Elder Casper 8/25/2008

Dear Family-

Well it has been another wonderful week, we have been extremely blessed in the sector and the Lord has blessed us with many new people to teach. Aileen is doing great and she is now the president of the principles of the Gospel class. Her older brother Pablo received his mission papers this week and now the branch president just has to talk to his parents who aren´t members to inform them on the financial part of the mission. Yesterday he gave a talk on the subject of how we as member of the church must be, he shared the scripture in D & C 38:25-27, I really enjoyed listening to his testimony of how the Gospel has blessed his life and how faithful members have befriended him and loved him; he is an absolute crack up. He started his talk by saying, "when ever I walk into this chapel I feel warmth, and it’s not from the heating system…it’s because of the spirit of unity felt in this branch." It was a wonderful experience him speak and to see the progress he and his sisters have made over the past few months.

This week President Resek had his mission president seminar with Elder Scott and Elder Gonzalez. Today we had our weekly meeting with him and he told us all about what they did. It was really interesting because he said that they during the four day seminar they did a lot of practicing and that all of the situations that they used are the situations that we have been planning on using for zone conference this change. They are the basic commitments but as a mission we are starting to forget about the small and simple things and that is what is impeding us from progressing more. This week was the best week of the year as far as statistical progress, we are finding more people that we ever have and as a mission last week we almost accomplished the 10 contacts per day per missionary or in other words we did 9,560 contacts as a mission and to reach Elder Ballard´s goal we have to reach 10,250. We are teaching a ton and the Lord is blessing is so much I am jealous of Elder Del Güercio and Elder Rosales because they are going to be here for the rest of year to see the progress in the mission. I feel so blessed to be a part of the Lords work and to feel of his hand pressing things forward on a daily basis.

How is the family doing? How is your health Mamma? How is Laur doing with preparing for school? How are Ash and Lace? How are the boys? How are Grams, Nana and Papa and the rest of the clan doing? Please send my love to all and let them know how very excited I am to see them.

So Kaid is now married!!! Wow, that’s crazy. I am so happy for him and It makes me happy to know that he has found his eternal companion, he such an amazing person and will just continue to grow as he takes this next step in his life. Mamma it sounds like you had fun at the wedding reception and that you saw a few of my friends, how are they? I´ll be honest, I am really excited to see all of my friends again and to see the progress that they have made in their lives, I know they won´t be much different but I am excited to see the personal progress of each and every one of them. It continues to amaze me how blessed we are as 19 year old young men to be able to go out into the world and preach the restored and everlasting Gospel. The other day I was reading in D&C 34:5-6 and I really liked what it says, the Lord was speaking to Orson Pratt and He told him that he had been called to preach the Gospel, preaching repentance to a corrupt and perverse generation in order to prepare to way of the Lord for his second coming. One thing I love about Doctrine and Covenants is that it´s modern day revelation and also in many of the revelations I can replace my own name with the name of those in the script and I fell more a part of what truly happened and it applies more to me or anyone who reads it. And after the Lord told Orson that he was called to preach the Gospel he gave him a promise at the end of verse 10, and it reads: "Preach, and it will be given to you by the power of the Holy Ghost." I have felt that over the past two years, that as I have declared this message the Holy Ghost has been my constant guide and has helped me discern and to know where to go, what to do and what to say. What a treasure it is to preach the Gospel. Thank you so much family for your wonderful examples of faithfulness, obedience and for the priceless principles that you have taught me throughout my life. You all are a testimony in itself of the love that my Heavenly Father has for me.

It makes me happy to know that the boys are doing well and that they are having fun with their sports teams and all. Mamma as I was reading over the talk that you invited me to read I found a few things very interesting. One thing that impressed me while reading it was the Spirit I felt in knowing that you were directed to read that talk that specific day, it is exactly what you needed and our Heavenly Father new it, it made me happy to know that you followed that subtle impression that the Spirit offered you, thanks Mom for being so awesome. The talk is neat because it tells many stories and many metaphors. I really like the metaphor of the rope and the colt, as it says in the talk: "Inappropriate attempts to force obedience, like, yanking the rope, create difficulty in fostering companionable relationships with young children and teens." It´s important not to force children, at least as a child when I was forced to do things or punished in certain ways I did not like it and then I felt that the urge to be disobedient. Also I really liked in the talk about limits, and I just want to thank you two for the limits and rules that you set in our family while Ashton, Lauren and I were growing up together. We have been very blessed to have those limits in our lives because they have guided us and helped us realize when we have crossed those limits. Thanks for being the greatest parents ever and for loving us so much.

Just know that I love you more than you could possibly know, I am grateful for all of the wonderful teachings you have given me and for the way you have raised me and helped me to make correct decisions in my life. Send all my love, I cant wait to hear from you soon. In two week Andrew Adams will be down in Provo for school, he is working at the MTC and it would be cool if you guys invited him over for Sunday dinner.

I love you guys and I cant wait to hear from you next week. Until then, work hard, study hard and do what is right and the Lord will bless you. Know that you are in my prayers. I love you, I love you, I love you.

1-4-3-4,

Elder Mason Casper

Elder Casper 8/17/2008

Dear precious family-

Hey people, how are you doing? Just to let you know Dad I called Umberto Montero today and talked to him about everything. The missionaries from Rengo are going to his house tomorrow at 7:30 P.M. to help him out with the instructions of his machine. He sounds like a nice person and he was very grateful for the help.

Is Mom okay? I understand why you hadn´t told me before, but please inform me on such things. Thanks for letting me know and I will surely have you in my prayers Mamma. How is everybody´s health?

To start things off, it has been a great week, all of the new missionaries arrived and it was a big group of 14. They all are great and it will be fun to translate for president again for the Zone Conferences. As I always say and as it continues to surprise me that each new transfer the missionaries arrive better prepared especially in the language aspect. The Lord truly does bless us with the gift of tongues and I am so very grateful for the gift that my Father in Heaven has given me and allowed me to develop as I have served him here in Chile. There is a scripture that has always helped me understand how blessed I truly am to have these wonderful gifts and it´s found in (Alma 9:21) which reads the following: " Having been visited by the Spirit of God; having conversed with angels, and having been spoken unto by the voice of the Lord; and having the Spirit of prophecy, and the Spirit of revelation, and also many gifts, the gift of speaking with tongues, and the gift of preaching, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the gift of translation;" I remember once while reading this scripture I was overwhelmed by the Holy Ghost and I felt the confirmation from the Lord that He truly has given me such wonderful spiritual gifts and in only two years He has permitted me to develop these gifts.

It has been a good week with my new companions, they are awesome and we are having a great time. We have been really busy because of all the sick missionaries and having to take them to their doctor´s appointments. Elder Del Guercio and Elder Rosales are two great missionaries, they work hard and they are great companions. This week we have found six new investigators and today in church we had 2 investigators, Luz Maria and Matías. They are great and Matias is 10 years old and loves church, and he has gone two straight weeks and absolutely loves it. Aileen was confirmed today, Pablo her brother confirmed her and I had the privilege to stand in the circle. Aren´t the words "Receive the Holy Ghost so powerful"? I always love being present when someone is confirmed because when those words are pronounced the Spirit is truly felt. I am so grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost that God has given me, He is my constant companion and I feel so blessed to be able to recognize his presence and guidance.

Yesterday we had a welcome party for all of the new office elders at the mission home and it was a blast. As usual an Argentine BBQ and a killer ping pong tournament. It wasn´t my day for ping pong and everybody was walking all over me. Last night at 6:30 we headed up to Santiago to my old sector and the sector where Elder Del Guercio recently came from for the baptisms of two families. Five people were baptize and there was a great spirit in the midst. I also got to see the Facondi family that Elder Roman and I baptized. I think I told you a few weeks ago that Cristian the father is now the Elders quorum president and their son is the Deacons quorum president. Well, I got to see them and they told me that this week they will find out if all of the adoption papers went through and if it is final. Last week they went to the Temple to do baptisms for the dead and Joanna told me that they are planning on the 15th of September as their sealing date. I can't even express in words how excited I was to hear that and even more thrilled to know that it´s probable that will still be here in chile. Please keep them in your prayers so that all will go well so that they may be sealed as an eternal family. The Facondi family…it will be highly appreciated.

Well just two quick things about when you come down here to Chile. I need to know something ASAP about what your thoughts are on staying with the Mason´s in their apartment? Sister Mason offered on Tuesday that we could stay in their apartment while you are here in Chile. Elder Thorson and his father did when he came to pick him up and also the Oakes family did while they were here. They would love to have us and it would be a great experience. Just let me know what you thoughts are. Also about my school schedule, I just want to know if there is any way that you could sign me up for a political science class? It´s a general class but I think it would be really neat to have that class and to learn more about everything that is taking place as of now in the United States.

The mission is doing great. This week we are planning to have 25 baptisms and from what it looks like we will be having at least 20 of those, which is another great week for the mission. This month will be the highest baptizing month of the year currently for our mission. We are progressing and I am blessed to be a part of the Lord marvelous work. President and Sister Resek go out of town to a mission presidents seminar on Tuesday and they will return on Saturday. Starting the 27th of August we begin the zone conferences and we will be talking a lot about the Doctrine of baptism which will be very interesting.

Over that past week we have found a lot of time in the sector and the Lord has blessed us for doing so. I love working in the sector and doing my part in sharing this marvelous message with these wonderful people here in Chile. It should be another great week for us in the mission and in the sector. Our branch is doing great and we have branch conference in two weeks. We are going to do a fireside with President Resek. The branch president is going to speak on the Apostasy and President Resek is going to speak on the Restoration. It will be great and we hope to have a good turnout.

Well Thanks for everything. I am so grateful for your examples and I cannot express the amount of love I have for each and everyone of you. Thanks for everything and make sure to tell everybody that I love them. Have a great week and always remember that when we obey we are blessed and that is why obedience is the first law in heaven. I love you, I love you, I love you.

1-4-3-4,

Elder Mason Neill Casper

Elder Casper 8/10/2008

Dear Family-

Hey guys how are you doing? How are Nana and Papa, Grams, Ash and Lace, Lauren and Cole and Harrison? How was your trip at the PGA championship Dad? How is the show and work going? I hope that all is well.

It’s been another crazy week and it has gone by faster than any other week in the mission. Saturday arrived rapidly and Elder Oakes parents arrived safely. They are great and it’s not too difficult to see where Elder Oakes comes from, his Mom is very spiritual and very emotional, she reminds me of you Mamma. His Dad is the most relaxed, laid back person I have ever met and Elder Oakes has always told me how meek he is.

On Wednesday one of my new companions arrived, Elder Rosales from Costa Rica. He left on his mission from the United States, from Tennessee. It has been fun to spend time with him and I have learned many wonderful things in such a short span of time. He also speaks fluently in English and is a great missionary. Last night we let our other companion Elder Del Guercio know that he will be with us next change. He is actually the missionary that trained Elder Rosales and he was 100% shocked that they are going to be companions again. It will be a really fun change. The new secretary arrived also on Wednesday and the new commissary arrived on Monday, it’s going to be a really fun group of guys to be around.

We had a great week last week with 14 baptisms in the mission and it looks like we are going to have a really good month as a mission here in August. Over that last 7 days we have had 4 missionaries and one sister missionary get really sick and they have had to be in the hospital and mission home so that has affected many of the sectors. It’s shocking to me to see how Satan works, when things are going well he always does his part to make them bad. President mentioned the other day that August could be the best month of the year up until now and that Satan is going to do everything in his power so that those children of God don’t get baptized. It is very true and it’s something we have noticed that whenever we are working well in the mission and when we have a lot of scheduled baptisms there is always opposition that tries to hold us back and for the most part it is through the health of the missionaries, very interesting.

We had a big surprise this week. On Friday, Pablo, Aileen´s brother had another interview with the branch president. Pablo wanted to set a goal for when he would be ready to baptize his little sister. It was a great interview and at the end of the interview President Ahumada called Elder Oakes into his office becasuse we were doing splits. The branch president said: "Elder Oakes, Pablo has something to tell you" then Pablo responded, "Elder, I am going to be able to baptize my sister on Sunday." On Saturday we had the baptismal interview at 10 a.m. and it went great. Then last night we had a family night with their family and the Oakes family, it was awesome and we shared about how the gospel blesses families. The Spirit was really strong and the dad even sat in on the lesson. The father of the family is named Milton, he is very closed to all religions because he is catholic. He always tells us we are welcome in his home but last night was the first time we were able to share our message with him. It was great because we asked him what his family meant to him and he responded, "My family is everything, everything I do is to make my family happy." We then talked a little bit about the plan of salvation and how our families can be eternal. He was impressed and the most important thing was that he had a very spiritual experience.

Today the baptism was great, Aileen invited a lot of friends and family, we were able to receive a few references from her. We have a couple of lessons this week that she is going to come with us to. Pablo baptized her and it was the ideal brother/sister baptism and at the end of the meeting Pablo stood up and bore his testimony and expressed his love to all of his family and how he hopes one day that they will be an eternal family. He and his two little sisters are the only members in his family and their biggest desire is that their mother, father and older sister can also become members of the church and one day be sealed as an eternal family. Pablo will also be receiving his mission papers next week, he made the decesion to serve a mission and he feels that now is the time that the Lord needs him. Over the past 6 weeks with that family I have developed a very special love and it has helped me to grow closer to the Lord. They have progressed as a family so much, even though the mother and father weren't baptized they have still come a long way and have made many great changes in their lives. What a blessing it is to be a missionary and representative of Jesus Christ.

It's change week and things have gone well so far. We have been really busy this past week, the busiest I have ever seen things in the office because of all the sick missionaries. One of the sick missionaries name is Hermana Sharps who Cami Slade trained, and she had surgery yesterday. She is doing well and will be going home on Tuesday from the hospital. Things are great other than that. I am so grateful to be here and to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have no doubt that this is Christ´s church and that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.

Thanks for you emails, I also received one from Lauren Young. I was great to hear from you all, thanks for you support, love and examples to me. Please send Toad my love and congratulate him for his faithful service. I love him so much and I truly treasure the friendship that we have. I love you all so dearly and I am so grateful to have such an amazing family, a family of love and righteousness. Thanks for everything, I love you with all of my heart and I can’t wait to hear from you all next week. Until then, work hard, study hard and do what is right and God will bless you beyond belief. I love you, I love you, I love you.

1-4-3-4,

Elder Mason Neill Casper

Elder Casper 8/03/2008

Dear Family-

Hey guys how are ya´ll doing? How are summer and the blistering heat? It´s still cold here and I cannot wait for it to warm up just a little bit. The only problem with the cold climate here is that it never snows, its always rain so its just not the same as Utah. But all is well here in Chile and the mission is doing well.

Last month wasn´t a good baptizing month for the mission, we only had 34 which is the least amount of the year. But the good this is that last year a good month for us was 34-40 and a bad month was 20 but now a bad month is 34-40 and a good month up around 55-60. We have come a long way and I feel so very blessed to be a part of this mission and to learn from all things here in Chile, both the good and the bad. I have learned so much over the past two years and I am so grateful for the privilege that I have had to be here and serve with these wonderful people. I feel focused on my mission and I still don’t see the end of the tunnel. It's all just normal even with Elder Oakes going home. He continues to work hard and has been a true example of dedication and love for the Lords work. Just so you know he has served in the office for a year as Secretary, Historian and Assistant, he is amazing.

Our sector is growing and this week it was hard to get to the sector due to a few meetings and special divisions that we have had. The Reyes Saavedra family isn´t doing too well and unfortunately I think we are going to have to leave them because they aren´t willing to make the changes necessary. Aileen is great and continues to grow and progress in the Gospel, she goes to seminary and mutual and she has become great friends with a few of the teenage girls in the branch. Her brother Pablo had a interview with President Ahumada on Wednesday because he has been wanting to have one and also because she wants him to baptize her. He needs to clear up a few things so we had to postpone her baptismal date and it will not be next Saturday. We still do not know what day it will be because Pablo is trying to do his part to be worthy and he is also getting his papers for the mission. I honestly love their family so much and I feel like they are part of our family. I will inform you when she will be baptized.

It sounds like Sissy & Grams are doing well, and that they are going to be working in the same office. Tell grams congratulations for her job, and that I love her dearly. Also, fill me in on the tryout with Sissy for American Idol, or if she even got the chance to tryout. I am sure she is getting really excited to move in to her new apartment and to start school, that’s awesome that she received that new internship from that graphic arts company and that will be a huge blessing while she is studying that in school. I was shocked by all the wedding announcements that you received this past week, it’s amazing how fast time goes and to think that a few more of my friends will be married in August. Elder Martínez my companion from Argentina got married on the 24th of July and he sent me his invitation, he is happy and his wife waited two years for him to return home. It is a little weird to think, that is the next step in life, studies and marriage.

On Monday, we had our weekly meeting with President Resek and it went really well, we are almost finished with all of the changes. It has been a trial trying to figure out who will be my next companion and president said on Monday that usually it is very clear in his mind who will be the next assistant, but this time no. We talked a lot about the missionaries and my future companions will both be Latin, which will be awesome for me. One of them is from Puerto Rico and the other from Uruguay. The funny thing is that Elder Del Guercio from Uruguay trained Elder Rosales from Puerto Rico and they are going to be companions again, that will be fun and I am stoked. Elder Rosales lived in Tennessee for 12 years and speaks English fluently. They are both amazing missionaries and it will be great to be with them for my last change. Elder Rosales will be coming to the office on Wednesday night and Elder Del Guercio will be coming on Monday in the normal change. We are also going to have a new Secretary and a new commissary so there will be four new office elders along with Elder Latimer and I. It will be a great change and we will be very busy this last change.

Mom it sounds like you had a blast over the past week with the boys and all of the activities that you did. Timpanogas cave...I totally understand where Cole is coming from, it is a long hike. Tell Cole and Harrison that I love them and congratulate them for that achievement. Its crazy that school is only 3 weeks away, I swear that summer goes by faster and faster each year, especially when you aren’t there. Dad it sounds like San Diego was a good trip, that Taylormade has come out with a few new clubs, and attire, that is neat and it will be fun to see it all. How is the show doing? Please let me know, and always remember that God will bless you due to our obedience as a family to his commandments and I know that is true.

President and the Resek family are doing great, we had Zone Leader counsel on Friday and it was good to get together and see how we are doing as a mission. Last month wasn´t that great of a month, and for that reason we have council meetings, to learn, teach and reach a conclusion of what we need to do in order to better the Lords work. It was a good meeting.

Sister Resek wrote me a really nice letter on Friday and it helped me a lot. I feel so blessed to be able to work with them and to learn so much about how I want to be in the future. I will miss them so much but I will always remember the valuable teachings I have received from them.

This week is going to be another crazy one with all of the ending missionaries going home and also with 3 of the 4 new office elders coming to the office. Please keep us in your prayers and pray for us to be able to find new people to teach. We will do our part by searching to find them. Also don’t only pray for the missionaries, but also do as Elder Bednar taught in Aprils conference by being "full time finders." While we as missionaries are full time teachers, share your testimonies with those you come into contact with, especially you dad, you deal with non members all of the time, share your testimony and invite them to listen to the missionaries. I will be doing the same thing within 8 weeks and I know how it is to be a missionary and to not have the cooperation of the members, help them out and I promise that you will be blessed. I love you guys with all of my heart and I can't wait to hear from you next week. Have a great week, work hard, study hard and do what is right and you will be blessed.

1-4-3-4,

Elder Mason Casper