Elder Marcus Tilghman: August 3, 2016

Ok so if you know me, ever sinc I got my call I have been waiting to use that subject line and it feels so good to use it. Anyway these past six days have been AWESOME! Over the weekend we had our final meetings and we had to say goodbye to all of our teachers and friends in the CCM and that was awful. I have made so many lifelong friends, it hurts me right now thinking about them, but I know we have work to do. On Sunday night I said goodbye to Elder Dolenar and my district, and it was sad because I love all of them. On Monday morning I left for the Mexico City Airport with Elder Scott from my district at the CCM as well as some other missionaries. It was cool to sit in the airport because the place is huge and we saw the mom of another missionary there and she took our pictures and sent them back home which was awesome. We were going to start teaching in the airport, but the police said if they saw us doing that they would kick us out, so we had to just sit there hahaha.

So we waited for our flight to leave and then we got on our airplane for the eight hour flight to Chile which was both fun and boring. I probably watched my last movie for two years, because the lady next to me was watching movies on her TV, so I would casually sneak a peak every now and again for about two hours. I understand now though why people stay in Chile for two years, it is because they do not want to make that long flight again. It was boring and I tried to sleep but to no avail, but es o si que es. When we arrived in Santiago we were greeted by some missionaries who work in the mission office and they made us feel right at home. Their Spanish is amazing, and they told us ours would be like that too one day, so I have hope. We stayed the night in the apartment of the office missionaries, well at least the Elders did, the Hermanas went to the big fancy mission home, which looks like a house from Hollywood. That night it was cold, so it really is chilly in Chile, no lie. That night we went and ate completos, which are basically three foot long hot dogs with guacamole, mayonaise and mustard and ketchup and I think it was the best thing I have eaten in my life, but there was no way I could finish it! That night the missionaries also told us that the Spanish we speak is very ghetto because we serve in the hood, so basically all of the good, proper Spanish I learned in the CCM went right out of the window. Actually I take that back, it cannot go out the window because there are bars on the windows for safety.

On Tuesday we woke up and went to a church building to start our orientation and to meet our trainers, and all of us newbies were so nervous, I felt like I was going to poop my pants before I even entered the field hahahhaa. We had our orientation and they announced our trainer and my trainer is a Gringo named Elder Jones! I was so excited because it was someone that I could relate with because he went through the language barrier before, He is a great guy, he has trained before and he is very nice and patient and willing to help, and he is pretty good looking, almost as handsome as me. No, but he is a great guy, and he speaks to me in Spanish alot because he wants me to learn the ghetto way to start talking, which is pretty cool. We went to our house after our meetings and it is very nice, way nicer than the CCM, but it is probably nice because we live with the AP missionaries which means they are basically the best of the best and they help out our mission president with his job. So since I am living with them, I figure that means they think I am very disobiedient and that I need tons of help hahahahah. They are super nice guys and me and my companion talk with them all of the time they are great. After our meetings on Tuesday, we went to our area where we proselyte and right away we went out to go to some teaching appointments! The Spanish here is not that much faster than in Mexico, they just use words I have not heard before because they are just different because it is a different culture. However, I can understand basically the basics of everything they say, so I can be involved in the lessons alot, but talking is a little harder than understanding. But my companion says he is very impressed, and so do the other people here, so I have hope as long as I continue to work and try to learn as best I can.

Yesterday we had three appointments at night and I felt like they all went very well it was great. We walk everywhere here, so I get exercise all of the time! Last night when we were walking back to our house it was a little sketchy because our area in the mission is considered one of the more dangerous parts, and it is true because past eight oclock at night, shady people come out and hang out in the alleys, but it is all cool. My companion was telling me stories about all of the times he has been mugged, and again I almost pooped my pants in the mission because he was almost kidnapped once, but it is ok because he was not. It still scared me though because now it is real, and it could happen.

Today is our P Day, so we will email on this day from now on, and today was really fun. This morning we got up and we ran a few miles and then worked out in our house, and it got me really focused to start the day it was great. Afterwards we went and played volleyball with our APs zone, and that was awesome.This afternoon we went and bought all of our food for the month so that way we only have to do it once a month and it saves time. And then we ate lunch, oh yeah so in Chile we only eat breakfast and lunch and we eat them super late because our day starts late because I guess Chileans are lazy but I do not know. Anyway life is good, my Spanish is getting better and I love my trainer!

Love,

Elder Tilghman

3 Nefi 18:19

Por tanto, siempre debeis orar al Padre en mi nombre