hola mi familia, ¿cómo están?
How you all doing it was so nice to see all the letters in my inbox. I was so excited this morning to come and do email it is the highlight of my week so far. well it sucks that my memory card wasn’t in the boxes. I was really hoping it would be but oh well I just wanted to be able to look at those pictures. I don´t need another one I have enough space with the 2, I have here so no worries. That Powerpoint was super cool. I liked seeing all the pretty parts of Chile Cauquenes is pretty trashy but so are most of these smaller towns. It gets a little peligroso (dangerous) around here at night and so we try and get all our appointments at night. We don´t have much luck with that with only 2 investigators. So we are walking the streets and knocking doors until 10 pm most of the time. But we know which parts to avoid and usually walk pretty fast.
If you have looked at the weather lately in Chile, it has rained for the past three days straight. Missionary work stinks when it rains, nobody to contact in the streets and nobody wants to let us in cause we are wet. That jacket we got at Mr Mac is only water resistant! So....it works good if it sprinkles or rains for a little bit but, needless to say I have been wet for the past three days and it was not fun. I was soaked to the bone at least my upper half. Surprisingly my legs didn´t get that wet. Don´t worry I am going to get a real rain coat today one that is 100% impermeable haha. No big deal it is all good. I have learned my lesson haha.
The lady that did our laundry just doesn´t want to do it anymore. We convinced her to do it this week one last time since we are both like out of clean clothes. From now on we will spend most of p-day washing clothes. The problem is drying them, we can´t hang it up outside so our apartment will be colder and wetter, but we will live.
Well to answer your questions Mom here I go. We live in an apartment it is an okay size, bigger than most places in the mission.I hope I lose weight. Everyday we walk to one of our investigator’s house in the campo (country). It is a 45 min walk and we go out there three times a week. Our apartment is on the edge of our area so nobody lives close to us. Yes, missionaries in Chile are not allowed to wear sunglasses and we can´t have backpacks because if we get robbed we could get hurt taking off a backpack. está bien.
On Wednesday we had zone conference in Talca, its 2 hours north of Cauquenes. It was good except I couldn´t understand of anything because I can´t understand Spanish. I got to bear my testimony and my companion did too because he leaves at the end of this cambio (transfer). I have to get better at learning this sector because in 4 weeks I have to know it like the back of my hand. It is a big area. We have interviews with President Chavez this week in Parral tomorrow.
Because of the rain there we only 34 people at church yesterday, 20 less than last week. That is basically my week. Anytime Chile plays in the World Cup, I think nobody wants to talk to us even the members.
I am still struggling with the language. People talk to me and I give them a funny look because I have no idea what they are saying. I feel so stupid sometimes but all I can do is keep trying and expand my vocab. It is hard but hopefully it will come soon.
I haven´t gotten your letter yet cause we only get mail at Zone Conference, at interviews, or District Meeting. It all depends if someone can get the mail up here. They don´t make special trips but if someone is traveling up here they will bring it. Hopefully I will get it tomorrow, we will see.
There is stuff I need/want but since packages get stolen and stuff I am worried about you sending it to me. But i need it. Just put like a picture of Mary on it or something. People won´t take things if they look catholic, I don’t know! You can ask other people how to make it safer like the Blacks or Halls.
Here is the list (contact solution is 17 bucks here so expensive).
-contact solution 1 or 2 bottles
-my camera usb cable(so I can download to a comp and send to you)
-airmail paper/envelops
-a smaller jacket like fleece or something that is not so big and bulky.
-bath towel I only have one right now and need to wash it. Not a huge one just one from the house will be fine it doesn´t have to be new.
-another pair of sweatpants and sweat shirt
You don´t have to send it all at once cause if it got jacked we would lose it all. I just need the solution and camera chord right now. If you could do that that would be great. I love you. I hope it doesn´t get jacked, I will pray for safe mailing.
Food here is nothing special I crave fast food though but whatever I will live. I am doing good things are good but slow. I just want to understand Spanish so bad.
The saddest thing happened this week....I was taking a picture with Castida (my Gnome) and he fell on the ground and his foot broke off I am going to try andf fix it with glue. poor guy didn’t even last more than three months. I have got to wrap this up I hope you all are doing great sounds like you all are busy and stuff. I am busy too. I love you all so much and thank you so much for everything. I know the work I am doing is true, it is hard and frustrating but it is true. I know God lives and loves us all. I love you all
love, Eric