I am trying to make things better for them. I just wish they would talk to us...

Hola!

I remind them of a cricket because I don´t talk much when I don´t understand. Haha, I don´t rub my legs together because that would be so weird and awkward. Yeah, we headed down to Osorno for the two days for the youth conference. I will be sending you some pictures of the activity we had during last Monday. I forgot my camera at the house during the youth conference -- what crap... Sad news about all the investigators...many of them aren't talking with us much anymore. Carlos, told us a week before he was supposed to be dunked he doesn´t want to talk with us anymore....so that blows and we have a bunch of eternals. So, now we are going to do a little english class at the church to try to help find new invests.

During the youth thingy, we had a huge paper ball fight with like 400 balls of paper. We won of course! Haha, it was fun but many of the youth here didn´t want to do anything, so that was lame...so we left for a bit and I bought some M&Ms, freak´n expensive. OHHH YA...I really am so hungry right now...I don´t have any food because I haven´t been able to go to the store....so I haven´t had anything to eat since yesterday...lame.... Haha

San Francisco....I wish I could go. But that will have to wait till I get back, and get married haha talk about werid thinking. It's not too bad here, the cambio is almost over...so I will start my 3rd here in the mish. Elder M thinks that I am going to be sent to Puntas or Chiloe (an island) or one of the other really super far ones. Haha, that would be crazy because if I go to Puntas, it's for at least 6 months because I have to take another plane ride down there.

I had an interview with the President the other day...wow I am a bit worried. He told me I need to get the language down really well because he has a lot for me to do in the future. He told me, that he has high expectations. This is something I am very worried about.

Sam - wow, high people buying pizza...now ts that not typical of what?! Haha, I bet you will see some crazy things during this job. Keep me updated, and tell Brock Hi for me.

Silas - So I have actually been thinking a lot about you, and I just wanted to say sorry for not being a better big brother to you. Honestly, I regret a lot of the fights we had over really stupid stuff. When I get back, hopefully we can make things a lot better. I want to be your best friend, and do lots of fun things together and just be really good brothers. 

I totally forgot about the other missionaries from the MTC...oops. Haha, it's been so busy I haven´t had much time to think about the others...this is a werid moment. A lot of them are out doing things and having the same problems I am having, but I know they will be a lot better at this stuff than I will ever be. Honestly, they have a lot of power and good faith in this work.

I love the work, the people, and the food (finally). Things are going well for me...but for Lago Ranco I am trying to makes things better for them. I just wish they would talk with us...

Love,

Ben

I have many names here...Elder Burge...Elder Cri Cri...Elder Burger...

Hola! Haha, boy what a week it has been....I always lose track of time and it seems like its only been a day or two when really a week has gone by. I wrote some stuff down so I wouldn´t forget to tell you all about them.

First, youtube a video that has a chilean guy working as a coke vendor in a stadium. Its a commercial for coke here and its so freak´n Sam... Haha its actually really good. Haha, also I have a request for Sam. Would you mind going to overclockedremix (you may have to google this badboy) and find me some really good remixes of videogames songs and send them my way? As long as they don´t have lyrics I can listen to them here. Haha, another Elder told me about this site.

On that note, the mp3 player I bought already broke...how sad. It just stop working...no volume control and its freezes up. I don´t know what happened, It hasn´t been dropped or anything. Its wasn´t a very good one, but it was cheap I thought. I can´t return it because its been to long. So I am going to go to a different store and buy a better one. Crap...shouldn´t trust cheap computer stuff here haha.

So, I had another innercombio and we were teaching this old man. Elder Luego said he was a little deaf. We started to teach and he kept saying Comó? So Elder Luego told me to talk louder. I kept having to get louder and louder. Finally I was yelling at the top of my lungs and he looked at me and said, "El Libro de Mormón?" and pulled out his book. Haha, I was talking about the plan of salvation and what it is. Its was so crazy, everyone in the room started laughing. So I yelled the entire lesson, and I don´t think he understood.

Along with that, I have a many different names here. In Rio Bueno my name is Elder Burge, here in Lago its Elder Cri Cri (like a circket) and in San Pablo its Elder Burger. Haha, its so funny to have so many different names.

This saturday we have an activity with the youth in Osorno! WOOOHOOO, but we might have to go for 2 days...only one person can go to be a leader. So, this sucks because I we have to be there for two days. This is something I don´t like to do...leave.

Haha, as for food Elder Muñoz and I would like some more Peanut Butter cups...and maybe some other types of candy. I have started to learn how to cook a bit here, and so we are doing really well on food. I am starting to get a handle on my money a bit better so I have a bit more to spend here and there. Not much, but maybe just some candy is all I could ask for.

I really miss you all...but I don´t mind being here in Chile. I have an activity today in the zone so I will have a lot of pictures for you next week. Its been a while since I sent some home. Tell fezz I love him too...and Ace and Muffin. I love this picture of him.

Silas - Ooo...those look painful. Haha, how is it having the braces? I honestly don´t know how you will keep the ladies away.  Its will be so crazy when I get home to see you again! How are things going for ya? Hows the new computer, and any cool videogames you playing now? I miss World of Warcraft and playing the game with you. I wish we could do that....its was always so fun! Maybe when I get back we will have to start playing again. Tell Sam, November for the new Elder Scrolls!

I am glad to hear Kayleigh is praying for me...makes me feel good. I love you Kaykay.

I love you all very much, and I am glad I came. The language is still tough for me but everyday its gets better.

Finally, the rain came!

Hey there! Thanks for the recipe I need to print all of them off so I can make some really good stuff.

Here's an update for you on the people, we have 4 with a date. Daniela, Sabastian, Carlos, and Imnasio. All except one came to church yesterday! It was amazing...it made us so happy. Most of them are on track for their dates. It's really cool to watch them go from not knowing a whole lot, to knowing so much and feeling the truthfulness of the church. Hopefully, we can get all 4 of them to make the first step...during this combio. I would love to see some people make the progress. But it's all up to them to decide...and no matter what happens we are here for them. Your story, haha, I can see how people would acutally do that. Its funny, sometimes in the street a lot of people see us walking and go to the other side. And so, we split up I take one side, and he takes the other. Haha, it's kinda like pingpong. Haha, it's hard because it's always the same people. This town is huge...but only has like 2 people.

Finally, the rain came! I was so happy...now we have no ash in the street. That made everyone so much happier. Honestly, it was a nice thing to be able to go outside and not have to wear a stupid mask. Right after it rained I had another innercombio (its when I go to a different place for a day) with Elder Richardson. He is really cool, a geek like me. He is very, very smart and honestly I think he is better than me at programming. It was awesome, I was in Rio Bueno. We got 43 contacts a about an hour and 20 minutes. After we only taught one person...but we found some new people who might be ready. They have so much junk food in their house...and their house is huge! It was nice to go to a place with no rain, or ash and actually have some success. However, I missed Lago Ranco. Glad to be back in the, clean house! Haha. I really need to get better at math, when I get back home. He gave me really good advice, don´t try to memorize the math, learn to understand why it does what it does.

I want a guitar...I had to buy a cheap mp3 player because I started to collect some music. And I really don´t want to take a bunch of CDs around all day long. It's about as close as I can get to my music. I almost bought one the other day, but honestly it wasn´t that good. So, now I am looking for one to buy, that is cheap and isn´t a piece of junk. Haha

Freak´n Sam...I knew he would be a mean drunk! Haha, I couldn´t help but actually laugh when I read his story. I can just imagine him running around like a crazy person. Note:(this was after Sam's wisdom teeth were taken out and he was hopped on pain meds) I hope you can recover really quick...and I hope he learns his lesson about drugs and alcohol and the effect it has on him. How is he doing now? Hopefully, he is doing better.

WHOOOO GO SILAS...he will be a stud when I get back home. That will be weird to see him get all the ladies. Haha, I don´t know how he will keep them away. Haha, I hope you have fun with track, that sounds like a lot of fun! How's things going for you Si?

I haven´t heard from Kayleigh in a while. How are things going for you little sis?

Oh...how I miss the good food of the US. Honestly, the food here just isn´t that great. I really wish I was in Valdiva. They have a Mcdonalds, and Pizza Hut. I really want to get some good food. Today, we are going to make Eggs, with onions and some bread. I have lost some weight because, I don´t eat nearly as much, and I am always walking around day after day.

Everyone, should go on a mission. It's really hard, but it's worth it. You learn so much about the world, people, and the church. It's honestly a great thing, just wish I had some good food! My momita is in Idaho right now, visiting her daughter or son. She was in Salt Lake last week going to the temple! Haha, its so werid. She is there and I am here.

Oh, ya...the lanuage has been very, very, very slow for me. I haven´t really learned a lot a new words or verbs...I hate it. But I did find out Caniza, which is the word for ash, actually means corruption. So the volcano gives off corruption! It's so cool! Haha, I love it. And in spanish the scriptures make a lot more sense, and you can feel the love in them. In English it, just isn´t same.

Well, I am off to write the mission president.

I love you all,

Tell Fezz I love him, and the other birds too!

Love,

Ben

We are looking for a new branch president here...We need one bad...

Things are going pretty well.  Haha, the new president, ya I met him.  About 5 days ago I started getting really depressed and having a really hard time in the field.  I couldn't focus and I started crying a lot. And so my zone leaders called the new president and he wanted me to come in and just talk for a bit.  And so, off to Osorno we went.  So, before anyone got to me, the new president and I were in his office talking...but now, after talking with him, I feel great!  I haven't been sad and I am working harder than I did before.  He gave me a blessing in his office..and once again he talked about me being a leader.  I hope its not in the mission field...that's a lot of hard work and responsabilidad.  Its been a really interesting week haha.

Haha President Lovell is really cool like that, he is a great guy. Before he left, he told me he and his wife wanted to go on an other mission in about 3 or 4 years. They work so hard haha.

In one of the pictures fezz looks so mad haha. Who took the picture for me? I miss him so much...I really miss his little head in my ear. Sam looks like a real cook finally! Haha, sounds like things at home are going really well. There is so much happening here, and there its so weird.  It seems like a week ago I was in Stansbury and now I am near the bottom of the world speaking another language. Its very different, yet seems so normal now.

Oh, nice pick on the laptop! I like the specs. Here, the computers are very horrible! Haha, but its Chile...and to be honest its Southern Chile. Its very different from the North.

Senior pictures...that was so strange. It doesn´t seem that long ago I was doing that...but its been a year. Wow, time really flies when you're in a different country. Haha, honestly its not too hard to be in a different place and forget about time. Oh....wisdom teeth....ouch! I remember how horrible that was for me. I think Sam will have more luck because they are starting to come out, and its not too close to the sinus.

Honestly, Elder Muñoz is amazing at being all those things (i.e., elder, trainer, branch president, district leader). But I know its started to pull on him...we are looking for a new branch president here as quick as we possibly can. We had a Consejo de Rama (Branch Council) and he was talking about how they need to find out what needs the less active members need...and they all started to attack him. Except the family Flores.  And it got to him...but now we have fasted and prayed for a new presidente (branch president). We need one bad...

Silas - I really want to buy a guitar...but I don´t know its super expensive down here. I will be looking for one while I am down here. And if by the end of my mission I don´t have one...I will buy one to bring home with me! For sure....But ya the stupid volcanoe. En serio, I freak´n hate ash. It gets everywhere and  you can´t get rid of it. Its so dumb! So today I prayed for rain. 

You should see all the futbol down here. Its insane...you would love the game here. They really know how to play futbol. Haha.

How is your summer vacation going? Got any cool plans? Will you tell Fezz I love him, and give him a giant kiss for me?!

Alrighty, well I am off to find some food, write the new presidente, and enjoy my p day. Adios!

Elder Burge

Elder Munoz's ash covered umbrella

My ash covered umbrella

Elder Munoz at the pulpit in Lago Ranco chapel

Me standing at the back of the Lago Ranco chapel

Monkey hanging out down by the lake

Panorama of Lago Ranco

Me hanging with a Lago Ranco pioneer