Sept. 21, 2015

Okay well here we go... My Zone is all fine it is the immediate area of the earthquake the Center was 23 kilometers from the town where I am at. 

Now the damage here in Los Vilos from the Earthquake is not the real problem. The ground here is pure Rock many people had to use Dynamite to put foundations in here for their houses so very few problems with buildings here in Los Vilos. What did made a mess was the Water. The Tsunami destroyed lots of homes on the shore line. The ocean rose up to the street and then send 2 meter waves at the houses. The damage is still being repaired, the houses are mostly okay a few got carried away or completely destroyed. Solid red wood doors broke in half, and walls of houses bent, Rock walls put to the ground. 

Now in the other towns of my Zone it's another story. They are more in the mountains and were hit hard. Illapel had many buildings fall and even the Church is almost unusable. Salamanca and Canela suffered similar devastation. 

The thing is that the 18th of September is the Chilean 4th of July, but here it's an all week long event. So Wednesday everyone was starting to drink and fire up the Grill when it started. Thursday was a day dedicated to the destruction, but Friday the 18th no one really wanted help. So we just did what we could because its still a rough day for missionary work, no one wants to talk, and with the earthquake even less; but I expect that this week we will be called to go help.  Also we will have interchanges with Salamanca and make a stop in at Illapel to see how things are. 

When the quake started we were out front of one of a members house talking with her neighbor. As it stopped we quickly called the sisters and then the lines fell we got everyone to our pension because its the farthest from the ocean and 2 blocks deep in the safe zone. After shocks and the alarms of evacuation where a big factor of the anxiety. But it was the birthday of the mamitas daughter and they were with us because we ran into them looking for the missionaries and they live in a threatened area. When we had clearance from President that we should all spend the night in the pension we put beds in the living area, and us four elders went to sleep in the other room But we tried to have a good time before that with good attitude, taking pictures, and stuff so everyone felt better. 

The after shocks have been strong. At least a few everyday last night at 2:40 AM a really strong one woke us up ready to run out of the house. ha The houses that are not old and made of Adobe are very earthquake proof made of concrete and Reeba. 

Well we didn't really find anyone new to teach this week but I'm sure that it'll come, just gotta keep working. But really its been a weird week. On Saturday night about 8PM we received a call that some Drugged guy was following the sisters so we all went running to the church left them inside and went to see if we could find the guy to ask him whats up.  I don't think that the Lord wanted us to find him, but I know that he wants us to find people that need the Gospel so we will find them or they will find us! 

Thanks for all your prayers 

Love you all. 

Elder Biesinger

Destruction