February 8, 2010

I asked Jeff about the picture he sent where he is holding a chocolate bunny with the Mom and her two children. This was in his last area right before changes happened:

Did you like that picture? They were a good family, I hope the 2 kids get
baptized. They were funny. She made that bunny for me, it was very
good. It had peaches and manjar(sweetened condensed milk product here
that they eat all the time, kinda like carmel) it was really good. It
didn't melt because it was night and the sun wasn't out.

He has been telling us the differences between the city of Santiago, where he is now, and his previous, more rural area. Big difference is accessibility of food, another is having to do his own laundry again. Before the women in his ward did the laundry for the elders.

American food is so good! I just ate 3 dunkin doughnuts! That is one good part of being in the city. We do have a fridge now, a really nice one. Without one we just didn't really have food, ever. But now we have one and it's very nice.
No..la hermanas don't do our laundry here :( It's about 2 dollars a load too, it's lame. My clothes will be more yellow now haha

Right now he lives in a high rise apartment building. Close by is a horse racing track and a large park. One night they were able to hear & see some of a concert that was going on in the nearby horse track by going to the top of their apartment building:

We live on the 16th floor of 17. And the concert was in that horse track. So we could hear it in all parts of the apartment, and we went up to the tower for a little bit to watch, then went to bed.
The city is very big! My companion and I get along well. Sometimes I think he tries to get on my nerves, but I'm a lot more patient than I used to be haha. We teach well together. We found this man through a member and he is very receptive to the gospel, we have high hopes for him and his family. I want to baptize a whole family!! Pray that Jorge and his family will feel the truthfullness of this gospel.

Being a missionary isn't the easiest way of life, but I definitely think it's one of the if not the most rewarding ways of life. To see the progress of those you teach, and also to see yourself progress. Heavenly Father created a plan for us because He loves us, and that plan is perfect. And I know that each of you have such a high potencial to reach, and that as you continue to strive to live the gospel you continue to reach and realize that potencial.I think a lot of times us members of the church are hipocrites. When we hear and learn such great things in church, how often do we go home and apply those things? I think if all of us really strive to live the things we learn we will help the church and our families and our selves progress so much. So apply the principles we learn :)Well, that's about it I think. Andrés and Isaac are still progressing well, I hope they get baptized. Pray for them too :)
You all are always in my prayers, thanks for everything!
Love ,Elder DeLong