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!
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