Emails Received November 17, 2014

Dear Everyone,

     Nothing too extreme happened this week, but it is getting wayyy hot, but that's kind of good, because everyone sees me and my sour cream colored skin, and they let us in pretty quick. Also, it's getting to be fruit season. I've been eating strawberries from the feria (farmers market) at $500/kg. It's pretty dang cheap, and they're some of the best strawberries I've ever eaten. The massive amounts of grapes they grow here in the Colchagua Valley are gonna be ready by late December-early January. It's gonna be awesome, because everyone here works in the campo, and random people we contact are already starting to give us fruit from their work when we talk to them.

     I think that's about it. Oh yeah, my companion goes home in two weeks. He's doing his best to not get too trunky, but in my opinion he's losing the battle haha. 

     Love,

          Elder Hamilton

P.S. I totally didn't take any pictures this week. Sorry! I'll take a whole bunch this week.

Q&A

1.  How will you call us on Christmas?  Skype, FaceTime, phone?  Will it be at the church, members home or somewhere else?

I should be able to Skype you, and it will most likely be from a member's house.

2.  Where do you email from each week?

We go to these things called "cibers" and it's basically a room with computers that you can buy time on the internet for.

3.  Where do you do your laundry?  How is that going?  Have you washed your wool pants yet?  How are your shirts holding up?  are they still white, haha?

We have a little washing mashine in our backyard/patio thing. We ang up everything to dry out. I haven't washed my wool pants yet, and my shirts seem fine, but I don't know how long they're going to stay white now that I'm sweating in them all day every day.

4.  What do you eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?  I know that you don't get many appointments for meals, so what are you eating?  Did the recipes and dinner ideas I sent help?

I make a smoothie every morning, but they haven't been green recently because I didn't buy espinaca or acelga this week. Lunch has been at members houses recently, so we haven't had to worry about it for a while. And dinner isn't a thing in Chile.   

5.  Can you find most of the same food there, that we have here?  Or is it really different?

Everything is way different. So no. 

6.  I love your haircut, it seems like they do a pretty good job.  Who does it?  Do you use gel everyday?  Should I send more?

We go to a barbershop (peluqueria) to get out hair cut. I have been using gel, but I still have a buttload left, so I'll let you know when I need more. 

7.  Have you gained any weight?  You look great and to us it doesn't look like you have, we're just wondering if you can tell.  Do you have a scale?

I dont know. I think my face looks a little bit chubbier than when I left the CCM, but I'm not sure. I don't have a scale, so I honestly have no idea. 

8.  What are you putting in your green smoothies?  The pic you sent us was sooo green, just wondering whats in it.  And did it taste good?

Haha, I put a bunch of espinaca (spinach) and acelga (I have no idea what it is in English), bananas, strawberries, and water. But recently I've been making the BEST SMOOTHIES with strawberries, cherries, peaches, banans, water, and ice. And they are soooooo good. 

Email received November 3, 2014

Elder Christensen is coming to the mission for a conference next Monday, so that P day will be on Tuesday instead. So that's why I won't write to you next Monday.

Emails received November 11, 2014

In response….I hope you never have to eat that again.  I remember when we would talk about where you might go and the food you might have to eat.  I bet you never thought it would be that gross.  I'm so sorry.  I wish you had better food to eat.  Is there anything that you get to eat that you love?  What do you eat?  I think about that every day.  What do you make?

Dear Mom….I now really enjoy onions, tomatoes  and avocado. Like I seriously like eating them now. Weird, right? We eat them all the time here. 

Dear Zac…Ok this seriously makes me happy.  I can't believe you like tomatoes.  This is the best news ever.  

Dear mom….I don't just like tomatoes. I love tomatoes. 

Dear Zac….I'm dying!  I NEVER thought I'd hear you say that.  I love tomatoes too.  This news makes my day.  

to baby sis….

she told him about the Primary Program

Sweet dude, the primary (6 kids) here in chile is having a primary program in a few weeks too! No one knows how to play the piano in chile, so my comp and I have to play the piano for them for all the songs they're gonna sing. I love you! 

     Elder Hamilton

 Here's a picture of me making pan amasado. It was really good. 

                                     
 We replied……Jessica said they look store bought.  Pretty impressive.  So is it basically a roll?  Whats different about it from a roll that I make?  Is that in a members home?  

                                    

He answered……Thanks man. It's soooooo good, I don't know how to describe how they taste, but I'm going to be a pro at making pan amasado by the time I get back. That's at Memo's house. 

We said……Whats in them?  Anything different than water, flour, yeast and salt?

He said…..Yeah, I don't know what it's called in English, but I'll try to figure it out this week

 Dear Elder Hamilton,  I'm sending you a package tomorrow with the zip drive and your head lamp and batteries in it.  Is there anything else you can think of?  what food are you craving that I can send?  Mom

Mom, I've been talking to Memo, and he wants a bag of beef jerky for Christmas, so if you could send one or two, that would be awesome. He's the guy we do service for in the vineyards. He's a member, and he's a stud.  I don't know what flavor he would like, but nothing too crazy. You have better judgement than I do. They're on the poorer side of things. But they're so awesome and generous, and they've been going to visit this new family with us, and they're such good friends to these investigators.  

Some sunscreen that feels like its not there. The neutrogena stuff you got from costco is pretty dang good. Also, can you put in some reeses something, and some kind of completely American candy that I can give to the Chileans. Actually, Reeses would be pretty good for that, too. I just hope they don't melt. I'm putting together a package for you guys too, I got some dope stuff. I might have to take some money out of my card to send it home. I'll try to think of more things that I want you to send me right now.