amo la misión

[i love the mission]

okay so

the memory card of my camera has been

INFECTED

and so I can't send pictures anymore hahahahaha but I have a lot of pictures and I promise you will see a lot of pictures in 11ish months hahaha and hopefully I can work something out before that but anyway just so you know

you guys are gonna freak out when you see how long my hair is 

i kind of freak out every time i see myself in the mirror like WHAT HAPPENED WHO IS THAT GRINGA WITH THE LONG HAIR it's getting to the length that there are TANGLES and it HURTS ME and i am remembering WHY I CUT IT IN THE FIRST PLACE 

but anyway

OH i should explain that I didnt write yesterday because we have now changed our 6th p-day of every cambio to tuesday so that we can go to the temple!

and speaking of, I went to the temple today! And did the work for a woman from Hungary and it was really awesome. I LOVE THE TEMPLE SO MUCH 10/10 WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND

But anyway, this last week... i forgot what we did again I am sorry i am not very good at remembering. We work a lot and do a lot of teaching and a lot of working and walking and talking and teaching and helping and things and it makes me forget all the little things that we've done... oh yes, about the earthquake, there have been some pretty strong replicas (i do not know what the word is okay) and actually, as of Wednesday, there had been 600 some replicas. It's super fun, hahaha. But I'm already Chilena. A couple days ago there was a really strong one in the night but it didnt wake me up in the slightest and my companion was like 'HERMANA SCHOMBURG' and had to shake me awake haha actually maybe that is not a good thing

lol

We also had interviews with President and Hermana Videla this week and they were really great.

and also, we are teaching a whole lot of people from Haiti now.

Like... A WHOLE LOT. We found a door in our sector that leads to a maze of rooms that have been rented out (that's how a lot of people live here, in a single room) and every time we knock it to find somebody that we've already contacted, there's somebody new and so now we're teaching a WHOLE BUNCH OF HAITIANS and it's really great :) they're very humble, but also very hard to teach because most of them dont quite speak Spanish... and by that I mean, pretty much none of them speak any spanish, but they speak a little bit of English sometimes and we are learning more french every time that we go, so that's all cool! 

i dont think i say this often enough, but I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. I love being able to talk with anybody and everybody and share something with them that makes me so so happy :) I love helping people; in the street, in our apartment building, in the subway, I LOVE HELPING PEOPLE. if you are ever having a mas o menos [so-so] kind of day, find somebody to serve because I guarantee you that it will make you feel a whole heck of a lot better. And also i love my Mexican companion. She puts Valentina hot sauce on everything.

Literally everything.

This is not a joke or an exaggeration, we had oranges with valentina the other day (10/10 WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND) and have you ever put Valentina on popcorn? because if not you should rethink your life. and priorities.

BUT BACK TO THE SUBJET, SORRY (the 'c' on this keyboard doesnt work very well haha so uh get over it) 

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. and yes it is VERY difficult, but it is the most rewarding thing that i have ever done. And maybe you're saying 'but Hermana Schomburg, you havent even had a baptism yet' and to be honest, sometimes i think that too, but it only takes one lesson to help me remember that this mission isnt about baptisms. This mission is the mission of the Lord, to bring people to salvation, to bring them to Christ, this mission isnt about numbers; it's about people, real life people with real life problems and I have the privilege to talk with them every day and help them find the peace and security of the gospel. I cant imagine any privilege better than to share with somebody the joy that I have found. 

I love this gospel with all my heart and testify of its truthfulness. Jesus Christ and God really do love us and there really is a plan for every single one of us. We are children of God and he only wants us to be happy; but not the kind of happy that the world gives us, rather, the joy and peace that can only come from a higher power. i know this church is true! And this testimony i bear in the name of our Savior and Redeemer, our Brother, Jesus Christ, amen.

(side note: one of the people i was teaching in my last sector got baptized on Sunday :3) 

now real quick, a short list of things

-every lunch that we had this week, no matter where, the cat jumped on my lap #catmagnet

-HERE EOS CHAPSTICKS ARE 7000 PESOS WHICH IS ABOUT 14 US DOLLARS #OUTRAGE

-no matter how well you speak spanish, if you're a gringo NOBODY BELIEVES YOU (i had an entire conversation with somebody in spanish and in the end they asked where i was from and i said 'los estados unidos' and she slowed down and was like 'DO YOU UNDERSTAND SPANISH??')

-i forgot to mention that i love tomatoes now and i know that is hard to believe but i LITERALLY LOVE TOMATOES SO MUCH THE LEGENDS OF SALADS JUST ONLY OF TOMATOES ARE TRUE AND I LOVE THE TOMATO SALADS THE TOMATOES THO THEY ARE SO GOOD LITERALLY WHY DIDNT ANYBODY TELL ME [I'm pretty sure I have told her for her entire life. :) ]

-i'm trying to remember if i've eaten anything really weird but i think that i still havent had anything too weird but i think that maybe actually i have and i'm just used to it now so i dont realize... i feel like that has happened witha lot of things... but anyway

-a man, upon learning how much time i have been here and that i am only 19 called me a booger

-literally he called me a booger in spanish what the heck

-literally 

WELL FOLKS THAT'S ALL THE TIME I HAVE BUT LET'S TALK ANOTHER TIME LIKE IN A WEEK MAS O MENOS QUE ESTEN SUPER BIEN LES AMO MUCHISIMO CUIDENSE [Honestly, it doesn't translate very well but basically says that she loves everyone so much and to take care -ISH haha]

CCCCCCCCCCCCIIIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I Feel the Earth Move Under My Feet

Santiago North Mission
Mission Conference
September 2015
Hermana Schomburg says she's in the middle-ish
I have yet to find her :)

LET ME JUST TELL YOU THAT I HAVE HAD ONE HECK OF A WEEK HOLY CANNOLI LITERALLY WOW JUST

ONE HECK OF A WEEK

Seems like some of you are under the impression that there was an earthquake here in Chile.

You are all correct.

AND JUST LITERALLY

OH MY GOSH

BUT THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT HAPPENED ON WEDNESDAY I HAVE TO START FROM THE BEGINNING

Okay, so, on Wednesday we had a big ol' conference for the WHOLE MISSION because of the Fiestas Patrias that we had this week. So, we all went to Pudahuel in the morning and there was a choral number sang (OH YEAH ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT THAT WE SANG 'I NEED THE EVERY HOUR' or 'SEÑOR TE NECESITO' BUT THE ARRANGEMENT BY SALLY DEFORD AND I WAS LIKE WAIT

I KNOW HER

SHE IS IN MY STAKE

LITERALLY I KNOW HER

BUT ANYWAY WE SANG THT OUR LITTLE CHOIR OF MISSIONARIES AND IT WAS SO COOL) and then something else happened

we had a visitor (how do you spell that)

The president of our area of the 70, Elder Viñas, came to our conference because he is neighbors with Pres Videla when he visits, so, he came! ANd he talked and it was so cool :)

and also, something that we do during conferences is like a little practice thing. We learn something that we're going to start teaching differently and then we practice, but usually the first one is with Pres and the asistentes and then after that another pair of missionaries does the practice. And nobody ever wants to do the practice. Because, well, it's in front of all these people and like, i dunno, it's weird?? 

But anyway, Pres finished the practice and was like 'okay and now we are going to make you guys practice but do you have any commentaries first?' 

and Hna Alonso

raises

her

hand

AND I WAS MORTIFIED WITH FEAR BUT THEN SHE WAS LIKE 'I JUST HAVE A COMMENT' BUT PRES WAS LIKE 'HAHAHAHAHAHA I DONT CARE HAHAHAHAHA COME NOW TO YOUR DOOM AND PRACTICE IN FRONT OF THE ENTIRE MISSION AND ELDER VIÑAS OF THE SEVENTY' 

and so we went and did a practice in front of the entire mission and Elder Viñas

and rocked it. #SOMOSBAKANES

So that was super cool. And then we had empanadas for lunch and watched some real dancer people dance real cueca [Chilean national dance - a handkerchief dance] and it was so cool and so amazing and so Chilean let me just tell you

the Chile was strong with this conference

AND THEN

hahahah

then

AND THEN we went back to the house to drop off our things and use the bathroom, right? We live on the 15th floor of a 20 floor apartment building. No big deal right? Just droppin off our things

and so i'm washing my hands in the bathroom right and the world starts to shake a little

and i was like 'eh just a little tremor not a big deal' (i think i forgot to mention that it trembles here somewhat often) 

and then i start hearing other things

and the trembling gets a little more trembley

and Hna Alonso goes 'HERMANA SCHOMBURG'

and i was like 'yeah?'

and then tHE TREMBLING GOT A LITTLE MORE STRONGER FUERTE

AND SO I EXITED THE BATHROOM

AND THE WHOLE DANG BUILDING IS SWAYING AND TREMBLING AND HERMANA ALONSO HAD ABANDONED ME (please know that much of this is going to be a bit exaggerated but that's just to help you understand what it felt like) AND WAS STANDING IN THE DOORWAY TO OUR APARTMENT

SO I'M LIKE

WHOA

UH

AND THE WORLD STARTED SHAKING SO MUCH MORE AND WE WERE LIKE 'LITERALLY THIS IS NOT NORMAL IT IS NOT NORMALLY LIKE THIS' AND THEN I LOOK OUT THE DOOR WITH MY COMPANION TO SEE ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS ALSO IN THEIR DOORS

and at this point we were somewhat tranquila still, because it trembles sometimes (that is not the right verb i know it but i literally have no clue what the verb is) and the chilenos are always like 'eh, it'll pass' BUT OUR NEIGHBORS

OUR CHILENO NEIGHBORS

WERE SCREAMING

AND CRYING

AND ONE MAN WAS HOLDING HIS BABY AND HIS WIFE AND THE WALL AND THEY WERE LIKE FREAKING OUT

THERE WAS A LADY ON THE FLOOR

AND THEN THE WORLD WAS SHAKING SO THAT WE ALMOST COULDNT WALK AND IT FELT LIKE LITERALLY THE BUILDING WAS GOING TO FALL OVER IT WAS SWAYING SO MUCH AND THE FURNITURE WAS MOVING AND STUFF LIKE WHAT EVEN 

AND SO HERMANA ALONSO AND I ARE LIKE GRABBING OUR EMERGENCY BACKPACKS AND SHOES AND STUFF AND WE GET TO THE DOORWAY AND WE'RE WAITING FOR IT TO PASS AND EVERYBODY IS SCREAMING AND SO THERE IN THE DOORWAY WITH ALL OUR NEIGHBORS I WAS LIKE

'Is it alright if I offer a prayer?'

AND THEY JUST KEPT SCREAMING SO I WAS LIKE

'Okay, I'm going to offer a prayer' and then I prayed BUT THEY ALL WERE SCREAMING SO MUCH AND THE LIGHTS WERE GOING ON AND OFF AND THEN HERMANA ALONSO WAS LIKE 'HUMILITY HUMILITY' AND KNEELS DOWN AND STARTS TO PRAY

AND I WAS PRAYING NORMAL I WAS LIKE 'we thank thee for this day' AND STUFF AND NOW WHEN I THINK ABOUT IT IT WAS ALL SO COMICAL MY COMPANION KNEELING IN THE DOORWAY ALL THE CHILENOS SCREAMING ME PRAYING OUT LOUD LITERALLY IT WAS SO FUNNY OH MAN BUT ANYWAY SO I'M PRAYING AND THE SHAKING GETS TO THE POINT THAT I JUST STARTED SAYING 'CUIDA TUS MISIONEROS CUIDA TUS MISIONEROS CUIDA TUS MISIONEROS' [take care of your missionaries] LIKE THE PEOPLE YOU SEE IN MOVIES THAT ARE LIKE PRAYING CRAZY AND THEN THE SHaking slowed and stopped after a moment and then we went down the stairs (after an abuelita [grandma] that was walking very very very very very slowly) and when we got to the bottom, we were like 'OKAY NOW WHAT DO WE DO THERE WAS JUST AN EARTHQUAKE AND HERE WE ARE DO YOU HAVE THE EMERGENCY INSTRUCTIONS IN YOUR BACKPACK' and Hna alonso is like 'YES I HAVE THE INSTRUCTIONS' and so we open up the one page of instructions

and we're looking for what to do in case of an earthquake and we see this line and it's like 'IN CASE OF AN EARTHQUAKE, SEE THE PAGE 'IN CASE OF AN EARTHQUAKE' 

and we were like

WE ONLY HAVE ONE PAGE

and so we keep looking and we're reading it and it says stuff like 'IN CASE OF A DISASTER, THE PRESIDENT OF THE MISSION AND THE ASSISTENTS AND PEOPLE LIKE THAT SHOULD MEET IN THE OFFICE OF THE MISSION. IF THE MISSION OFFICE HAS BEEN DESTROYED, THEY SHOULD MEET BESIDE THE RUINS' and we were like

LITERALLY

LITERALLY WHAT 

And so then, we knew that we were just supposed to wait at our apartment, but we couldnt go back up yet (they say that you'll be fine in your house during the earthquake, but the things that dont fall during the earthquake will fall during the aftershocks (is that what those are called?) so stay out of your house after the earthquake) so we were just waiting around and then the other hermanas that live in our building showed up and then we were like 'okay let's go up' after a whole lot of other calls and things and

oh shoot

i am almost out of time

OH NO

NOT NOW

but anyway

just know that there have been about 50000000 aftershocks and we feel EVERY SINGLE ONE AND I AM IN A CONSTANT STATE OF VERTIGO NOW AND IT'S KIND OF TERRIBLE BUT ALSO SUPER COOL AND I HAVE A STORY TO TELL MY GRANDKIDS

long story short, the world shook a bit, but we're fine :) 

BUT ANYWAY SHOOT UGH I WILL GO WRITE A LONG LETTER AND SEND IT TO YOU ALL ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE IT WAS SO GR8 LIKE AS IN 8 ON THE RICHTER SCALE HAHA also we had another 6 this morning 

and yeah

there have been many

but we are a lot more prepared now and we are going to find the other instructions of what to do in case of an emergency

OTHER THINGS HAPPENED THIS WEEK TOO BUT I DONT HAVE TIME LEFT

BUT I LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH AND I WILL TALK TO YOU NEXT WEEK SOMETIME

and if you want to know

I'm in Plaza de Armas in this very moment for our P'day, so you can google it or something, haha, LOVE YOU ALL

CCCCCCCCCCCCIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

also they dont have such a thing as frosting in cans here

just so you know ;)

**Just a note: The missionaries are supplied with 72-hour kits with food, water, and supplies to use in case of an emergency - that is the emergency backpack to which she referred. After this experience, I am sure that they will update their packs making sure they have everything necessary.

Soeur Schomburg

Source: Andean Trails. Adventure travel and culture blog, Chile’s Fiestas Patrias.
Posted by Alan, 12 September 2012.

WELL so

this week

what did i do?

WELL, I KEEP FORGETTING TO SAY SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT

September in Chile is like, THE BIGGEST MONTH THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED. Which is really weird because in the states NOTHING HAPPENS IN SEPTEMBER. But here, in September, THERE ARE A THOUSAND HOLIDAYS.

First we start with the scary one. on the 11th of Chile, everybody is really angry and I don't remember the reason why (sorry I am uncultured even though I'm living in a different culture) but everybody is mad and dangerous and light fires and blow things up and so we had to go in early on that day. It was super. [See 1973 Chilean coup d'etat for more information.] We have two pairs of sister missionaries in our ward so we went with the other hermanas (they live in the same building) and made a whole bunch of desserts and had a party because the 11th also happened to be, as my mother mentioned to me, MY SIX MONTH MARK

literally what

literally what has happened

i have been here for 6 months

i have already completed a third of my time here in chile

LITERALLY

LITERALLY WHAT

THE TIME

HAS GONE BY

SO

FAST

also the fact that I am already in my 4th week with Hna Alonso and we feel like we only just got our cambios. But also, she is going home after this cambio, so the time is just flying more rapidly for some reason

but anyway

YEAH I COMPLETED SIX MONTHS AND WE ATE DESSERTS TO CELEBRATE HOW COOL WOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO

What else

oh yes, the title

we are teaching some Haitians

they speak French [soeur = sister]

it's.... 

an adventure that is for sure

[Neither Hermana Schomburg nor her companion Hermana Alonso speak French]

Also, I don't remember what I said in my last email but everybody emailed me like 'PLEASE DONT BE SAD PLEASE BE OKAY WE ARE SORRY' but please do not worry for me

i literally do not even remember what it was that maybe was making me sad last week [see how quickly she forgot the slammed door? haha]

i actually am almost positive that i was not sad

so really

no se preocupen [do not worry]

but anyway what else 

how are my feet? AWESOME. They are feet. They are still attached and that is a good thing. 

OH I FORGOT TO FINISH TALKING ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS

So, the 18th is when we have Fiestas Patrias which is basically the 4th of July, but America... I think you have some patriotism competition because the people here

are

SERIOUS.

So basically, this week is going to be a whole bunch of crazy especially because the 18th is a friday, so everybody is going to be partying for all of their lives. For at least 40 years. And so yeah, THAT. [Chile's Independence Day]

Now (this is a question from my mother), what advice would I give to a brand new missionary who is thinking they can't do it?

That is a really good question. 

I would tell them, no. They can't do it. None of us, with all our imperfections and disabilities; with our weaknesses and struggles, no, not a single one of us can do it. Not alone. The first thing that we have to remember is that this is the Lord's work. This is not our work; not our mission. This is the mission of the Lord and if we expect to be able to do it, we have to do it with Him. We can't trust only in ourselves to be able to do it. Forget yourself; this time isn't yours. This time is reserved for the Lord and He will do everything He can to help you if you put your trust in Him and let go; so get to it! 

Something I love about Chile? THE ALMACENES

There are little stores everywhere. Literally everywhere. IT IS SO CONVENIENT. Also the vegetables are so good. Everything. I love the food. Empanadas [fried meat pies]... cazuela [casseroles]... sopaipillas [fritters]... mote con huesillos [maize and peach drink]... YES TO ALL OF IT

What do I dislike? Good question... golly... well, I don't know if i've mentioned this, but I am in the city. Like the city city. And there are so many buses and they are so loud just like the kind of loud that makes you want to yell back at it when it passes just like

UGH

STOP

DO NOT BE SO LOUD

but uh... that... haha, i think that's it to be honest. 

Also what zone am i in? I am in a zone called Independencia! In a ward called Vivaceta! It's pretty cool. 

hmm...

what else can i even say about this place? It is a place. A city. There are humans. Many humans. And more dogs I think. There are like 12 dogs at least.

OH YEAH WE WENT TO PORTILLO AGAIN THIS MORNING AND IT WAS WAY FUN

we sledded in trashbags

que divertido [much fun]

Photo from the previous outing to Portillo

i have like 50000 pictures but for some reason THIS COMPUTER IS NOT DOING THE FUNCTIONING THING AND IT IS NOT WORKING AND I CANNOT SEND YOU PICTURES but know that i am alive and that my face is here

what else did i even do this week I'M SORRY I KEEP FORGETTING UGH WE JUST KEEP DOING THINGS SO MANY THINGS AND YEAH JUST I HAVE A LOT OF THINGS TO DO BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE THAT STILL DONT HAVE THE GOSPEL AND DARNIT I AM GOING TO BRING IT TO THEM

but anyway, that all happened and I love you all very much and I am so happy to be here and happy to be working and happy to be alive and that is just how it is :) HAVE A GREAT WEEK AND EAT MANY EMPANADAS ON FRIDAY 

CCCCCCCCCCCIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

FIRST SLAMMED DOOR

Hermana Schomburg sent this photo while
she was at the Chile CCM.
It's the way missionaries prefer to find doors.

Okay, so here in the mission, usually people dont want to talk to you. So, you knock their door and try to talk AS FAST AS POSSIBLE SO THAT YOU CAN SAY ALL THE WORDS BEFORE THEY CLOSE THE DOOR and usually theyre polite-ish and just very slowly close the door like you arent going to notice if they do it slowly

but

we had a REAL SLAMMED DOOR THIS WEEK

we knocked the door

and it opened

and there was a little old lady inside and she was like 'QUE QUIERES' [WHAT DO YOU WANT] and i was like 'hola soy hermana schomburg soy misionera de la iglesia de jesucristo-' 'PERO QUE QUIERES' 'queremos hablar de dios y jesucristo-!' [Hello, I am Sister Schomburg and I am a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and IF YOU WANT TO we would like to talk to you about God and Jesus Christ.] AND THEN SHE SLAMMED THE DOOR SO HARD IT LIKE SHOOK THE WHOLE WORLD. 

But so... that happened. 

Love the mission so much though, really :) also we had lunch with a menos activa [less active] and her son started cleaning things with a soapy sponge and a bowl of soapy water and he was cleaning the fridge

and decided the sponge wasnt big enough

and dunked his head in the bowl

and started cleaning the fridge with his face and hair

it was quite entertaining

the last time he made some juice with a WHOLE LOT OF AJÍ [chili peppers] in it and was VERY disappointed when we didnt want to try it

Also, fun fact, chileans LOVE PRESIDENTE KENNEDY

not sure why

but they all just love him

ALSO WE WERE IN A LESSON THIS WEEK AND THE INVESTIGATOR ASKED ME TO START TALKING IN ENGLISH AND IT WAS SO HARD AND THEN IN THE END

SHE ASKED ME TO PRAY IN ENGLISH

AND 

I 

ALMOST

COULDNT

LITERALLY HOW DO YOU USE THEE AND THOU AND THY

I DONT REMEMBER

I LITERALLY WAS HAVING TO TRANSLATE FROM SPANISH TO ENGLISH I NEVER IMAGINED THAT THIS WOULD START TO HAPPEN TO ME

I NEVER IMAGINED

THAT I WOULD START

TO LOSE

MY

ENGLISH

THIS IS PROBABLY THE SCARIEST THING THAT HAS HAPPENED IN ALL MY MISSION FORGET ABOUT THE GYPSIES AND THE EARTHQUAKES AND THE THOUSANDS OF DOGS THAT WANT TO EAT YOU

I AM FORGETTING ENGLISH

I NO LONGER FLUENTLY SPEAK ANY LANGUAGE

HELLO DARKNESS MY OLD FRIEND

Also Hna Alonso is learning english and we try to talk in english when we make calls and stuff and she just is so funny, I cannot even tell you guys. She is the actual best. She was thanking Elder Adcock for something the other day and told him 'I VOTED FOR YOU' and also here in Chile we say 'a donde' sometimes which basically is like a response to when people exaggerate like 'i have forty million dollars' 'a DONDE' or like 'i am the best driver' 'A DONDE' stuff like that but literally translated to english it doesnt make sense, but so, our district leader said something and hermana alonso just said, 'WHERE' in english in the 'a donde' tone and it was SO FUNNY CANT EVEN TELL YOU

but anyway

sorry this email has been a bit lame and not very informative

please send questions so that i am not lame and un-informative the next time haha LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH

CCCCCCCCCCCIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[In defense of Hermana Schomburg's un-informativeness, she did not receive an email from home before she wrote, so she was a bit worried about her momma. All is well however, and I'm sure she will be much more informative next week. haha]

grilled cheese

WELL THIS WEEK HAS BEEN SUCH A ROLLER COASTER AND SO COOL

so, my new companion, I don't remember how much I said about her but she is SO COOL she should be the star of a cool superhero TV show, literally she is so amazing. Hermana Alonso is from Mexico and she got baptized when she was 19. She also is a doctor (SURPRISE) and she speaks English SUPER well and she is just SO AMAZING. Her story is amazing and she is so funny and we both LOVE AJÍ [chili pepper] and I'm pretty sure we were friends in the pre-existence. 

Hmm, okay, so... let's talk about how we're opening this sector.

Basically the first day we had NO IDEA what was happening or where to go or what to do, so, we got out the list of members and started visiting them and also contacted EVERY PERSON WE SAW. It was crazy and awesome and just GREAT. 

And let me tell you...

props to Vivaceta because this ward...

THIS WARD IS SO COOL AND SO WONDERFUL AND IT'S JUST SUPER COOL. The bishop and his counselors and all of the leaders are really young... like... Andrew's age. But that's because it's a ward of older folks :) there are two sets of missionaries in Vivaceta and we have the more flaite [gangster] half of the ward, so that's super cool too :P I'm the first gringa on this side of the sector since sister missionaries started coming here, so that's been fun! I'm lined up to teach about 40000 english classes...

What else... Literally this week just has been a lot of work and has gone by super fast, but I love Hermana Alonso and I love working with her and I love the sector, even though it's weird to be so close to my old area... yet so far... haha, yeah, that...

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

Hna Alonso was telling me about one time in one of her sectors, they had a food festival thing and all the missionaries were from different countries so they all brought different foods from their countries and she says, "And the sister from Brazil brought this special thing and the elder from Peru brought this thing and the elder from Honduras brought this and I brought this and there was one gringo and he brought just cheese on bread and cooked it" and I COULDNT EVEN TAKE IT BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER EVEN THOUGHT OF THAT SHE WAS LIKE "is that really a food you have in america? it was like he didnt even try...?" AND I COULDNT STOP LAUGHING FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE LITERALLY WHO ARE WE

WE PUT CHEESE ON BREAD AND COOK IT AND THAT IS A TRADITIONAL DISH FROM THE UNITED STATES

THAT'S WHAT I CALL FREEDOM

But anyway...

I feel like I have so many stories from this week but in this moment I literally cant think of a single one... pucha... we bought cotton candy in the street one day... and for some reason, I have heard the song 'Back in Black' about 400000 times this week, not sure why it's so popular in this sector... it's kinda weird... 

What else have I even done?

We have put quite a few people with baptismal dates, so we'll see how that goes... we're also teaching some Haitians and they are SUPER super dooper cool. This ward is considerably smaller (is that correct grammar??) than Los Olivos, but it's really great as well. The bishop seriously is so great; we had a coordination with him and he asked if there was anything he could do for us, so I jokingly said that I needed chocolate and I would expect it the next time and then on Sunday HE BROUGHT ME CHOCOLATE. 

Also, brownie points here are very real now. People know that I can make brownies now and they are starting to demand brownies. But, if you get brownie points, you are more likely to recieve brownies. 

Hmm...

What else...

Sorry I'm a bit boring this week. I'm just pretty tranquila [quiet].. Not much to report; we're working and it's getting HOT OH NO I THINK I'M GOING TO DIE ACTUALLY FORGOT TO MENTION THAT IT ALREADY IS GETTING HOT AND IT'S NOT EVEN THAT HOT BUT I ALREADY AM DYING BUT IT'S SUPPOSED TO GET UP TO LIKE 38 AND I AM POSITIVE THAT I AM NOT GOING TO SURVIVE. I'M TOO WHITE TO BE SUBJECTED TO THIS KIND OF SUN, I AM GOING TO BE A DIFFERENT COLOR WHEN THIS SUMMER IS OVER

Also, the 18th of September is coming and that means PARTIES EVERYWHERE BECAUSE IT'S CHILE'S 4TH OF JULY WOOOOOOOOO

And... um... I don't know... what else... I wish I had something more meaningful to say but I just... don't. 

I just know that I seriously am so happy and grateful to be here. Every day that I'm here, I learn something more. Sometimes it's something small, but sometimes it's something big, but it's always something. And the longer I spend here, the more I realize that learning doesn't come standing still. When we're comfortably standing in one spot, we're not learning anything. We have to step out of our comfort zones to learn; we have to make mistakes; we have to fall sometimes, that's when learning comes and God knows that best of all. I was starting to feel comfortable in Los Olivos, and then I had cambios, and now I have learned more. The first step to learning is to TAKE A STEP. DON'T JUST STAND THERE. DO SOMETHING. 

Yeah, I dunno... I've been thinking about that lately... learning is always harder than staying put, but the payoff is always better, and if we have the gospel, even more precious. 

To conclude, I would like to just say that I know this church is true; this is the church of Jesus Christ, the very same church that he established when he was here and that God has a plan for every single one of us. He loves us so much that he sent his son to pay for our sins and sorrows; he gives us our families, everything we have. I know that my redeemer lives, and I know that he loves me, and I know that he loves you :) and of that I testify in his sacred name, amen.

OKAY SO TALK TO YOU ALL NEXT WEEK I REALLY LOVE YOU ALL A LOT AND JUST

BE WELL EVERYBODY

BE WELL

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 

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View of the Hipodromo Chile

Night view from apartment

More pretty view

View, view, view