Ricardo went to church this week with Daniela, what a great suprise. I was able to talk to him through the meeting, and said he wanted to go every sunday to support Daniela. He is her father, who is divorced from her mother, and does not live with Daniela. I had seen him very few times. He had noticed something different in our church, how everyone greeted hom when he came in, and liked they way everyone learned and participated together. He said he wanted to change how he lived his life, even willing to not work sunday to be able to go every week to church. It is amazing how a 12 year old daughter had woken up something in her father by her example, consistantly learning, preparing, attending church, and bieng baptized. He had noticed something different about her, and wanted to feel something similar. Thus we see that small actions can make big differences. Danielas influence hasn`t only reached her father, but cousin, a friend, and her mother. Everyone in her family has a positive opinion of the church thanks to Daniela. She is an exemplary person.
This friday was the 18th, chilean independance day. Every house had a big barbecue for lunch, with steak, pork, empanadas (a chilean tradition, with out an empanada it isn`t the 18th), and salads. We ate soooo much, 4 times durring the day. The Bergonje family had invited us and had venezuelan family visiting, and gave us an arepa each. MMMmm. People also leave to dance the Cueca, and fly kites. It is a huge chilean festival. The 19th they have a military parade and a airplane show. Durring the whole week we saw planes flying over, to practice, and the 19th the air show. The down-side is that many peole leave to visit family, or are having a big party so we couldn`t have very much lessons and the contacts we did weren`t very effective. But the celebration, fantastic.
And do not forget the earthquake. Wednesday night there was a strong earthquake here, I don`t know if you heard about it. Everything was shaking strongly for about 3 minutes, which can seem like an eternity, But nothing got damaged or fell over, just got a good shaking. It was crazy though. It caused a tsunami on the coast, causing a lot of flooding and garbage in the streets. They are still trying to clean up the mess, it was a lot worse for them. Since Wednesday we have had many small quakes. Sometimes they are too small to notice, or the bed and windows starts shaking at night, or the chandelier starts to shake.
That is a window into my week. This next week we have a couple painting service projects. In a special missionary capacitation they showed us some self-defence teqniques if somebody tries to jump us. I have been practicing every morning on the punching bag in our apartment building gym, just in case. I am enjoying the mission and working hard. Today for pday we played basketball, soccer, and even football.
How was your week? I hope you have a great comming week. write me please, I would love to keep hearing from you all for every pday I have left. I love you all so much. Elder Chandler. P.S. How crazy that elder Scott passed away the other day. There must be a lot of work to do on the other side. P.S.S. The Chileans celebrated the 18 with a alcoholic beverage called the terremoto, earthquake. It is common for this date, but ironic because of the earthqauke.
This friday was the 18th, chilean independance day. Every house had a big barbecue for lunch, with steak, pork, empanadas (a chilean tradition, with out an empanada it isn`t the 18th), and salads. We ate soooo much, 4 times durring the day. The Bergonje family had invited us and had venezuelan family visiting, and gave us an arepa each. MMMmm. People also leave to dance the Cueca, and fly kites. It is a huge chilean festival. The 19th they have a military parade and a airplane show. Durring the whole week we saw planes flying over, to practice, and the 19th the air show. The down-side is that many peole leave to visit family, or are having a big party so we couldn`t have very much lessons and the contacts we did weren`t very effective. But the celebration, fantastic.
And do not forget the earthquake. Wednesday night there was a strong earthquake here, I don`t know if you heard about it. Everything was shaking strongly for about 3 minutes, which can seem like an eternity, But nothing got damaged or fell over, just got a good shaking. It was crazy though. It caused a tsunami on the coast, causing a lot of flooding and garbage in the streets. They are still trying to clean up the mess, it was a lot worse for them. Since Wednesday we have had many small quakes. Sometimes they are too small to notice, or the bed and windows starts shaking at night, or the chandelier starts to shake.
That is a window into my week. This next week we have a couple painting service projects. In a special missionary capacitation they showed us some self-defence teqniques if somebody tries to jump us. I have been practicing every morning on the punching bag in our apartment building gym, just in case. I am enjoying the mission and working hard. Today for pday we played basketball, soccer, and even football.
How was your week? I hope you have a great comming week. write me please, I would love to keep hearing from you all for every pday I have left. I love you all so much. Elder Chandler. P.S. How crazy that elder Scott passed away the other day. There must be a lot of work to do on the other side. P.S.S. The Chileans celebrated the 18 with a alcoholic beverage called the terremoto, earthquake. It is common for this date, but ironic because of the earthqauke.