October 7, 2013

Hey mom! How are things going?!

Sounds like you all had a great week and everything went well. I am so happy that you all watched conference because there were some awesome messages the whole weekend! I thought of Blake when Elder Edward Dube talked. He was great! I took notes on every person that talked and fortunately I was able to watch all of the sessions in English! =) that was great because I don’t know how it would have been if I had watched them in Spanish....Most of all I hope that you guys learned from conference and intend to use the teachings in life because they are sooo helpful! I felt like a lot of those talks were for me, talking about how we chose to come to earth knowing what is ahead of us and that with our troubles here on earth we can learn and grow to develop who we will be for eternity. It helps so much to keep the big picture in mind and as one of the talks said, “Don’t forget to look up!” I thoroughly enjoyed conference. But when I was taking notes I found that some of the words in English I didn’t know how to spell or I had to think about it for a minute because it has been a long time since I have written that word in English! Ha-ha, 21 more months and I think that I’ll be worse off! 

1. I am pretty sure that the money carries over, relatively certain.

2. We normally walk to church on Sundays but it is about a 20 minute walk or so. Sometimes when we are crunched for time we take these cars called colectivos. They’re like a taxi but they have a fixed payment. 

3. Every once in a while I will have a good episode of sneezes but over all my allergies aren’t bad. Elder Arjona and I went running this last week, I think it was on Tuesday and, I was still recovering from a cold so my asthma was worse than normal and I had a ton of phlegm too. We went running and my asthma was pretty bad but Elder Arjona tried telling me that I don’t have asthma because of some study that has happened recently or whatever and I told him I’ve been to the doctor and they have told me I have asthma! I am almost out of Advair and am not sure what I am going to do about that. The mission nurse told me that she thinks Advair isn’t in Chile... ha-ha I don’t know. I have 6 puffs left I think.

4. We watched the conference in the stake center and I watched all of the sessions in English and that was nice. I got kind of home sick seeing the SLC temple and knowing that SLC is relatively close to home compared to where I am... it made me long for home and family... but I learned a LOT from all of the talks! =)

5. I do laundry in our house. We have a washer but we have to air dry the clothes or take them to a sister in the branch. I just air dry it, less of a hassle.

6. By the time I am finished with the hour and fifteen minutes of computer time that I have it is never more than 1000 pesos, usually 750 or thereabouts.

7. For Christmas, I would like some more family pictures and maybe like a little album book to put them in. I think I might buy some street shoes down here because I only have running shoes and I think that they’re too small for my feet. Um some skittles. =) crazy cores. I crave skittles quite often. Maybe you all could just buy a small something for me that I can remember you with. I don’t know what I want. I want you guys. Ha-ha but a picture is the best that will happen and also skyping for Christmas! So psyched for that! I am going to set up an account with the help of Hermano Godoy in our branch. He is the first councilor and is the bomb. I will try and send a photo of him to you. In truth I can’t think of anything more.... just whatever you think that I would like. =) thanks for all your consideration and I can’t wait to get the first package!!! I haven’t got any of them yet...

So we met this guy last Sunday not yesterday but 8 days ago. His name is Christian and he was with his family. We visited him this last week. He claimed that he is pretty much atheist because there are so many churches he doesn’t know what to believe. But we had the first lesson, the restoration, with him and I will tell you what that was the strongest I have felt the spirit in any lesson my whole mission. It was awesome and my Spanish was so smooth that lesson too. Loved it! He has a baptismal date and I think that he will get baptized. He is sincere and thorough because he has questions about everything that he really wants to know. It is cool.

I got approached by a drunk guy this week and he was kind of aggressive and was talking to me but I couldn’t really understand his drunk Spanish. His friend pulled him away, who was also drunk, and they left. I just told him essentially to chill, but the cool thing was that I wasn’t scared at all! I had the spirit with me and I knew that everything would be good!

We have been visiting with this lady named Lillian. Her son is a less active and her daughter also. Their family has turmoil. Her 18 year old daughter has 2 daughters, her son is what the Chileans call a flete or a gangster kind of, but he is a nice kid. He just has a questionable girlfriend. Lillian also has a difficult relationship with her husband I think.. .but she is on course to be baptized because she knows and also her son and daughter know that our visits invite the spirit into their home and they can notice the difference! It is really cool. We had a baptism this last Friday of a girl named Pilar! I will try and send photos. She is a cute girl and her family is so kind. They are recently activated in the church and they have callings and have been strengthening their membership in the church a lot. Their goal is to go to the temple!!! Eternal families is where it is at! =) but that is about it for what came to my mind, but remember I write in my journal every day so you can read it when I get home.

We went to Jumbo, grocery store, today not last week and they didn’t have Mt Dew.... I settled for a Dr. Pepper... better than nothing. I think the next 21 months of my life will be without Mt Dew.

I found out that I get a new comp tomorrow. He is Chilean and is called Elder Leiva. Elder Arjona is going to be a district leader in a different zone! I have actually enjoyed Elder Arjona a lot these past two weeks or so. It seems like we have a friendship now instead of just having to be together. Elder Aguirre stays but Elder Arnez leaves and we get a new zone leader named Elder Porter I think. Two Americans and two Latinos in the house as of tomorrow! I am kind of excited but nervous. I hope to have a lot of success with the help of the Lord this next change. I love the scripture Ether 12.27... It was like a theme of the conference! That is it for now. I am going to try and email other people. I love you guys so so so much and pray for you all the time. thank you for all your support and please send my love to everyone, granpa, grandma, aunts uncles, phips =) of course, and the Hunsakers, the ward! Tell them thanks for everything! LOVE you all!! =) 

Sincerely and love, 

Elder Tegan Hall

Tegan is top center. He doesn't send very many pictures so I have to copy them from another missionary's blog.