June 1 Update

We're already craving our Monday emails from Chile! Can't Monday come more frequently? Can't it last longer so we get longer letters? We feel we're just getting a brief, superficial glimpse of what's going on in Chile and wish we could get much more. But we have to trust in the Lord's plan and support our missionary as best we can!

Elder Kenison seems to really be enjoying Cartagena. He loves being close to the ocean (this photo was taken on the street where he lives — nice view, huh??). He mentions that the climate is still pretty temperate (based on the coastal location), though we expect rain to increase as the winter begins in the southern hemisphere. Getting around in Cartagena is easy, since public transportation is very cheap; about 150 pesos (30 cents) to go most places by microbus or taxi. But they do a lot of walking, except on p-day when they go to the store.

We asked what he likes most about Chile so far:

the people. and the food. and the weather. and the view. haha the sunsets are GORGEOUS!!! haha I don't know pretty much everything.

That's the Matt we know and love, isn't it?? Pretty typical. I bet he's taken many hundreds of sunset photos in his short life. This one was apparently somewhere near their house. Thank goodness for digital cameras; not only do we get to see photos much more quickly, but we save having to buy hundreds of dollars worth of film so that Matt can take more and more sunset photos!!

One of his interesting experiences recently was to have a "division" (exchange of companions) for a day. Matt spent the day with an elder (shown in the photo) who didn't speak a word of English — that was probably very good for him! But we're sure he was glad to get back to his own apartment. We don't know if this picture was in his apartment or in the other missionary's.

He closed this week's email with this:

YO SÉ que el Libro de Mormón es verdadero. YO SÉ que Jose Smith vio Jesucristo y Dí­os. YO SÉ Jose Smith tradujó el Libro de Mormón por el poder de Díos. YO SÉ. YO SÉ que la iglesia de Jesucristo de los santos de los Últimos Días es verdadero. en el nombre de Jesucristo. Amén.

Sweet!