Pday in Patronato

Wow,

     It`s April. The time is literally flying by. In 17 days, I will begin to descend the other side of the mission mountain. That`s really weird. The cool thing is that my companion celebrates his birthday the same day that I celebrate a year in the mission, so we are going to have a party in our department. We will be baking the brownies that you sent me. 

     Talking about food, yesterday we ate one of the best lasagnas that I have eaten in my life. Sister Lobos makes it from scratch, with cream and meat and everything. I never understood why garfield liked lasagna so much until I arrived in the mission field. It`s like a taste of home. The members treat us super well, and are always willing to help us. One sister is fixing some of my ties, and another brother accompanies us and can teach basically the whole lesson. 

     Today we went to Patronato, basically the commercial district of Santiago. You can literally buy anything there. It was interesting to see all the people hustling and bustling, and also to see the large market for surplus or counterfeit clothing. Anyway, I went with my companion and another companionship of elders. One of them and my companion are ending their missions in five weeks, so they bought a few souvenirs. I didn`t buy anything more than my lunch. But it was fun. I saw some cool stuff that I would want to buy, but I`m trying not to buy a lot until I only have about six months left.

     This weekend is General Conference, and I am excited. We have to watch it in spanish, but that`s okay. I should understand more this time. Last general conference I had been in chile for four months, and didn`t understand a lot. But now I should understand almost everything. Anyway, Happy Easter! I hope everyone has a lot of chocolate, but more importantly, that you focused more on the Savior. Love ya, miss ya.

Until next time,

Elder Hjelm

Let's hear it for Elder Savaria!

Hey,

     Well, I got my package. Thanks for the sweets, the socks, and everything else. It`s pretty sweet to get a package. Oh yeah - we had changes this past week. Guess who`s still here in La Rioja? Me!!! Six more weeks!!! And I`m still with my english speaking, starwars loving, about to finish the mission, companion from Bolivia, Elder Saravia. I will be his last companion here in the mission. Super Cool.

     This past week was interesting. We found a catholic missionary couple that invited us in to their house and immediately started asking us questions. We also went with a member to bless the house of a little old catholic woman who said that the spirit of her dead sister was wandering through her house and bothering her. We made a lot of videos this past week as well, one of which includes my companion falling from his bed on the top bunk. It was really quite funny. We also had a super delicious lunch on saturday - Asado, or chilean barbecue. Oh man, it is the best. It is going to be so hard to change back.

      Well, that was my past week in summary. Not much, but we are going to be having more adventures this next week. Thanks for the package. You are still in my prayers.

Chao,

Elder Hjelm

No more fear of spicy foods!

Eleven months down, thirteen to go?

     Where is all the time going? Wow. Anyway, we will be receiving changes on saturday. I hope to stay here again, but wherever I go, It`s where I`m needed. The time is flying.

     I had my first experience conducting a meeting this past week. Directing a baptismal service in spanish isn`t something that they teach in the MTC. I was kind of nervous, but then I remembered General Conference and tried to imitate President Monson, only in spanish. It worked.

     They don`t celebrate St Patricks day here, which is good, because I have nothing green. I do eat with manners, but the manners are different here. For example, you are encouraged to have your elbows on the table, and the people use their own spoon to get sugar or Ajì (chilean hot pepper sauce), or other garnishes when they eat. It`s kind of wierd. Oh, that`s the other thing. I no longer have fear of spicy foods. The other day elder Saravia and I bought some fries to go with our lunch, and he smothered them with Ajì. I ate alot of fries, with alot of Ajì. Lets just say that I am now eating bread with ajì when they have it at lunch without fear. It`s delicious. I can say that I now Like spicy.

     Things are going well. It`s cooling off a little bit. We`re working hard. And yes, we are staying safe. 

Your Favorite Missionary,

Elder Hjelm

Broccoli with mayonaise and ketchup - that's our boy!

Hey,

     First of all, m piano lessons are rather, well, bad. I have basically forgotten all the little songs and things that I have learned in piano, and I am trying to teach the things that I have forgotten to three students who have no books, no piano (except the one in the church) and vary in age from 7 to 18. Interesting, no?

     We are keeping busy between finding people, teaching people, teaching recent converts and less active members, and visiting and strengthening members. We never really have a day off - preparation day only lasts until 7:00pm. One good thing is that it is cooling off a bit. Either that, or I`m getting used to the heat. But in April it really starts cooling down.

     Everyday except monday we eat with members. Sometimes we pick up the food and take it to the house, other days we eat with the members. Generally we eat chicken or beef with rice or mashed potatoes, or pasta with tomato sauce, but every once in a while we have asado (chilean barbecue) or lasagna. I have a new found love of lasagna. One of the wierdest things that I`ve eaten is brocoli. I like a little bit of brocoli when hidden in a soup or salad. This was a full stalk of brocoli, like a small tree. Luckily, they eat almost everything with mayonaise here, so we put mayonaise on our brocoli, and I put ketchup as well. It sounds wierd, but it was better than brocoli alone. 

     Anyway, things are going well. We are having fun. I am safe and healthy.

Love,

Elder Hjelm

The latest pictures

This is a statue of the Virgin Mary that they hiked up to.

Sushi!

Not the best picture, but he sure does look awesome!

 Pictures from his trip to the zoo.

Food from an Elders Quorum activity

Carcamo Family

Varas Family

Teaching piano instead of english?

Hello, hello, hello,

     This week was rather fun. We had a baptism yesterday for Matìas Càrcamo, a nine year old boy who reminds me a lot of Isaac. Isaac has his nintendo, Matias has his playstation. I feel a little like we baptized Isaac. Funny how that happens. One of the members here looks like Uncle Clint. I`ll have to take a photo.

     We now have to start the process of retaining our new members, something that wasn`t done for a long time in Chile, and explains the large number of inactive members. But these new members will stay active. It sounds like things are starting to warm up up there. Things are still the same here. It starts cooling down in April. Oh, and something comical to cheer up your day. Before, I was teaching english classes, and one of the other elders in the ward was teaching piano classes. He left last week. His replacement doesn`t know piano, nor english. So now I am teaching piano and my companion, who is from Bolivia and speaks decent english, is now teaching english. Pray for the piano classes. Please.

     I love you, I miss you, and I sent photos.

Yours truly,

Elder Hjelm

Still in La Rioja!

Hello there,

     Elder Hjelm here, reporting from Chile. Transfers were yesterday, and I am still here in La Rioja, with Elder Saravia. This will be a new record - three changes in the same sector. I am excited to stay here and work some more. We did have a baptism yesterday. Elder Saravia baptized Esteban Varas. His family is now attending church every week. And this computer doesn`t have a usb port, so I will send pictures the next week, which will include our baptism that we will have this coming sunday. 

     It`s cool to here about the girls getting their mission calls. The work continues to go forth. They created a new mission here, the Chile Santiago South Mission. I don`t think it will affect my mission. There is a list on LDS.org that you can see. Anyway, all is well. No problems. Things are starting to cool down a little bit. The work is going well. The ward is great. I love you, and I miss you. And I have only one question - who won the world series? I still haven`t found that one out.

As always,

Elder Hjelm