Sunday, June 22, 2014

World Cup and missionary work

It is World Cup Time!  I’m sure you are wondering how that can tie in with a missionary blog, but it is easy: I’d like to share with you how we are dealing with this issue.
First, it is amazing to see the effect the games have on life as we know it.  Businesses shut down, school is let out, and traffic is non-existent.  President Warne and I were in Santiago running some errands at the time of one of the games.  Many people had their faces painted, and many had noise makers.  Even the people in the booths that line the sidewalk had TVs.  When the first goal was scored, the cheering could be heard everywhere. 
However, back to relating this post to missionaries.  It is pointless to try and proselyte during a game.  We don’t want to offend people by trying to teach them when they are so focused on their TV.  We needed a productive activity for them as they stayed in their apartments.  Since this is a World Cup, you can be sure that mission presidents in many countries have had this same dilemma.  During the first game, they updated their area books, a record of past, present, and future investigators and their addresses.  During the second game, they were supposed to go out and work earlier in the day during study time and then use game hours to study.  The third game is during preparation day so they will be able to have a normal P-Day. 

After the second game, when Chile won over Spain, we were driving to and around San Fernando.  It was remarkable to see people waving flags, even along the highway.  In the plaza, people were driving around the square, honking and again waving flags.  Chile will have at least one more game, so we will have another assignment.  I am going for time to deep clean apartments—always a worthwhile goal! 
the plaza in San Fernando
 

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Utah and Chile

     This week we attended two baptisms.  This subject may seem like an oft-recurring theme, but it is our primary raison d’ etre for being here in Chile.  I hope you might be interested in the contrasts and similarities between the two events.
The first baptism was Thursday night.  Our granddaughter was baptized in Utah, and thanks to modern technology we were able to attend via Facetime.  We were blessed with a clear signal which doesn’t always happen here and blessed to be part of a very special event even though we are six thousand miles away.
     The second baptism was Saturday night in San Vicente, a little pueblo about 45 minutes from Rancagua.  A woman whose life has been changed by her testimony of the truth and her two sons were baptized.  She has already used Facebook to share verses from the Book of Mormon with her friends!

     Even though the baptisms were geographically very far apart, the spirit we felt during each event was the same.  The joy experienced by becoming a part of the true church here on the earth was the same, also.  I bear testimony of the truth of our Church and of the importance of the baptismal ordinance as a beginning step along the road to return home to our Heavenly Father.  I am so grateful to be here in Chile with President Warne helping to support the work of the Savior in these last days.  We are grateful for the missionaries who give two years or 18 months to share the gospel, so that all may have a chance to experience the joy that comes from being baptized and from living true to the faith.  Until next week, thanks for reading.

breakfast with the elders.  It's World Cup time!

Lunch with the sisters.  They love our kitchen!

Sunday, June 8, 2014

Elder Robbins in Talca


We had another stake conference this weekend, this time in Talca.  Elder Robbins of the Presidency of the Seventy was there along with Elder Chappe, an area seventy from Uruguay and their wives.  President Warne and I went down in time for the priesthood leadership meeting.  I waited at the hotel which was a nice change from staying in a cold classroom.
We both talked at the Saturday night meeting, and then got to listen to Elder Chappe and Elder Robbins and enjoy their messages.  I’d just like to share a bit of the talk given by Elder Robbins in the priesthood session.  (Obviously as reported to me by President Warne) 
He talked about obedience which is always a crucial issue in the mission field.  We need our missionaries to be 100 percent obedient, for their protection and for their success as representatives of the Savior.  Elder Robbins listed three levels of obedience: 1) obeying the rules because we are obligated to do so.  2) learning correct principles and obeying them because we want to have the Spirit with us—we desire an outcome.  3) following the doctrine because we want to be like the Savior.  For example, missionaries don’t have to be told to be obedient.  They follow the rules because they want to become like Him.  The Savior’s greatest sermon was his life.  What will our greatest sermon be?  It is something for us to think about this week—see you next time.

 
A faithful senior couple finishing their mission-we'll miss them.

Companions and also friends forever

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Mission tour


As always here in Rancagua, Chile, we had an interesting week, although sometimes we go even further and call them crazy.  The facet of mission life we experienced this time was a mission tour by Elder Salas and his wife.  He is an Area Seventy from Buenos Aires, beginning last July.  Before that he was the mission president in Cordoba, Argentina.  It was a great combination for us because they gave us great advice about how to improve our mission.  Since they still vividly remember mission life, they were able to identify with our situation.

When we have a mission tour we always have zone conferences so the missionaries also learn from and benefit from our visitor.  Salas' came on Wednesday and left on Friday; during that time we had three zone conferences and a mission leadership council.   Each conference and the council had either a snack, a meal, or both. The sister who works in the mission home worked really hard as did the senior couples who also helped
with setup, meals and cleanup.

Here are a few of the notes I took during the time the Salas’ were speaking in the various meetings: We don’t want to see the Savior and be ashamed of what we didn't do.  If we don’t have faith we won’t see miracles, but we can see miracles every day.  Practice leads to mastery.  We have to forget ourselves so we can be in unity with the purposes of the Lord.  There was much more but I don’t have space to include everything.  As we have faith to change ourselves and put into practice these teachings, our mission will also change for the better.  See you  next week.
Zone conference pics

Elder and Sister Salas and us on the last day of their tour.

Zone conference pics