was by far "the best talk ever!"  What a blessing it was to be able to be so close and be taught by one of the apostles.

A brief quote from one of his email's said:
"Sunday was a good day where we taught some lessons and I know that God is definitely helping us  out because the success we had this week was nothing that the three of us did...it was all God preparing people for us to teach!!  I know that we missionaries don't do anything!!  We are just the instruments in the hands of God."

Here are a few pictures from the last several weeks.

Doing a little service!

Loving all the baby kittens right now!

Lots of experiences with many different companions all month.

A P-day hike!

Oct. 7, 2013

Kyle continues to do well and is so happy!  Following is part of his recent email to us and a picture that he saw and he decided to try to draw it himself.  He asked us all to read D&C 88:84 ".....We know that the angels are always protecting us!!!"

This is in reference to many of the talks he heard from General Conference this weekend.
"Something that I liked a lot was how they always prayed for us missionaries and focused on telling everyone to share the gospel with all of their friends... soooo GET TO WORK! hahaaha But I really enjoyed all of it!! Sunday night we FINALLY found 2 new people to teach! After 3 weeks of not having any new people, our prayers have been answered and they're great!!!! It was a contact that we met a few days ago and normally they aren't there when they say they will be, but they were waiting for us! It was truly a miracle!! The best part is that President has been teaching us to always finish the first lesson with a prayer on our knees and have the head of the family do it.... we practiced what we learned and the father actually did it! We were so happy!! "

Sept. 17, 2013

Kyle's sent some fun pictures this week.  We hope you enjoy seeing what life is like as a missionary in Chile.  Enjoy!

A little house painting party!

Each missionary with their personal favorite dog!

Trying his hand at flying a kite:)

All dressed up for Independence Day

Sept. 2, 2013

I thought you might enjoy a clip from Kyle's email this week and a few more pictures.

Wednesday was the only day that we got to work in our area. But this day we worked SOO hard and saw miracle after miracle! I don't know how we did it but we taught a ton of lesson and just did a lot of stuff! It was the best! We had so much fun but came back to the house and basically died because we were so tired! It was a lot of fun though! 

So we had 3 baptisms in the ward and we started to fill up the baptisimal font and everything was going fine. At one point the batteries died in the calefont (Chilean water heater) so we couldn't get any hot watter. Luckily that day, the counselor from the stake presidency was there and he's in charge of fixing all the buildings in this area and he replaced them for us. Things were going well again but all of sudden we decided to go check on it and we found out that the flame went out and it was filling the font with freezing water! We didn't know what to do so we called the counselor agian and he came to check on it but couldn't figure things out. We went outside to check the gas and it was all good so it was another problem. I said to my companion, "we need to go and say a prayer, these baptisms need to happen today!" so we went back into a back room in the church and said a prayer asking for everything to be ok and for the counselor to figure out how to fix the calefont. AS SOON as we left the room we went and looked and the calefont started working. Right away we went back and said another prayer giving thanks for the miracle. We didn't want anything else bad to happen :) I knew miracles happen, but in the mission miracles can happen instantly. We realized that God is always listening to us and when it's for a good reason, such as helping 3 of his children enter the waters of baptism, he's going to do everything he can to help us out. It truly was a remarkable moment and testimony builder for me. 

Let's just say Sunday was a great day with the baptisms that we had!! I was SOOO happy! It was the greatest ever! Marcela told us that she just felt so good and felt a warmth inside of her that she couldn't explain! FINALLY!!  I realized that this is exactly what I'm here for and I love it!! 

P-Day at the Zoo

Special Baptism Day

August 5, 2013

Kyle is doing great and was recently made zone leader.  From what he tell us that means he oversees 24 other missionaries.  It sounds like it is keeping him busy which is good!

They had two baptisms this past week and he says they are such amazing young men.  He truly loves the people in Chile as you can see from his smile.