Chilean slang!

Mom,

     All of my friends sound so grown up. They`re all going on missions or getting married. Fun stuff. Oh, just so you know, I`ve been over it for more than four years.

     Sounds like fun stuff is happening in Lakewood. What play is Jonah in? Is it another broadway review or something like that? Oh, I`m going to be in Los Andes for another change with Elder Bush - should be fun. We obtained a book that has all of the slang in chile. We are going to be chileans!!! Anyway, thanks for sending the package. I love you, and I will try to send pictures next week. Thanks for everything, Mom.

Love ya,

Elder Hjelm

It's all part of the mission experience

Hey Mom,

     Yeah, it's pretty cold. It snowed in the mountains the other day, and all of the cloud cover went away, so it`s pretty cold. My thermals are working well, but it`s another thing when you're on a bike. But, it's all part of the mission experience. If you could find my earmuffs - the black ones that I bought many years ago - and put them in the package, that would be great. If not, I can buy a pair here. I think that`s about it for the package.

     I heard that you did a great job with your talk yesterday - you always have done a good job. I remember that before I enjoyed speaking in church, you wrote the majority of my talks. I think you also wrote some of my speeches for school as well - even if they were plagarized from "Designing Women." Ha Ha Ha.

     We have changes this weekend, so we'll see what happens. I hope that I will be staying, because the ward is great, and I hate packing. Thanks for everything. I'll send photos next week of the mountains and all that.

Chao,

Elder Hjelm

Counting down instead of counting up :)

Mom,

     Time is flying. We`re already half-way through July! Wow. Time goes much faster when you`re counting down instead of counting up. Anyway, I`m doing great - tired, but great. we`re teaching a lot, which is good. Yesterday we had four progressing investigators - that`s pretty good. Lately it`s been warm during the day, and cold at night. But I`m used to that now. 

     Sounds like Isaac is taking after me a little too much.  If he is anything like me, you have to get him interested in a good book. I always did like to read , and still do. I`m reading Jesus the Christ again in what little free time I have - usually while I eat breakfast. I love it.

      I hope that things go well with your classes. That would be rather boring to take the classes over again. I still have no idea what it is that I am going to do with my life. I still don`t know what to study. My mind keeps changing between about ten different careers and study options. I was hoping that I would find inspiration here about a career, but the only idea that I have is to design cheap, earthquake resistant houses with insulation for Chile.

     We will play risk when I return! Please say Hi to the colonel for me, and send my best wishes to Sister Smith. I will save this letter, and when you have grandkids, we will play dodgeball together, ha ha ha. Love you Mom. Thanks for everything.

Elder Hjelm

Life in Los Andes

Dear Ma,

     Los Andes is different from the city. things are much more relaxed here, I can actually see the mountains,  and it is very pretty. My companion Elder Bush is very cool. He is from Alabama and is a very, very big fan of University of Alabama football - Roll Tide. And yes, he has a southern accent, but not when he speaks spanish. We are teaching more than twenty lessons everyweek, which is pretty darn good for chile. We are working hard, and having fun too. We haven`t heard anything about the new programs yet, and I don`t think that many things will be implemented until next year. But it will be fun to see what happens. I would like candy in my package as well as my USB drive that I got for christmas like four years ago, that is if Jonah hasn`t stolen it. You can surprise me with the rest of the stuff. What type of jacket is it? Now that I  hear that it`s on it`s way to the house makes me curious. I still miss you mom. I`m doing fine.

Love  ya,

Elder Hjelm

Brrr.....Looks like fun!

Happy Chilean 4th of July

Hey mom,

     My companion Elder Bush and I are going to celebrate the Fourth of July in our house. It`s going to be fun! And I`m not as scared now as I was a year ago. 

     I`m sending pics of when we went to the snow this past monday. One is of the lagoon that was there (with me in front of the lagoon, of course), and the other is of the elders and the member that went with us. It was fun.

     I`m doing well - don`t worry. I`m having fun. I love being on a bike, I love the rain that just completely drenched us the other day, I love it. And I love you too.

Yours Truly,

Elder Hjelm

Legs of Steel

Mom,

     I did not get to watch the broadcast, but it appears that we will soon be able to use facebook and IPads here in the mission. Also, we will have greater access to the ward meetinghouses. Fun stuff. Jonah didn`t send a picture of the cake. I wish he had. I like cake.

Hey hey, kenny and i will have to talk in spanish. It will be a good opportunity to keep up the spanish.

     Things are going well. I`m obtaining legs of steel, and I`m settling in rather nicely. Elder Bush is from Bessemer, Alabama, about twenty minutes from the University of Alabama. He actually started the mission with me, but was in another district in the MTC. We got here in the same plane and everything. Things are going well. I`m surviving the cold, and working hard. Oh, have you sent my package yet? If not, I need more allergy meds. I`m almost out.

Love ya, and thanks for everything,

Elder Hjelm