Elder Washburn in Osorno Chile: Week 9

October 28, 2013

Dear Mom, Dad and family,

Well this week was pretty good. Met my first evangelio, actually my first 5, which is kinda funny because they're apparently pretty rare. The first and third were pretty annoying but the rest were actually cool. The first guy was hilarious, I saw him putting on a coat and sweater before he came out the door and I had a feeling we were going to be preached to and not vice versa. Dude was so patronizing and condescending and talked down to us like "your about the lords work? Thank you," but at the same time looking at us like we were going to burn. Not really a faith breaker, if anything it kinda strengthened me. He wasn't that smart he was just persistent and really belligerent and unyielding. Stop. I'm over this guy all ready! The third one was kinda the same way but she didn't act like we were going anywhere but down stairs and constantly asked us if we believed and worshipped Christ and felt the Holy Spirit which we both replied “yes,” but she begged to differ. The other guys were great though, one was an American that we talked to for a while. He didn't want us to preach but we got in a little any way. He invited us for waffles and a bbq with smoked brisket. He also told us about the other gringos living here in Chile. Tell dad to look up Clive Maund, he's a really good stock analyst who is world renown and lives here.

Met another really good family who randomly let us in, their names are Filipè, Lorena, and Nicole. They were really nice, pretty receptive and best of all made sopapillas for us; they were so good!

Another random thing that happened this week was we bumped into some foreign girls who randomly started asking about our religion. At first they thought we were Jehovah’s Witnesses and my companion told them we were from "La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias." That seemed to confuse them even more so I finally said “somos Mormones,” which seemed to have an effect. Turned out it was for a school project, but it was still pretty funny.

Not much other than that and a few lessons have happened this week. Oh but I almost forgot, it was my companion’s birthday! He finally turned 21! So, it started like any other day, except I forgot to make a huge breakfast for his birthday, totally forgot, but I got him the next day with a huge batch of chorizo eggs, aji, and toast. Well we didn't teach anyone that day and headed to the chapel for the branch family home evening after a short lesson on patriarchal blessings by Elder Biggs. We essentially had a birthday party for Elder Renshaw and Hermana Olave (who's birthday was last week.) The branch was awesome and we had tons of food and drinks and then they brought out two cakes! We thought it was over and were heading out when we were stopped by our district, they dragged us down to the kitchen downstairs where we sang happy birthday to Renshaw and Hermana Olave and Lee pulled out like a 5 kilo, no bake cookie thing. It was insane and all 11 of us only managed to eat like half of it. We were given the rest of it which we barely finished yesterday, we were given it on Friday, holy cow! But when we came home we cooked Elder Renshaw’s birthday steak, doesn't that just sound awesome? Well it was! I rubbed that sucker with black pepper, sea salt, and some garlic. It was so good and tasted exactly like a Montreal seasoned steak, I know this because the man was awesome enough (and crazy enough) to give me HALF!

It was a slow couple of days after that but today's been awesome! We went out to Lican Rey, which is on the Calafquen Lake, and took an amazing hike. This place looks like Oregon, Hawaii, Utah, and the Bahamas mixed. It is INSANELY beautiful! The water is so clear you can see like 30 feet down and it was so tempting not to take a dive off a couple of the out looks we were on. The mountains are everywhere and seem to surround you and everything IS SO FREAKING GREEN!!!! I love it! The hike was great and then we made completos as a district and came to email.

Mom, my companions great! More than great, in fact he's fantastic. Absolutely love him. He's one of the most chill guys I've ever met. He simply refuses to get mad and treats every trial like an obstacle that he can just walk around. My area is fantastic, besides the fact that no one's ever home and we don't teach as much as we should (it's been a slow week.) The area's amazing, I walk 50 yards for one of the most beautiful views I've ever seen and the weather is now incredible, if not a little hot. The people are amazing and I've only had one door truly slammed on me and have only met 1 or 2 rude people and I think they were drunk. The door was slammed by a 6 year old who just wanted to tease us.

Well it's been a great week, just want to tell you guys that I love and miss you but I'm loving it here!

Elder Washburn