Birthday Call from You (Coyhaique), January 18, 2026

Sunday evening birthday call (mine). You gave me a full Spanish-singing happy birthday and a 10-minute walking tour of your Coyhaique apartment.

Birthday singing and welcome

You sang happy birthday in Spanish, then asked me about my Sunday. I was finishing taco-meat leftovers from a Sunday lunch Mom had prepared.

Coyhaique house tour

Full walking tour, captured by you for me to screenshot. Highlights:

• Steep stairs to the front door (the apartment is on top of another house, per prior calls).
• Front room functions as office; mate / yerba collection on your desk (Tarragui your favorite); pamphlet collection (lots of Law of Chastity and Word of Wisdom - you noted the locals' main struggle is Law of Chastity because cohabitation is the cultural norm).
• Washer in the bathroom (every mission apartment has one).
• The kitchen is humble by US standards but your 18-or-so inches of counter space makes your place "bougie" by Chilean standards.
• Fridge that is roughly chest-high to you (compared to taller-than-you at home).
• Bedroom directly off the kitchen, closet against the wall.
• Water heater outside on the patio - currently leaking gas. Owner sending a tech Monday after 6 PM. You confirmed the leak by shutting off the line overnight and checking the smell the next morning.

The "toilet in the shower" DC memory

I told the story of the Washington DC hotel room where the toilet, shower, and floor were so cramped the toilet was effectively inside the shower stall. You were confused at first; then went along with it. Counter-story from you: when new missionaries first arrive in Chile they stay in a hotel for one night because trainers don't come to meet them in the new houses. Your own trainer told you that one trainer-batch hermana had to use the showerhead in an empty mission house as a bidet because nobody had stocked toilet paper. Me: "You gotta do what you gotta do."

Trinidad corrects your Spanish

At a Friday family dinner you were sitting next to Trinidad, a 6-year-old girl. Trinidad asked you to repeat a Spanish word; the table fell silent and watched. You got it wrong; Trinidad made you repeat it. The whole table spent the rest of the lunch making fun of your Spanish. Your response: you leaned into it and started making fun of the Latinos' Spanish back. "Once I learned how to dish it out, the mission got a lot more fun." Me: "Your self-worth isn't tied to your ability to learn a language."

My new calling - Primary Valiant 9 with Sky

I replaced now-Bishop Greg Ballard in the Valiant 9 Primary class, teaching with Sky. The kids: Brielle Barney, Beckham Dart, James (last name not captured), and others. Me: "I'm by the exit. I don't have to go talk to anybody. Antisocial time." Love the calling.

The wider mission geography - Latino compositions

Your zone has missionaries from Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador; the one from Venezuela "just died" (figurative; left the mission). One non-native English speaker in the zone is Elder Preen from Germany - already trilingual; prays in German, which you say sounds like angry yelling. "Elder Trafanyanco" is your favorite leader-day stroll partner - "a big teddy bear."

Anya's homecoming (my mission peer)

Anya - a peer of yours who I know from my own mission - has her homecoming today. She has been serving in Valley Forge in my old mission. You asked me to forward the homecoming livestream link.

Lucio photo time

You paused on photos of Lucio - the elderly Coyhaique convert. He's going deaf; needs help with his phone; has gold-rimmed glasses; you yell everything to him because he can't hear. "He's such a cute little guy. He's literally my favorite person."

Owen Fusano (family update from me)

I mentioned that I usually sit behind the Fusanos at church. I poke Owen Fusano (a younger child of the family) playfully; Owen hides behind his sister Michelle. I love messing with him.

Other tour threads

• Cat Daddy / Scat Daddy: A dog you and Juncker named that's been running with you for ~30 minutes at a stretch.
• Bloody nose: You took a picture of "your pile of blood" you let drip into the bushes when no members were nearby.
• Gold-leaf fancy dessert: Real edible gold on dessert at a member's house. "Rich pose" picture.

Mid-call Vasquez-tour Spanish lesson cameo

Brief reference to Vasquez (Latino elder) trying to learn English from his American companions - getting taught swear words instead. Already covered in Jan 5 call.

Closing

You confirmed you'd call again tomorrow for more stories. Sign-off.

Cleanup Notes

• Elder Preen: German; multilingual. Single mention. Glossary entry made.
• Elder Trafanyanco ("Trafanyanco" likely a mistranscription - Latino name): Your favorite leader-day stroll partner. Glossary entry made; spelling flagged.
• Trinidad: 6-year-old member's daughter. Single-source anecdote. No wiki entry.
• Anya: Peer of yours serving in Valley Forge (my old mission area). Homecoming Jan 18, 2026. Glossary entry made.
• Ashley Sanders: Anya's trainer per your reference. Skip.
• "Owen Fusano" + "Michelle Fusano": Younger siblings/family members of the Fusanos. Update the Fusano family glossary entry.
• My birthday: Not creating a wiki event.