Hermana Chalmers: Last few days in Mexico and getting to Chile. Whew!

Oct. 28

Hey guys! I made it Conce alive and well. I only have 45 mins to email and we write our mission pres as well so I hope I can tell you all I want to! It was so great talking to you guys on the phone. I love you all!

So anyway, I am in an area in Temuco called Cautin. It is so cool and simple. The stars are amazing and it always smells like a really good campfire or s'more or something and I love it. The weather has been really nice actually. It only really rains a ton in the winter but usually the afternoons are nice and the mornings and nights are chilly enough for a coat and maybe tights. My comp is from Utah, South Jordan and went to BYU before this. She is a gringa, is 20 and her name is Hermana Hawkins. She is so nice and helpful and helps me a ton with my Spanish. She already knew Spanish pretty well before and only went to the MTC for 12 days so she's really good. She has been out for about 7 meses. The people in Chile are so friendly and listen to us even when they don't really want to. Everyone kisses on the cheek to say hello so I have gotten used to that which as I am sure you know, is pretty different for me. But it is cool. The culture here is so loving and friendly. They definitely talk fast and cut of their S`s (ma o meno instead of mas or menos). I am definitely learning patience with the language. I understand an okay amount but I get lost a lot especially when people talk quieter or are older. Sometimes it is frustrating because I want to participate or help out but I just don't know what is going on. I know that the Lord is helping me a lot and I can feel your prayers, so thank you! I am trying hard to not get discouraged no matter what because I know it would be easy since there are a lot of times here I feel like such a dope. This Sunday the obispo had me introduce myself in sacrament and bear my tesimony. I think it went well. Everyone was just looking up at me and smiling so that was good!

We also walk a ton! Our sector is about 15 or 20 minute walk from where we live with 4 other hermanas so we definitely walk a solid amount every day.

We are focusing a lot in our area on reactivating because there are a ton of menos activos in Chile. We are working on getting more new people to work with now so we have been out in the streets a lot. One night we passed by a house of a family where they are menos activo. The two daughters were outside, 13 and 5, and we chatted with them for a while and said a prayer with them outside and set up an appt. It was so cute. The 13 yr old really wants to come to church but they are never able to because the mom works all the time to support the dad's hospital bills. I guess the dad is a lot older and is dying. The younger daughter, Connie, who is only 5 was taken out of school to watch her dad. It is a pretty sad story but the 13 year old has so much faith and still continues to read her scriptures and pray.

Yesterday we also visited another menos activo, Angelina, who also has two little boys. They were so crazy and the younger who is just learning to talk says "Hola! Hola!" all the time. It makes it slightly difficult to get a lesson going but it is hilarious. She has a pretty rough story as well and her boyfriend is addicted to drugs and she is just really discouraged. I shared 1 Nephi 7:11 with her as best I could with my broken Spanish and I didn't understand what she said afterwards but Hma Hawkins told me that she had just read that very chapter that morning and had been thinking about it. So cool! Being out here, even though it has only been a little while, makes me realize how lucky I am that I have you guys and that we all get along and have the gospel in our lives. I definitely have been taking a lot of things for granted! People sacrafice a lot for the Gospel out here. Also, the closest temple is in Santiago and the ward is saving up to go in December because they have a lot of people going through for the first time. Go to the temple in STG for me! We are lucky to have a temple so close!

This is one of the hardest things I have done but I am learning a lot and trying to work hard and stay positive. I am very blessed out here!

I love you all so much! Cam, good luck with football! Kill some guys! Courts, I am super excited for you with this medical assistant deal. Good luck! Ginny, what are going to be for Halloween? The Chilenos think Halloween in lame but it is still celebrated a little. Mom and Dad, you are the best parents in de whole wide world. en serio!

Love always,

Hermana Chalmers

Sorry I forgot my camera cord so I have no pictures! Next week!

Oct 24

Hey guys! I made it to Chile! They are giving us a minute or two to write and make sure you guys know we are alive. They gave us a bit of info at the mission home and then we went out to this town plaza/park and contacted people! Crazy! There are four other latina hermanas that are new as well so they put me in a trio with two other latinas to contact. They were so sweet and helpful and even though I didn´t really understand the people we talked to that well, I could pick up things and understood the Hermanas okay. It was hard to follow but I said a few things and introduced us once. A guy kissed me on the cheek, because I forgot they do that here, and he didn't give me time to react. My latina hermanas told him no no. Haha it was pretty funny. We will meet our mission president tomorrow and get our trainer. Tonight they are having us stay at a hotel.

Love you all!!

Oct 22

Hey fam! So it sounds like Dad already got ahold of my flight info. I have a layover in Santiago for like six hours so I will try and call you then! Oh also, FIRST CLASS YOOOOO. I think it ended up that they assigned our seats alphabetical because me, Elder Baggs and Elder Christiansen are in first class.

This week has been bittersweet. It has been sad saying goodbye to everyone. I have only known these people for six weeks, but I feel so close to them. There is a tradition at the CCM where all the missionaries leaving sing Para Siempre Dios esté Con Vos on Sunday night in the cafeteria so we did that and it was so much fun. We were all singing so loud and I have a video of it that I can try and send. Sunday night we went to our branch presidents apartment on campus and had hot fudge sundays so that was a dream come true.

We said goodbye to Hermana Rust and Fox last night and that was a little sad. Our district has grown so close and we were all sad to see it being broken up because most of us fly to Santiago together.

Earlier this week Hermana Cefalo and I taught Hermana Martinez´s 9 yr old nephew, Theorion, just for fun and to give us teaching experience and it was so much fun. He definitely didn't slow down his Spanish for us so that was nice practice. Some other Elders taught her 7 year old niece and as she was walking out she handed me a little blue marble as a gift. It was so sweet.

Tomorrow is Hermano Sanchez´s birthday so we had cake and a bunch of candy and did some fun stuff today with him. He is the coolest guy ever. We are his first American district so he is having a hard time with us all leaving. He said, "I will never love another district again. You guys leaving? Thats not pretty cool." He is still learning English and he says "pretty cool" all the time. It's hilarious. He also doesn't really understand when to use "Shut up" so he says that to us a lot and we just laugh. I attached some of the pictures we took with him. The posed one was all his idea because he wanted it to be his cover photo on Facebook. All day today he has been updating us on how many Likes it is getting.

I hope I get to call you guys from Santiago! Love you all!

Con amor,

Hermana Chalmers