Lots of teaching going on!

I believe this is Hector with Elder Bush and Elder Hjelm.  Doesn't he look handsome in his suit?!

Elder Bush, Berta and Elder Hjelm.  Doesn't he look handsome in his whites?!

I am not sure of the names for this couple.  I just love the fact that my son looks happy!

The Package Arrived!

Mom,

    The days are getting hotter but the nights are still cold. Luckily, I have this new eddie bauer jacket to help me out. That`s right - my package got here before the postal strike!!! I`ve already eaten all of my slim jims, and my companion is claiming that he gets 50% of my package - I`ll share a bit with him, don`t worry. 

     I have no idea where Isaac gets these ideas about knot tying and such. Anyway, I started in the fourth grade, not the sixth. And I`m not even there to influence his knot tying. 

     Sounds like you are doing well. The baptisms all happened, and they are all happy. I bought a soccer jersey today - it was on sale, and I was going to buy one anyway, so I guess that I`m kind of like you. You did teach me to buy on sale. Love ya mom. Thanks for everything. Less than eight months left (not that I`m counting or anything...)

Love,

Elder Hjelm

Elder Tweety Bird :)

Mom,

     This week felt longer, but the time is flying! I don`t have much time left. We are teaching a lot of people - so many that we don`t have time to teach all of them, and somebody gets left out of the fun. But we did have a baptism yesterday, and I will try and send pics next week. His name is Hector, and he finally got baptized after breaking off his relationship with his long time girlfriend. It`s actually quite a remarkable story. We have three more baptisms planned for this week, so that should be fun. My bike is annoying, because the rim on my back wheel isn`t straight and it rubs against my brakes, making it hard to ride, and it sounds like tweety bird. The neighbors only have to listen for the sound of my bike to know when we`ve arrived at the house. I need to get that fixed. And I don`t know when I will get my package, because Correos Chile, the chilean postal service, is on strike or something like that.

     What does PBIS stand for? You didn`t tell me. The time really is flying by! I only have five more changes after this. It sounds like you have improved. Sometimes I get to thinking about home and everything that I could be doing and that I will be doing, and then I have to snap myself out of it and get to work. I already have somethings planned for when I get back, but I try not to focus on it. I have to start my application to BYU again here soon. I have to focus on the mission, but plan for life after the mission. And I still have no idea what I`m going to study or anything. Any ideas? 

    Love you mom. Thanks for everything.

Elder Hjelm

Yea! More pictures!

Bad luck on a bike!

It took 16 months, but he finally found his favorite ice cream!

Elder Bush from Alabama is ready for the rain.

Chilean sunset

Elder Chung and Elder Hjelm

Chilean Mountains

Even after 16 months

Hey Mom,

   I just finished sending you some photos. Seriously, you`re not cooking for girls camp? Great, now you can start preparing to make barbecue pulled pork sandwiches when I get back - I have a hankering for pulled pork, but they don`t have that here. Darn. Anyway, I`ve decided that I want an IPhone when I get back. And yes, I have a microwave. Isaac is acting like me? Seriously? Great Minds think alike you know... Thanks for everything Mom. I hope you know that I love you, and miss you, even after 16 months.

Love,

Elder Hjelm

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