Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Can you believe they have Dunkin Donuts!!

Hola mi familia
This week was a great week. I think the first week was so hard because I didn´t really have a p day and much time to talk to everyone so it was really nice when i got to email. After emailing last week we had a zone activity which was so great. We spent time reading and praying about our patriarchal blessings. They really are constant revelation with god. I hope everyone takes time to read and pray about yours because it is amazing the things you can learn each time you read it. I cant believe I have been in chile for 2 weeks now. it has flown by so fast. I feel like time is moving faster here than it did in the ccm. I had two days this week where we had intercambios, I dont remember what they are called in english probably just interchanges. I had one with my district leaders companion and one with my zone leader. Both were in their areas so that was nice to get out of my area for two days and see other places. I learned a lot. My zone leader is american so it was good to ask him about how he studied the language and other things. Everyday we have been talking to a lot of people and contacting old contacts. Most people dont want to listen but there are those that do. We have been able to find some people to start teaching so we will see what happens with those. I can definately tell my spanish is improving. I am able to read something and understand most of it, unless it is in the bible that is more difficult. Also I am able to understand a lot more of what people are talking about. Sometimes I am not able to put the sentences together completely but I am able to understand the words. I need to start talking more with people. I try to always talk in spanish but i need to try and talk more with other people because sometimes I end up sitting there listening to the conversation, mostly in awe because I am able to understand another language, but I need to jump into conversations so I can improve. It is weird because before my mission I thought learning a language just meant that you were really good at translating things in your head but really you dont have to translate because you sort of just understand. It is wierd to experience and hard to explain but is a cool experience. I dont even think about it very often, we will just be talking to someone on the street and I stop and take a step back and realize holy cow I am understanding spanish. And as I am writing this I keep writing words in spanish and having to delete them to write them in english so that is wierd too. But I guess this shows some progress. Yesterday was a really awesome day. Church was good and the first few hours of working were ok but last night we taught a lesson to a girl whose father and brother are members but she is not It was really great and I am hopintg something comes out of it. Also there is another girl we are trying to get time to teach but she is really busy with work, number one excuse in the mission for the people on the street. Then the last person we contacted at their house was a man that the missionaries had taught before and he seemed really interested in being taught so we will see how things go this week. But overall this was a great week. I am learning a lot and feel like I am improving everyday which is good. That is so crazy that you guys just picked up and left for a week but that is fun! That will be good for both of you to have some time away from things. I hope you have fun. Thanks for the picture. I am sending some pictures of the ocean here as well because I can see it everyday! My shoes and everything are working well no problems for now. The members still feed us every day which is so great. I havent even been served beans yet aparently it is not very common here, lots of rice and chicken, which is great for me. It was funny because we were fasting this sunday and when we started my companion said, "I bet someone offers us food today". and sure enough two times people offered us food which hasn´t happened in our area. It was really funny. I like my district and zone a lot they are all great. Things are going good! I love you guys so much. Thanks for the emails. 
Te amo 
Elder Hamilton 
View Outside my room