Week 99

This week has been pretty good! Nothing too big went on. Well, actually yeah a few things happened! It was a good week! We kicked it off with a zone conference with President Ferreira. My last zone conference, actually. I was actually late to it, as well. Hermana Ferreira had me wandering around the city a bit haha. I was supposed to take a blood test to make sure that the tb was negative. I lived at least an hour away by bus from the clinic. It would be difficult enough getting there, but the people who were already there did not know how to get me there. I asked the bus to let me off close to the building because he said he knew it. He let me off 2 miles away. -_- So I was on the phone with Hermana Ferreira and the missionaries who were there, and none of them knew where I was, nor how to get me to where I needed to go. So that was a fun hour. At the end, I found it, and got my blood drawn. The conference was a very good conference, though I felt like I've had it before. It started out with how we can work with members, and ended talking about working with less active members. It was a very good conference, I enjoyed it. And we had pizza for lunch! Which was so great, because President had stopped buying pizza for lunch a while ago. So this was a nice surprise. I saw several friends there, Elder Vicente, Elder Smith, Elder Cook. It was a good time. 

We are getting very close to the celebration of Chile's independence, the 18 de Septiembre. Everyone is decorating (because it's the law and they have to) but I love it! The ward had an activity on Saturday, in the morning. They gathered everyone and basically had a big barbecue. There were games, food, and La Cueca. La Cueca is the national dance of Chile. I don't remember if I did anything for the 18th last year, but this year I went all out. I played soccer with the ward, I helped cook, and sang karaoke with them, and... I danced the cueca! Jajajaja it was so fun! I and two other elders danced. It was fun to learn it and try it out. It was definitely something new and different, but I got good at it! ;) Someone took a video, but it was of my first try, so it was kinda... awkward. But it was so fun! I'm hoping the 18th we can actually get in to some asados or something, enjoy the day. 

So, I don't know if you remember, but in Caliche I talked about two dogs who would follow me everywhere and use us as shields from other dogs. Well, they've migrated. Now they follow Centenario. I'm stuck with them again. However, if I plan right, and do some running strategic, I can dodge them and they go with the other companionship. So I was trying to do that on Friday, aaaaaaaaaand as I was running I was attacked by a dog jaja! Rule 1 in the North of Chile: Don't Run!!! The dogs will chase and attack you. Luckily he only scratched me, but now there's holes in the shape of a dog's mouth in my favorite pants. -_-

We are getting further along with Victor and Elsa and Emily y Mary. We were with them almost every day of the week! They are progressing well, and are reading from the Book of Mormon. Victor is progressing the best. He reads daily, and is understanding everything! We ask him what he remembers, and he gives us the detailed story as if he were reading it to us! I'm stoked for him, buuuuuttt... they didn't come to church on Sunday! AAAAagagghghghg I was so frustrated. We still don't know why, but today we're heading over to see what's up. I want them to keep progressing. Victor has been searching since 11 for the true church, and he says that with us he feels something that he's never felt in any other church! Dude!!! That's the spirit! I want him to recognize that. Once he does, he will commit to baptism. With Elder Gonzales we're doing ok. Just... chugging along haha! I'm so grateful that in my last cambio I was placed with somebody who likes to work!

And that's my week! I hope yours was fantastic! And... 3 weeks left! ;)

Les amo a todos!

Elder Schmid