Week 61: Happy New Year!

Can you believe that it is 2015? It’s crazy to me, especially to think that I was here in Chile for the whole year of 2014! Tomorrow I will complete 14 months in my mission, which means only four months are left. That is only two more cambios after this one, which means that whatever place I go next is where I will end the mission. It makes me sad to think it is almost the end. Although the mission has not been easy I have come to love Chile, the people, the language and culture, and the opportunity to spend all day every day trying to help others! There won’t be any other time in my life when I can do exactly the same thing. The mission really is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Friday we taught our investigators Fabiola & Barbara and their dad (Hermano Patricio) about the Plan of Salvation. They are great and really have a desire to understand and learn. I really think they are all ready to receive the gospel. We just have to help them get to church. And they showed us their Copihues, which are flowers native only to Chile. It is the national flower of Chile. They are pretty neat! 

Wednesday we had a special fun dinner with Hermano Feliciano for the New Year! We had to be in the house by 11pm, but that’s still an hour more than normal. Here in Talcahuano all the cities have fireworks at midnight. We couldn’t see the fireworks, but we could hear them. Fireworks are illegal in Chile, except for the city shows. We need to be more exciting at home. The ward got together to have a dance from midnight on, and all the YSA in the region had a big dance from 1-6 am. It’s common here to dance all night for New Years.

Copihues - Chile's National Flower

New Years Eve