Circunvalacion 1 - Week #16

Buenos Días USA!

Today is September 11th, a day of significance for the USA and for Chile... it is interesting to me however the difference in the reasons that they are significant. In the US today there is a feeling of respect for the lives lost on the 11th of September, 2001. In Chile there is a sense of worry and preoccupation, this day marks the beginning of the political overthrow that came with Pinochet in the year 1970. It is hard for me to believe how one day can have such significance for so many people, but is such different ways.

Please don't worry about our safety here in Chile, everything is fine... the Area Presidency and President May have coordinated to keep all of the missionaries safe, especially here in the Santiago area, thus we have been instructed to avoid large public areas/government buildings (where there are possible problems) and we will be entering the house at 8:00 tonight (at the latest). The only thing that is likely to happen is that we will be without power for a while, because the "flaites" have a tendency to cut it to celebrate...

Enough of that... Last weeks Labor Day barbecue was alright. Even with 3 Eagle Scouts present we had to have the help of a Chilean to get the grill (charcoal) going well enough to cook the churipan. So our P-day last week was pretty chill. Today we have plans to go check out the National Cemetery here in Santiago, close to the location of the new mission office... the idea randomly came to Elder Moore and I last night, so hopefully that will be a pretty interesting event/learning experience. Turns out that this cemetery has rumors to be haunted (but we are going during the day) and is where all of the former presidents of Chile, except one, are buried. Ought to be cool!!!

Overall this week was pretty laid back, a few deadlines came up as usual but everything went of without a hitch. I was in training meetings for a lot of the week with the new information coming down from Salt Lake, so that took me out of the office for almost 2 whole days, but it's all good. The office is still alive and kicking! (For now...) I'm actually enjoying being here quite a bit. Even when it is hard I know that what I'm learning here will eventually pay off.

Thanks for the pictures and stuff, it was good to be able to see a little bit of the progress with the house. Those two things are pretty big steps. Are y'all planning on painting the stairs white or doing the clear-coat thing on them? I know the runner will be in the middle, but I'm trying to visualize it but I can't remember... Also I have broken out the plum jelly and it is almost gone. I wasn't sure what to think at first, cause it wasn't coming out of a package and it had a decent flavor, but I soon became accustomed to it and I'm loving it now!!! LOL.

Try your best to hold on to everything pretty tight with all of the hurricane/tropical storm activity. You know it isn't a good sign when you are in the second week of September and a storm beginnning with the letter "I" is already brewing out in the deep. Looks like it is going to be a pretty active season! Whatever you do, just hang tight!!!

As far as the work this week... We've been able to find 2 new investigators this last week (a mother and daughter), the mother has previously shared with missionaries and was almost baptized. She stated the other day that she knows that the Church is true but that she wasn't baptized, nor will she be, because she doesn't want to drive a wedge between her brothers and sisters. Two of her sisters are LDS already, but one of her brothers is a Catholic priest, unfortunately he wasn't to happy about her decision to be baptized and started a fight with one of the LDS sisters... turns out she wasn't baptized and says that she won't be, but we'll see what happens. You've gotta love the people who just don't understand how the Gospel works! Carlos is still just hanging in there, we are waiting for him to stop smoking and will be focusing on that a little more this week. The Peruvians don't feel like they are ready, but already have all of the teachings they need. Our focus this week with them will be to help them realize the blessings that they are postponing by not receiving this baptism. I know we can't push them, but it is our duty to help make sure that they really understand how important this is.

Not too much exciting happening down here. We're still hanging in there for now!!! So no worries in that department. Hope all is well at home and everyone is doing alright! Love you all and miss y'all bunches!

¡Todo mi amor!

-- Élder Todd