The 4th of July, Funfetti Cake, and a day in the Snow of the Andes Mountains

Goooooood afternoon boyz and girlz,
Well how is my crazy.....awesome family doing? How did your 4th celebrations go? I hope they went just awesome, I had a good one too....it started with singing the National Anthem to some members in the church and then a special dinner from la Familia Cristy and remember that awesome Funfetti cake mix and frosting you sent me?....well we baked that and frosted it up and it was the best thing I have had in a year! The family loved it and wanted more to be sent. I told them they would have to wait till Christmas haha but they are willing to do it. It was so much fun. It was a rainy day but got out to work and my comp and I both had killing headaches but pushed through.
It was another hard week out for us and again my weekly report to the District Leaders didn’t really reflect what we had accomplished. What I have learned is that numbers don’t show how hard you are working and that you cannot judge just off that right? Had a mini cambio with my district leader but I went to his sector with his comp...anyway it went good.
On Thursday we had a last minute conference here in Talca to meet President and Hermana Humphrey. They are really nice and cool. I like them a lot and he said that we will have zone conference every 12 wks and interviews too, the First Presidency wants the mission pres. and wife work more hands on in the field with the missionaries teaching and really being part of the work...I like it I would love the chance to work side by side Pres. Humphrey. I immediately won his heart saying I was from CA, since he is from the Sacramento area. haha I am just cool like that. I like him and I got my Dear Elder package. I love beef jerky and those cookies are so good.
I got a letter from Heidi this week and I feel so bad because she is waiting one from me. I have like 7 pages written and in the envelope ready to go but don’t know where mail office is here in Talca....have to find it. I also got a letter from Elder Oliver San Martin, he was from my ward in Chillan. I always asked him to come out with us to help him prepare for his mission. He wrote me a letter thanking me for the help and encouragement, and experiences I shared with him. He told me I was right about the strong spirit that is felt, he should be in the his first sector in Antafogasta by now....I think he is a cool guy and snowboards so we are going to plan a trip so I can come and board the white dusted mountains of Chile. These letters gave me a mid week boost I needed.
Speaking of white dusted mountains...........
Today we had a zone activity and we went to a place called......Vilches, it is about a 1 1\2 hour trip from Talca so at 7:30 this morning met up in centro and got in the car, chauffeur thing, and went off. It was all rainy and so I thought it would stink but it was fun. We have to hike like an hour to get to the snow but it was so nice. I was trying to find something to snowboard with but no luck, my feet and legs were cold and my shoes and jeans were soaked but I got to see and be in snow and that is so good with me. I am the king of snowball fights. Had a good time but I am dead tired from hiking so many photos and will send another email with more of them. There wasn’t a bunch of snow but it was fun. It was cloudy but when the clouds moved out for a bit the towering Andes mountains towered over head it was amazing to see that and once in the lifetime thing I wish I had a super amazing wide lens slow shutter camera to really show the beauty and how big the peaks are. It was long and tiring but fun. I enjoyed myself of course. I hope you all love the Photos from, the trip and from 4th.
Thank you so much for everything that you do for me and for the letters and words of comfort and everything. I love you all so much and miss you all a bunch but time is flying so fast I cannot believe this cambio is almost half over......wow. I love you and think about you all the time. Take care and keep going I love you so much. Never be happy where you are, keep pushing forward and never give up because our Heavenly Father is waiting for us at the end.........and He is with us the whole trip. I love you all so much and send my greetings and love to all so much. Talk to you later.
Love Eric
Vamos USA.........oh by the way I think either Germany or Holland will win mundial