October 1, 2012

Hola Familia! 

The weeks go by so fast here in the mission field. 

Thanks for you emails! Here is the deal on dearelder. It takes me about 1.5 to 2 weeks to get them. It is perfect for people who arent in my immediate family who I want to heaar from every week. or even my siblings can use dearelder or email whichever is best or easier but mom i request that you and papa use email. I have internet access every week and I will for the rest of my mission. Yeah I know Im demanding, I actually want to read a letter from my mom every week!! No but thats how it works. Aur you can put it on my blog about dearelder and facebook. But mom could you continue to send Laurens letters through dearelder? Okay thanks. 

Questions to answer.

Mom, my cell phone. Dont charge it. You can even take out the battery. The data on it doesnt matter because my most recent phone is in a box safe from the hands of kellen.

Kate thanks for being alive! I am glad. And thanks for the dearelder

Mom sorry about your aunt! I got a brief summary of the craziness of the trip. Doesnt really sound that fun! Except for the nicole, allen, justin and martin part.

Things about Chile that I want to tell you about.

Basques. We are teaching this guy and his significant other, I have no idea if they are married of not and I dont really want to ask, but anyway he says funny things about the basques. His theory... Spaniards are lazy. The only reason spain is alive and healthy is the basques. Haha.

Every house has flies, and they fly in circles above the living room table inbetween us and whomever we are trying to teach. And everytime it takes all my manners not to want to grab a fly swatter and kill them all. Or make a contaption that claps in the air and kills them. That would be great. 

There are so many dogs here. Every chilean has at least one dog. They are annoying, and also behind fences so I love to pester them. My new favorite thing to do is blow on them. They they get real mad. Also I dont know why but a great majority of these dogs bark in circles. Its real intimitating. Also if you ever needed a dog there are a million strays. I play a game where  I count how many dogs I can see in my vision. I think 6 is my record. 

Tacos have to meaning in Chilean. One tacos, the things you eat. the only way is like this I was in a taco. Taco is a traffic jam, or when there is a lot of people or when you are just generally stuck. Or on the metro when you think that there is no possibly way more people could fit and yet another 20 somehow cram in. That is a taco. It is also very very awkward when you are a sister missionary and are not book of mormon distance apart from a complete stranger who happens to be listening to Black Eyed Peas. But when we arent sardines we sing on the subway and let all the chileans laugh at the silly americans

Things that you arent allowed to complain about anymore. Laundry! Because I do my own... by hand. Okay thats not totally true, only my garments and members so the rest for me, but I have to carry it a good mile to the members house. Thing two. Water and showers. I miss the days when I could turn on the shower and turn the knob to a reasonable temperature. Here it is a game. To even get it to work we have to turn on the kitchen sink and then the shower and hope that it lits. and if not try again. Then you have to very carefully turn the knob so that it doesnt turn off all the way but so that you are arent bathing in fire, or ice. Its a fun little game. Oh Chile, how I love you.

Church, Laurens letter was perfect about how missionary work really works and sabbaths. Here is chile similar. Crazzy. I told you before chileans arent very puntual and love love love to talk resulting in a 1 and a half sacrament meeting. The members know I can play the piano but this one lady love to play the soprano note and chileans sing terribly becuase they really never sing with a piano so you can only image how sacrament is. Its great fun. Ive heard stories of dogs running in in the middle of sacrament but it hasnt happened yet. Only a bum wearing a 2 skirts one on him and one on his head screaming allelujah during a training. 

The people of chile. First gypsies. Funny people. One was inactive and trying to talk to him, he told us that there are three true churches... in this order. Mormons, Catholics and Evangelical. Yeah I wasnt suprised because a lot of people thing that there are many churches that are true. or they make up their own religion. That is fun to listen to as well. 

Okay lastly Maria Violeta. I love her! She is super catholic. Roman catholic to the core and everytime we visit her and her daughter there is always some comment about the catholic church or the bible. Anywho she loves me, I dont know what I did but she loves me. She is the same lady that told me I cant speak spanish and then was amazed by my spanish later. Anywho now she says this to me, Oh mi gringita quien habla en espanol. translation, little north american who can speak spanish. Yes terms of inderment. Im moving up in the chile! But I seriously love her to death. She is very suspicious of us. She loves that we visit and loves talking to us, but wont show it. My book of mormon was on the table and she opened it with a suspicious look on her face turned to the picture of Jesus and exclaim, is this Jesus, how ugly! Yeah.... and then the picture of his visit to the americas. I explained and she said, how do you know he came here. Our answer, read the book of mormon. Haha. She is great. 

Anywho my time is running out I think. Thank you for all of your support. I love you all. 

Hermana Iroz

PS Where I am at for all you google people. I am in an area called La Blanca, in La Cisterna. Super close to San Miguel, Streets Gran Avevida and Lo Ovalle. In the city! the east mission is on one side and ranagua beneath us.

 

Pictures

Aurelie a picture of your creation! I love it. Its perfect.

Sunset in La Blanca!

Activity with the Zone, trying to get the fire going, I dont know if you can see but thats a picture of Jesus that he is holding and also my district leader. 

The meat!