December 23, 2013
Dear family,
I've survived another week in Chile.
Surprised? I am! From the Christmas party asados, the week without steak (I'm
actually going on two now) and the fact that I'm just about to go to another
breath taking trip to Ojos del Caburgua with the Biggs! My life is so HARD! Jk
It's been an interesting week since last Monday, I've been
trying to get to know Elder W____ and I'm still trying to show him the area and
how things work around here. We taught some lessons but the majority were on
doorsteps and in the street so they were just for numbers, which I really hate.
I think Elder Holland put it into better words when he said, "the people
you teach are the children of God, our brothers and sisters not a Baptismal
statistic hidden behind a face." I get planting seeds but when you’re
doing it just to make it look like the area's not dead just kills me! We did
meet one good person though on a doorstep, and he really made the week worth
it. His name is Sebastian and when he stepped out I'm not going to lie, the
tattoos, swastika, and the crucifix he was wearing really seemed to clash and
it kinda threw me off... Turns out he's an inactive 20 year old who loves to
climb and is a sponsored triathlete. He loves Utah and really wants to become a
guide in Zions. He also really misses the church, and while his father hates
it, he and his family want to come back. He also wants to become a missionary,
because he feels like it's the right thing to do. I think I'll have to
reactivate him first but it sounds great to me! Other than that we've been
trying to get a hold of Sergio and some other investigators who have just
seemed to disappear. We also got Olga to come to church again and we blessed
her son and stepchild? I don't know she's in a weird/depressing situation. She
lives with her ex-husband and his wife and son. This would already be pretty
weird except for the fact that they're all living with her (Olga's) Mother!
Either way I'm thinking this time she'll stick, or at least I hope so!
Other than that I went to my first asado! It was for the Branch
Christmas party and I learned a few things about BBQ! The Asadores (bbqs) are
huge 55-gallon oil drums, cut in half with an interesting two tree adjustable
rack height system. The charcoal is home made and you can tell that it is
made out of random sticks and branches in someone's back yard! We cooked about
50-60 chicken thighs and they were amazing and perfectly cooked by hermano
Puentes, this amazing 70 year old Argentinian member who we go over to lunch
for quite a bit of Sundays, although it's usually fried chicken. The next day,
(Sunday) we went to church at 9:00 for the Executive Priesthood Meeting. We
were it, so I had some more personal study time. We went to sacrament meeting,
and hermana Fuentes (our abuelitta) was crying. Turns out that her brother died
and that she wasn't invited to the Christmas dinner. I tried to help but there
really wasn't much I could do. After church we went to the Puente's house in
their flat bed. Not much has changed, the food is still amazing and the home is
the prettiest I've seen here, even compared to the rich homes. They did get
some new puppies though. One of their dogs named Mancha had them. I told them
that they should name one of the puppies Don Quixote (Don Quixote de la
Mancha!) only sister Puentes got that one! Lunch was great. We picked
cherries and ate fried chicken with the Puentes and the Molinas and finished
off with some of the best watermelon I've ever eaten. We came home and started
to look for investigators and didn't find anyone but we bumped into Jesse who
was just leaving to go hunt some rabbits with his daughter on his property.
He's doing pretty good and has watched some more of Uncle Bengt’s stuff. He
still loves it. We went home, went to bed and now I'm here! It’s been a good
week, can't wait till Christmas! Love you guys!
Elder Washburn
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