December 26th, 2011

Hi there,

So I don`t have much to say because we just chatted yesterday but it was amazing to see you all and I`m glad you have a good Christmas and that Santa found you all. Don`t worry he found me here in Chile too :) All the members here are so nice. I now have a sweet key chain and a BRIGHT yellow shirt and a whole bunch of pens and markers and a Chilean map thingy. Also, thanks for everything you do for me. Yesterday I felt like I had never left, except all my nephews are freaking huge and I saw my little chunker Will for the first time. They are all so cute. I`m excited to hear how Easton liked skiing today. You guys will have to make a run or two for me :) 

This week went by a little slow just because it was a hard week for Sister Bramwell. But now we are starting to sleep a little more, so we aren`t walking about like zombies so much. We watched her Sisters funeral on Thursday. It was really good. It was funny at the end because people came up to the computer and said "Hi" to her. Her Grandma came along and said "Hi" and stuff then she came back a second later and said I`m so sorry I thought you were Dezi (Dezi is her sister that passed away) She was so cute and we just laughed. 

Then on Friday we went to the mission home for the party. We went caroling in the subway and had dinner. When we got back we were laying in bed trying to sleep and we heard a big crash. We look out our window and there was a car all smashed. So we go running outside and Sister Bramwell uses her sweet nursing skills and helps the lady who we think is ok. I felt like a tard because I didn`t have my contacts or my glasses so I couldn`t see anything or anyone. There were a ton of people and I was looking for Sister Bramwell and in the end decided that she will have to find me when she is done helping the lady. But everything was ok. Both the people were drunk but no one was hurt too bad. The car was like a hamburger and it smelled like crushed car all night long. 

On Saturday we went to a members house (the same place where I called from yesterday) and had a great dinner. The husband and ourselves were the only members there and so there was wine but it was good because they had lots of questions about why we didn`t drink, plus they loved our accents. So maybe someday they will listen to the missionaries. Then when we got home at midnight we decided to have a real Chilean Christmas so we opened our packages on the 24th. It was different to just be the two of us but it was fun. 

That`s pretty much all that went down in Chile town this week. We are excited for Matias to get baptized on Sunday for the New Year! I`ll be sending some pics :) What are you all going to do for New Years? We live on the 3rd floor of our apt. building so we are going to try to see some fireworks from the different communities around. I am excited, its going to feel like the 4th of July :) But that is pretty much all. I`m sure we will have some interesting drunken contacts and stuff to keep life interesting. 

Have a great week and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

Steph

Christmas Eve with the members

I was excited to get some real chocolate :) (cadbury eggs)

caroling just outside of the subway

Hermana Sampson (in my zone, from UT), Bramwell (my comp) and me and the mission home dinner

Pics

1- I was excited to get some real chocolate :) (cadbury eggs)

2- Hermana Sampson (in my zone, from UT), Bramwell (my comp) and me and the mission home dinner

3- Christmas Eve with the members

4- caroling just ouside of the subway

December 19th 2011

¡¡¡¡¡MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!!!

Do you have any snow yet? I hope you get some for Christmas, or if you don`t maybe it will feel like you are closer to me, in the heat :) I am getting excited to talk to yall on Sunday! It going to be great to see everyone. I am praying that everything works out. Tonight we are going to go to the members house and help them with their camera and skype and all that jazz. Seeing as how I have never used skype (except for mothers day) it will be interesting. But I am exited to use it after the mish to chat it up with all these crazy Chileans. But I`ll be calling you Sunday morning about 9am your time. I know it`s probably the worst time of the day for yall but that`s how we have to roll with the 4 hours difference in time. So keep posted...

This week was a great week. We helped one of our investigators decorate her tree. She had a real one there but said she didn`t want to put it up because she was too tired. So we put it up and decorated it. It was a blast! It finally felt like Christmas. Then she gave us some rice milk (which was good but not as good as Moms because she didn`t put any cinnamon in it) so it was fun. Also we went to a ladies house who is a member to help her clean her windows. She is old,alone,  and can`t do much. So we went over their and started cleaning her windows and she says she doesn`t feel good. So she undoes her pants and starts rubbing her belly then she says ¨uh oh¨ and shuffles off to the bathroom. Then she comes back and hands us her paper of prescriptions and asks us to go to the pharmacy. So we walk to the pharmacy and buy her stuff. Then when we get back she was so grateful she made us sit down and eat some jello. Then, she had us put the lights on her Christmas tree. It was quite an adventure when we just went over there to wash a few windows. 

We also found a huge family out in the country to teach. Well, on Wed we went to this one house and taught this old couple who doesn`t know how to read, so we told them we would come back and read the BOM with them on Fri. Then we contacted this girl with her Dad and they said to stop by when we wanted so, on Fri we stopped by for her and come to find out, the old couple are her grandparents. So we went over there together and the whole fam was there! It was great! So now, we have the grand kids to read to their grandparents. 

But on Sunday morning we got a call from Pres Essig to come to the mission home at 5pm. So we were so nervous thinking about what we did wrong and everything. Then we get to church and there isn`t anyone to talk so we gave talks, but Claudia got confirmed, she was so happy! And then we get to the mission home and find out that my comps sister died. She was in a car accident on Ririe Highway. Dezi, was only 26, going to be 27 in Jan. Sister Bramwell was going to buy her a soccer jersey today for her birthday, crazy how fast things change. So that changed our whole week. It`s been so hard the last 18 hours but Sister Bramwell is doing amazing. She is so strong. I feel so bad because I don`t know how to help her but she is chugging along. When you leave on the mission you know that anything can happen but you always think of your grandparents or someone older but you never know when you walk out the door in the morning what is going to happen. But they are a great family and at least we have the gospel in our lives and God always knows better than us. 

But on a happier note. IT`S CHRISTMAS!!!!! It`s the most wonderful time of the year! This year has passed by flying but after 7 months of not talking to you, I`ll be seeing you in less than a week! I have been trying to think of Christmas songs, but not too many come to mind. No one listens to Christmas music here, and a lot of people still haven`t put up their Christmas trees. I don`t know why they are so behind on the times. I LOVE Christmas, maybe a little too much, but hey, it only comes once a year right. 

Well, have a FELIZ NAVIDAD and drink some hot chocolate and throw a snow ball for me. I love you all so much and hope that you enjoy your Christmas!

LOVE ALWAYS and always and always

Steph

 

Nayareth, Edwardo, Matias, and Inez (investigators and member) who put up their tree so we had to take a pic :)

Me cutting the tree so it fits in this short little house

A guy in the street selling peanuts. I don`t know how he makes a living off of this but it`s fun how he goes around with his cart selling warm peanuts. Not sure why the pic didn't transfer all the way?