Swinging Through Life: Week 6: Almost there!!!

Hola Familia!

This week was nothing short of pure bliss!

Hard to describe.

But Ill try my best.

Ps I am on a weird keyboard again so sorry about the lack of punctuation!

This week the grand jefe of jefes came to visit the CCM! I cant remember his name but he is over all the MTCS. Anyways he chose my district *because we are the BEST!* to monitor for the weekend. A little intimidating. All the jefes were always in our room watching us...helping us with spanish...kind of. It was fun!

Our teacher decided to pull a prank on us and told us one night that WW3 had started. We all freaked out a bit and spent the day having deep discussions about the Last Days and anazlying DandC 133. Fun stuff. I also led in some America songs and we have worn nothing but red white and blue since. Well until today when we found out he was joking (NOT FUNNYYYYY!!!(. Well it kind of was...

The day he told us that there was also this huge riot outside the CCM. We couldnt tell what they were chanting but it was loud filled with lots of gunshots and fireworks. So it just made our teachers story more believable.

Today we went to the Temple for the last time in 16 months! The bus drive there is always an adventure! Today we saw some people juggling at red lights. They stand there in front of the cars and juggle. They dont move until every car gives them a tip! It was pretty funny. Oh yeah...they were also wearing cat costumes.The busses also dont stop for people to get on or off...they kind of just slow down and people jump for it!

Saturday night the power went out and the earthquake sirens went off....so it was party time in the earthquake circles!! We love those circles.

Have I mentioned before how much I just LOVE my district and roommates? Because I do. A lot! Ill have to tell you the stories some other day. Okay Ill tell one now about The amazing Hermana Turner. She was in a major car accident when she was 15 where she broke her neck, femur and other bones. Her mom didnt survive the accident and her other siblings were badly hurt too. She also has 11 siblings now! 4 of them adopted I think. One of her sisters is in a wheelchair and low functioning autism. Another brother has assbergers (sp?) and so on. And she has the most POSITIVE attitude about EVERYTHING! and is the SWEETEST person in the WORLD! I adore her SO much! And HOW DID I GET SO LUCKY TO HAVE HER WITH ME FOR THESE 6 WEEKS??! I dont know. Im a lucky little duck!

Me and my dear companion Hermana Page get along so so wonderfully! She doesnt mind my constant singing in 100 different accents and always encourages me to eat more nutella! Match made in heaven. She had a scare today when Hermana Pratt wanted to talk to her. Turns out her hair is too bright blonde for chile and she has to dye in brown.

My distirct wins the award for funniest people ever! I have never laughed so hard in my life! My stomach constantly hurts from it! And my teachers....SO AMAZING! Hermano Polo is probably the greatest human I have ever met! He cant even speak English yet he is so hilarious! And such a wonderful teacher! He has proven to us that you can still help others feel love and the spirit...even when you cant actually speak their language.

I am going to miss my teachers, my district, my roommates, MY COMPANION and the CCM so much! Its going to be a hard day when I leave this beautiful place. Which...have I mentioned it yet? Im leaving MONDAY! Monday morning and I get to Concepcion TUESDAY afternoon! Its gonna be a long flight. We are hoping the reason it is so long is because we have a layover in Peru and a hike to sing on top of Macchu Pichu! We´ll see..

I am SOO EXCITED to get to Chile and teach REAL flesh and blood people! Im also really scared and am always praying for my future companion...that she can develop patience for me. She is gonna need it!

As Elder Holland says: " The game is close..only a few seconds left...victory means everything and the whole game is on the line."

Shall we not go on in so great a cause?

All my love!

-Hermana Orchard

ps while I wrote this another elder in the computer lab got a dear john and has been crying the whole time...poor guy.

pps. Ill be on here monday morning before my flight to email...so email me before then!