Monday, December 27, 2010

Hola de Belloto Chile‏

Hi family,
It was great to talk to you all yesterday.. I am glad that we could figure out how to get the phone to call outside the country. What is new in the world? I am detached from everything here! It is weird. It doesn´t help that I don´t understand anything people are saying either. lol Chileans speak a different kind of Spanish.. even my companion who´s first language is Spanish as a hard time and says a lot of things are different. So needless to say I don´t understand a whole lot. But everyone says between week 4 and 5 you really start understanding and picking up the language. That means I am really going to have to learn patience.
 
Chile is a very different place. There are so many things that are different that I don´t even know where to being... hmm maybe with the toilet. lol  So they have really bad water pressure here or something so we cannot flush toilet paper, so we have to wrap each piece we use and put it in the trash, kinda gross and smelly. lol Oh well :)
 
Everything here runs on gas which I am trying to get use to. So for example if we want warm water for anything we have to turn on the water heater thing by lighting a match and waiting for the thing to light. So we mostly have cold water for everything but showers when we turn it on.  I have kind of a fun story about the gas trucks here... they have trucks that go up and down the streets selling gas tanks. They look like the propane tanks we use for the BBQ grill, expect a little bigger. Anyway one day we were studying in our little ghetto pension when I heard and ice cream truck and I was so excited.. so I asked my companion about it and she said it was the gas truck... saddest day of my life! lol They drive around in their trucks playing the music the ice cream trucks in America play. So now when I hear it I have to remember that it is the stupid gas truck and not the ice cream man, danget. lol
About our pension.... I was pretty excited at first because my Hermana, Hermana Amaya( from El Salvador) was telling me we live in one of the best pensions in the mission. So as we traveled to pension from the mission home it was about and hour or so trip. It was interesting because we don´t have cars here so we were carrying around my two 50lb bags, a 30lb carry on, my 15 lb backpack, and my pillow.... yea  It was a little rough. So during that time we had to walk 5 or 6 blocks in Viña to a bus, after we got off the bus we walked about a 1/2 mile or so with all my stuff and another Hermanas stuff. We get to the pension and its to up to flights of stairs that are some of the steepest steps I have ever seen! I am not going to lie it was not one of the greatest moments in my life. lol So we get everything up there and I see our pension for the next 6 weeks. Very, very small and we have lawn chairs and plastic lawn tables to study with. No closet just this clothes hanger thing that is being held up with duck tape and tacks( to anchor it to the wall..lol) The only way to really describe the rest of it is very small and poor looking. Its okay though because we are only there in the morning and at night. Oh yes and as I was telling you guys we have TONS of fleas here, everywhere. In our beds, in all the rooms, all over the country. In Chile it is illegal to kill dogs so they have tons and tons of stray dogs everywhere and all of those dogs carry fleas so it is impossible to avoid them. I since I talked with you guys yesterday I acquired more flea bits. Oh dear! But its okay they don´t hurt, they just itch and leave bit marks and red circle in the area for a good while. lol I still need to see what thing one of the other Hermanas have in our room that keeps most of the fleas and bed bugs away because I really think it is working and since we can not use flea collars we need something. lol
Anyway... enough about the fleas :) Fun fact about Chileans, they love fruit cake. It cracks me up because in the states it is this big joke. They give you fruit cake all the time as a snack and a dessert and they sell it at all the stores. I am trying to learn and like it because right now I really have to force it down. Actually I have to force a lot of things into my stomach that I do not want to eat. haha They do not eat anything that is the same in the states expect bananas. I don´t even think I am going to talk about the food right now because it will take up all my time today:)
How is everyone going there? Zach said it was really windy and in the 40s or something. Did it not snow for Christmas. It is so hot here and sunny! I am already tan/burnt. I have so many different tan lines... I think I am just going to call it the sister missionary tan.. tan lines where my watch is, where my collar is, where my sleeves end, where my shoes don´t cover, and a tan that fades up my legs. lol Very attractive I am sure.
 How is school for Zach and work for you guys? Are you and Dad pretty busy? Anything new.. I have a lot of people that I need to write back and I am going to try and catch up on that but in might be another week or so... I need to catch up on a few things today and if i send things this week or nexted it is going to get to Wyoming in about two or so weeks from when I send I.. i think.
 A couple of the crazy hills in Chile. Oh my heck... tons of hills and walking all day. lol It is really not bad at all, I like the challenge. The heat and the sun is what I am trying to get use to. I am this mixture of the colors tan, white, and pink. lol  Also one in the pension on Christmas eve around our little Christmas tree. In Chile they celebrate Christmas at midnight with fireworks and opening of the presents and they eat a ´dinner´ which is not normal for them. Chileans only have lunch which is a very very very large meal around 130-300. Everything shuts down at that time so they can all eat. :)  Craziness here in Belloto Chile.
 
I hope all is well with you all... I love you all and I am really glad that we could talk yesterday :)
 
Love,
Hermama

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Christmas Chat from Chile

We got to speak with Hermana Lichty today.  She said on the flight over to Chile they had some engine trouble and they had to stop in Peru.  She said the Chilean people stay up late until midnight and get up later around 9 or 10.  Their mission has a little later time to be in and get up, so the people are up when they are trying to meet with them.  She said they don't have door knobs on the doors there.  They don't knock doors...they shout at the doors from the gate!  If someone is home they come to the door.  Hermana Lichty also said that the Chilean people love their music.  When they get up around 11:00 they crank up the music and sometimes they play american music.  She said it is distractimg as it usually happens during their study time and she is almost tempted to sing along.
Of the 220 missionaries serving in Chile 20 are Sisters.  And of the 220 eight of them are from the USA the rest are from spanish speaking countries.  She is still getting used to the different dialect.  She understands the written words but the people add (bow) to the end of many words and drop r's.
Her day off is Monday so we should get a new e-mail from her soon.
Oh and the most important news from Chile..........she said the ice cream there is better than ours....how can that be?

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Arrival in Chile Vina Del Mar

Dear Lichty Family,

We would like to thank you for supporting your daughter and for allowing her to serve in the Chile Viña del Mar Mission.  We want you to know that she is doing very well and enjoyed the first day here.  We are very blessed to have such a great young woman and look forward to serving along with her.  Upon arriving, she took a picture with President and Sister Gillespie in front of the famous flower clock here in Viña del Mar.  Attached is picture which you may share with family and friends.

(Unfortunately the picture sent was of another missionary...If we get the right one I will post it!)

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

MTC 12-15-10

Hey there!
We got our travel plans last week! Sorry I didn't get to call you. BUT we have to be at the travel office at 2:30am on Monday morning and our first plan leaves at 6am and it is a one hour flight. Then we have a 5 1/2 hour layover in LA, so I will have plenty of time to talk. lol  Our next flight is 18 hours long... from LA straight to Santiago Chile. So from 12:20 pm that day til  6:35 am the next morning. Then from there I believe we will get on a bus to travel to Vina del Mar. It is going to be a very long couple of days. There are only 2 others going to Vina and they are the Hermanas in my district and room so that should be fun. It is crazy because there are SO many missionaries going to Santiago and other missons and this whole time I have been at the MTC I have met a total of 4 including the two Hermana in my district that are going to Vina.
In other new those shoes I was telling you I was going to get fell through somehow and I guess her mom just didn't order them. Weird. I was wondering if you could look into some this morning for me if you have time. Cause I only have the two pair that I can wear right now. If you could look for Clarks, Unstructed(This is the most important part), brown with a strap. They look kinda like my black ones in that they are slip ons. And the strap is down by the toe. If you do find any and could get them to my by Friday or Saturday that would be WONDERFUL.
We are starting to get everything together to leave. I am really nervous about the weight for bags, our carry on can only be 17lbs because we are flying on Lan Chile S.A. airlines. It will be interesting. I have two boxes I am going to be sending home today we clothes and other random things.
I have a funny story for you all... kinda embarrassing but its okay. So we were teaching a lesson on Saturday on the plan of salvation and all of our lessons are in Spanish now. During the lesson I was talking about Adam and Eve and the fall and how it was important that they had there agency to choose. I said something to the effect that God gave them the commandment so they could have free agency.... BUT i mixed up the word with bored. So i ended up staying that God gave them the commandment because they were bored. lol It was funny because I didn't know this is what I said so I was just looking around after my statement and they were all  looking at me really funny. After about 30 seconds or so my companion cut in at said she mean Albedrio which means free agency. I really just start saying words in hopes that they make sense and a make a alot of mistake. Some of the sisters say they like to listen to me speak Spanish because they never know what I am going to say. lol I don't know if that is a thing or a bad thing.  :)
Anyway I don't have much time but I will call from the airport on Monday morning around 7:30 or 8:00.
Mom if you could dearelder me today and let me know about the shoes that would be great. I didn't get a dearelder from you last week though. And thank you for the Christmas shirts! They were great :)
Love you all,
Hermana Lichty

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

MTC 12/08/10

Hey there,
 
Thank you for the package with clothes! I loved them! Those shirts were perfect! It was kinda funny cause I didn't really like that purple dressy shirt but all the Hermanas in my room loved them and told me that I need to keep it and not send it back. Then when I finally decided to wear it yesterday I got SO many compliments on it. So good job Mom.. everybody likes your style choices, even some of the Elders. lol That red sweater was too big for me there was an Hermana in my room that it fit very well and she liked it so I gave it to her :) That was also perfect timing for more mints :) I don't even remember asking for more so thanks. I had just ran out the day before :)
I got a Christmas package from Uncle Kirk and Aunt Renee'. It was so nice.. they are great :) It had a cute stocking in it with fun things, some taffy and and CD. I loved it :) 
The Spanish is coming along. It is hard but I am able to understand lots of things. All of our lessons are in Spanish so that is kind of difficult. I really have to concentrate and focus on things I want to said. It is really easy for me to grasp all of the language concepts which is amazing. lol  I just have to work on applying them and memorizing the words. There is SO much that I don't know. We had a lesson with a fluent speaker and half the time I had no idea what he was saying... it was kind of frustrating. But it is coming along.
I had my last doctors appointment last week! I am so excited about it because that doctor is not nice to me! lol He always pulls out is scalpel and cuts into my toe. But now it is healing and I am hoping it will be better by the time I leave...... which is in 12 days! Woot Woot! So yes I am really looking forward to getting travel plans today or tomorrow. - And I think I get to call, but I am not for sure. So if you don't hear from me this week I'm sorry.
No new Sister's this week again... We might be the last sister's in this Branch for awhile.. we are slowing dwindling away.  Sad Day! I am still the relief society coordinating sister, which is interesting. I have to attend all of the extra meetings where I am the only sister.  Our branch president always tells the sisters how determined I am. lol Because one time during the meeting they ignored what I had to say and a concern I had about the sister so I made it a point to meet with him one on one before he left. I sat outside one of his meetings until he got done. :) Then we ended getting it fix they way the sister's in our Branch wanted.
I am trying to think of anything new happening here. The weather is kind of crazy. It is getting so nice outside! I haven't had to wear my coat for like 3 or 4 days. It is like spring outside again and hardly any wind. It is great. We might miss the bad weather since we are leaving so soon!
I will definitely have a box of things to send you in about a week or so. Oh and I think I will send you my memory card this week so I can get it back before I ship out :)
Thanks for all the things again:) Oh and our loud roommate had a sleep apnea machine now which is really nice...... when she USES it.- That is happening every other night or so. So I have gotten a full nights sleep maybe 2 times in the last week. It is an improvement. AND they leave on Tuesday :) I am excited to sleep
I am glad everything is going great for you all :) I love the updates. Can you send them through dearelder so i can read it before email time? I only have 30 mins and then I get kicked off. lol
Love you all,
Hermana Lichty

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Week 6 at the MTC 12/01/10

Hello again,
Can you believe it is already December! Oh my heck it is going by SO fast! I'm down to 19 days and counting. We get our travel plans next Wednesday and I am so excited! Things at the MTC are back to normal since Thanksgiving. We have a new district coming into our Zone today, but no new Hermanas. That is kind of a bummer because our numbers are dwindling. I think at the end of the year there are just not as many people that want to come in. There are a couple perks to that thought. For instance there is not a huge line in the morning for the showers, or for the meal lines(those ones can get so long!), or for the Devotional and Firesides. I am so excited to go to Chile where it is going to be hot! This freezing weather and skirts thing is NO fun! Last week on Wednesday they closed everything early because of this big storm that was suppose to come and we didn't get anything but colder temps. It was a bummer too because they closed everything and I ran out of stamp! But all is well, I got some more ;) Thanksgiving was interesting. We had a lot of meetings. The first one was amazing because Elder Holland came to speak to us and he brought his whole family! Like they flew in just to hang out at the MTC all day. Some of them got up and spoke and told about there missions and stuff, we had a musical number by his grandchildren and then he spoke for quite along time about the Savior. It was really spiritual and he cried almost the entire time. He and the MTC presidency said that the was the best talk they have ever heard him give at the MTC. Elder  Hollands family even ate with us in the cafeteria.   The food was alright.... we had all the main things you would expect for thanksgiving it was just kinda odd. I don't really know how to explain it. But on of the best part of the day was the service project we worked on for a couple of hours. We cut out fabric to make backpacks for school kids that don't have enough money for things like that. I think they said we cut out about 33,000 bags. It was really great.
So was it just you 3 for thanksgiving then? How did the shopping go? Stephanie would go thought all my clothes :) But its okay I probably wont even remember all the clothes I packed away. Tell her she has to write me now.. that is the price she has to pay for stealing my clothes when I am gone :) Do you forward her my emails? The ice cream eating is going well. I still have a 5 or 6 more things to try in the vending machines before I leave though. I am looking forward to it. lol There are  two Hermana's in my room that are obsessed with not gaining weight! It is a bit annoying because I just don't think it is that hard to not gain weight. They always have some comment to make about my ice cream eating habits but I just laugh because I have not gained any weight so I must know what I am doing. Some times they try to give me eating advice and I just shake my head. I just want to say I know.. it is my major. But I am trying to work on that.
I hope everyone is doing well :)  Chase Joise around the house for me.... I am sure she misses me :) I love you all and I will talk to you very soon! I get to call when I get my travel plans.
Love,
Hermana Lichty
Oh and thank you for shopping for me :) I look forward to the package :)

 Thanksgiving at the MTC
 Service project of making backpacks