Har-Bowl!!!!!!!

Dear Family!

This letter is going to be a little shorter than they rest because I am kind of short on time, AND I can't send pictures this week, because I forgot the cable.... Sorry, but you´ll get double the photos next week!  It sounds like you are all doing well, and that Phil is having a blast in DC meeting famous people left and right, and that Andrew is having a good, cold time at BYU.  When does his quarter end?  And it sounds like you both are having the normal busy weeks at the Schwartz home in Martinez!  Be sure to wish Will a happy birthday for me!  Oh, the 49ers are going to the Superbowl!!!!!!!!!!!  That's so exciting!!!!!!!!!!!!  That'll be a really good game...the Ravens are going DOOOOWWWWWWWNNNNNNNN!

This week went by really quickly for some reason.  Elder Garcia and I are actually doing really well with the number of lessons that we are teaching though.  Yes, there are still a ton of people out of town, but Elder Garcia and I set some companionship goals that have helped to push us a lot, and we are seeing the fruits of these goals almost immediately.  Next week is going to be kind of hard because a big group of like 30 people from the ward are going out of town to go camping together, but I think that we are going to be okay.  Yes, Eduardo is still progressing swimmingly.  He is really excited for his baptism next Sunday.  We are going to a baptism in a different ward with him THIS Sunday, and then the following Sunday it´s his turn.  So two weeks ago, we had a family home evening in the Jara House with Eduardo and his friend and a less active family and the girlfriend of a member of the less active family.  Well this week, she asked if she could receive the lessons from us, so now we are teaching her and that's been way fun.  Her name is Claudia, and she is 17 and we had a really good lesson with her and the less active family on Thursday.  

On Wednesday I did splits with Elder Bahr (my zone leader) in his sector, Vicente Valdez, and it was a really really good time.  I got to meet the Stake Patriarch, and we taught a lesson in a butcher shop.  All in all it was a really cool experience.  I want to be Elder Bahr when I grow up.  He' a really, really awesome missionary, very good with words, very smart, really good at connecting with people.  Every time I do divisions (splits?) with him, I learn a ton and I get this extra boost of energy and enthusiasm for the work.  It's going to be tough when i get transferred and he´s not my Zone Leader anymore.  He has been a realy good example for me so far in the mission.  Oh, speaking of transfers...NEXT Saturday we find out about changes, and like I think that I said earlier, I'm pretty dang sure that I'm going to leave..... which is going to be so hard, because I've been in this sector since July!  Almost 7 months!  Wow, the time flies.....

Anyways, that was pretty much my week in a nutshell.  Dad, I'm definitely going to take your advice and talk to President about what I should do for the whole 3 week thing, even though that's an eternity and a half away from now.  I love you all so much.  I miss you and I am praying for you!  The Church is true!

Until next week, con mucho cariño,
Elder Schwartz

And a little P.S. directed to momma....

Dear Mama!  The longer email is going to go to dad but I just wanted to tell you that 1. I love you and 2. I have not gotten the package yet, but I get mail tomorrow, so i think I´ll get it then, and 3. Yes I'm being careful with my stuff.  Burglary is kind of big here in Santiago.  I havent gotten robbed yet, and I don't plan on getting robbed, but last week some kids broke into the pension of the missionaries in the sector right next to mine, WHILE THEY WERE SLEEPING, and took their cameras and phones and stuff, so Elder Garcia and I are staying as alert as possible.  I hid all of my valuable stuff. 
I love you!  And I just thought that you would like to know that President Wright´s son Jordan served in the same mission that Andrew is going to be serving in, and he absolutely ADORED his time there.