Running In Rancagua: Day In The Life of a Chilean Missionary

A day in my life is awesome!

We wake up at 7 am to the sound of the phone tone and I usually bolt right out of bed (if I don´t do that, I don´t wake up, cuz I am old) and just sit there until my eyes focus in the dark. I make my bed and then say my prayers. I usually only give thanks to Heavenly Father in the morning because it helps me to start the day off positively. Then I walk downstairs (our house has 3 floors) and put on socks and grab my water bottle, then walk down stairs again, put on my tennis shoes and start exercising. Lately I have been doing strength and cardio together so that I am never still during the short time we have to exercise. I have noticed that the harder I exercise, the happier I am during the day. Then I end stretching and put on the boiler for Hna. Aizama who LOVES to drink Mate and for my companion Hna. Araujo and I who both like to eat oatmeal with dry milk and canela (I can´t remember what that is in english). I make my oatmeal and usually around this time, Hna. Aizama comes down and I yell at her Buenos Dias to make sure she is awake. She makes a funny comment that I don´t usually understand because she doesn´t speak clearly in the morning. Its like a hmmmmmmmhmmm sound. And then she smiles. I then usually like to eat 1 fruit and 1 vegetable because we usually only eat breakfast and lunch, and I never know if the family that gives us lunch will give us healthy food (I like to think that Mom and Grandpa rubbed their healthy germs on me). Lately I have been eating a green apple and carrrot with my oatmeal. The other hermanas usually just laugh at how healthy I am. I also like to drink at least 1 bottle of water in the morning so I can go to the bathroom before having to leave into the street where bathrooms don´t exist. While I am eating breakfast, Hna. Araujo showers and then when she´s done, I go shower (I will leave out the details here), and get dressed and all pretty (that is a joke because we have like 5 minutes to get pretty and just hope that the Spirit makes our eyes shiny and that that passes as pretty). Then by that time it is 8.30 and we start Personal Studies. I LOVE Personal Studies and wish they were longer. I look at my planner at this time to see who we are going to teach and what I put down to study for them. I look up scriptures we can use and really seek for a spiritual experience. I like to write down cool phrases or scriptures and thoughts in my notebook and by the end of studies, my desk is a mess and spilling out onto Hna. Araujo´s desk. Then we start Companionship study by singing a hymn with Hna. Aizama and Hna. Bingham, saying a prayer and reading 3 pages from the Mission Manual. Then we go into our room again and share what we learned from personal studies, then call people to confirm citas, then plan for the lessons we are going to teach. Then if there is time, we do practices, watch a video from the District, or read from Preach My Gospel. After that we have language study for a half hour. I have been talking with a pencil in my mouth to better my accent. People can still tell I´m Gringa (besides my blonde hair) and I hate it! I am trying to sound like a Chilean ;D

Then at 11 we leave the house!!!! Usually in the mornings we contact, or do service because not a lot of people like us to pass by in the mornings. But there are a lot of people that are doing housework in the morning, so we just go talk to them. The other day we went and did service for an Hna. and I climbed a lemon tree for her. It was pretty fun and super funny because the tree liked to grab my hair. Then we have lunch at 1.30 to 3.30. We usually go to eat at a member´s house.

Sorry! I have to finish my day next week! Almost out of time. I love you guys a ton! Remember to be specific to the Lord when confessing to Him and repenting. Then He can specifically help you ;)

Hna. McCubbins