Elder Casper 6/29/2008

Dear Family-

I can’t believe that another week has gone by so fast, I swear we say that every week but it's the reality. It has been a great week and there was a crazy and scary experience that happened. How are you all doing? It sounds like you are well and that you will have a blast up in Island Park with everyone. The Mason´s have a time share up there and I told them that you were going up there on Thursday and they were way trunky.

Well first off, we got all of the changes done and we advised the zone leaders last night and today all of the missionaries know their changes and will be saying goodbye in all of their sectors. I officially am going to finish here in the office with president. I can't even express how excited I am to finish here and to be able to learn and grow so much from president and all of the missionaries. It will be a great experience and I feel that it is what I need.

On Monday morning I received a phone call from the assistants from the Santiago East Mission asking me about one of our missionaries named Elder Urrutia who got here 3 months ago and is from California. Elder Urrutias twin brother is in the East mission and they arrived here in Chile the same day. His brother has had a few problems and has been wanting to see him but on Monday morning his companion woke up and he was gone. So they called us to ask what our Elder Urrutia was doing. Well, he was fine and in the house studying. His brother didn’t show up for the rest of that day and on Tuesday he still didn’t appear. On Monday night at about 3:00a we went up to Santiago to help them look in all hotels, hospitals, and bus and train stations but he was no where to be found. All of the police and american embassy are on the look out as well but he wasn’t found. On Tuesday night the Area Presidency, Temple Presidency and all Stake Presidents of the mission did a special temple session and fast for him. On Wednesday morning I was with president on our way to pre-interviews and the Assistant from the East mission called and said that he showed up at the house at about 6:00a. He was fine and wasn’t beat up or anything.

It turns out that on Monday night at about 4:00a they were sleeping and he heard noise on the first floor of their house; they live in a little 2 story house. He went down stairs and there were a few robbers in their house. When they saw him they grabbed him, blind folded him, took him outside and threw him in their trunk. He was in that trunk from Monday morning at 4:00a until Wednesday morning at 6:00a when the kidnappers returned and dropped him off. When they dropped him off they taped his mouth shut and tied his hands behind his back and said: "If you look back we´ll shoot you." He never saw their faces but it was definatly a terrifying experience for he and his twin brother and best friend. On top of that his parents were on a cruise and they couldn’t get in touch with them so they had to talk with their sister that was watching over the house. Yesterday he and his brother got together and talked for awhile and now their father is coming down to Chile and his brother is going to make the decision with him weather or not he is going to stay in the mission.

The part that I found most miraculous is the special temple session and fast by all of the presidencies and the faith that they had to go to the actual house of the Lord and turn to him in fast and prayer. What a wonderful and testimony building experience it was for me to see how fast our fFather responds when we trust His holy hand. Just as King Benjamin teaches in the Book of Mormon, (Mosiah 2:22-24). It was a testimony builder and the blessing came immediately following the test of faith and obedience. I truly love this gospel and how our Father in Heaven works.

Yesterday I was invited to play golf with a Stake President from Rancagua. It was my first time in 2 years and for the first 2 holes I was a little rusty. I started off with a 6, followed by an 8 and from there is got better. I made two birdies which made me happy and I was hitting the ball fairly well. It was such a blessing and President Henriquez told them that Papa was my grandpa and they let us play free, haha. He is a member of the course and when he tried paying for me they said: "no, he plays free." I couldn’t believe it and at the end President introduced me to the Pro and we are set for when you guys come down, Dad. We are going to go play up there and it will be really fun, they said at the end of September the course is in the best shape, i'm stoked. Elder Oakes and Elder Arévalos came with us and caddied, it was really fun and I was trying to help them all out with their swings. President Henriquez has only played a year but for a beginner he hits it fairly well. He is really excited to play with you when you come down Dad. The funniest part of all this is that President Resek set it all up, he sent President Henriquez an email and told him to take me out and that I would teach him, way funny and Pte said that when he goes back to Argentina he is going to start golfing.

With the families that we are teaching...they are doing well, but they didn’t make it to church today but they have made a lot of changes and are progressing in many different ways. The mission is doing great and we finished off the month with 53 baptisms, one less than last month but 3 straight months with more than 50 baptisms which is a very good thing and a huge progress for our mission. Sister Resek was very grateful for your birthday letter and told me to tell you thanks. She got a MUD OVEN for her birthday and on Friday she had a BBQ and cooked way to much so we went by the mission home in the night and she gave us all of the meat and potatos that she had made and it was delicious.

I was reading a talk from last general conference by Elder Carlos Amado, he is the Area President of Chile and his talk is on service. I really like what he mentioned by saying: "Service makes us strong in our faith and useful in His Kingdom. Service gives us purpose and courage in life. It brings us closer to God and helps us to refine our divine nature". Isn´t it true, service is such a powerful source of personal progression and everytime I think about service I remember the unforgetable experiences with Gramms in Salt Lake City each year around Christmas when we would take socks, gloves and food to the homeless. Many times I didn’t want to go but while serving those precious children of God I felt the warm company of the Holy Spirit. When we serve others we truly find purpose and courage in our lives and we grow closer to our Father in Heaven and our Savior. I hope and pray that we may serve in all times, all things and in all places.

I love you all so very much and I continue to pray fervently for each and everyone of you, that you may be blessed not only temporally but also spiritually. Until next week, serve others and I promise you will feel the Holy Ghost in your lives. I love you, I love you, I love you.

1-4-3-4,

Elder Mason N. Casper