First email from Chile!!!

Hey everyone, sorry for the delay, but I have been out of town.  We got some emails from David--he made it to Chile and is doing well.  A little homesick I think, but for David, that is perfectly normal!  Here is some of his email:

Hola everybody. I arrived in Chile last Tuesday. So much has happened i dont know where to begin.

Well we got off the plane and looked for our mission president, and couldnt find him. Apprently Salt lake got everything mixed up and they thought we were coming wednesday. So we sat in the airport for 1 or so land finally someone found us and brought us to a church in the city. and we stayed at the church while the office missionaries began franctically to throw together a makeshift orientation. It was something i can laugh about after my mission. I then was a assigned an area in southern part that will most likely become part of the new mission the santiago sur. 

So i will be a missionary for the sur mission most likely.

My fisrt week.....im not going to lie its been super diffiucult and super rough. I dont understand anything i dont know anyone and everything is so different. I do love the people i just wish i can understand them. The lord always has a place for you so just remmber to look for what.

We have a couple of investigators and its really hard to get them to church but we are trying. We have a couple problems with the ward but we are trying to get it fixed.

Its wierd to see the lord bless you with strength when you are trying to help others.

Its crazy i still havent had any of the special chile dishes. Which is wierd but eventually i will.

My companion is Elder Fernandez. He is from Mendoza, Argentina. Hes awesome but just doesnt really speak English but he is getting so much better. He helps me out a lot.

The chilean people here are really hard to understand and talk really fast so all i can do is say hello ask how they are doing and then my companion takes it away.

Its way fun to be a missionary but its wierd that im actually one now. I dont know what to think of it but the people are awesome.

Our sector is apparently one of the hardest in the mission so im hoping i can turn that around. And i know it is going to bless me and mold me in tho the missionary that i want to become. I cant wait to hear from all of you! it helps a lot!!!

I home all is well in the states!

I promise ill write more next week

I love you all Elder Cheney!!

 

**He would really appreciate letters--you can still go to dearelder.com, select the Chile Santiago West mission, and then put in David's name.  It is free to send it pouch mail. 

 

We got a letter from his mission president as well, and it was very nice.  The mission president said the following about packages.  I am still confirming the address, but let me know if you would like to send a package and I will track down the correct address:

 

For your information, packages sent to your missionary through FedEx often require large duty fees which must be paid by the missionary.  Those sent through Global priority mail, marked missionary supplies and valued less than $100 usually arrive duty free and within 2 weeks.