June 10, 2013

Hellew! 

we get that a lot here because we say 'hola' to literally everybody and we get some 'hellews' back at us. hahahaha. 

Ok seriously it´s crazy how right now is June.  Weirdest June ever...baby its cold outside.  Its funny because everybody here sees us on the nicer days with just a sweater and they think we´re crazy, when really it is still 60 degrees.  Everybody asks us if we have coats and to go bundle up. ahahaha. theyre so cute.  

So we found a new investigator this week.  Her name is Milena, and she is awesome!  She is about 22 and she invited us in.  She really listened too, most people here talk...and talk...and talk...and talk....and a lot of the time, all you can say is, 'si, oh si!' or 'en serio?' Spanish is a very fast language and so you have to be careful about the questions you ask sometimes.  Its tricky when you dont really know how to respond in any other way either a lot of the time..haha.  We are excited to go back and teach her again.  

Chileans are so funny!  Ok, really anybody down here is, but they're so awesome.  We were talking to a member of our ward and asking how he was.  He speaks a little English, and his accent is very good, so we asked if there was anything we could do to help him. he said, 'do you...want to make a message to my feet?' but really he was asking for a foot massage.  it kind of made my day and we had a good laugh about that.  

We taught Cristina and Valentina again this week.  They´re both awesome, especially Valentina, who reads every chapter assigned to her and is super psyched about learning.  Cristina talks super fast, and I don't really know where she is at.  Their problem is, they never assist and they live really far...so its a bit tricky!  We're going to bring members more often to them from now on I think to get some help there! La soc soc had an activity with making chocolate.  yeah surprised? me too, you don't find much chocolate around here for dessert...like ever, so that was super fun.  There was a menos activo that came too, and i think she had a really good time!  If we want chocolate around here, the cheapest good stuff is negritas, which in america is probably really waxy cheap chocolate, but ooohhh man are they delicious.  Occasionally we will get ice cream, but the ice cream down here isn't that good either.  It dissolves in your mouth instantly so its kinda lame.  Chile has its food fortes elsewhere, like their bread and fruit.  

On Friday, we had a lesson with Francisco and taught him about how cool captain teancum is.  I think it kinda sparked his interest because it definitely sparks Hermana Schrader and mines interest.  The war chapters of the book of mormon are seriously the BEST!!!! aw mi favorito!  Sooo epic indeed.  We decided Teancum reminds us of spiderman.  Just read about that guy.  Sometimes I wish there was a book of teancum and his adventures of combat. ok ok. nerd. but for reals.

After our missionary coordination meeting, we went to Alejandro's to go over a few last things with him before his baptism.  he is really forgetful and is missing some teeth, so a little hard to understand.  His wife (as of last MONDAY!!!) is kind of our translator and helps us out a lot.  He just likes to talk a ton like most people here and its hard to get in and out in the time that you want.  We decided to take Milo, and he saved our lives on that one...hahaha.  We had to cover tithing, Thomas s Monson, and baptism (he had his first interview and didn't remember those, so we were just reviewing those 3 topics).  Milo is a super good teacher and we aspire to learn from him, so he helped us out there.  It was nice too because I think Alejandro, as well as Oriana, listened, and were ready.  

Happy ending?  Alejandro got baptized yesterday!!!! Best experience so far.  The guy has been coming to church for over a year now, and really until recently, has his wife started listening to the lessons.  She came with him to his interview in the chapel and we gave her a tour, and then sat in the chapel and talked to her.  I think she really felt the spirit at the church.  We sat down and she told us how she was brought up hardcore catholic by her grandmother.  Her grandma changed religions, and that left her being really confused and just really left in the dark.  With Hermana Ortega, I remember she told us she has been praying, and we know she reads the book of Mormon because she reads it to Alejandro because he doesn't have great eyesight.  At the chapel, I gave her a picture of the salt lake temple and she really liked it.  She is really receptive-she studies things and allows herself to be taught, and she is very smart.  We have invited her to baptism, but she says later.  She is coming to church next week for Alejandro's confirmation and then we're hoping the third one we can get her in the water!  

Alejandro's baptism...I didn't think it would impact me that much.  I wasn't the missionary who found him or taught him or got him to progress and go to church for a year, but it was really cool.  He was kinda nervous at first ( at least i think...hes hard to understand), but he got baptized.  Afterwards, when our bishop was talking to him, I thought about how far he has come, even in the past week, how much he has done and given to grow closer to God.  And how he is the cleanest person in that chapel too.  He went up and shared a little bit (didn't quite understand it, but i think it was about the missionaries finding him?) and afterwards, we saw that oriana had started crying.  All of the ward went up and shook his hand and hugged Oriana and gave her a greeting.  (kiss on the cheek-we all do it here).  We talked to our district leader about Alejandro as well, and he said during the interview, Alejandro told him his wife really likes the church.  So were hoping!!  Keep yo fingers CROSSED!!!!!  

It's interesting being a missionary and it has its challenges.  For one thing, you want to keep the rules and be obedient and want to know the language.  Its sooo easy to get frustrated with yourself.  Myself especially because I think I set my expectations really high.  Sometimes I really can't say what I want to say, like at bishops council yesterday.  Everybody kinda feels bad, but it can be soooo difficult sometimes!  I think the thing I'm learning though, is that were really not going to be perfect at first.  It´s a learning process that really tests your patience and receive comfort from the true comforter.  I don't really know how to explain that very well, but yeah.  My companion is awesome too because it is hard, but we can still have a good time.  We have a lot of help from people too which is definitely a blessing.  It's a rollercoaster, but I love feeling that I'm becoming someone better.  It's better to take things one at a time and enjoy them.  As grandpa says, stop and smell the roses.  Wise wise words there be!

We have some good laughs about things, like people always say, 'pero clarrrro' which means, 'but sureeeee'.  chile is so epic. hahaha.  I seriously am working to have a legit Chilean accent when i come back to the states.  be prepared.  

That's funny about the two Chileans on the trek!  They are very short!  Even to me and I'm not even that tall.  I am pretty sure most of the ladies in our ward are no more than 5 foot. probably 4'5.  Here they don't measure in feet though, so its hard to say.  I love the trek too.  That's pretty cool.

T liked the calf birth story. that's crazy!  way to gos

that still blows me away justin and jenn are married. dang.  

oh my goodness.  we saw other gringas this week.  they weren't just gringas, but they were like bleach blonde, blue eyed gringas...in Recreo of all places.  There's no tourism or anything really in Recreo, so it was kind of a surprise.  my companion and i joked that this was not okay because we are the gringas in this territory!  they looked suprised to see us too...lol.  

well have a good week. enjoy da fotos.  See you ´round. 

cuidese!

hermana hanks

took my comp to eat her first completo. yummm yall

for the kids. a little bit of chilean culture! lol 

TOTALLY AN ACCIDENT!!!

this little devil dog...we call satanas because it pretty much wants to rip your head off when you walk by. i think that chain gets closer and closer to breaking each day. yikkkkkesssss. 

ajajajjajaja