Super Ocho Sabado

Santa Juana

Hey Fam!

I hope you are all doing well. I am getting better and better every week. This week I thought I would start out telling you a little about Chile. One of the things I like most here is the fruit juice. It is way better than juice in the States. My favorite kinds are orange juice and pineapple juice. It has been kind of fun to explore the different candy bars and stuff like that. Nestle is really big here. They have a candy bar that I really like that isn’t in the States. It’s called a Super 8 bar and it is really similar to a Reese’s Stix in the States. Saturday is the hardest day here, because it is my favorite day back home. To try and fix this, we have started having “Super Ocho Sabado”. Every Saturday night we go and buy a Super 8 bar. The milk here isn’t as good as the stuff back home, but I solved that problem with Nesquik mix. I really like having a glass of chocolate milk in the morning with a bowl of oatmeal or a bowl of granola and yogurt. Quaker Oats are pretty big here so I will usually buy a box of instant oatmeal each week. I really like the ten minutes where I eat breakfast each morning because it is one of the few moments where I can rest. It helped a lot to find good food to eat for breakfast. Those first few weeks I was completely lost and wasn’t eating much outside our meals with members. Breakfast and Dinner are really small here. The biggest meal is lunch. We usually eat lunch with a member around 1:30 each day. Lunch is massive. Usually we eat chicken or beef with a mountain of mashed potatoes. The members are all good cooks, so no complaints! Anyways, that is some good stuff about the food. My favorite snack here is peanut M & Ms. We found a store that sells them. I love them because they remind me of Dad.

Government Housing in Santa Juana

I would love to tell you more but I don’t have a lot of time so I will try to tell you a little bit more about Chile every week.

I am doing much better. The first weeks in the field are really tough. I think if the mission field is the refiner’s fire for life, the first few weeks are the center of the flame where it is white hot. I also think everyone struggles with different challenges those first few weeks. For me, it was missing my family. I have also been humbled a lot. This week I thought a lot about the scripture that says, “I show unto men their weaknesses that I might make them strong unto them”. That scripture has never been truer in my entire life. I have so many weaknesses. As I have looked back over the last 5-6 weeks, I have been amazed to see how much I have changed. I have become a lot stronger and I know the Lord will continue to change me throughout my mission. Change is a process that is long and hard. It is extremely difficult for me. I am grateful that I can have trust in the Lord and know that all these things will eventually be for my good.

We are in a section that is more like apartments right behind the government housing.     

I have been humbled a lot as I have read about the Philippines. I was really touched by the stories about the missionaries as well. I feel foolish to be frustrated with such small things when the people in the Philippines have lost so much. We should never take anything for granted. I don’t know if Thanksgiving was last Thursday or next Thursday, but I hope everyone will take a moment to think about how blessed we are to live where we live and have what we have. I am astounded by how much we have been blessed. Even down to the smallest, simplest things. As I have thought about the Philippines and seen the differences between here and home, I have found a whole new perspective. I feel guilty ever complaining about anything in the past. I am very grateful for my blessings.

This is a picture of our stairs. There is a bad stair right where that overhang is, and I am scared to death I am going to die every time I come down the stairs. These houses aren´t made for tall people. There is a door at the supermarket that I can´t quite get through with my shoulders square. 

I love you all tons and hope you are doing well. I loved hearing from Grandpa Paul these last few weeks. Glad to hear you are already skiing! Love you all tons!

Oh esta todo bien!

Elder William Christensen