Second Week in Chile!

Another great week in Chile! It is weird I already am getting pretty used to the culture, kind've.  I think one thing that really is hard is going in stores or simple things such as just trying to make small talk with members is the most frustrating. When you walk in a market you have no idea what’s going on, everything is in Spanish, especially in Los Muermos they don’t really have anything from the states. And the money system sometimes makes your head hurt because it is so different. It is such an adventure haha.

We have been getting 40 attending lately but this week we only got 34 so we were down and none of our investigators came so we were pretty bummed. We have really been praying hard though and we feel something good is happening in Los Muermos. The days go by so fast when you have lessons but the days you just tract and knock doors all day can be hard. But you just gotta keep the animo. Someone saying no to me really doesn’t impact me at all anymore, ha didn’t really in the first place but yeah, it’s crazy, Nothing can get you down when you know this is the Church of Christ and it can help these people for eternity.

One pretty funny thing about Los Muermos is all the drunks. There are SOOOO MANY of them. We will be just talking to someone on the street and a bum drunk will get right up in your face and just blabber in Spanish.  They kinda trip me out, ha. Yesterday one was passed out right in front of the church. He started drinking in the morning and the poor lost little man crashed in front of our church.  The people really like their alcohol.  This one drunk guy asked us to carry his cart a couple nights ago; it was way funny. I asked him if he knew who Jesus Christ was and he stopped us, knelt down in the street, did that cross thingy and looked at us like "does that answer your question. The weird stuff already is getting pretty normal its funny.

I think I talked about this earlier but we have been teaching this English class to some people in the community, one of the guys we are teaching is named Luis. We have really been wanting to teach him and we gave him a little pamphlet to read and Tuesday he let us teach him after. We taught him the restoration and the spirit was so strong. We asked if he would read some of the Book of Mormon and we were about to give it to him, he stopped us and kinda started talking SUPER FAST (well, everyone does, Chile is kinda the fastest speaking Spanish ever) and I thought he was denying it. After though Elder Gardner told me he said, "actually can you guys give me a book with like your thoughts (testimonies) about it somewhere in it?” WE were soooo stoked!  We are having our next lesson with him Tuesday so pray for him that he won’t be tempted by satan by then.

I have been bitten by a good amount of fleas. I actually caught one with my hand and taped it in my journal. They get pretty dang annoying. Oh yeah so mom most of the meals are pretty much all the same. They don’t have many seasonings, but you’re so hungry you don’t really care; it’s either pasta with like a hint of tomato salsa (sauce) or like rice, or soup, lots of soup, with like hot dogs in every meal somehow. haha, ok it’s not bad, it’s just kinda bland, but whatever floats their boat is fine with me.

I almost got attacked by 2 dogs so far, usually the rock pick up thing works but some catch you by surprise. Elder Gardner has this sweet remote thing that emits a high pitched noise that we will bring out every now and then, they have 3 reactions, the dog either gets more pissed and chases you, just tilts its head, or runs away.

The humidity here is NUTS! If it is just a little cold it like seeps into your bones. The mornings are the worst, that blanket though is so amazing mom thanks! I’ll send some pictures tomorrow, sorry I accidently forgot my chord this week but I’ll have some for next week. We walk a ton here! Some of the houses are soooo spread out but it’s not too bad, we are just way wiped out by the end of the day.

Church kinda stunk, it was fast Sunday though and no one bears their testimonies so I went up after my companion and bore my testimony. It wasn’t perfect but it got the job done. I honestly can’t understand anything. I can pick out words now but once you hear a word you know they are already on the next topic. Elder Gardner said don’t worry every missionary doesn’t really get much out of church the first months. Oh well, it will be a time to study and just act like I know what’s going on. The Members are awesome. We have already gotten really close with all of them. I kinda have gotten used to not really understanding people it’s kinda sad but whatever, not letting it get me down. I still just have a great time; it’s really humbling not being able to have simple conversations with everyone. I have had the chance to lead some lessons though, it’s hard but I’m glad Elder Gardner does it. I’ll talk about something and when I don’t know what to say he just looks at me, it makes me have to try harder. It’s hard not to get frustrated but there is no point in being frustrated. Just moving forward is the only way. I can relate with what people say though, you wake up thinking, "I would kill to just have a good lesson in English" ha. But it’s all good. I am already used to the people though, like if I heard English I would be way tripped out, and when I see anyone taller than 5ft 5in I freak out. Me and my companion talk English in the house but when we leave the house we enter Spanish world, sometimes we aren’t good at it because it’s just frustrating for me haha but lately we are better.

Oh yeah the members just make so much food like if you come to their house they will give you bread or cake or just a drink of soda. Me and my companion made a written document one day saying if we didn’t get in a house then we would have to run in the morning and we weren’t allowed to partake of treats the night before, and we worked our butts off but didn’t accomplish the task so we ran, We only ran for like 10 min but we both felt like we were going to die and throw up. And we are still soooo sore. Haha oh goodness getting lost in the work doesn’t do so good for your shape. Some mornings your sooo cold and you just do calf raises in the shower for your work out, then you feel like a lazy bum, oh yeah! everything we have smells like bonfire, because of our fire stove thing. it’s funny cuz I hated that smell before the mission, but now its whatever. You stop noticing it because that all you’re around. I bet when I come off the plane coming home that will be the first thing mom notices haha just kidding mom.

I sure hope Mexicans will be able to understand my Spanish, Chilean Spanish is so different in some ways they use so much different words.

Cooool cooll, pray for you all every day, I’ll be good don’t worry it’s all about the struggle! the church is true and I know I’m on the Lord’s time and he will provide for me.
Con Amor,
Elder Carter