Winter in southern Chile -- in August!

Connor on a volcano, trying to stand upright in the wind.

 

¡Hola, todos!

Where to start.... Mom, I don´t know what to ask for Christmas that I can´t buy here.

I love love love reading about what´s happening with all of you. I feel like all is well and everyone is growing. I´m going to do a few shout-outs because I haven´t really answered people´s questions or comments directly (it´s very difficult to find time to write letters... we can only do it on P-Day and we´re usually busy with other stuff on P-Day).

Congratulations, Annie Loy, Kenzie Smith, and Jacob Clarke on your mission calls! I hope I get to see some of your homecomings. Oh! And tell the Ballards I said "hi!"...

Grandma, I loved reading about your baptism in Switzerland. Yes, it is sometimes difficult to find streets when they´re not like a grid. We have an enormous map in our house with labels and whatnot. Someone came to deliver us gas (for cooking and showers), and my companion said we probably look like FBI agents in our white shirts and ties with our big map. Our house doesn´t have a couch or TV or a dining/coffee table like what you might expect in a normal house. The most noticeable things in the first room is the stove, the map, and my desk, which is covered in books and binders.

Who else.... I don´t know how many of my BYU friends can read this as most of them are on missions, but I hope you know that I love your letters and I´m really excited to hear what´s going on in  your missions (Especially Sister Haws, because the Irvine mission is a bit special to me).

 

Max, I´m proud of you for how hard you´re working. I tried getting into cross-country my first year of high school as well. I didn´t get on the team, but I remember I was more fit that year than any other.

Speaking of fitness... I´ve been eating a lot in Chile. We´re given a lot of food from the members and we have plenty of money provided by the mission to buy food as well, so I think I´ve gained a bit of weight (I hear Tommy gained a few pounds too :) I´m trying to find some ideal food that´s healthy, delicious, filling, doesn´t require preparation, and will endure. I don´t know if a food like that exist, but I´m still looking ;)

Maia, your emails and mom´s emails are my favorites. I´m amazed how much you have grown. I´m sure your wisdom teeth story of warm sticky blood all over your pillow will haunt my dreams for the rest of my life (I´m joking, I only have nightmares about that once a week). Sorry about the whole driving test situation. You´ll get it soon. Congratulations on your Personal Progress. Huge accomplishment.

I´m really sorry if I missed anyone. Keep emailing me and I´ll be sure to comment soon :)

Ok.... I´ll be fast. These last 2 weeks have been really great. I already told you that it´s really stressful helping my companion get to know the sector, but it´s also been super rewarding. I´ve learned oodles from him (I´m pretty sure that´s the correct usage of the word "oodles"). He´s very very creative, and he´s very good at contacting at doors. He´s just so friendly and animated that people open up to him. I´m trying to learn to do the same. I guess I just get nervous when I´m worried I won´t understand the response. My companion is absolutely fantastic. He is very knowledgeable and he actually explains things to me. I learn a lot from him when I listen and I feel lots of energy to bring the work forward.

I love you all!

¡Abrazos!

-Elder Connor Christopherson