"The Night The Lights Went Out In Chile'"

hola familia mía, ¿cómo estai chiquillos? Que te pases lo chancho!
How is it going all you folks in the calm relaxed world of the riches and glamour...haha at least that is what all the Chilenos think of the USA.
As you can tell from the title of this email I am going to write a song and steal the tune from Reba but it is okay we will be on tour in a year and a half haha....no but I do have a good story behind this.
We were in the house of Luis and Gerthy our investigators who got back from Santiago this week, and they are doing great. I want to take a picture with them to send because their baby is so freaking cute. She has gotten a little chubbier though, the sad news is Luis is leaving this week to work in Antofogasta....he will work 20 and rest 10....ugh but oh well they are doing good and it was great to meet and talk with them but anyway....We were just about ready to watch the movie la restauracion and when I hit play.......weeeeeeeemmmmmmmm....lights se fueron....the lights went out. Luis called his family in Santiago and they said the lights from Antofogasta all the way to the south were out in Chile and nobody knew why....I am telling you it was pitch black and no moon or stars were out, it was like walking around with you eyes closed at night. No light at all. Basically the power was out in about 90% of Chile, ridiculous right? We stayed with them till 9:45 but had to leave and go home. We stopped by the Obispo´s house to borrow a flashlight because we couldn’t see a thing and didn’t want to get robbed...just kidding Mom! We made it home safely and the lights came back on around 6 am, it was funny like camping but in a foreign country.
We had a good week. Three investigators came to church, but some that made a hand shake promise with me and didn’t come.....I have gotten to be very blunt with this because if I am not they don’t do the compromisios, but I am blunt with lots of love because it is true. I want them to follow through with these things so they can receive the blessing I have. They just need a push....really hard one.
Yesterday in the calle there were about 10 chicos persigiendonos when they came running at us to swear at us I yelled "CUIDATE! TE VOY A BAUTIZAR!"( Be careful I will baptize you!) HaHa, they stopped dead in their tracks they still swore at us though. Chicoscan can be really annoying sometimes in the street. We were in a Nagocio and this drunk guy came in totally smashed, and just fell smack down and broke a bunch of wood crates.....my companion helped him up and he stumbled out into the middle of the road and passed out, good thing it wasn’t a busy road...it is sad to see people like that. There are laws here but nobody enforces them and nobody seems to care.
On Friday all the missionaries here in Chillán had a big treat, we had a small zone conference with Elder Zabellos y Elder Cañoles of the Seventy. Elder Zabellos is in the Presidencia de Area. They have been in all of Chile visiting members and missionaries to help and give them hope and to excite them. It was a powerful time to be able to listen to a general authority and hear his appreciation for us and our work. He expressed how we are the face of the church and how we need to be digno to bare that responsibilidad. awesome guy. They brought us chocolate to cheer us up too, it has been good to get back to work as usual here and pushing along. We might have entravistas this week but not 100% sure...I know President Chavez is still really concerned said that cambios wont be a lot this time just enough to fill holes and stuff so I might have another cambio with Elder Gallo it will be hard...oh well.
Today we had a zone activity and we did an American bar b que! They tried to start the coal but failed twice so Elder Bastow and I stepped in and lit them up good and hot....wooohooo....lets cook Bessy!. I tell you only Americans know how to do it...not to brag but I tell you "soy capo" haha. I am the Grill Master! We used a grill that has been sitting at our house and worked awesome, so good I attached a pic of me going to town on my slab of beef.....so good just salted very well and cooked to a medium well so good! I will have to get more pictures from the other Elders but it was super fun. My zone is sick minus my companion just kidding, I love him but he is a pain in my side haha.
I have attached some photos to show you all what is going on here, I will see if I can put a description on them and if not I will do it at the bottom of this letter.
MOM, did you send me a new journal because mine is all used up I have started to write on paper, so if not could you throw one in the next package. I will keep you posted on the packages. If they are in Concepscion I won’t get them till either next zone conference in 2-3 weeks or when Pres. Chavez comes up here but I will get them some time no importa if before or after my birthday.
I love you all so much and hope you all are doing super. I know there is no other place I need to be but here right now in this time there are people I need to save and help.
cuidense mucho. que dios les bendiga. les amo mucho y les quiero tambien.
Love Eric