A DOG BIT ME >:(

July 12, 2017

Dear All,

I'm loving my new sector and my comp is a gem!

Monday we had divs (divisions) with the Assistants since we're DLs. It so happens that the most sketchy area in the mission (the sketchiest of Santiago) belongs to the Assistants. It's not absolutely insane but everyone there leaves with a story about hearing/seeing shootouts, seeing a bunch of people enter a house with bats and pipes, or maybe seeing people robbed at knife point. No one ever gets hurt though. So what happens to me? Some dog bites me in the leg! It didn't even hurt nor did I bleed, but it was just kinda dumb! 

Anyways, we're going over there and when we get to their house Elder Elmont (the assistant) says he's having a bad headache and needs a second. He lies down and we wait, like, 30 minutes. Then to make a long story short, we can't leave that day... so I was just studying for 5 hours! And then when he started feeling better (10:00pm) we go out for a quick bread run and some random dog sniffs my leg (normal) then bites it! (Friggin' messed up!)  It was actually pretty funny, but also kind of hurt. Anyway, that was my division with the assistants gone bad!

The area's doing really well! There's a recent convert in our ward who's super awesome! Her parents are super cool too and we just gave them baptismal dates. We're very excited about them and I'll leave more info on them next week!

I've been getting really good at riding bikes! And my butt no longer hurts!  I think in another week or so Imma be like that one guy from the movie, Premium Rush! 

The ward here is SO COMPETENT!!! They actually DO THINGS! 

Being District Leader is also pretty neat. We're gonna start doing divisions with the district next week and also are going to give the lesson in district meeting. 

I also got to do a baptisimal interview! It was a really neat experience. It was a Haitian and he was actually super prepared and very converted so it was all good in the hood! It nice to be able to have that opportunity!

Anyway, that's about it. I have some pics of my farewells from Capitán Ávalos and of today's P-day. We went to a river and then to Papa John's!!!!

Have a great week!

-Elder Sierra

DISTRICT LEADER AND A WHITEWASH! PLUS, MAH BUTT HURTS...

July 5, 2017

So this week I had transfers, which was expected, but what wasn't expected was that they CLOSED MY FRIGGIN' SECTOR!!!!!!! That means that my companion and I were both sent out and that another companionship is taking it in addition to their own. When the district leaders called to tells us about transfers we literally thought they we just joking (they joke sometimes). It got to the point where we told them, "When you want to tell us the real transfers call us!!!" and then we called the zone leaders to see if they were telling the truth and THEY WERE.

I was basically like that clichè guy in a movie that falls on their knees and yells, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO."

It's super sad because we had a LOT of people progressing that loved us both a lot and now a random pair of elders that don't know them are going in and are going to put less focus on them than we did because they have another sector to worry about. Literally EVERYBODY was surprised because our sector was doing, frankly, the best new elders' sector doesn't have much going on, so they're focusing mostly on our sector.

My new comp is Elder Bellido! He's an Argentine. He has been in the mission for roughly 4 more months than me and we actually lived together about 4 months ago. We're pretty excited. And, we're District Leaders, so that's neat. If someone were to ask me if I feel more 'leadery' I would have to say I don't really. 

So now I'm in Lo Blanco (The White) ward. In this ward we use bikes, which is the cat's meow! We have a really big sector but we get around SO fast!!! The bad thing is that mah butt hurts... a lot..... They say it goes away after a week or so. It's a functioning ward too, like an average of 80 every week! I met a bunch of people yesterday and they seemed to like me quite a bit, which is always awesome 'cause if they don't things are just more difficult. 

It's also a bit sketchier and a bit less sketchy here. We don't really chill in any spots because we always zip along on our bikes but it's a bit more ghetto here and everybody wants a bike! Also, biking in Chilean streets is scary!!!

I have no pictures but they'll come!

Have a great week, love you all!

-Elder Sierra