Alex's 57th email from Chile 9/19/11

Alex climbing at Santa Lucia

Hola Familia!!!

So this week was way fun. Although in most areas the missionary work was dead. As you all know, well maybe not, but yesterday was Dieciocho September 18th Chile's Independance Day, and here in Chile they celebrate it for like a week straight. This is the time of year of Asados, drunken encounters, people having kite battles and the sound of cueca all around you.  The cueca is the national dance of Chile.  Well needless to say not many people wanted to talk to us this week and probably this next week either.  But ya overall it was still fun this week.

On Tuesday I had divisions with Elder Chase a greenie from Georgia who is awesome. I love that guy. I would love to be comps with him in the future. We had an awesome day. I was in their sector and we tore it up.  The best part was that we got into a ladies house taught the first lesson and the spirit was so strong we set a baptismal date on the very first appointment and she wants to be baptized how cool is that? We decided that Elder Chase and I are the same person but from different coasts. On Wednesday we went back to our companions and I was back in La Islita. 

Alex at Santa Lucia

This past week our ward has been practising the cueca everyday for our huge activity on the 24th. I am excited for that. I have learned the cueca basically so thats cool but I am terrible at it so don't ever ask me to do it for you guys. Thursday we had division within our branch. OH! about the divisions i went on with Elder Chase. Elder Garcia and Elder Grow thought it would be funny to go by the members houses and tell them I  had changes and didn't have time to come by. Well about 5 different families cried when they heard I had changes. Carolina the mom of Mark and Sebastian had to CALL me and hear my voice to believe them and feel better that I wasn't gone.  At least I know I am loved here. 


On Friday was when all the huge festivities started. Right outside of our house our little neiborhood had a huge block party. Us four missionaries made our presence but couldn't stay long due to bedtime rules and what not.  But it was way fun. That party didn't end until 5 in the morning, I know because the music was blasting!!!  Saturday we had a sweet Asado with a family in our ward. Hey Mom question, I have another Utah T-shirt that is black and has the U and everything right? I love that shirt and I have one here in the mission but I am going to give it away here in this sector. I just want to know I have another one waiting for me in the house. I am giving it to this girl who in return is giving me all of her piercings and a tie and the promise to never buy peircings again.  Her parents are so happy with me to get her to do this. She has taken all her peircing out and I think now finally the holes all closed. Sunday was the 18th, after church we had an asado for lunch, after we were invited to eat Empanadas, with another family we ate completos, and ended our day with an asado with Carolina and them. I am still full. Today we were celebrating another day off here in Chile with the family Gomez and are going to a mine. I am pumped haha. (I thought you'd enjoy the comment Fred made when he read about the mine, "I hope they don't have a cave and trap him down there for three months.")

A statue in Santiago? 

In the Bible I am close to ending Habakuk. I am so close to finishing the bible its crazy. Mote con Huesillo is the drink I didn't like. I am actually starting to like it now weird. I guess it all depends on how old the peach is. I actually have fotos of the drink but I forgot my cable and can't attach fotos so next week. Jose has disappeared. I am really sad about that. Rafeal is doing great!! I am so excited about him. Transfers are the 11th of Octubre.  To email I think if I remember correctly we have like an hour and 10 or 15 minutes.  My shoes are in excellent condition I have taken very good care of my shoes. Something I find very cool is during the month of September litterally every house in Chile has the Chilean flag waving it is really neat and real cool.

So I was sitting on the bus and I realized that I have been here in Chile to see the plants green, give fruit, turn color,die, and now everything is blooming again. How crazy is that. I was like "wow I have been here awhile," then thought about it and at the end of this change I would have spent a fourth of my mission in La Islita!  Crazy! Well hopefully this next week we can teach a little more. It is insane to me how a country just shuts down like this haha. I love you and will talk to you next week.


Love,


Elder Alex Leavitt


Got your email mom just in time :)

Alex's 56th email from Chile 9/13/11

I have a surprise at the end of the blog :)

Alex & his dog Shadow. He's going to really miss her when he gets transferred. I'm pretty sure he's not supposed to have a dog in his room.....oh well

Hola Familia!!

So this week was a good week, first off Mom thanks for all of your post cards haha, and I have yet to get your package but we will see if it comes tomorrow. It has actually been pretty hot lately. It is crazy to me just how quickly the climate changes here. This week we did a good amount of contacting because we have been lacking in people to teach. It went pretty well and we had 5 news this week. The biggest problem is the 18th of September. It was like this last year and it really looks like it is going to happen again. For the last half of September the missionary work dies. Basically half of our contacts answers are like this, “ I would love to listen to you guys but wait until after the 18th to come by to our house: or something close to it. We get so many 18th excuses it is ridiculous. (This is Chile’s Independence Day)

The most frustrating thing about this week was that Jose couldn’t meet with us once this week. So we postponed his baptismal date because we couldn’t teach him the last few lessons he needed. But to make things better we met with Rafael taught him the first lesson and it was awesome. He accepted everything understood everything and seem pretty genuine the whole time. I am really excited about it. 

Alex climbing on Pday (preparation day)

Working with Elder Garcia is always funny and interesting. He just says some of the most ridiculous stuff sometimes during contacts lessons ect. We just have a good time together. I have looked back on companionship history and I have in the long run been very lucky. 

So basically I decided I am the worst emailer in the world. I forget so much stuff and I feel my emails suck haha but yes there is a huge 50th anniversary party here in Chile coming up soon. Apparently general authorities and everyone is coming. We don’t know yet if us missionaries are actually gonna be able to go or not. I sure as heck hope so. Jose is excellent.  The Dad just needs to get his work schedule worked out so he doesn’t work on Sundays. 

Elders sitting on a cannon on Pday

Well guys I Love you all so much.  It’s great to hear how everyone is doing and that all is good. Till next week

Con Amor,

                Elder Leavitt

P.S. Hey mom I am getting to the point where I need to start keeping an eye out for gifts. I have basically an idea what I want for all the guys and you. But I have no idea what to get the girls. Can you ask all the girls if they want Clothes, Jewelry, or Bags and other stuff. Elder Garcia is excellent I love the guy. Slowly but surely he is starting to remember stuff and can say more and more in contacts and lessons. So this Sunday is the 18th and it is crazy to think it was a year ago I was at this date with Elder You. The time has flown by. In the Bible I am in Joel chapter 1! I am pretty excited for to finish the old testament here in a little. It is amazing how much I have learned and how many cool scriptures I know now.

It is so fun to not only see Alex but to hear him :)  Even though he may have an accent there are some things that will never change.  This is their Pday at Santa Lucia.