Chiflón del Diablo- Email 5/24/14

Well hello there everyone! I bet you probably weren't expecting my email today so...sorry about that. I'll be writing saturdays til I get back just to clear up the confusion. I hope things are going well there!

Anyway, this week was awesome! It was really, really good being back up here again. I was wondering why the Lord had taken me back up here and why I couldn't have just stayed in Pitrufquen, but this week was fantastic and I could totally see why. We worked really hard, had a ton of fun, and just did everything we could. I was in Los Angeles this week, then over to Lebu for a day, then back in Lota where I started my mission actually, so it was awfully fun. I definitely needed to be back and have this experience again of just doing exchanges every day. One of my favorite things to do are exchanges with other missionaries because you don't really know each other too well before, but you both want to work hard so there are always really cool miracles happening. I'm a fan.

I'm also a fan of tourism. And tour guides. And making jokes to try and make them less boring. Haha today we took our p-day down to Lota to a place called "Chiflón del Diablo" which basically means "draft (or like a whistle or a wind....don't know how to explain it) of the Devil" because it's a MINE! Haha we got a tour into a coal mine. It was so awesome. It literally goes under the ocean and stuff, and we just had to sign this little waiver form and put our email address to get in (and money). I mean that sounds super safe right? They gave us coal miner helmets, lamps, everything. I don't know what I mean by everything because that's all they gave us in fact, but you know what I mean. 

We got to take the makeshift elevator down the mineshaft where it's pitch dark, dreary, wet, supported by Eucalyptus beams (the man asked where eucalyptus trees are from, because they are all they have in Chile and they aren't native here, and I was the only one who knew they were from Australia. Not sure how i know that but thats what we have in Scripps Ranch right? eucalyptus trees? I won myself a piece of coal for that one). Anyway it was so fun. We made jokes the entire time, I made the well-needed "I think I'm getting the black lung" quote from Zoolander, and we had a blast. It was crazy to see the conditions that they lived in though. Then later on we got to tour this place called Parque Lota which is like a giant park on a coast. Park doesn't do it justice because its basically like a mini ecological reserve. It belonged to a really rich family that actually founded the city 150 years ago, but 15 years ago they donated it to the government for tours and stuff. So fun. We took quite a few pictures and enjoyed ourselves way too much for looking at some black coal.

The cool part of it though was seeing all the history behind something that seems so natural and common. Modern day electricity and stuff like that seems so easy, but those people literally were exposed to methane gas, constant explosions and mine cave-ins, they barely made enough money to buy back their food from the same company, just awful stuff. But it prepared the way for today. In the same setting, so much in my life (gospelly-speaking) (gospelly isn't a word huh?) has been prepared for me by those who have had it so much worse. I read a poem this week about a missionary who complains for wearing a bike helmet, hands hurting from knocking doors, for being alone from his family, etc, then has a vision where he sees the Savior and the Savior tells him "i know how you feel. people made fun of me too when i was wearing an uncomfortable crown on my head. My hands hurt too when they put nails in mine. I knew what it was like being alone when I said "Father, why hast thou forsaken me?" and I was just like WOW I'M A TERRIBLE PERSON FOR EVER COMPLAINING. so it was actually really cool to see that again today, to see that so many people in my past, from our pioneer ancestors to even my very family who sacrificed so I could have the luxury of giving up 2 years to serve, has made my life so much easier. We are awfully blessed that many, including the Savior Himself, have gone before to prepare the way. I love the gospel, love the change that it brings in my life, and eternally grateful for the ease with which I have been able to live it. I love you all! Hope you have a great week!

Elder Tengberg

hey dad you wouldn't have gotten claustrophobic in a 4 foot tall mine thats pitch black and wet and held up by wood beams with no insurance waiver, right? I didn't think so either!

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly- Email 5/19/14

First off happy birthday to my awesome momma! Your'e the best momma and I am sorry i couldn't be there, but I love you and I hope you had a great bday.

Well what a week here in Pitrufquen! I am heading out tomorrow morning bak to San Pedro but it was awfully fun being here this week. We had some good, some bad, some downright funny, some ugly, some trunky. A little bit of everything.

The "trunky" part was when President Martinez did his little last speech for the mission, he came to every zone and gave us "ideas for life". ughhh no! haha it made me realize how simple the mission is and how hard normal life really is. Like it's so nice here. We just study, teach, walk around, talk, people give us lunch, teach, etc. So nice. After the mission you have so many things to worry about. not excited. It had reverse trunky status because it just gave me some anxiety and made me cling more on to the mission haha. Anyway fun stuff. President is a very smart man and gave us some great advice.

But the week was good! I definitely learned a lot this week about trusting in the Lord. Saturday night we had one of our favorite families drop us because they got scared of some stuff their pastor told them....just lame stuff. We tried to clarify things but they didn't want to hear it. So it was really sad... feeling like we had worked so hard only to have them literally tell us, word for word, "We would rather remain in ignorance than have to pray if this is right than change everything right now to follow it" like WHAT?! haha it was the most ridiculous setting ever. Shocked me. But the good news is that we didn't lose our faith and that same night we got a reference to pass by a recent convert who hasn't been to church in a year and his wife who isn't a member. So, we passed by, and his brother died last month and it's been super sad. And they came to church on Sunday! So it was really cool to see that basically the Lord said "They aren't the ones to teach, THEY are!" and guided us where we really needed to be spending our time. I was very happy, so I feel like I'm leaving here on good terms. It's weird going through so many changes lately but its been awfully fun as well.

In other news...well there isn't much other news! Things are still going very well, I'm still very happy, I'm still working very hard. Things are great here in my little chilito. Love you all! I'll write you whenever I can again!

Elder T.

also highlight of the week, we made peanut butter and jellies with tortillas because we were out of bread! Not too bad to be honest. Not too good either, but necessity is the mother of invention!

Me Encanta Pitrufquen (Pee-True-f-ken)- Email 5/12/14

Haha hows that for a little tongue twister?

So I wont write too much because we just talked last night, but things are going great here in Chilito. I love it here so much. Love the people, the daily rain, the soaked feet and smiling faces when they hear the gospel. Nothing better.

It's been another long week. We have found so many people, so now it's just time to teach them all! Two in particular are just so unbelievably prepared...

Jessica and Kati. Kati is her 17 year old daughter who we felt prompted to contact one night when we were on our way back to our house at the hour. She was standing on a corner talking to her boyfriend and we contacted them (Its always hilarious to talk to the couples and interrupt them. It's like vengeance a little bit) anyway and we talked to her, and she said yeah come by my family one day. So we went by a couple days later, her mom saw us and started crying. She had just lost her older daughter who was 26 in a car accident, had been left with her little 3 year old grandson. Like just so sad. She was heartbroken and she said "How did you get here? How did you know?" and stuff. It was so touching. We taught them the plan of salvation and it was just beautiful to see the reactions of people when the spirit touches their heart. So prepared!

Next we also taught the Familia Alegría (which literally means family happiness, so perfect) and they are so beyond prepared. Like they just get it. They are great investigators, know what we expect of them, and were like "yeah we can do this." Its so cool to see how the Lord has been testing us for 2 weeks (no one came to church again) but we have just been preparing these beautiful families for now! So its been fantastic. 

in other news...it's my last week here in Pitrufquen! haha i know mom and dad i told you yesterday i thought i was going to stay here, but president actually informed me that i would be going back to finish my last 4 weeks with elder white and elder paris where i just was in San Pedro. So....back to there again! Haha its right though. i prayed about it too and definitely know its right. I think its time for someone else to come in here and harvest all the success we have been planting. My job was to come in and help out and suffer a little bit, and I've done it the best i could. It really has served as a wonderful experience to me. Like i really feel like I've learned how to give up my will in some things, to let the Lord make of me what i don't frankly want sometimes. So I'm very grateful for all the chances and opportunities I've been given to grow. The Lord sure knows me and knows what i need.

I love you all! thanks for everything.

Elder T.

here are the pictures of the house remodel! We bought a "welcome" mat on sale, a new shower curtain, we have been making fires in our little estufa all week (dad thats what it looks like so you're aware! All safe. except for the cracked glass but thats like a minor detail and we think its fine). And theres my comp! Elder Trudeau from Gilbert, Arizona. Awesome missionary. 

Another Week – Email 4/26/14

Well hellloo family! I sure do love you so much. I don't have a ton of time this week but last week i promised pictures so that's what I'm going to send this week! There are pictures of the four of us comps, me in the campo, us on the volcano, and a couple more. To be honest i forgot what i attached but it's all there! Haha sorry. The volcano was super fun though and it was a great memory. Anyway,  this week...

Well this week I was back in Angol again! I actually spent the whole week there working with the zone and doing intercambios with all the different district leaders. it was really fun. It was a good week and I learned a lot from a lot of people. One of my favorite things to do is to leave notes to missionaries after the intercambio is done. I remember when I was back in Victoria one of the assistants did it with me and I just thought it was the coolest thing ever, so I do it every time now. This week I had a really cool experience with an elder who I had kind of judged before but after working with him, I was shocked at how little I knew him. So at the end of the day, I wrote him a little card and hid it in his pillowcase and stuff, then when I got home I realized he had done the same to me! Sneaky little booger. Anyway what he wrote was one of the coolest things I have read and something I needed to hear so badly. I will share it with all of you because I frankly don't have any investigators to talk about or anything else. All I do is intercambios!

He said "Look, people in your life will always, in one way or another, let you down. I suppose that you're in the perfect position right now to practice how you want to respond when it happens (he was referring to a situation that I asked him for advice about with a missionary who with I had put various goals to improve on, and had completely thrown out all of them and didn't care. I was rather annoyed because he is a leader in the mission and was just completely ignoring his personal responsibility as such!). What's made me happiest is applying what Elder Holland said to my own relationships: ´Surely the thing that God enjoys most about being God is the thrill of being merciful, especially to those who don't expect it and often feel they don't deserve it´. From my own experience people change the most profoundly when we show them love and respect when they don't feel they deserve it. Try it out . It feels fantastic."

Wow, right? I was just in for a bit of humble pie, wasn't I? I think thats one of the most frustrating things I have come to learn...that in the mission I thought I would become almost perfect. Obviously not perfect but I thought i would come home with a lot less rough edges. But I feel like I've just changed from a rough jagged pointy rock to one that has one less jag on it - but it's still pretty awful and barely noticeable. I guess that's life though. In the end, none of us will ever justify ourselves in getting into heaven. We are all just trying our best and hoping that it will be okay in the end. But the consolation is knowing that God will, in the end, always forgive us, if we follow the teachings of his son Jesus Christ and apply the atonement to our life. I feel like, even though I WANT to be so different, so much better, that God just gets a thrill out of forgiving me when I certainly don't deserve it. He is pretty incredible. He must get so sick of hearing our constant "No but I PROMISE, I wont ever do it again!" and "God please help THAT PERSON TO CHANGE" prayers. He must just laugh. But I am awfully grateful for his mercy with me. I love the mission so much. I really do. I know this church is true and the gospel is our key to happiness!

Love to everyone at home! We have a couple of busy weeks coming up. Interviews, all wide mission conference, cambios. But, alas, a heavy train never jumps the rails. So, in the end, I am grateful that I have the chance to be stressed and busy - it's helping me progress.

I love you all.

Elder Tengberg