August 20, 2012

It's unfortunate to hear that Blaine is having such a tough time and having to stay in the hospital this long, but at least things seem to be getting a little bit better and relieving a little stress from you.

That is great that the baptism for Stan went through this week and that he was able to have a good turn out for it. I think I might try and start utilizing my members better to get the people more into the church here. I will have to think about that a little more this week and figure out the things I can change in order to get the ball rolling faster here in the sector.

That's cool that Theo got a good turn out for his coming home talk and that he was able to do a good job (why wouldn't he). I have kin ofa resigned myself to the fact that the return missionaries are not going to be writing their talks down. I doubt that I will either.

On P-days here we aren't allowed to dress down unless we are doing something that we can't do in dress clothes, so I mostly just wear dress clothes and my shorts, shirt and hoodie. As far as hair cuts...there are hair dressers everywhere. The other day I walked by 4 that were all right next to one another, so that is really not an issue. In Antofagasta there was a member who was a hair dresser. In Tocopilla I went wherever, and here, I haven't cut my hair yet.

The music player that I got was one that has built in speakers and takes pretty much all kinds of memory. I bought a thumb drive in the Zofri to play the music off of. I have got the one memory stick and I have been downloading some of the music off of the church website to play, but if you wanted to get me some of the music that I can't get off the site and send me that on another USB drive that would be great. Then I could flop the music over and load the other one up with conference talks to listen to. As far as an MP3 player, I don't really need it anymore.

I keep forgetting to tell you guys there are two websites for the mission and they are as follows:

chileantofagastamission.com

chileantofagastamission.blogspot.com

The official website and the Blog

Oh, one more thing...You know how you always told me to try mushrooms again to see if I like them. Well I have had them twice now in the last two weeks and I gotta say....still no.

Chao

Love Jord

August 13, 2012

This one might be kind of short because I don't have a lot of time for all of the things that I have to do today and because this computer is super user-unfriendly.

It is good to see that the Canadians are stepping it up in the Summer Olympics, but the Winter Olympics are still better. We saw a little bit of the highlights for women's speed walking...that was boring. Too bad about the women's soccer - it always sucks when the game is decided more on how the ref calls it than on how the game is actually played. The ref really can make a substantial difference.

I don't have time to read your talk this week, but I will try and get it read next week. I have not had to speak since my first transfer in Gabriela Mistral, but it is not as big a deal as before my mission because everything I do here is like preparation for a talk. 

I really wish I could listen to all of these coming home talks, but at least I will get to hear the ones that are coming after me like Spencer Hoy and Austin Oviatt.

I was given another chirimoya by a member here and I still loved it. I think tomorrow we are going to try and leave early to our meeting and see if there are some at a local market that we pass on the way - it was fantastic.

I am not really worried about having jeans because I never wear them anyway. This was the first time I had tried them on since my first transfer in the mission. What I really need to look at getting is new shoes which I can buy here. It really is amazing how fast you go through shoes here. I think these ones I am wearing now should last at least 3 months, but I might buy some while I am in a bigger city as they'll be easier to find. 

We haven't got into see the family that I mentioned last time yet because they weren't around and then he started working. We will have to go sometime this week. We also recieved a reference that is really good and we have family home evening with them today - it should be pretty good. His wife is a less active member that is self-reactivating and he is being pulled along for the ride.

Today we went to the Zofri, which is like a big duty free market here in Iquique. I bought a memory card and a music player that has its own speakers...they are really popular in Chile. I think that it will be nice to have down the road in the mission.

Sorry for the short message, but I am flying through my internet time and I still have things to do.

Love,

Jord

August 6, 2012

That really sucks about Blaine still being in the hospital, but hopefully Robin Hood can help relieve some of the strain as going to the hospital every day for weeks is rough. At least he can eat though.

You said you were taking Blaine different fresh fruits as treats. I ate the weirdest fruit. It's called a Chirimoya and apparently it's the most expensive type of fruit here. It doesn't look or taste like anything that I have ever seen before, but it kind of feels like a banana when you are eating it. It was really good.

I have to agree with Spencer about learning the language in the passage you sent out of his letter. (Sometimes understanding, sometimes being totally lost.) I still have some similar experiences here even after 9 months in the mission. There are times when people are talking to you and you have no idea what they are saying, or now it's more that I understand all the words, but they say it in a really weird way. But... people keep telling me that I am speaking really well, so I am more motivated to keep working harder on my language. I found that you have that time in the MTC when you're not understanding anybody, and then you start feeling pretty good about yourself. Then you get to the field and you have it all over again. However, for me, I am positive that being slowed down by having to learn a new language has made me a better missionary.

I would love to tell you that I get really emotional when I think about home, but I don't really have the time to think about it much.

I heard that Canada did pretty good in synchronized diving, but I could be mistaken. At least they seem to be improving in the Summer Olympics. Some missionaries here are saying that it's a drag to have to miss the Olympics, but I would way rather miss the summer Olympics than the winter ones.

I am indeed that heavy (175 lbs) and it is just as weird for me. The zone here plays soccer everyday, but I like to stay back with one of the 4 elders in the pension and do a workout sometimes. I think that will help. My jeans no longer fit me. They were a little snug to begin with, but now they are tight and uncomfortable. 

The new area is good. It is nice being able to knock doors that I have never knocked before. There are a couple of people here that they were teaching that are good and one that I think has really good potential to get baptized. We also found a family this week that we haven't taught, but they seem really nice so we will see. I am gradually getting to know the area here. I think it will be a bit more work than I thought because it seems like that my companion was left out of the loop a little bit last transfer. He doesn't know where a lot of the families are, but we are working on it. The hardest families were the less active ones this week. Being a trainer is a lot different when you start from day one, but it looks as though there isn't a whole lot of difference from being senior companion when you are finishing training - they already know a lot of stuff. However, I am trying to do things like we are supposed to and it should be good. I have to pull a little bit of the lazy out of Elder Santos though that I think he picked up from his old companion.

I don't know if the baptism in Gabriela went through. Perhaps I'll hear at some point.

I was pretty happy with my packing skills too, but I will be happy when I get home and you can just do it for me again. (smiley Face) (spanish keyboard messing up my Emotes).

Strange cultural fact of the week. The people here put jackets on wild dogs  during the winter.

Love Jord

July 30, 2012

That sucks that Blaine (Jordan's uncle/mom's brother) is having such problems and has been in the hospital recently. At least from what you have told me it sounds like they are trying to do the best that they can in order to help him heal. It's unfortunate that he might have to go back to the hospital for another surgery, but I'm not a doctor, so I am not going to say anything about that.

It is good that you were able to have a chat with Garret for a little bit because I haven't really heard much about anyone since I've been gone. I don't want to be totally cut off from my friends and family. I don't want to be thinking about them all the time either, but a little news is nice. I have indeed worked in the Windermere area and there are some really nice houses so I have an idea of where they're moving. I am surprised that his parents are selling their business, but maybe they are just ready for a change of pace. 

I had known that Andrew was planning on going into the police training, but it is good to see that he went through with it. He really seemed to enjoy that stuff before. 

From what I understand the weather here is a little colder this year than it has been previously, but otherwise nothing is really weird.

I have not really been keeping up with my workouts, but Elder Rodriguez made me run three days a week. He wanted to go more, but I wasn't that loving. I still look good, but I am about 175 pounds now, which is a little more than before (A little?? Jordan was 152 when he left). I am not fat by any means, but I do need to work out to gain a little muscle and shape up a bit more.

The baptism from this Friday did not go through because she came down with a fever. She was sick and in bed until the end of Saturday. We have the baptism changed to next Saturday and as long as nothing happens again, it should go through.

That being said though, I will not be here is Gabriela anymore as I was transfered to Alto Hospicio. I don't remember my sector's name so I will have to get back to you on that. I will be there with Elder Santos who is going into his second transfer in the mission. I will be completing his training and will be senior companion. I am actually going there with two other Elders from my zone here in La Portada. Elder Pope, who was my district leader here and will be zone leader in Alto Hospicio. Elder Hong will be travelling there too (Elder Hong and me get along very well). Alto Hospicio is a city that is really close to another city called Iquique which is quite large. Iquique is on the coast and runs along until it hits the bottom of the hill.  At the top of the hill is a plateau and Alto Hospicio is there. It's not really a hill... more like a foot hill. 

I am pretty excited to go and try and use the things that I learned here in the new sector with new people. I am also excited to see doors to knock that I have never knocked before.

Oh, and mom... I think I am getting the hang of this packing thing now. I think you would be proud of me.

Anyways, I should go.

Love,

Jord

July 23, 2012

We had a really good week here in the sector. We were able to get some new people to church and also had a lot of success finding new people without too much difficulty. We have been doing really good and it looks like we can expect a baptism on Friday, as long as nothing changes.

This should be my last week here in Gabriela Mistral. Next week are transfers and it would be a little weird to be here for another transfer, given that Elder Rodriguez should be moving to Senior companion. Really, the only way I think that I would stay is if I am training next transfer, which is potentially an option.

That is sad to hear that Blaine is having more troubles with his arm, but hopefuly he will be able to recover well. On the one hand it is bad that he broke the same arm, but it might be better given that he won't have injuries on both sides.

I can't believe that Jeremy Colling is home already. It has definatly not felt like two years, but I have really been amazed at how fast the time seems to go here in the mission. I am kind of noticing how short my life before the mission actually felt. It is a lot easier to see how the time is moving when looking back on it, than looking at the moment or to the future. The days may seem long, but the weeks seem short. It is good that he was able to give a great homecoming talk. I would imagine that it is pretty emotional to come back home and talk in that setting. Probably didn't help that his sisters sang right before.

I was actually wondering the other day what some of the people I know are doing. Like Alex, Garret (did you have him over?), Jeff, Andrew and some of the girls. 

You should try and let me know a little what happens during the Olympics even though Canada usually isn't strong in the summer Olympics.

I had mentioned that we were going to have a baptism this Friday. It is a girl from here that Elder Rodriguez found. She is fourteen, but her understanding of the things that we are teaching is really amazing. There are a lot of adults that we teach that don't understand like she does, and when she doesn't understand something she asks, which is refreshing.

We are also working with a couple that we found that are from Columbia. They came to church for the first time yesterday and I think that they really enjoyed it. We are really excited to see what goes on. We will be trying to get them to commit to a baptisimal date this week which would be fantastic because it's always like to find families instead of single family members. 

I couldn't help but notice that in the picture of you guys by the fountain at City Hall during Taste of Edmonton, that mom is holding green onion cakes.....that's just mean. (Not intentional - Jordan's favourite.)

Love you,

Jord

July 16, 2012

It is really interesting that you guys are getting your hot weather there while we are getting our cold weather here. I knew that it worked that way obviously, but I just never thought about it. It is actually starting to get a little cold during the nights and I have been putting on my jacket a little more than usual. One thing that is different here is that the houses really have no insulation and they are not even close to closed off from the environment, so the indoor temperatures drop and rise a lot with the outside temperature. I heard one time that if you add up all the little cracks and holes that are open to the outside in the houses in Canada, you'd have a hole the size of a basketball. Here it's like having your door open all day, probably more.

I have been thinking about making pizza from scratch, but I have been lazy, not much time to do it, and I have no idea how to regulate the temperature in the stoves here because they are gas.

It doesn't feel like Theo and Jeremy have been out long enough to be coming home already, but like you said, I have been gone 8 and a half months and it doesn't feel that long either.

This week was probably our worst week here in the sector, but we did have the baptism of Eduardo (I'll send pictures next week). We are really looking to work a little harder this week. There were a lot of meetings and things this week that took almost all of our mornings, so we should have more time this week to work and get stuff done.

One of those things was the interview with the president and like always, it was really good. It is kind of interesting that I only get time to talk to the president once every three months and only for about 15 minutes, and yet when we get together, most of the time we swap stories instead of talking about specific things. One thing funny was that he asked me if I had a drivers licence and could drive a stick shift, which made me think a lot. The only people who drive are the ones in the office, but it looks like he asked everyone that question, so it was not really a big deal.

With the baptism of Eduardo we still have people to teach, but we will have to find more because some we were teaching are starting to drop off. Hopefully we can have another really good week like we had two weeks ago and get rolling again and finish the transfer strong.

Strange Cultural fact of the week: the people here water the area in front of their house more than we do, but they are watering only dirt in order to keep the dust down... I don't think that it is working.

Love you guys,

Jord

July 9, 2012

You really shouldn't feel too worried about telling me things that are going on and distracting me because I hardly think about home during the week. Really only on Sunday. The mission is just too busy and Elder Rodriguez and I are working really hard so it's not really a distraction. I have been amazed at how fast this transfer has been going - it hasn't felt anywhere close to three weeks. That usually happens when you are focused on the right things... so there you go. 

I really don't think you could bore me with your pictures. I will give you an idea of some things that I have not seen in a while: grass, carpet, doorknobs... any kind of plant. One thing that I would really like you to send me, but might take some effort to get, is a couple pictures of a project or two from work last summer (landscaping). I would really appreciate it if you could get me the pictures this week, but if it takes another week that's fine.

I am convinced that during my first two months in the mission that I could have beaten anyone at charades, so you can tell Mandy I know what that is like. (Friends Mandy and Jacek went to Poland, his homeland, during Euro. Mandy doesn't speak Polish... they didn't speak English, but her charades were excellent!)

I am so happy to be working with Elder Rodriguez here in Gabriela. We have one baptism set for this week and we have a handful of people that are progressing so we are looking good. 

Eduardo is that one that we have been working with whose girlfriend is a member. He is doing really well in order to work towards this Saturday. The only thing that we really have left with him is to get him his interview this week and actually do it.

Elder Rodriguez found a girl on Saturday while he was working with another Elder and she went to church yesterday. She was saying she wants to go to seminary so we will probably be working with her throughout this coming week. I really don't know much about her situation, but it sounds like her mother was an investigator a long time ago, but never got baptized (maybe because of the dad).

We also have two families of Colombians that we are working with, thanks to my companion. A couple of them are progressing well, but have yet to go to church.

Ilrick was our other investigator that had a baptisimal date for this Saturday, but it is looking like we are going to have to work with him a little more. He was attending an Adventist church and I think he feels uncertain on a couple of things. What he really needs to do is read and pray, but I don't think he wants to at this point.

In other news...tomorrow we have interviews with President Bruce so I will be able to give you a lowdown on what happens next week. Also, I will upload some photos today.

Strange cultural fact of the week: From what I can tell, there appears to be no speed limit here, or it is really not enforced.

I really need to start writing down more things that happen. Some guy came and told me this week that he was a prophet and had spoken in tongues. The spirit told him to tell me that I need to stop living in the flesh and start living in spirit and loving the people. I would love to tell you that it was a weird experience, but stuff like that happens all the time. However, it's something I haven't mentioned before.

Love,

Jord