Hola de Chile‏

Hola de Chile‏

Come to think about it, Chile is an amazing place. It’s like nothing I have seen. It’s like the USA but about 15 or 20 years behind mas o menos.. Sorry for my Spanglish. I try to talk all Spanish but it is hard. Even here.,

Chile is cool. The campo (I mean country side) is beautiful with some great stuff to see. The sunsets here, when you can actually see them, are awesome. But it has been cold and hot off an on depending on the day. It is always foggy in the morning. My day is 7 to 11; long days and lots of walking. I am in a town north and a little east of Concepcion. It is called Cauquenes. I think I spelled it right. I will be here for about 3 or 4 cambios or transfers. That’s how Pres. Chavez does it. The city is pretty trashy but I expected it. It is a 3 hour bus ride from Concepcion,. So, Tuesday was a long day with not only flights but buses too. I was just glad my bags didn’t get lost.

Well, my trainer is Edler Farrelly and he is from Mesa, AZ. He goes home at the end of this transfer so I will have a new companion. He is a cool guy and I like him. In 5 weeks or so I have to learn this area and learn to understand the people. I can talk above average, people say, but I can’t understand anything, so it makes things really hard. people talk to me and I give them a weird look cause I don’t know what they are saying to me. I don’t know how to understand or learn to but I pray for the help constantly. But I guess I will just have to keep trying my hardest and work harder too.

This week has been busy and full of walking. We have nobody really to teach so it is mostly contacting and knocking on doors. Here we don’t knock on doors cause they all have gates. So we stand at the gate and yell ALO. Its funny but i am used to it now. My contacts are getting really good I usually start them and then Elder Farrelly gives the rest cause I can’t understand what they are saying, usually. We have two families we are teaching, but nothing too exciting. They are progressing slowly, but I teach about 20 or 30 percent just cause I can’t understand. I want to do more but its hard to ask questions and not understand the answer. It defeats the purpose. I am trying really hard and at the end of the day I am dead. That’s how it should be. It’s hard work but it’s great work. I hope I catch on soon cause if not I am in real trouble, ha ha. I am trying my hardest to do my part and I hope the Lord will make up the rest...I know he will but I need to wait ...it’s his time table...this is His work.

The ward here has about 55 active, so Sunday was interesting. I got to participate in two confirmations of theses two kids that were baptized last week, Nick and Joanna. I can’t remember their last name. It was cool and I introduced myself to the Ward. I hope they could understand me (I think so). Nobody can say my name and most people don’t even try, but it is all good. They have a couple of months to figure it out. Also, after lunch yesterday, the family wanted Elder Farrelly and I to give there daughter a blessing - IN SPANISH!!!!!!!!! I was so nerves. I read the anointing out of the missionary manual. But I did it. I feel so stupid because I don’t know anything but I am trying.

I went and did all my visa stuff this morning and I should have it in 2 months and then I have to go register it and get my Chilean ID, which I need, but that will be in two months or so. I am on a tourist visa as of right now for 90 days. Just keep an eye on my account. I had to pay the tax to get into Chile with my card because the guy wouldn’t take any ripped or torn bills, stupid guy. So, I had to pay with my card. I hope I don’t over draw.

The food here is good. I have gotten used to eating onions; lots of those here. Still don’t like them but I have to eat. We only eat two meals a day. I have a bowl of cereal for breakfast and then the members feed us lunch. Our lunch is two hours, 1:30 to3:30, then we work to 10 pm. It gets a little sketchy at night, but we usually have appointments. Las night we didn’t, so, we were contacting basically all day. There are a million dogs here and they are all over. Some are nice but most want to eat us. I miss my fuzzy pups. Tell her hi for me. The members wash our clothes but as of right now we have nobody who will do them so we are almost out of them. We will probably be doing them by hand. But, oh well. It is a whole different world here. I’m not in Kansas anymore but everyone here knows about CA. When I tell them where I am from, they go oh California, ha ha. Some people here hate Americans and others don’t care. It’s weird. The music here is mostly American stuff which cracks me up.

We have to pay to use the internet but I think it is only about 500 pesos an hour or something. I get 80 million pesos or $150 a month for food but I have been using my personal money because my card didn’t work last week but it did this week. So, I got money. That’s all I can think of now. This week was like running into a brick wall. President and Hermana Chavez are cool. Apparently Pres. Chavez is a seventy but not in the first or second quorum. Someone tried explaining it to me but I really didn’t understand. I was wondering why he spoke such good English. He has been in for two years so next July I will get a new Mission President. He is a really cool guy and loves this work. We are not allowed to play any sports though which sucks but rules are rules. Hermana Chavez is fun. She tries to talk in English but doesn’t have much success, ha ha. Ha ha, at least she can understand it. I can’t even understand Spanish, ha ha. Everyone asks if my name is German and in Spanish Dutch and German are “alemán.” So it is an easy question to answer. I just say, sí. Well, tell everyone hi for me and that I am doing well. I’ve got to write the Mission President a letter so I got to go.

I love you all so much and hope all is well. Don’t send me those shirts I don’t need them and you all can email me. It is probably the fasts way. Oh, and I think I lost a memory card and I am hoping it was in one of those packages I sent home if it is, just keep it. I don’t need it. Don’t bother sending anything but letters cause it will probably get jacked. I really hope I didn’t lose that card but I think you had gotten all the photos off it. It was the one I sent home. If you have it just keep it.

Well I think that is it. I love you all. I know this is the true Church. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t. I love you all and you are in my prayers everyday. Love you.
Love, Eric

Your Missionary Has Arrived!

On August 24, 2009 Elder Kuykendall left Utah for Chile.
We had a brief phone conversation before he boarded the flight to Chile. He flew from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Los Angeles, California to Santiago Chile, to Concepcion Chile.
On Thursday August 26, an email arrived from the Chile Concepcion Mission office with the following letter and photo attached

Dear Family,
Well everything went perfectly and I got all my bags on all of my flights. It was long, but I am here safe and sound. Chile is awesome and I love it here, and I have only been here a couple of hours. My Spanish needs a lot of work, but it will come to me.
I am so excited to finally be here and start teaching and preaching. I love you all so much and want to thank you for all of your love and support.
It is a whole different world down here, but I already love it and cannot wait to meet the members, the people in Concepcion and in my Mission. It is crazy that this day is already here, but I hope I am prepared.

President and Sister Chavez are awesome. They have so much energy and I know I will learn a lot from them. I am so excited and even though my Espanol is not great I am going to work really hard, I have a lot of stories to tell y’all.
I love you all so much and I know this Church is true and this is the Lord’s work. I know through this work we bring families together for eternity. I want people to have the blessing we have.
Te Amo Mucho,
Love, Elder “Eric” Kuykendall

*Eric has been assigned to serve in the city of Cauquenes, Chile. From the map we estimate it is about 60 miles north of Concepcion.

Ready To Go

Sorry this message is going to be short the computer keeps deleting my message for some lame reason. How are you all doing? What is new?
Thank you all for the ties and all the letters and stuff everyone is jealous of me because of my ties. I will be sending a package home with some stuff on Saturday so look for that. I am good I am nervous to go but so super excited and happy to be getting out of here.
I love you all so much. My Spanish is getting pretty good and we have just been teaching all week. It is hard to stay focused and get stuff done. Crazy, Crazy I think I am going to try and call the girls from Salt Lake City and you and dad from Los Angeles that is my plan at least. I am not excited for all the travel but super excited for Chile it is going to be so awesome. I will be freezing but it will be great.
Elder Thomas and I are getting along great. I am going to miss him but we will see each other once and a while. He is going to be a great missionary. I am glad to have been able to help him with Spanish and help him grow. Speaking of growing I am super fat, oh well I am hoping to be skinny in Chile.
I don't have much to chat about sorry. My mind is on packing and my laundry right now. I hope to here from you all before I leave but if not talk to you on Monday. I love you all so much, I know this work is the work of the Lord He will help me. I love you so much. Well I don't have anything else sorry! I am just so un-focused. I love you all so much!
Love, Eric

Travel Plans

So I have my travel plans and I am so excited. I leave on the 24th from Salt Lake City, what a surprise! I sent you a copy and my memory card and a book for Pops. So here it is really quick
LV: SLC 9:45 AM 24 TH
AV: LAX 10:48 AM 24TH DELTA
LV: LAX 1:20 PM 24TH
AV:SCL SANTIAGO CHILE 5:25 AM 25TH LAN CHILE
LV SCL SANTIAGO 8:00 AM 25TH
AV:CC CONCEPCION 9:10 AM 25TH LAN CHILE
It stinks though because Delta charges $50 for my second bag! It is ridiculous and I only get 1 17lb carry on which is going to be hard. Oh well I hope you get that stuff I sent you soon and please send the card back asap. I love you all so much. I have three hour layover in LA so I will call you all then! I love you talk to you later,
Love, Eric

I can't wait to get to Chile

Hey everyone how are you doing? What’s new? I heard from Elder Bates and he says Chile is awesome and I can't wait to get down there. He said He already has two baptisms.
I am doing well it has been a busy stressful week but I made it through and this coming week is going to be the same. I get my travel plans today so I am hoping to make this short so I can email you about my plans!!!!!!
I got to be a host missionary again yesterday and they changed the drop-off procedure again, they have 25 stations and 100 missionaries every 15 min. It was crazy and hot. I had to carry luggage to the fourth floor three times. I met some Elders going to Czech Republic I was jealous but, I love Spanish and I can't wait to get to Chile!
We get to go to the temple dedication next Sunday. It will be fun but it seems like all we do here is sit but I must sit before I can walk.
I love all my ties but i would like more maybe not from Mr Mac or Missionary Mall everyone has those and you know me I hate having the same tie as someone else.
I am not district leader anymore I was unassigned on Sunday. It was time, the Hermanas have problems with getting corrected...they got in trouble for not sitting next to their companions and I had told them they needed to and they didn't listen.....oh well I tried.
Elder Mudgett is with a different companionship because I was missing too much class with both Elder Thomas and Mudgett’s appointments.
About mail this week I don't get dearelder.coms on Saturday so your last one should be Friday morning next week. They just throw away those that arrive after I leave because they have no way to get them to me. Don’t mail anything if it won't get here by Saturday morning because it will get sent back or thrown away. Just reminding you all! I am taking a suit to get dry cleaned today and my other on Tuesday and washing my other pants next week, lots to get done. I have some stuff to send home. I am worried about weight issues so I only have one thing of contact solution that I am using cause they are heavy so don't send anything please, I can either get it here or in Chile it will be fine. I need to make sure I have the right converter too. I am pretty sure I do but if not I can just get it here they are cheap. Sorry my letter is boring I just am excited to get my plans.
I love you all so much I hope everyone is doing great. I am giving up English well trying I still have a hard time but my teaching is really good. Both of my teachers are impressed and they say the other stuff will come with time. I am going to wrap this up for now but you will hear from me later around 5ish with my flight plans. I will copy it and send it too you too. I think I am going to send my letters and stuff home cause they weigh a lot and I need every lb. please keep them. I will be sending a memory card home so just get the pictures off it and send back asap. I am good on everything else.
I love you all . The church is true and we have a Profeta hoy to help guide us. I love you and next email will be an exciting one I promise!!!!!!!!!Love, Eric

hola, como estan? que paso?

hola, como estan? que paso?
Hey everyone how is everything going? How are you all doing? What’s new? What’s old? What’s cool/boring? Thank you all for your letters and stuff this week it feels so good to be loved!!!! Thank you all for the new ties and shirts. The shirts fit and well the ties I am refraining from wearing because everyone has missionary mall ties and I hate seeing someone with the same tie as I am wearing, thank you so much I love them.
Hey Mom I think I might send home some long sleeve shirts of mine, I will be pushing the weight limit. So I will just send them home also with the other stuff. If go lAN Chile down there I only get 1 17lb carry on so I will have to pack my backpack which stinks. Some Elders that flew on American to Chile and said they got a forty lbs carry on, I guess I will have to wait and see next week when I get my flight plans. I got an address book for people I serve with and I think I might get a small one for address and such.
Can I get Hermana Black’s Chile address because it will be faster to send letters to her with Chilean mail. That is what I plan on doing with Elder Bates too. I got the phone card, Thank you and I have a million stamps. I can only call my family so I can't call Donny or Nick, but I will get to talk to you for a little bit. I want airmail paper and stuff but I think my weight will be really close so don't worry about it. I think that is all the boring stuff for the week.
Well yesterday we got to be host missionaries for all the new Elders and Sisters. They have already improved the system and it goes super fast now. They have 100 missionaries arriving every half hour so it was a lot of work to say the least. It brought back memories of a month and some ago. I saw Elder Hardester, he seems to be doing great. I thought he might be in my zone but no luck. He has class on the 5th floor, that is a lot of stairs everyday but I could use them.
I am in a tripod! I mean a three-some now because Elder Mudgett had shoulder surgery and had to stay behind when his companion left. He was in Elder Bate’s district.
I sang in the choir on Tuesday it was fun. I haven’t gotten Nick or Don’s letters yet so I am a little worried. I also need to send my sunglasses home as well can't have those. I love you all so much and thank you for everything.
I know God lives and His son is Jesucristo and I know through the atonement we can live with God again. I know the church is true and Jose Smith was a Profeta. I know Thomas S. Monson is the Profeta today. I love you all so much and I will see you all soon, love you.
Love, Elder Kuykendall