Christmas and Government Bureaucracy 12/20

Hey, Hey, Hey,

How is everyone doing this week? My week did fly by and I cannot believe it is already Christmas..... It doesn’t feel like it because I have other things in my head like investigator problems and tiredness but it is a good thing, I guess. I love it! This week I tried out the new pans you send me.....well the non-stick coating was great but they aren’t good to use in Chilean gas ovens.....the brownie was burned to a crisp but it was okay with lots of ice cream it was good....oh well but thanks Mom, its all good.

Yesterday found out 5 minutes before sacrament meeting that I had to talk, and so I spoke about the atonement and well I did think it was that good. I got a lot of compliments. I don’t think I teach and talk well but whatever. I hope at least I have improved. We went to a Christmas devotional done by the mission last night and was great. I had an investigator Clara and her kids, some members and converts came also, it was great and was a good time.

Today got up early to go do my ID card in Concepcion and had to wait in line for 3 1/2 hours. It took it all out of me but I had to do it because if not I would have gotten fined Well I have a lot more to tell but I don’t have a lot time because it is late but I will tell you all about when we talk on Saturday. Sorry this is so short but the waiting in line all day thing set us back, but we will talk soon

I love you all so much and hope you have a great week and enjoy the holiday and remember our savior and all he does for us. I love being here because helps me focus on Him all the time and I am grateful for that. I love you so much and think about you all the time love you ttyl
Love Eric

Tome "City of Hills" 12/6

Hey what’s up in San Jose?

What do you all tell of you week, good bad, funny stories? I hope you all are doing good and I am happy to hear that Mom is doing good. It has been on my mind all week but good to know all is good now.
As you know I had to make a very long trip from Talca to Tome it was very long. I left at 11am and got here around 3:30, it was a long time to be sitting on a bus especially because I went to bed around 4am on Monday night because had to pack and got up at 6am to finish and get ready to go. In the morning I had to go to centro and pick up my visa before Ileft Talca but the good thing is that I am legal now yay!!!!! haha no its all good now I have to go to Concepcion next Monday to register it and to do the papers for my carnet but it is easy, I just have to wait in a bunch of lines and stuff but cool. I plan to hit up the best food places in Concepcion haha. I am doing well tired because this whole place is hills, hills, hills. There is no flat ground....well there is but it is basically the beach and the centro but isn’t much and we are never there we are always climbing some hill. There is one that is called El Cerro Santo it is the biggest here in Tome, it is about 550 meters tall......it is straight up almost. It is funny to see the cars trying to climb the hill will send some pics. I will have huge muscular legs after this sector. I like it here but the smell of the ocean and the beach gets me thinking about home but not a lot. When we were going to church yesterday saw a bunch of guys going to the beach to surf and all pass in front of the church because it is like one block from the beach. It is sure different here than my other sectors just because I don’t know but it is different not being in flat dry hot areas...but I like it here it is fun. Our ward mission leader got back from his mission like 6 weeks ago so he is cool and helps us out a lot and actually we went to his house yesterday and we are teaching his sister. She is so cool she has a fecha for the 26 December but I am sure we will move it up a week. I was so happy this week because were we searching so hard for people and had a very hard time. I got here and there were no investigatoes so it was starting from scratch and contacts. But we got some great references from members this week so that was good. I hope to be able to help this ward out and get this place going there are over 1000 inactive members on the list......crazy huh and there were 126 at church yesterday....oh yay something weird I have sac meeting last so weird for me but oh well it helps people get to church.
We had 4 inv yesterday in church and 2 we found this week I was so happy to see that, the last cambio was hard but we have 4 people that can get baptized this month and I am sure they will. I like it here just have to get used to the way of life and to the members and stuff and the people. It is weird I can tell a difference in the accent here than in other parts and even my accent has changed now and i speak like they do here....you got to conform to it so I don’t look like such an outsider. I don’t know what else to say.....I live in a house of 4 again and we are in the 4th floor of an apartment building. I tell you it was fun to haul my stuff up those stairs but with help we did it.....I have a lot of clothes to get rid of so I will have space to bring cool stuff home
I have sent a bunch of mixed photos from my last night in Talca and also some pics from here in Tomé, I hope you enjoy them, the beach looks awesome, and sunsets are great plan to wake up and go see and sunrise on the beach too someday but it is early and hard with all the fog and stuff. I love you all so much and I miss you a bunch too I am trying to do a Christmas card but it is hard to find photoshop here but I am trying to do it. I thought it would be cool to do. I love it here and I am excited to be working and working hard too. I love this work it is amazing to see miracles everyday amazing how many there are but we just don’t realize it. I love you all so much hope you have a great week. Love you Chau, Love Eric