Winter is coming

The title of this email kills me, it honestly does. We finally hit winter here...as if it didn't already feel cold enough. You're probably wondering how cold it gets here. I don't have a thermometer to measure it, but I can give good examples. When we wake up in our house, my breath is icicles. We also wear about 5 layers to go outside, thermals, sweaters, wool sweater, and a wind breaker/rain coat. When the wind comes up from the south, it's coming from Punta Arenas, and it is bone chilling. When the wind comes down from the north, it brings all the rain clouds. So we balance sunny and windy with rainy and cold. Only 6 more months until it gets warm...I can do this....

 

We had a great week here, I applied for my visa, went to the police department, and got everything squared away with my application to become an official Chilean. The only thing I'm missing now is a soccer jersey. This past week we have been dealing with the "Copa America" a huge soccer tournament for teams all around the world, that is being played here in Chile. I had never heard of this tournament before, but wow it is popular! I also don't know why the US isn't playing. I could only guess that we already have our own North American tournament, so we don't need to compete with all of south America. When Chile is playing, there isn't a soul outside. We end up just doing our studies at night, so that we can actually get something done. Nobody lets us in to their house when there's a game on. 

This week we found out some big news. We are getting transfered. I don't know where yet, because we are still two weeks shy of knowing, but we received early notice because the mission is closing down our home. We have to move everything out of our home this next week, and the following week, I think we will be living in Puerto Varas with the other elders. It's not very common to know this early about the transfers, but since we had to end our housing contract and everything, we got early notice. That means Elder Ryan and I are definitely leaving Frutillar :(. I'm really going to miss this place. Having our landlord sign the contract was so sad. He is such an amazing and loving man. I have talked a little about him, he is constantly giving us food, bread, desserts, chopping our wood, or helping us out. He said if we ever come back we are welcomed to come and stay in his house. Elder Ryan mentioned he would come back with his wife and then his kids, the landlord offered to prepare a love suite for them hahah. 

This next week should be interesting...and cold. 

Love you guys, and Happy Father's Day to all of the amazing dads out there. 

 

Elder Haddad