Week 77

Hola!

Oh man, I am so freaking happy for Charlie!!! He did it! We all did it! Our entire priest quorum/friend group has gone through the temple!!! A major factor in my coming to the mission was the support I got from those guys! It's interesting how my best friends, that I was always with, was also my priest quorum... I guess our young mens leaders knew what they were doing, no? And no, mom, I haven't made the cookies yet because I am too poor to buy the ingredients. Our beloved roomates have wasted ALL of their money. In fact, they did it all within two weeks of having it. And so my comp and I have paid for a ton of crap that we shouldn't have had to pay for. But... alas... así es la vida. Actually, I paid for a new thing of gas, and it cost me 18,000 pesos. Within a week, somebody came and stole it. Now to replace it, we must pay 30,000 pesos, which we don't have, because my comp and I have also had to pay all the other bills. So now we are showering in cold water. -_-

In happier news, We've been having a pretty good week. We are getting somewhere finally with some of our investigators! We are working now especially with two. One is called Yvania. She is a joven, 21 years old or something like that. We found her a while ago, but have recently begun making some headway. She loves everything we are teaching, and would already be baptized, but her work schedule is screwy. She only works Saturdays and Sundays, and she needs the job. We've talked about the sabbath day with her, but Chileans don't get that concept. Even the members work on Sunday. But she talked to her boss and fixed it to where she works less on Sunday, and now can come to church starting this week. So we are excited for her. We are also working with another joven called German (pronounced Herman for you gringos) who is progressing not as fast, but is progressing. He is the son of an inactive lady and lives next door to a very active member. He likes listening, but it's hard to find him in his house. He almost never is home, which is super frustrating, but oh well. We move forward. 

The weather here is getting pretty cold at nights. The wind here is constant. I never try to comb my hair really becauwe the wind never ceases. And around this time, that wind is freezing. It would feel so good outside if it weren't windy. But that's ok. I was looking for my sweater but it looks like I left it in Antofa or something. Either that or someone stole it. You would be surprised how many missionaries are thieves. I have lost (and found) many items of mine by their hands. But oh well! I try not to guess who exactly, because that leads to judgement and sin, but it's getting frustrating. I would buy a new one, but there's no money on my card. I would use the mission money... but you now know why I can't. So I just roll down my sleeves. But it's not bad, just uncomfortable. Maybe I'm still too used to the weather back home, no? You asked about my hand problem. It goes away when I use the stuff that the doctor prescribed to me but is very expensive for my budget. It works, and it goes away for a bit, but then pops back up. Right now there is a bit on a few of my fingers, but it hasn't gone back to how it was before. It was on half my hand before. Now not so much. And yes, mom, I know my shirts are yellow. Don't give me the whitening tips! I don't wash my clothes! We pay a sister to do it. I watched how she did it the other day... so we give her our clothes in our dirty clothes bags, which are made of cloth. She doesn't take the clothes out. She throws the whole bag in, with all the clothes still inside. Then after she takes the clothes out, folds the shirts, and throws the rest back in. So.... don't blame me for yellow shirts! Also, the dust here is very different from back there. You cannot avoid the dust here, it is constantly caking your clothes. Imagine being at mesquite wash and the quads come by. That's all day every day. 

We are happy here. This week was not fast, but not slow either. It was just really relaxed. I talked a lot with my converts here, and they are so strong! Millaray participated in New Beginnings yesterday. Camilo is passing the sacrament. Barbara is planning to go with Michelle and her family to the temple, and they leave this Thursday! I did not convert them, the spirit did. How they act now is evidence of that. I'm so happy that that's the way it is, and that they were baptized because of the testimony they recieved from God, and not from me! We are working hard here, Elder Carrasco and I. It's kinda tough here, but that's ok. The ward is amazing. This week we have transfers. I honestly don't know what's coming. It's very possible that I stay, yet very possible that I go. I would be ok with either option. But that's my life right now! Did I answer all of your questions? Have a good week!

Les amo a todos!

Elder Schmid