Hello hello!
WE GOT OUR TRAVEL PLANS!! I am honestly the happiest missionary in the whole entire world. We leave on Monday, September 10th, our flight leaves SLC at like 9:30 or something like that. We fly into LAX then have a 3 hour layover, then a 14 hour flight to Santiago. 14 hours....sitting...in a suit....I'm seriously done for. Haha so that flight is like 1:30 in the afternoon and then we land at 6:30 AM chilean time (which is NYC time as well actually). Then a quick flight over to Conce and I'm in my mission. Isn't that ridiculous? I am almost in the field. Its honestly the coolest feeling in the world. I have loved the MTC and I have grown a ton, but its definitely time for me to move on. I am just so excited to have REAL people to teach. Real problems, real families, real food (no matter how much mayonnaise) and just the real gospel. The gospel in action, when it is changing people's lives, is one of the best experiences in the world. I am so excited to share it.
It is definitely weird though. We are starting to realize how little Spanish we know. And to make it worse, a Chilean kid came this week to our zone and he is in the advanced district. So, we start talking to him, and HOLY SHMOLEY the kid talks fast. I instantly felt so incompetent. Another sister in our zone said, a couple weeks ago, that "You won't say anything that you learned here. Chilenos have their own language practically." OH GREAT well I'm glad I have been learning this then haha. I am sure its like any language, where now that I know the fundamentals I can begin to learn how to be a Chileno. Not like anyone learning english can understand the meaning of "I'm just pulling your leg" by just knowing definitions and stuff, right? I'll learn all that goofy stuff in a couple of months hopefully, but for now....it'll be rough.
As far as other things go, thank you so much to everyone who wrote me this week and sent packages as well! Kim, thanks for your letter, and Shannen and Auntie Gin, thank you for your packages! Mary, I had 13 of those stupid Reese's cookies in ONE NIGHT. 13. And then you sent me another batch of homemade cookies! You're killing me. But i love all the treats, brownies, M &M's, cookies, everything! Thank you all. There's a reason I'm getting fat everyone....and there's the reason. Haha to everyone, I will try to get letters out soon, but I am just so beyond busy here that I don't know what time I will be able to. Hopefully soon.
BRYCE, tell me when you get here on Wednesday! I got to host this past week, and it was super fun. I got to host Alec Anderson, who I knew from BYU, so it was nice to see him. He told me all about Provo and everything else, so that was fun to see a friendly face. I can definitely host you this week Bryce, so just tell me when you come in so I know when to look for you. Can't believe your time is here! Youre going to love it.
As far as other things this week...guess who i saw at the temple, driving around? Haha just some of my best friends from BYU....Ryan, Cristina, Anna, and MARY too. Haha it was so weird. They were driving by right as I crossed the street, so I just talked really fast and shook hands and the whole shenanigans, then said goodbye. Super odd. In the MTC you are in your own little bubble, and forget the outside world exists or even forget you are in Provo. Then, all the sudden your two worlds collide and it is the weirdest feeling ever. It was super fun seeing my friends though and getting to talk to you all. Last night during the BYU football game we tried to listen at the back fence of the MTC (along with about 100 other missionaries "studying"), but we couldn't hear too much. Every now and then we would hear a roar of people, which was exciting, but nothing specific. Its just weird being in Provo where I have lived for the past year but just being in this little bubble.
Anyway, as far as other things go, this week I have learned how specifically and individually Heavenly Father loves each of his children. I was kind of going through some inadequacy problems this week and just wondering if I was really cut out for this, just wondering if I was really a good missionary. I was having a really hard time, and I just prayed so hard that Heavenly Father could comfort me and help me. Throughout this whole week, he has blessed me more than I could ever imagine. My favorite scripture from the week has to be 3 Nephi 10:22. It just hit me so hard this week, among a few other quotes and things. I don't have my scriptures on me right now because I'm in the lab typing, but it says I think, "The mountains shall depart and the hills shall be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed". No matter WHAT happens in this life, whether it is because of sin, disobedience, lack of focus, feelings of inadequacy, lost loved ones, or ANY other myriad of trials we may go through, the kindness and mercy of God will NEVER, ever, depart from us. Never. Isn't that the coolest promise ever? it just gave me so much comfort. I know he loves me so much because he has put so many things in my life to get me to where I am today. Even moreso, when I was down, doubting myself and in need of a spiritual hug, he came and enveloped me in his arms. He came and told me that he loved me, and comforted me so much. I know that through prayer and earnest desires, we can all experience God's love. I am so excited to share that with the people of chile, because it is a feeling that can't come from anywhere else. It can't come from Hollywood themed dances at BYU, from beating Chapman in double overtime in lacrosse, from snowboarding in fresh powder (is it obvious some of the things I've been missing?), but can ONLY come from experiencing God's love. There is no other feeling better than the spirit. I am so lucky to have been blessed to have this gospel in my life - to have Scriptures I can read every day and apply to myself, to have a brother, Jesus Christ, die for me, and to have a God that loves me unconditionally. Missions aren't easy. Sharing the gospel with friends isn't easy either. But as I have begun to realize how important this message is, and how incredibly personal it is to my life, I have no choice but to share it. I am so grateful for this opportunity and love the work. One more week...and then I'll be in Chile! Can't wait.
Adios, amigos.
Elder Tengberg
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