W26: 6 months

Hello everyone!  This week completes 6 months in the mission. Here are some mission stats.... 

22 hours traveled on plane

70 hours traveled on bus 

500+ hours walking in the rain 

20 pounds gained 

1 new language learned (kinda) 

3/5 rabies shots received 

0 hours spent swimming 

3 gringo companions

2 native companions  

3 cities  

1 new instrument started (kinda)

That pretty much sums it up. My new companion is from Uruguay so my Spanish will keep getting better as I continue my Spanish speaking streak. Elder Martinez got transferred here in the middle of the last transfer so we are both relatively new and excited to work.  My life has turned into like 90% Spanish and 10% English talking to my family, running English class and responding to people who want to say hello to an American.  The one English word everyone knows.  When I get bored I try to learn French on duolingo. I don't think I'll actually learn French but might as well try. 

Entre Lagos, my new home, is actually WAY smaller than Quellon. We don't really have a super market. I had to go to a butcher for meat and got a months worth of potatoes from a bus that drives by selling potatoes like the ice cream truck in America. Soooo I'm like straight up in the boonies. It is not as humid, warmer in the day and much colder at night than Quellon since we aren't next to the ocean but my warm mummy bag with my fleece liner keeps me toasty at night. There is no bus system so we walk everywhere.  The bus does get us to Osorno where our district and most of the population actually live which is about an hour away.  

Church is held in a converted home.  I am going to miss playing the piano since we don't have one. Our branch is small. Every Sunday we have opening and closing prayers in church.  Our first Sunday, the opening prayer was someone talking about why they weren't able to come to church and closing prayer concluded with the trinity which is fine except we believe God and Jesus are actually different people so there's lots of teaching opportunities here.

I got my 3rd rabies shot today in Entre Lagos and the nurses were super chill. They reminded me or nice grandmas.  Honestly 10/10 experience for their kindness. I got to la clinica and everyone was having tea.  The after experience of my shot sadly is 1/10.  My arm is killing me so I'm legit hoping I got the right shot since my first 2 shots didn't hurt.   One of them asked me about Trump. I was like Uhhhh we aren't really supposed to talk about politics and also we don't follow politics but they are interested in learning English so might come to our English classes. Going to the Doctor is stressful for me in English let alone a foreign country but I have realized if you ask enough people and look slightly lost, someone will eventually help you. 

Hopefully none of you get bit by a dog this week. And if you're looking for a sign to learn french, here it is. Good luck and Good night!! Love you all. 

- Elder McMillan 

pic 1. Our last day in Castro with Elder Coc and our trusty Zone Leaders.  

pic 2. Eating cake on my last day in Quellon 

pic 3. Going to work with Elder Martinez in Entre Lagos