Elder Eichers called us at 3:00 and we Skyped our
conversation. He looked good and sounded
like he had found his home in Chicago.
Here are a few of the things he told us:
The cold weather.
It is so cold!! The day before he wore thermal garments and ski long
johns. And he still froze. He said they’re supposed to talk to people on
the bus, but by the time they get on the bus all they can do is try to warm up
they are soo cold. The weather will be
like 10 degrees, but then the wind brings it down another 15 degrees.
His District and Zone. Their area goes into the city, so they are
able to go right into Chicago without going out of their area. Their spanish district is assigned to one
ward, and include 6 elders and 2 hermanas.
Elder Dean is his district leader and he has been there 19 months –
Elder Eichers loves him and says he is the funniest kid. Their zone is three districts, and includes about 24 people.
Every Wednesday they have a district or
zone meeting. He said most of the people they talk to have the line they are
catholic (maybe they are). He also said
it’s hard to talk to families, because the parents’ work schedules are so
random with shift type work. In our Salt
Lake area most parents work during the day and are at home at night.
His Mission President. Elder Eichers loves President Woodbury. He says he is the nicest and most inspired
man. He said every time President
Woodbury talks to them he feels like it was for him – just what he needed.
Spanish. His
Spanish is improving. Elder Dussan is
from Colombia and is learning English.
So during lessons for an hour they both go into rooms and talk out
loud. His language is improving,
lessons are good, but regular conversation is harder.
The food. His
former companion Elder Gomez weighed 100 pounds when he got there, and when he
left in the last transfer he had gained 30 pound [Elder Gomez was transferred
up to the border of Wisconsin, in the farmlands and cornfields.] Garrett said they really have to watch their
weight. Elder Eichers said his favorite
food is ---- and then probably Giordorias.
He loves the ice cream and cake shakes at Portillos. He said for breakfast he eats cereal and for
lunch usually a quesidillas or some chicken and spinach…but for sure a lot of
quesidillas. There is a new Café Rio in
a suburb, but it’s too far and out of Garrett’s area. His least favorite food has been brown/chocolaty mole and marinated pork skins.
Sleep. He
sleeps great. He said he hasn’t been
sleep talking, though he did a lot in the MTC.
The Apartment.
Garrett did a tour of the apartment on his I-pad. It was a nice apartment and he loves living
there. The bishop of the other Spanish ward lives below them. He can do his laundry there and he says that
saves him at least $20 a month and they can stay in their apartment while they’re
doing it. There’s a food pantry, but
Garrett says he doesn’t go in there because all the missionaries have left
creepy stuff. Haha. There is a nice big closet that Garrett
showed us that is filled with stuff from missionaries who left stuff behind
before they transferred. His bed was all
made with the bottom sheet turned over his comforter at the head of the bed. –
Wow, we were impressed.
The City. Elder
Eichers loves the City of Chicago. His
favorite place is Magnificent Mile, although they have no money they love to
walk there.
Baptism. On
January 4th they are baptizing the mother of the family he has been
teaching. The father is getting the
priesthood on December 29th, so he can baptize her. Elder Eichers is so excited about this!!
Best Friends. We got a chance to call his friend and have him face time
Elder Eichers while he was skyping.
Christmas.
They had a district meeting in the morning where they were going to bake
cookies. They were still opening gifts
gradually. Their 1:00 lunch appointment
cancelled because she was sick. [They probably loved the time to just have a
breather]. Elder Eichers and Elder
Dussan each skyped on their own i-pad and then were going to dinner at the
downstairs bishop’s house.
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