Life of a Uruguayan Missionary

Wild Trip to Montevideo

Elder Albrethsen

Bella Union, Uruguay

Lunes, 3 Octubre 2011

Hola, everyone!

Headed for Montevideo. Oh, man, what an absolutely crazy and insane week! My body is exhausted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! “Giving birth” to a new missionary is rough, haha. My adventures started on last Tuesday. I helped my comp, Elder Mariner, who was being transferred from Bella Union, pack up all his belongings and get him ready to go to his next area. We visited some members for him to say goodbye. At 8:30 pm, my crazy adventure began.

They decided while I was on the bus to have a strike! We took a 2-hour bus ride down to Salto to arrive at 10:30 at night only to find out that the entire country had shut down their bus system. They weren’t sure how long they would extend it, but had plans to strike until the 12th of October. Long story short, I was stuck!! And with little to no provisions for what I thought was my quick trip down to Montevideo and back.

I spent the night in a house full of missionaries by the bus station for the night and woke to receive the news. The whole mission had shut down—changes had been cancelled. Everyone was to stay in their area till the bus strike had stopped. Well, I went on divisions with the zone leaders to work with them for the day in Salto.

We worked all day out in the blazing hot sun! Whoa! I only had the one pair of clothes that I brought with me and by the end of the day I was soaked in my own sweat... ugh! So I ended up washing my clothes with dish soap haha in the sink and ringing it out and going out the next morning in moist clothes. haha It was great!!!

Long story short, on Wednesday night, one bus line ended the strike early and we got on!!!!!!!! I made it to Montevideo Thursday morning at 5 am! Sleep-deprived and smelly, we made it to President’s house at 8:00 in the morning, had a small breakfast, a chat, and training to help our new companions.

It was amazing!! I haven’t been to President’s house in a year in a half and the sister missionary that came with us was leaving. It was weird to see her in normal clothes and waiting to fly off later that day.... nuts!!!!!!!!

We went to the Montevideo Temple and hid around the corner and waited for our new companions to arrive. When they came, we called out for them to close their eyes. We lined up behind them and sung them the first verse of “Called to Serve.” They opened their eyes and turned around to greet us.

My new comp is Elder Miles!!! He is from a small town in Utah, a mountain home, and is very ready to learn, but has little Spanish to speak of. . . . haha just like me when I came.

After a year and a half, I finally get to see my buddy from my home ward—Elder Patrick Glenn! We visited with friends in Montevideo before our bus came. Patrick was just as happy and cheery as always. He has been transferred to Cerro in Montevideo. At 5 pm we made it out to travel back to Bella Union. Fifteen hours later of brutal travel, we made it home!!!

CONFERENCE WAS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope all of you got the chance to see it. If not, you can listen to sessions online. (See below)