Elder Ethan Jeppson's missionary adventures in Osorno, Chile: Que Bacan!

Hola hola todos! This week was one of the longest of my life, so buckle up.

Elder Collado: So, my companion is an absolute legend. He's Chilano, from Santiago. He's a hard worker and knows how to work efficiently, which I love. We've been helping each other out because he's trying to learn English. He is the Branch President of Fresia, which is quite interesting to work with.

The work is definitely different here, but I love it. The people here are super loving, and are patient with my Spanish. One phrase I've used 500 times is "I haven't known you for very long, but I love you" which might have gotten me arrested in the States but here it is more than welcomed. Definitely have felt the Lord help me out this last week.

Puerto Varas: Because we need to take care of branch stuff, we spend half our time in the city with the AP's. It's been super fun, I'm just constantly surrounded by 4 Latinos which has helped me to learn so much about the language and culture.

Fresia: Fresia is pretty much the town you see in any old western. Its dusty, has 2 main roads, not a lot of people. I love it. Because it's so out there we have a house which would be fun, but we have no way to heat the house and so it gets pretty flippin cold. We don't have warm water, which has directly corresponded with 3 of the quickest showers of my life. Every morning for breakfast we walk down the street to a corner store and buy a sleeve of kuky's or dydon's (basically crappy oreos) and some pinguinos and a coke. I'm realllllly going to need to go grocery shopping the next time we're in Puerto Varas if I don't want to gain 50 lbs.

Other than pretty much that, the food here is phenomenal. Pichangas, Completos, and pan demolde are some of the foods I've had a lot of. Also, So much Matè and tarara (matè but with juice) it's ahhhh I'm so happy.

Highlights:

Haircut by my companion and the Puerto Varas Elders. Not much scarier than having 4 guys circling you, taking turns going at your hair talking and occasionally laughing in a language you don't understand jaja.

Put our friend Celia on date! please pray for her, she needs to get married.

Played a ton of soccer last p day, and got destroyed by the sun on accident. Afterwards I was told that the ozone here is weak because everyone heats their homes with wood fires??

Also my hair cutting clippers literally blew up mid cut because of the voltage here in Chile. Was terrified I'd have to try bringing others closer to Christ with a bowl cut for a second there.

Something I feel like the spirit has really impressed upon me lately was that this work is totally about doing the Lord's will. We can't be selfish with our desires, even if our desire is to baptise (or something else righteous). We need to want to baptize (or do something else righteous) for the right reason, and be patient with the results. I was feeling a little bummed out, because I had made it a goal to baptise while I was in the states, which did not happen. I was wondering if I had done something wrong, forgotten to apply the silver bullet or whatever, when I talked to Elder Neiculeo, the AP here. He explained that while having the desire to baptise is good, having a desire to do the Lord's will is better. I was reminded of a part of the talk "the character of Christ '' by elder Bednar, when he compares someone who wished they had more success to the cookie monster. "I'm not getting the success that I ought to have, and you ought to feel sorry for me" and that sort of idea. That is such a selfish way of looking at the Lord's work! As I've focused on desiring to baptise because it truly will help other people, and have tried to swallow any pride associated with the results, I have seen the effect in people. Even though I can't speak their language very well, the spirit testifies to them that this is sincerely in their best interest.

Anyways, a bit of a longer email haha. Love yall!