8/28/2017

Todo bien (eveythig is good) here in Mejillones.  We have been really tired this week, but other than that we are working hard.  We had a cool branch night thing with the relief society and we played charades.  It was really funny, and we tried to bring a bunch of investigators.

We decided to put all the matresses in the main room in the apartment to have a little sleepover thing haha.  It just reminded me of when we did the same thing in Copiapo which was pretty cool.  We told some stories about our lives before the mission, and took some pictures, I will try to send them to you.

Everyone is doing well, we are still teaching Elder Goodrich the ropes, so we have to work even harder than last transfer.  We have an investigator named Matias, and he has been to church twice but also has been progressing very well.  We are hoping that he makes the choice to get baptized this Saturday.  I would ask that everyone could pray to help him receive an answer of the importance of the church.  Thanks for your love and support, I really have been very blessed to be born into a wonderful family and have such great friends.  I wish you all the best and I will talk to you next week!  

Love,

       Elder Hirschi 

Answers:

1. Have you met any new investigators?

 We have met some, but they are not any new progressing investigators.

2. Have you been to  Antofagasta recently?

 HAHA we have been to Antofagasta like 8 times this last month.  I´m getting really tired of traveling back and forth and spending so much money in travel.  Although it´s a lot more fun with the zone and you can do a lot more stuff in Antofagasta.  

3. Have you been helping the greenie a lot with the language?

 Actaully he has been helping me haha just kiddin´.  but really I don´t teach him that much, because his trainer teaches him most of the stuff.  He is learning a lot though, and really quickly too.

4. What do you like most about Mejillones besides the people there?

 Mejillones is very small and peaceful, there´s only a few people so you get to know everyone.  You don´t have to walk like an hour to get to the other side. 

5. Have you learned any special things about the culture?

 They speak reallllllllly badly in Chile or at least like a thug.  It would be like if we talked like this: I wanna git one of dem sandwhiches ya feel me dawg. 

8/21/2017

We had a pretty normal week this week. Nothing too crazy has happened.  We got transfers last week which means Elder Mendoza finished his mission which is a good thing for him, but still kinda sad because we will miss him.  But hey at least we got a cool greenie this week. His name is Elder GoodRich and he is from you guessed it UTAH the factory of the missionaries haha.  It`s actually kind of cool, because we have 4 gringo´s or Americans in our apartment.

We also are going to teach a kid named Danny and he is really cool. He is starting to learn English in the free English classes that we teach.  He is actually doing really well. During one of the classes he asked if we could pass by his house and teach him about the gospel; it was really cool.  We also found a Korean guy the other day and his name is something like chu or show.  He speaks a little bit of Spanish but mostly Korean, so it`s very hard to teach him.  We are going to ask for a Book of Mormon in Korean.  

Other than that we are doing well here in Mejillones.  Elder Burnthorn has been teaching me lots of new things that I`m trying to apply in the mission.  We are working very well together.  Anyways thanks for the support I love you guys tons and am grateful to have such an amazing family.

Love,

   Elder Hirschi

Answers:

1. How is the greenie in your apartment?  What is he like and where is he from?  Does he like it there in Mejillones?

He is doing really well. He actually speaks Spanish better than me haha.  Well better than I did when I first got here at least. He is from The Promised Land (UTAH).  He has his struggles sometimes with getting used to the mission, but really he is doing very well.

2. Do they have most foods there that they have here?  Is there something they don't have that we have like peanut butter or Reeses?

I would say like 50/50 they have lots of the same, but not all the same.  They actually have peanut butter, but they don`t have Reeses.  They don`t have things like Hamburgers (well at least not very many), they have a lot of sea food.  

3. Have you been working on playing any hymns on the piano there?

 I have not been working on hymns no... but I have been playing the piano haha.  Slade has been sending me sheet music.

4. Do you feel pretty fluent in the language now?

 Yeah I feel like I still have mistakes, but really I can understand and speak as well as someone would need to.  

5. What are the schools like there?  Do they have elementary, intermediate and high school?

 The schools here are very similar to the schools in the US.  They just have different names, like Jardin (Preschool), Kinder (Elementry), Collegio (Highschool), Universidad (University).  

Pictures:

8/14/2017

Hey family I am doing good!  We had a pretty solid week, and we got the transfers today.  It looks like they are going to be shutting down Mejillones for good... .  Just Kidding HAHA, no we are all going to stay again in Mejillones.  I thought I was going to be leaving for sure, but luckily I´m staying here!  Also Elder McKinlay is going to be training TA TA!  That´s going to be cool to have a greenie in the apartment, because I´ve never been in one with a greenie (besides when I was a greenie).  

This week some dude asked us to come into his house during the night.  He said that his house has a very strange vibe and he keeps seeing a huge black figure in his house.  We went in and said a prayer and all of a sudden the wind started to blow even harder.  Yeah I will admit I got a little scared at that point, especially because he had his tv on in the background with the white background sound thing.  Then we left and nothing really happened, but I really don´t want to go back to that house again.  Anyways the dude inside said he wants to move to a different house because he doesn´t like what it is.  

Anyways other than that the other elders had a baptism that went really well.  We also went and saw lots of the Catholic dances, which were actaully suprisingly cool.  Although they did have a huge statue of the Virgin that they were carrying.  We had a cool activity for the primary with mammita Gloria.  We also took some funny photos at the muesem.  Anyways that´s pretty much all that happened this week.  Take care everyone and keep praying and reading the scriptures.  

Love,

       Elder Hirschi

Answers:

1. Are transfers this week and if so are there any new changes for you?

 Everyone is staying except Elder Mendoza who will be dying (finishing his mission),  and Elder McKinlay will be training

2. Have you still got your camera?  Some time take a fun missionary name tag picture.  

 ........... Thanks mom I will give it a shot sometime.

3.  Is there anything you might need that we can send you?  I will be getting your year hump day package sent soon so let me know if you need anything.

 No I think I am ok thanks mom. 

4. Do the kids in Chile get any school breaks for national holidays or anything you know about?

 Yeah they usually do, but their school is completely reverse from ours.

5. What are some things you really like about being a missionary?

 Helping out the people, and feeling closer to the spirit.

6. How have your investigators been?

 They are doing well, Luis and Alejandro´s brother Kevin passed away from Cancer .  I even got to see the body and I started crying.  I barely knew the kid, but I just remember a few weeks earlier saying hi and giving him a high five.

7. What is a normal Sunday like for you?

 Wake up, eat, look for investigators (no one gets up in Chile until like 12:30), go to church, eat, work until night time.

Pictures: 

A little late with some of these... Sorry!

8/7/2017

Sorry It´s gonna have to be another short one. I sorta messed up today and forgot the registros for the baptisms to bring to Antofagasta, so now I just barely started writing emails. and we already have to leave... Anyways to make things short,   We had 2 baptisms again, the daughter of Shessy turned 8 this last week and wanted to get baptized.  Also a little Girl named Pia has been progressing really well and we are going to have to keep teaching her the principles of the gospel.  

Thanks for all the love and support that you guys give me I hope everyone is doing well.  

Love,

        Elder Hirschi

Answers:

1. Have you got your debit card yet?

 yes

2. How have your zone conferences and district meetings been lately?  Have you seen any missionaries you haven't seen for a while?

 Yeah we just had one that was really good!  Not that I can think of

3. Have you spoken in church lately? What about the other missionaries in your apartment? 

 Me no, but the other missionaries yes

4. What has the weather been like lately there?  We have had a little rain Here.

 It is still really dry haha!  No but it is still cold and windy

5.  Have you emailed or heard from any of your friends recently? 

 yeah Hong and Joe

6.  Have you cooked anything with the missionaries in your apartment lately? If so what do you like to make?

 MAC N CHEESE haha and Pancakes

7. What is the place like that you write your emails at on p-days?

 In a Cyber that is near centro in Mejillones (Also Cyber is a place that is just full of comptuers)

Love you guys tons!

Elder Hirschi

8/1/2017

I'm doing good here in Chile. We actually had 3 miracles this last Saturday.  We had 3 baptisms which for me were all miracles, because there were 2 kids whose father has problems with the word of wisdom, their mom doesn´t live with them, and their other brother has been diagnosed with cancer and and may die within 3 months.  And yet, when they chose to get baptised I could see they knew that even with all these problems that the Lord is going to bless them throughout all their lives.

The other baptism was a girl that kind of grew up in the church, but didn´t get baptized till she was 9.  She is really smart and I know she is going to be a very good leader one day.  She even invited all of her friends to her baptism even when they thought she was weird for getting baptized.  She is a very strong member and will be an amazing example.

It´s just really cool to watch people´s lives change to know the blessings of the true gospel.  I am so glad I have this time to serve and bring others unto Christ.  I would ask that you pray for my investigators and anyone who is in need.  Thanks for all the help. I love you guys tons.

Love,    Elder Hirschi                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Answers:

1. When are the next transfers? Do you think you will be transferred next time?

 In 2 weeks we should have transfers. I do think I will be transferred, but there is a chance that I will stay one more time!

2. Have there been any holidays or birthdays or ward parties there you have been to lately?

We have not had very many parties, but we did have an "Open Church" (Like an open house).

3. What is the fashion like there? Do most people wear regular clothes? Do many people wear name brand clothes or clothes that reflect the culture there?

Clothes are so cheap, but most of the clothes here have already been used. People sell them like garage sale.   

4. How are your investigators doing?

They are doing good. We had 3 baptisms and plan on having 1 or 2 more this week if everything goes well.

5. Have you ate anything different lately that you like? Do they have many juices there, if so what kind do you like?

I ate SUBWAY haha.  No I have eaten lots of different things, but nothing to strange, I had a part of an octopus the other day.  It just tasted like seaweed smell with strange fish texture.  They have a ton of peaches here, and lots of peach juice.  I like the peach juice.

6. What are the youth like in your ward there? Are there very many?

 It´s just an estaka, but we are very small like 50-60 people.

7. What is your bedding like? Do you have plenty to stay warm at nights?

Mom... I am doing fine, but thanks for being worried for me.  

  

7/24/17

I don´t have any time today, but we had a pretty normal week and we are hoping to have a very good one this week!  We are very busy every single day, but even if I feel bad or tired, I always feel good because we are doing the Lords work and always helping others. I love you guys all so much and thanks for all the support you give me.  Keep praying for my investigators please it really does help a lot.  Take care and I will talk to you next week.

Love,

        Elder Hirschi

Answers:

1. Have you felt pretty safe there in Mejillones?

 Yep, it´s pretty calm and there are not that many people here.  You almost never hear of people hurting anyone or doing crime.

2. How did interviews go with the president?

 They went well thanks.

3. Do you feel like you know the language well enough to understand pretty much everyone now?

 Sometimes I struggle with some things, but usually I can understand everything.

4. Do you use the little photo album we sent with you sometimes?  Have you gotten any postcards so you can show people places where we live?

 Yeah, usually just when the new missionaries get here.

5. Do they have any city parks there?  Where do you play soccer at? 

 We do, but they are all for little kids.  Also we play soccer behind the church or in Antofagasta

6. Does it feel like winter there

 Yes, but also during the day it still is really hot.  Just at night it gets really cold.

7. How are your shoes and clothes holding up?  Is there anything you need?

 no, but that´s ok, because the other pair is still ok for now.  No I think I should be good.

Love you guys sorry no pictures today!