South America Low-Down

 Anyone who has served in South America can tell you it's an experience of a lifetime. So here are some tips and facts about living in South America for 18 months. 

1). Fleas 

Yes those things dogs have, are a BIG problem in South America. There are 1,000's of stray dogs in South America so you are likely to contract fleas. Yes, it's super gross and can be miserable. Some of the things you can do to prevent getting fleas are take garlic pills, buy a flea bomb, and get flea collars and put them around your bed. Also do NOT pet or touch dogs! This will only make it worse. Make sure you wash your sheets at least once a week and if possible let them air out on a clothes line. 

2). Rain

When most people think of South America they think of how hot it is, but most of South America experiences large amounts of rain in the winter months. The majority of my mission I was wearing a raincoat and rain-boots. So plan to buy those before or during the mission. One thing we would do when it was raining was we put all of our pass-a-longs, pamphlets, and scriptures into large ziplock bags so that they wouldn't get soaked. 

3). Pro-biotic

Almost every sister missionary in my mission had stomach problems at one point during their mission. I was hospitalized for a week because of a bad hot dog. Medicine can be very expensive aboard so bringing a few things from the States will help you out in the long run. Taking a probiotic daily with your vitamins will help you not to feel sick from the heavy foods you will be eating ever day. There is nothing worse than feeling sick to your stomach while tracking or worse not being able to work as you are sick in bed. 

4). Food

Each country will have a variation but from all those who I know who have served in Chile, Peru, Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia, and Uruguay you will eat rice every day. You will also have your biggest meal during lunch. Dinner does not really exist in South America. So if you are in an area where the members feed the missionaries you will be fed during lunch hours, between 12-2. Depending on the mission you most likely won't have any time to eat dinner, so between what you eat at lunch and what you pack to eat on the go, you won't eat again until you get back to your apartment at night to plan.

get use to eating your weight in meat and rice

5). Besos

Latins are the nicest people in the world! You get use to not giving handshakes but 'besos'. That means every female you see at Church or in the street will hug you and kiss both sides of your cheek. It makes church very very long as you have to go around and give besos to everyone before church and after church, but you will come to love this and custom and feel really strange when you cannot do it in the States. Just remember even though the Latin men will try, mission rules are that you cannot give besos to men, so come up with some polite excuses because you will use them daily! 

6). Language

So you know that classic scene in the "Best Two Years" where he says "that's not the language they taught me in the MTC?" You WILL have that moment! Each county, other than Brazil, speaks Spanish but they all have a very distinct accent, and very different words and slang. I served in Chile which most people say Chile has its own language because Chileans use so much slang that is not used or understood by any other Spanish speaking country. Just relax and focus on learning Spanish to preach the gospel. Those words you need for teachings lessons are universal, so don't sweat it, you'll learn the local vocab with time. 

7). Transportation

So your main means of transportation will be your two legs! Public transportation in most of South America is expensive and used mainly for traveling from city to city not through different parts of a single city. I walked on average 6 miles a day. This means take care of your feet! Other than your testimony, the spirit, and your companion, your feet are the most important thing as a missionary. I had too many companions who went home or who were on bed rest for not buying good shoes, not exercising, and not taking of their feet. If you can't walk you can't preach the gospel. I'd suggest before the mission get your body use to walking. Even if you are active and run and bike a lot, walk two or three miles a day to get your body use to what it will be doing for 18 months! 

They walked, and walked, and walked and walked and walkkkked

8).Church

The church in South America is only about 50 years old. There are millions of wonderful and faithful people in South America who are living the gospel the best way they know how. You will have an area at some point of your mission, if not all them where you will question just how different it is from your homeward in the states. You just have to remind yourself that you are there to not only bring others unto the Gospel but you are there to strengthen the existing branch, ward and members. Things like visiting and home teaching might appear nonexistent and you might say, "in the states this is how we do it" but just remember you are NEVER to find fault but serve and better your area.