Elder Ben Burge: Having a gay old time here in Pucon

Tawney - Hey! I am glad to hear from you...long time since the last time we talked! Don´t worry, if you want to write me a letter. Just put any old thing inside, or questions and stories and I will write you back. Amy and Aaron got married or her Brother? Haha, that was quick if they got married... I would love to hear from you and know what's going down in your life. Thanks for writing me! So, I was just made leader of my district here, and I am training a new missionary. I also have a ton of stories...I am putting one in about some interesting people I met for my family. You should read it! But, I will be waiting for you letter! Le Quiero - Elder Burge

Silas - You make me laugh pretty good...everyone looked at me weird in the store. I am glad to here you're doing your best gaming ever...I will have to catch up when I get back home...I will do it in half the time! BOO YA...

Wow, it's pretty funny to see Kayleigh (dressed up for church basketball) like that! Haha, she looks SOOO tough...NOT! Haha

First my story about the people we met. So we were walking in the street when two people came up to us (a man and woman) and they asked us if we would come to their house for some water...they were laughing pretty good. So, I thought wow, this is a joke, but I am thirsty, so let's go! So, we went to their house, and when we got in, there was another guy and a girl. The girl in the house didn´t have pants on when we got in, and took off for the the room and fell. The people in the house began to complain and fight that they let the Mormons in the house. So, I was a little bit on guard about them from the beginning...and they began to attack us with questions and jokes. We sat and drank our water and started to answer them as the questions came. So...after a good 10 minutes of attacking us with random questions, they explained that they were all gay...the 2 girls and the 2 guys. They began, afterwards, to ask us questions about that. So we explained how the church felt. And after talking for 20 minutes, we were all laughing, and teaching them about sins and stuff. They, in the end, offered to give us lunch Sunday and wanted us to come back and to talk and teach some more! They were saying how we truly are good people, and that they never knew the Mormons were this nice and normal. It was really good... They were really good people, and I was happy to meet them. It's sad, because they thought we would treat them badly, but that's not what we do, so it helped them at least to know we don´t hate them.

After that, my companion had to use the bathroom so bad. When he tried to open the door, he broke the key.

It's been really crazy....

I am glad to hear your all doing well. Haha, I am still living after my first week as a trainer and district leader. But, I will start from the top and work my way down.

Ok, so Eduardo is a really good guy. He is 19 years old and has a son. They both have heart problems, and the other day his son had a little heart attack...he is only about 1 or 2 years old. He was found in a street contact by Elder Medina, and well, from there we taught him together. He stopped smoking and drinking coffee in a little under 2 weeks, and he's a very hard working guy. It was so weird to baptize him, and fun at the same time. I am getting pretty good at using my priesthood. I was happy to see him smile. Ok, my new companion.

Elder Jorge Guerra from Chihuahua Mexico! Haha, he is 19 and has his birthday on the 14th of Feb. It's going to be a crazy month! He had a hard time at times understand the people, so I have to translate from Spanish here to Spanish there, haha. It's a bit hard to be a "dad" and the DL at the same time. The hours we have to study are longer, and the studying is really different. I have to teach him basically everything! As for my time now as District Leader, I have to do a class or "counsel" evey week, take in the numbers, break up the fights, and basically help everyone over there, and do interviews. I already had some elders fight...haha. I have to basically help everyone out, and study for them, and do my best. It can be a bit hard...I should be doing my first interview here in a little while, maybe a week or 2. I should be getting my guitar Martes (Wow, Tuesday). It's not too bad...it should be pretty sweet. I will have to send you a picture of it...I got to sing for some investigators who had a guitar and have wanted me to sing since they found out I play a little bit. It's a mom, her daughter, son, and the other little daughter. They loved it so much. They wanted me to sing more afterwards. I LOVE KEANE, they are a really good band...I wish I could listen to that. I am glad to see the "old band" is getting back together. You´ll have to let me know when the first concert is.

I am glad to know you found a magic book! I have been doing magic I have learned from others, and well, it's a big hit around here. I have no idea what to send the mamita here...I will ask her and tell you next week. I totally forgot about AMM(?) and buying garments!! I can buy them from there, it's a lot easier to do that. Haha, no hay problema.

I am glad to hear the old temple class is still going. It's a good thing to do before we go in the temple and everything. I miss the temple really, really bad. I want to go...it's hard not to have one here. I want to go the day I get home, or the day after...It's a must!!

I am glad to see that Kayleigh is doing her girl thang...and beat´n up the girls in church basketball. That's how we do it in the Burge family! Haha, it's a really good thing she is part of that. It´ll be really fun for her, and she is learning to do it really well for high school, perhaps. She so much smaller than the girls there. It's so funny! I love you little sissy cat.

So, I don´t know what the young single adult conference includes, but all I know is that there will be like 500 people here and it's going to be so crazy! I don´t know how they will all fit in the church house...it's tiny...

I love you all very much, and I am very happy with my life. I have felt pretty good these last couple of days, and God has helped me change by putting all this leadership stuff on my shoulders. I can´t believe how fast I progressed...or maybe it was already there and I just didn´t see it or use it. But it's really good here. I am making lots of friends here and have 11 weeks to get the people baptized. I want to get Jacalin and Danila in the water...they just told us the other day they got up and wanted to go to church, and they told us they feel that this is the truth. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!

Haha, I found out the people I found in Lago Ranco got baptized...Did I tell you that already?

Papito