09/26/22 I got a root canal... IN CHILE😱 and it wasn't that bad😊 External Inbox

 I've been a missionary for more than FIVE MONTHS NOW WHATTTTTT

Once again I am awestruck by the way time works as a missionary. For example, Thursday felt like the longest day ever, but last P day feels like yesterday. Yeah I don't really get it and I don't think I can really explain it. This week I think felt really long because we planned everything out, but like very very nearly EVERYTHING fell through. Like at the last minute too. It was a little frustrating!! But we survived. 

But anyways. 

This week I had the really cool opportunity to get a root canal... in Chile... on a Tuesday. Surprisingly wasn't that bad. The dentist honestly seemed about the same level of high tech as my dentist back home, but he was literally the friendliest guy I've ever talked to. We think he speaks English, but because I was speaking Spanish didn't bother to. I was so freaked out because I don't have the vocabulary to talk about dentist things. But, it turned out just fine.

It was really surreal because we walked in and the place was packed, like 10 people waiting. We asked if we could get an appointment and they were just kinda like... uh you can wait for 30 minutes and that's your appointment. So we did, and then they told us they had electrical problems (scary!!) and we needed to wait a little longer, and then finally a guy called us back. He had music on that's called "lo-fi" which is this really low key elevator music meets hip-hop music which I always listened to while I was studying when I was in college. 

So that's on in the background and the dentist pulls out his giant needles to numb my mouth, and it legit took 5 tube things of anesthetic to numb my mouth... and each one of those was 2-3 stabs. So yeah I was not having a good time. And I think the dentist could tell I was super uncomfortable with all the stabbing, so in between two tubes (you have to wait like 2-3 minutes between each one to see if it worked), he left the room and comes back with citrus essential oil and wafts it in front of my nose and is like, do you like it? And I'm like, uhhhhh, sí? And so he poured a little on my hand and was like, put a little under your nose and behind your ears, it'll help you feel a little calmer. 

Cool thanks  

And then I was like holding my breath to help me brace for the needle every time, and he started discoursing on how to use your breath as a way to feel calmer and had me do like breathing exercises before every stab. It was legit the weirdest visit to the dentist of my whole life. Also between the anesthetic not working very well and the relatively long wait and the fact that it was a root canal... I was there for like 5 hours 

But, my comp said that like all dentists here are like that??? (excessively friendly, not 5 hour waits)

Wednesday we had a loooonngg day where everything fell through (actually literally the whole week was like that). We even called and confirmed in the morning, and they confirmed, like yes yes of course, and then we went to their houses, and no one answered. Or they texted us 5 minutes before and were like sorry we're busy!! 

Buuuuut in the evening, one of our friends in teaching who cancelled on us only really kind of cancelled. So we went to their house anyways, and brought cake and juice!! And it was actually a roaring success!!!! 

Because Sunday was literally the biggest holiday of the year here, everything was closed on Monday... and I went to the dentist on Tuesday and we had district counsel on Wednesday, but we desperately needed groceries, so Thursday morning we went shopping, and all was just fine-- I bought healthy food and everything!! And then, when we were checking out, it was so weird. We almost always use self-checkout, buuut we both were like, yeah lets use this one with a lady. And we both walked past a bunch of workers without lines, and were like yeah, this one. All of this without thinking really hard... So we go through the line, pay for our groceries, and right as we're about to leave, the cashier is like, are you guys catholic??? And we're like uhhh no but we're christians!! And she's like, can I come to your church??? And we're like YES!!!! And we got her number and she's been actually progressing!!! I had been praying for to not have a cavity, and there's a talk by President Nelson that said we should seek and expect miracles, so that's what I was praying for--cuz like, who wants to go to the dentist.... in SOUTH AMERICA Buuuuut, while I didn't get the miracle I wanted, the cashier was our miracle. 

Friday night there were fireworks and I'm not really sure why, but they were cool, and my 11th floor view was nice. 

Friday morning we were sitting in a park doing some work on the phone (our church is under construction so we have to do Facebook and phone calls and stuff in parks... we won't be returning to this park). And this dude who was clearly completely drugged out comes up and starts talking to us... 

Him: what time is it?? 

Us: La una. (It's one) 

Him: La luna?? Estoy hablando de la hora!! (The moon?? I'm talking about the time!!) 

Me and Hermana Pérez trying subtly to stow away the phone so he doesn't rob us... 

Him: did you know the moon has 7 stations?? 

Us: wow really???? 

A car pulls up with loud music 

Him: starts dancing and singing 

 I didn't studyyy, but I've visited mannnyyy countries: Bolivia, Chile, Peruuuu, Argentinaaaa MENDOZAAA  

(Mendoza is in Argentina but I don't think he knew that lol) 

Him (to me) : where are you from?? 

Me: los estados unidos 

Him: what part? 

Me: Utah 

Him (to hermana perez) : y tu?

Hermana perez: de Uruguay 

Him: Utah??? 

Hermana Pérez: de URUGUAY 

Him: UTAAAAAH???? 

Hermana Pérez: siiii Utah 

(Meanwhile, a bus pulls up and the driver dude is like waving at us... but not inviting us into the bus soooo we were just kinda stuck) 

Hermana perez: ya know, we're missionaries and we're always sharing this message about Jesus, would you like this pamphlet? 

Him: nonononono I don't believe in your Jesus. You don't KNOW my Jesus. I'll introduce you!! 

And then he left. 

We were both thanking Heavenly Father we didn't get robbed!! Afterwards it was soooo funny to hear hermana Perez retell the story but in the moment it was kinda scary!! 

Also on Friday, we had a FHE with a less active family... and I didn't notice because I'm clueless but apparently their uncle (who's like 40 and single) was checking me out a ton  and he kept asking about what Utah is like. I wear this red bracelet that me and Hermana Pérez have matching of all the time, and he was like, who's that bracelet from?? And I was like uhh I bought it in centro. And he was like, that bracelet means you're with your significant other forever. And Hermana Pérez was like yeah I'm her significant other hahaha, and he was like well that's not what that means. Whole thing was kinda uncomfortable. But hey, he's not in our ward so i probably never have to talk to him again!! Lucky me. 

Saturday we had a primary activity where the kids from each ward in the stake did different chilean dances, it was really cool!!! 

Sunday was pretty chill, except the picked like the 3 hardest songs in the hymn book and the only time I had to practice this week was while I was praying prelude... so I'm fairly certain it was terrible, but Hermana Pérez said she didn't notice it being terrible!! So maybe it was all in my head... but then when I played for the primary, the primary president like made a bunch of remarks about how I played during sacrament, in a really passive aggressive way. She also went on a rant about how much she hates the president of Chile... yeahhh kinda uncomfortable but heyyy that's life sometimes 

Today we had a low key morning, and then I got to talk to a little bit of the family, and then we played games with our zone. Andddd I have to get back to work in like 8 minutes, yikes!! 

I love you all!! The Lord's hand is in your life, if you're looking for it!! 

Also, if you're comparing yourself to others you either feel inferior or superior and neither one is right. Each of us has our own talents and abilities, we just have to be willing to see our own. Appreciate what you have and work to improve it, don't look at what other people have, because honestly it doesn't matter!! (Thank you Sanya for contributing to this thought as well haha) 

xo-hna griffin