Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope it was a good one for all of you. It was definitely the strangest one for me that I have had. It just doesn´t feel the same when its 85 degrees outside. I also ate fish for Christmas... I hope that I never have to do that again.

But for my Christmas, we went to a members house and ate a huge dinner with them on Christmas eve. That is where I had fish. We had some pretty good steak, pork chops, and turkey too though. That was really fun to do and I walked away super stuffed. Christmas day, I talked with the family and that was really fun to do. The time went by way fast though haha. Good to hear though that they are doing well. After that though, we went to a sports activity with all of the missionaries that are "inside". That means all of the missionaries that are in the zones around Concepcion. I found out though that my ping-pong skills are rusty though. Overall it was a really good two days.

More than that we had a mission conference on Tuesday in which all of the missionaries from our mission came to our stake center and we hung out for a few hours in the morning. That was cool to see all 200 missionaries in the same place at once.

Also, Varinia, the daughter of the Moldonado family has a baptismal date for this Saturday so hopefully the next time I talk to you guys I will have baptism number two. That's all though for this week.

These pictures are from Christmas and from a service that we did. 

 Our Christmas Mission Conference

 Christmas Eve

A service project we did

Feliz Navidad!

Hello everyone, Merry Christmas! How are you all doing? Things are normal in Hualpen I guess. No one wants to hear from us and we get stood up on a lot of appointments. So its been a pretty flat week but that's alright because this week should be pretty sweet. A lot of activities and conferences and stuff will make it go by fast.

But I have a few fun things this week to talk about... First thing is that I went to the mission nurse lady this week because I can´t get rid of my fleas. I thought it must have been something else but she still thinks its fleas. I counted the bites yesterday and got to 79 on my entire body. Blessings. So that has been fun I guess. 

We are working with a few less active and inactive people right now and its going really well. One of the families that we reactivated should have a baptism date for their nine year old daughter this week so that should be awesome. The little girl is named Varinia and she should have a date for her baptism by the next time we talk on Monday. We took a member with us to the last visit with them and it was a disaster. We let him talk a little bit about the spirit world and before long it was a full blown temple prep class being taught by him. We tried to stop him but he just kept going back to the subject. That was pretty funny and not good.

We had a few activities too this past week like a concert in the Stake last night, and a Ward family night on Saturday that were both really fun and good for our ward. Our ward is really struggling. They lack any sort of motivation to improve the ward.

Also, on Friday I reached the 100 day mark of my mission which we celebrated by doing the exact same thing as every other day. Hope you all enjoy Star Wars and enjoyed the BYU v Utah game. We all know that BYU is better. Love you all and FELIZ NAVIDAD!

Elder Parker

3 months!

Hard to believe but I have already been out over three months. It seems like it has gone fast but at the same time really slow too. The days seem like weeks and the weeks seem like days which is the only way you can explain it. Hope you are all doing well though. I actually do have a little bit to write about today which is different haha.

First thing, on Tuesday we went to a place called the disembocadura. Its the place that the Bio Bio river meets the ocean. Our ward had a priesthood activity there and it was super fun. We climbed the hills that surround the beach there and took a bunch of pictures. I forgot my camera at home today though so the pictures will come next week. We had a barbecue and stuff and just hung out and had a good time. Played soccer on the beach and stuff. It was awesome. Kind of like a second P Day during the week.

Yesterday I watched the worlds largest disaster of a primary program in our ward. It was hilarious. Half of the kids refused to say their parts and one girl threw up on the stage area she was so nervous. Another really little kid cried uncontrollably and had to be taken out. And the entire Stake Presidency was there during all of it. It wasnt your normal sacrament meeting to say the least.

Also I have good news and bad news. We are working with a family where the dad is a member but inactive and has a daughter that wants to get baptized. They both want to become totally active again. But the dad finally had an interview to declare him totallly active again and he wants to baptize his daughter. He has an interview with the bishop this week to set a date for the baptism of his daughter. Since she is 9 years old she is technically considered a convert and it will count as a baptism for the mission too. Their name is the Moldonado family and they're awesome. I can´t remember if I had told you about them or not.

The bad news, we had to let our super catholic guy named Francisco go. He just wasnt willing to get baptized even though we tried everything we could to help him feel the need. So that was a bummer. No one here understands the significance of the Restoration and that ONLY our church has the authority to baptize. Its frustrating.

No ,Javier is not scheduled for the 26th anymore because he didn´t come to church this past week. We have to meet with him and re commit him. But Eduardo is doing awesome and so is his daughter. His wife is a little reluctant to accept it but it really feels like its only a matter of time. We haven´t been able to meet with Felipe any more but we have a cita tomorrow. Things are going really well here then I guess you could say.

Also I know that Star Wars comes out this week. I will be depressed the day it does and I ask that none of you give me any spoilers. Hope you all have good weeks and I love you all!

Elder Parker

Another week down...

How are we all doing team? Things are good where I am at. Its hot outside though. Like 85 degrees every day with a bunch of humidity and like 20 mph winds all of the time. I guess it could be worse though. I'll enjoy dry weather while it is still around.

Not much happened this week to be honest so I dont really know what Ill talk on. Things were more difficult than usual this week though. We just havent been getting people to teach so we have done a lot of contacting and knocking doors which makes for really long days. However we did find a new investigator that we hope does really well. His name is Felipe and he is an 18 year old kid just like us. He doesnt really believe in God but hes got a tough family situation and that made him humble enough to let us in. We committed him to pray just to find out if there was a God so when we go back tomorrow we will find out how it went. Santos is doing well.  Javier is getting a little bit lame. He never has time to meet with us and I dont think he realizes the gravity of what we are teaching him and how important it is to mankind. Thats how a lot of Chileans are. 

Also, I have fleas. Its great. I dont know where I got them or how but they suck. I hear that rubbing dryer sheets all over everything helps get rid of them so I will be buying dryer sheets today. Gotta love the mission.

We have been doing really well with our less active people though. Now that we are back in our own chapel we have about 90 people in church each week where before we had about 60. That's really nice.

Our plans for Christmas aren`t set yet. Really it just depends on if the members invite us over for Christmas or not. I guess usually we go eat with a member on Christmas eve at like 9 oclock is the Chilean Tradition. But, if no one invites us over we will just do what we did for Thanksgiving and make our own thing. 

That's basically all for this week though so I'll talk to you again next Monday. Love you all and remember... Go Cougars.:)

Love Elder Parker

First baptism!

How’s it going everyone? How was your Thanksgiving? Glad I get to email you all again and tell you about the pretty good week I had.

To start, Santos got baptized on Saturday and that was super cool. I got to baptize him which was super cool too. It is both mine and my companions first in the mission but hopefully we get to have a few more before we finish. Crazy to think that only about a month ago, we were going to drop him as an investigator because he was never progressing. Blessings.

the guy in the blue shirt next to me is Hermano Luman who is hilarious, and is the member who helped us the whole time, because we always met in his house and he is good friends with Santos. The other guy on the left is this Evangelical dude that is friends with them both that just came to watch. Apparently he loved the service, and could be interested :)

Secondly, we yesterday committed Javier to a baptismal date on the 26th of December if he gets an answer to his prayers. So please say a few prayers for him and that would be awesome if he got baptized too. He is an amazing investigator that just wants to learn and to do what’s right. 

Third, we celebrated Thanksgiving last night by making pizzas in our apartment and they were actually not too bad. We made three kind of meat lovers pizzas and one dessert pizza. The dessert pizza has something called Manjar for sauce (It’s like caramel stuff), and Oand coconut for the topping. Probably not super healthy, but whatever.

P-day Eve pizza party

Last, yesterday was the last day of the transfer and really not a whole lot changed for me. I have the same companion in the same place, living with the same people. That’s both good and bad. I want to have as many experiences as I can with different people, but at the same time we are working well together and I am familiar with the sector. The sector is tough but we are making progress. My companion was also called as district leader so that will be interesting.

Miss you all and love you all. Sorry if my English is bad, it’s hard to switch from Spanish. Not fluent yet but let’s keep hoping.

Love

Elder Parker

pretty sweet week!

Hows it going everyone? Glad I get the chance to email all of you once again. Not a lot happened this week but the things that did happen were pretty sweet.

First, we had a conference of all the new missionaries on Tuesday and Wednesday and that day we went to the office and had classes and stuff. After we went out with a Zone leader and worked in their zone with them. I worked with an Elder named Elder Turley in a place called Chiguayante. This place was so ghetto it was awesome. We heard gun shots one time throughout the day. But while I was with him we had a lesson with a lady who had been invited to be baptized but had a job that made her work on Sundays. She could either leave her job and be baptized and trust in the Lord to bless her, or she could continue working to barely afford to live. Anyways we had a lesson and all of the sudden she said that she would be baptized and leave her job. Neither of us thought that was going to happen and were both super surprised when she said that she would do that. So that was cool to see and experience.

Also, we had a lesson with an inactive lady named Susanna Paz. She broke her ribs and when we contacted her she asked us for a blessing. In the middle of the blessing she started crying basically uncontrollably because of the spirit. I thought it was strong but like not that strong. But she is pretty great and I am almost positive that once she feels half decent again she will return to Church. She hasn't been in about three years now. So that was cool.

Santos date is still this Saturday. He is the only one that we have with a date. Javier is progressing yeah and we actually have his wife to teach now too. Francisco is the name of the super Catholic guy and he isn´t gonna go anywhere we don't think. And the Moldonado Family is good. The mom is super evangelic but we will keep working with her.

It is basically 100% sure that I will stay here at least to finish training but normally people stay longer than just two transfers in their first area. My companion has three transfers here so he might move. I dont really care if I stay or go though. Either would be good with me.

And the final thing is that we should be back in our church building by the next time I write you guys. Our building had a bomb thrown into it and that caused a fire about 6 months ago and that messed some things up so they have been repairing the building. Also by the next time I write you I should have 1 baptism under my belt. Hopefully. But I miss you all and hope you are doing well!

Love Elder Parker

what's happening?

Hola everyone, how are we all doing? Thats Good.

But to start off this week I have some depressing news first. We had to move the date of Santos Back to the 28th of November because we found out that he drank tea last monday and you have to be living the commandments for at least 2 weeks before you can be baptized. That was a bummer but that guy is too ready to be baptized. He is super excited for it and whenever I talk to him he always makes me smile.

We have also found more people. One guy named Javier who we want to place a baptismal date on. He is a rare find for the missionaries in Chile. He believes in God, doesn´t go to a church, was excited for us to pass by, and he has all of his teeth. Incredible. But he is super willing to just learn and know more about God. He totally said that he believes that the Book of Mormon could be true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet. He is an awesome guy. Also, we have an investigator who is ridiculously Catholic but he believes everything that our church teaches. He has a testimony of the book of mormon and of joseph smith yet he just doesn´t understand that not both churches can be right. He loves everything we teach to him. Its difficult though because he said at the very beginning of the lesson "Im not going to get baptized, Im Catholic, but your church is great." Very confusing to me.

Besides that the Spanish is doing pretty well and Im learning pretty darn fast. I just make the little mistakes that make me sound very gringo. I have been called peter parker thousands of times. And been compared to some pencil company that they have here I guess. 

It was a long week and its nice to have this P Day because I am really tired but missions are great. Super Fun and Im loving it. Miss you all.

Love,

Elder Parker

Interviews Nov 13th

Interviews were good. The president lives in the nicest apartment building in Concepcion too. He´s awesome though. I really feel like he cares about each one of us personally and that's really nice.

The elder who are "dying" (going home)

 An activity we did with pure Mexican food

Thanks to a Mexican lady in the zone, Hermana Ponce

2 months today!

Hola everyone! How are we all doing? As the subject line says, I have officially hit two months in the mission field. I am not fluent yet unfortunately. But I do get told all of the time how good my Spanish is and thats nice to hear even if it is a lie. 

But this week was pretty slow to say the least. We have just been trying to strengthen the ward here. The ward really lacks motivation and enthusiasm. I think that they have either forgotten or overlooked the blessings that they have received from being members of the church and it has resulted in some pretty dull enthusiasm to share our gospel that we claim is a gospel of happiness. So that has been difficult but were working on it. I think that is one thing that we need to constantly ask ourselves, "Where would I be without the gospel?" We need to not overlook all of the blessings of knowledge, power, happiness, and temporal things as well that we have been given because we choose to be members of this church.

I dont really have any stories to share about this week. I guess one fun thing is that we average about one bible bash a day with some crazy evangelical guy. Yesterday we were called over by a guy on the street to talk and he just started telling us how our church was false, pulling out all sorts of scriptures that meant nothing and what not. At the end we said thanks, bore our testimonies, and walked away. We get roughly one of those meetings a day.

Also we found a family of a guy that is inactive and his wife is inactive evangelical. They have an 8 year old daughter who already wants to be baptized and a 1 month old baby. The dad, Eduardo, said he wants an eternal family. Hopefully they will progress. I feel like they could be great investigators because at the end of the lesson we had the dad pray and he cried in the middle of it. The spirit was super strong and I really hope they have kept the commitments that we left them. They are awesome.

Thats about it for this week though. Love you all and hope youre doing well. See ya next week!

Elder Parker

 My Halloween costume for our district meeting on Tuesday

These are pictures of today's lunch. Somewhere under there is buried a Chicken.

I don't get dinners (from members) ever actually because they only eat one big meal a day here and that is lunch. So basically I get a huge lunch everyday from members and then snack for the rest of the day. That's good though because everything that we eat is rice, pasta, chicken and salad. Its not terrible.

2 miracles!

I have nothing to title these anymore. But anyways, how are you all doing? I'm great out here in good old Hualpen but the work here is super difficult. Everyone has their church and is so unwilling to even listen to our message that its tough. Constant rejection will really make you frustrated but that's alright. We have made a game out of what excuse we think they are going to give us when they tell us that they aren´t interested. Its fun and keeps things light.

But other than getting rejected a whole bunch this week we did have an awesome lesson with a guy named Santos. He is an eternal investigator because he has been taught for over 6 months now and refuses to get baptized for a whole bunch of reasons. He is always a little bit closed about the doctrines and likes to argue about them with us. Anyways we went in to have the lesson and things started out normally with him kind of just questioning why baptism was important for us to do and whatever but then we read in the Book of Moses about how Adam got baptized and the entire atmosphere changed. All of the sudden he was open and receptive and the spirit was super strong. He was willing and all of the sudden he wanted to be baptized. I just hope it stays that way because he has backed out twice before. I am confident though that it was a prompting to share that scripture because that morning I  found it while in personal study for him. Awesome experience so 'Ill let you know if it goes through because he is scheduled for the 21st of November.

Besides that, I lost my wallet and found it and it was a crazy story. We were riding on a bus and I put my wallet next to me on a seat and forgot it there. About an hour later I realized that I didn't have it. It had everything in it so I had to call to get my cards cancelled and everything. We passed a member of the church named Marcos Molina and told him what happened and he offered to drive us to the end of the bus line to look for it to see if someone had turned it in our not. The terminal is in Lirquen, about 35 minutes away from Hualpen. We drove up there and found it there. And the only thing that was missing was 2000 pesos in cash that I had. (That's like $4) Oh the blessings that day. So I had to call again before they cancelled my cards and temple recommend and it was quite the experience. 

On the way back from Lirquen we stopped at the beach to look for a quick second and took a few pictures to remember that day. It was a crazy huge blessing and Marcos saved my life that day. This is a picture of us at the beach with Marcos and my wallet.

                                                              The wallet miracle!

                                                                 Happy missionaries!

                                                                        Penco beach

                                                    A service activity for Hermana Elvira

picando lena...   or chopping wood

Hermana Elvira

Hola amigos

Hola amigos, things are great out here in Concepcion. I have had a busy two weeks though. Last week we went out with elders in the Santiago North Mission but now that seems not very exciting because I have that every day. So Ill just start out with the transfer that took place tuesday.

So we had to wake up at 5 in the morning to be on a plane at 6:45 on our way to Concepcion. The Andes Mountains are incredible by the way. But we got here and its sweet, super green here and always a little cloudy which I like until it decides to rain. But I met my companion, his name is Elder Hartvigsen and he´s from Alpine Utah. He has 14 months in the mission and is fluent so there´s hope for me. He´s a really cool guy too which is always good.

We arrived to my area which is called Hualpen. Its at the base of the Talcuhuano Peninsula. Its kinda ghetto ish. Some parts of it are a little nicer than others. My companion said he has never been robbed which is kind of boring but oh well. Our area is difficult though and the work in Chile is tough. Everyone is super devoted to their beliefs so in one week we have had one lesson with an investigator. Its still fun though but definitely hard. My first full day here we probably walked a nice 10 or so miles if I had to guess so that was fun. The other days it has been around 5 or 6. 

Our one lesson was with a guy named Eric who has Schizophrenia. We were talking to a guy on the street one day and Eric walked out of his house and asked us to come teach him. We thought he was really interested but yesterday he stood us up on his commitment to come to church with us.

Two days ago I experienced the famous Concepcion rain. It rained so hard for about twenty minutes that it actually went through my so called "waterproof" coat and I was wet the rest of the night. That was a bummer.

Besides that, things have been good. Hard but good. I miss American food and music the most but thats alright. Things are great out here. In these pictures its my companion and I. The other is the view from our 12th floor apartment.

Love,

Elder Parker

Mission office Day 1

Stopping at a farmers market to get some fruits and veggies

Cool fog from our 12th story apartment

Welcome to Concepcion

Today we received this email with pictures from Jake's mission president:

Dear Brother and Sister Parker,

Sister Arrington and I had the great pleasure of welcoming Elder Jacob Terry Parker to the Chile Concepción Mission.  After we met him at the airport when he arrived, we enjoyed lunch together with the other missionaries.  We held an orientation and testimony meeting and Parker met his new companion, Elder Chase Kelly Hartvigsen, who will train him to be a missionary. They will be laboring in the District of Talcahuano Sur 1 and located in the Zone of Talcuhuano Sur.

A mission is a wonderful experience filled with challenge and success that strengthens the testimony and spirituality of each missionary. The greatest support you as a family can give your missionary during his service as a missionary is that of uplifting letters.  Missionaries look forward with great anticipation to each letter from home.  In addition to using email, you can send packages and letters to our address.  The U.S. Postal Service and the Correos de Chile do a good job of delivering packages.

Elder Jacob Terry Parker
Misión Chile Concepción
Castellon 1063 Oficina Norte
Casilla 2210
Concepción, Chile

You may also send letters (and only letters taped shut, no envelopes via the ¨Pouch¨):

Elder Jacob Terry Parker
Misión Chile Concepción
POB 30150
Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0150

We encourage each of our missionaries to write to their parents each week.  Please let me know if a reminder to him is needed. You may contact us using e-mail at 2015528@ldschurch.org.

We invite you to look at our blog: chileconcepcionmission.blogspot.com

It will be our privilege to work closely with Elder Parker as he serves here in Chile.  We are blessed to have him join us in this mission and know that he will have many life changing experiences as he proclaims the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Thank you for your support and for sharing your son with us.

Photos and a map of the mission are attached to this email.

Sincerely,
​
President and Hermana Arrington

Jake In Chile!

We got a great surprise today.  A member of our ward works for the church auditing department.  His work last month just happened to take him to Chile!  He got to see Jake several times!  He said he seems positive and happy, and just like the same old Jake we know and love.  He took this short video and shared with us!  So fun to see him and hear his voice!

One more to go...

Hows it going everyone? Good I hope. I dont have a ton to talk about this week because really nothing has happened over the past week. Everything has been the same as it always is here in the good old MTC but there are some things that I want to talk about for the upcoming week because I dont think Ill be able to email next week because next Tuesday is the day that we fly down to Concepcion so I dont think I will get a chance to email.

But whats going to happen this week is going to be awesome. On Thursday we get to go out and contact in a park and its going to be very interesting because I kind of think I know Spanish until I talk to someone in the Streets and then I realize that I know nothing. They talk so ridiculously fast that its impossible to get everything they say. Also, on Friday we actually get to go on splits with missionaries and teach for real out in the North Mission which is still about two hours away from here. Thats gonna be awesome and super humbling when I realize even better that I know nothing. Still though it should be super fun and great practice. Besides that, I dont have a lot to say except the next time you hear from me I will be down in Concepcion teaching and lost.

Last week was pretty cool on P Day after I emailed you guys though. A guy stopped us on the street and we got trying to talk to him and eventually got his address and are going to send missionaries to his house to teach him. I have no clue if I will ever hear if anything comes of it. I doubt it but it was still cool to experience.

Besides that, nothing has happened. It has actually been a super boring week because there haven´t been any earthquakes or anything fun or exciting. But I look forward to talking to you guys in two weeks and Im sure I will have stuff to talk about.

Love you and miss you all!

Elder Parker

Veterans of the MTC

October 6, 2015

Whats up everyone? how are we all doing? This week was exciting and boring at the same time and with the group above us leaving the MTC this morning I am officially considered the veteran of the MTC. Some events of the week this week.

Obviously General conference this week is a big one. I have never participated in a conference like that before. We all had to take notes while wearing suits and staying awake which was a different experience for me but I got a ton out of it this week. More than I ever have before. It was a great conference and I was able to learn way more than I ever have before and I'm grateful because of that.

Another Big event of the week is that the main guy who runs all of the MTCs around the world came and visited here and he is fluent in 6 languages and knows 9. Anyways Elder Cauble and I were teaching one of our mock investigators and he decided he would just come sit in on the lesson which make me choke super bad because all of the sudden I realized every spanish mistake I was making but whatever he said we did a good job. My english has actually gotten really bad because I speak in Spanish half the day and that kind of makes it weird but the faster I learn Spanish the happier I will be

Besides that I cant remember a lot that happened this week in terms of anything exciting happening. The days here are just really going fast already which makes me happy but also really scared because I feel like I am nowhere near ready to go out into the field but I have exactly two weeks to change that. 

To be honest I have nothing else really to say except that its really fun. Elder Cauble is hilarious and so are my roomates so I am constantly laughing. I am already really grateful for the decision I made to serve a mission and know that I will benefit greatly because of it. I already have a ton. 

a day in the MTC...

September 29, 2015

This week was pretty fun! The days are starting to fly by here and before I can blink the week has already gone by. Its really fun here too now. This is how a normal day goes...

Wake up 645 and go to personal study until 8. Go to breakfast and play MTC soccer until 915. after we get ready and go to class from 10 to 130. Eat lunch until 215 and go to class again until 6. Eat until 645 and then go to class until 930. After that we companion plan and go to our rooms and at 11 its lights out. There is virtually zero variation between the days so its really surprising that the days go by fast. 

Here it is super spiritual though, every day you get to feel the spirit really strongly at least once a day which is really nice. We also get to go the temple today and its P-Day today so its gonna be a good one. Also during P-Day I am on a quest to find an American football because soccer is fun and all but there is nothing quite like football. That is a very hard thing to find though. Football isnt quite the sport here as it is in america. Playing soccer the other day I sprained my ankle as well which sucked but Ive had enough by now that it doesnt even phase me anymore. Also I have decided that tonight I am going to shave my head for fun. Most of my district decided to do it together which is gonna be really funny. If i can figure out how to get pictures to email I will send you some pictures next week.

My Spanish is actually getting decent. I can basically find a way to say anything I want by talking around the hard words and keeping it basic. Today we have to try to place a book of mormon and that could be interesting because Chileans talk crazy fast so basically I might just walk up to a stranger and hand him it and walk away. 

Things here are great though. I feel no where close to ready to be out in the field but Im only half way right now so hopefully it will get better because I would be lost right now if I were to go out. Also if you remember, I would appreciate a prayer or two for the gift of tongues!

Surfing the Earthquake

September 22, 2015

This week was pretty dang awesome. We got to go to the temple here which was really small but super spiritual. There have been some pretty awesome experiences here in the MTC and I like it a lot more than I did to start out to be honest. My teachers are all super cool and the days are going by a lot faster now, so I think the time is going to start to fly by a lot quicker now. Last week went super fast. The Spanish is still a struggle but its coming. Ive got a cold right now so that is kind of annoying. The food is also a lot better than it was that first week which is a real bonus.  

Also we have had earthquakes like every day and night at least once or twice since the big one up around Viña del Mar which was an 8.3. Here it was only about a 6 but it was still super fun to be in one. My district decided to stand up and surf the earthquake when the first one happened instead of get under desks or whatever they teach you to do in school. It was only after it was over that we realized how stupid we were for doing that haha. Now its no big deal when they hit to us. I have only felt about four of them because i was actually sleeping through the other ones because they all hit at night. Last night was the only one that I woke up for. Its kind of fun to be on the fourth floor of the building when one hits because everything just shakes a lot but not enough to evacuate or be scared. The Chilean people here dont even pay attention to them until they get up around 6.5 because the buildings here are built so well. So that was actually really fun.

Im doing really well and liking it more and more every day. The spirit here is really strong and I can tell that this is going to be a really good thing for me to have done.

Letter #1

September 15, 2015

My District. My district is the best one here. We have 12 people, all guys and one girl and they are all pretty cool. Taylor Bingham is in it along with an El Salvadorian guy from Australia who is hilarious. My companions name is Elder Cauble and hes from Colorado. He´s a pretty cool guy. Our district is the best because like all of us are funny and love to joke around with each other. We have some pretty hilarious teachers too. Hermano Pino is one of them and the other day all we did the entire class was laugh. 

The whole Spanish thing is super hard. Especially trying to teach in Spanish. We are already have to teach mock investigators and considering I know a little Spanish and my companion knows basically none its pretty dang rough. We probably taught one of the worst lessons possible ever yesterday haha.

The little part of Chile that I have seen has looked pretty dang cool. Its never very hot and kind of reminds me of downtown Honolulu.