Weekly summary

     Every week I try to think of a subject for this blog that will be about something interesting in the mission, yet also uplifting.  Hopefully, I achieve that goal more often than not.  Unfortunately, by this time I have covered many of the activities we have so it is getting harder.
     As we have just finished interviews, I finally remembered to take a few pictures.  The elder on the right told me his mom would be very happy to see his picture and I'm happy to include it.  Overall, I was very happy with the progress of the missionaries who are learning English.  Many of them are working hard toward their goal of speaking fluently by the end of their mission.  We also hope that the  English speaking missionaries will keep working on learning Spanish throughout their mission.  I have realized that I will need to keep studying as long as I am in Chile and even after.
     On Friday of last week, we held what we call "news training". Basically we bring all the new missionaries and their trainers back for another meeting after five weeks and tell them again many of the same things we told them the first day, since we figure they were too excited or too tired to take it all in.  It is also a good experience for us to see how they have grown in confidence as missionaries and with the language.  They have a chance to reconnect with friends from the MTC, ask questions during a session with us away from their trainers and do a practice that shows us their progress in Spanish and in teaching.  President always tells them they are almost done being the newest missionaries since the new ones come this Tuesday.
     What I have come to realize and the new missionaries begin to see is that the time of a mission passes very rapidly.  Each transfer period seems to pass by ever faster and I realize I must work harder to learn to be more effective and more worthy of the Savior's blessings.  In the beginning of a mission, the time seems to stretch out, but that feeling doesn't last long.
     Tonight we are giving talks at the Santiago MTC, which we do every three months.  We like seeing the missionaries who will be coming to us on Tuesday.  When I stand at the pulpit and look down into the faces of these amazing young people, I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve.  They are truly representatives of Jesus Christ and I look up to them, try to help them as they serve, and learn from them.  
     If this post seems a little disjointed, sorry about that, but hope you enjoyed it anyway.  Until next week...

The assistants always teach a class during interviews

I included this photo because this is such a common sight in our mission.

Hi, Mom!

Missionary work in Machalí

            Last week it was time to renew our focus on missionary work after our daughter left so we did interviews in San Fernando on Thursday, then on Friday night we went out with the sister missionaries.  We had a lesson with an investigator and her husband, and then the next lesson fell through so we went to visit an inactive family.  We had a very pleasant visit with the couple; they have four children and we enjoyed meeting the children and visiting.  Before we left we had a prayer and took a family picture.

            Today we spoke in the Machalí ward which happens to be the home ward of that family.  The sister missionaries and we were excited to see them come today.  President Warne had printed and framed the picture for them, and they were thrilled to receive it.  President reminded me that nothing happens by chance in the Lord’s work and this is a clear example.  The members of the ward were very friendly with them and we hope that they will continue to come back to full activity. 

           To us this is missionary work as it should be—missionaries working hard to find, teach and baptize, but also retain new converts and help inactives to remember the joy they felt when they were baptized and to find their way back.  We have many challenges here in Chile, and in our short three years here we will not see the end of the work that needs to be done.  But we can find joy in the progress we are making and pray for the Lord’s help to do better.  To those of you who are parents of missionaries serving here in Rancagua, thank you for sending your son or daughter to serve.  I would like to challenge everyone who reads this post to do something this week to advance the missionary effort where you are.  Blessings will come to you and you will bless the lives of those you help.

Great family from Machalí

Sorry for only two pictures today.  I promise to do better next week. 

Couple on the far right came back to visit so
all the couples came for dinner-great fun!

Missionaries are the best

            We’ve had a great week with our daughter visiting.  We continued with mission responsibilities, and also did a little touring.  Her visit seems to have gone at light speed, but it has been wonderful.

            Monday night all the missionaries who are leaving in February and April (we don’t have a transfer in March), came to the mission home for a class about self-sufficiency.  The church is working hard to help missionaries adjust to their post-mission lives and developed this training to help them make good decisions about school, jobs and life in general.  Hopefully their time as a full-time missionary has prepared them to stay faithful and active in the church, and this training, although brief, will also help keep them on the right track.

            On Tuesday we went to the temple with those leaving in February.  As always it was an amazing experience to be in the temple with our missionaries; an unexpected blessing of being on a mission.  As I told the missionaries this week in my message on our web page, whenever someone asks me what surprised me about serving a mission or what is my favorite part of being here, my heartfelt response is about how much I love the missionaries.  As I watch their examples of hard work, spiritual growth, and I’m able to be with them, my testimony is strengthened and I am changed for the better. 

            Saturday we went to a baptism which we always enjoy, even though it was very hot inside and out.  A returned sister missionary from here in Chile also attended since she had helped teach the new sister as an investigator.  We don’t often see our returned missionaries since they usually live far away, so it was great to visit with her and hear about her adjustment to regular life.  So far she is still keeping the missionary schedule!

 Each baptism we attend is a great reminder of why we are here and what our focus needs to be.  If you have the chance to help missionaries wherever you are, I hope you will take the opportunity to assist them, learn to know them a little better and increase your own testimony as well.

             

Pizza, watermelon and popsicles--great summer meal!

Dining alfresco at one of our favorite places

 

Yes, another group shot at the temple

A few of the wonderful missionaries I am talking about
at mission leadership council

Youth at Casa Blanca

            It has been another great, although hot week here in Chile.  I know my memory is faulty but I do not remember this kind of heat last year.  When the sun is blazing still at 6:00 p.m. I feel for the missionaries and hope they are surviving.  Very few homes have cooling systems so inside and outside are pretty much the same temperature.

            We had a great experience last Tuesday when we went to the EFY for the youth in our mission.  It was held at a camp owned by the church called Casa Blanca located about halfway to Viña del Mar; about 300 attended, including the counselors.  We were in the first part of the camp but a brother told us there are eleven more sections—it is gigantic.  The youth slept in big tents, with two bathroom buildings.  Also there is a pavilion area for meeting together and another with tables for meal time.

            President had been asked to do a presentation on missionary work—of course—as part of a rotation including three stake presidents and the Santiago temple president, an amazing group.  I served as support—cheering silently from the side.  He did a great job of having some stand as investigators and offer questions that a missionary might be asked by an investigator. He also asked them questions to bring out information they need to know when they consider serving; for example, who decides where you will serve, who will clean and cook for you, etc.

            We were impressed by their answers and ability to find answers in the scriptures.  It is clear that these wonderful young people are the future of the church here in Chile and seeing them together learning and participating in gospel discussions was amazing.  We are grateful to see them and play a small role in helping them along their road to becoming leaders, teachers and great members of the Church wherever they are.

Meeting in the main pavilion

tents set up for sleeping

Dining pavilion

Sealing in Santiago

            This week was full of interviews (Tuesday through Friday) and other meetings, plus as always lots of travel time.  We know our section of Ruta 5 very well.  But we also enjoyed being part of a memorable experience on Thursday night.

            As I listed a couple of weeks ago, we have missionaries from various parts of Chile.  One elder from Santiago is a great missionary who has been serving as a commissary elder, which means he and his companion help to maintain apartments, and deliver supplies ranging from ironing boards and irons to pamphlets and Liahonas.  When we find a new apartment, they do the work of closing out the old one and returning it to the owner.

            While he has been serving, his family progressed to the point where they could be sealed in the temple.  It was a unique situation where the elder was close enough to return for this very special occasion.  We drove with him and a companion to the temple as the family had very kindly invited us also to be there.

            It was a wonderful experience to see the parents sealed in marriage and then the children sealed to the parents for eternity.  Sister ____ could not stop smiling; our elder told me she had been waiting for this day for 20 years.   Of course the other family members were also beaming.  This occasion has been a real example of hope for many of our missionaries who come from similar situations—hope that this could happen in their families also. 

            Among the routine and challenges of everyday life, it was a good opportunity for me to appreciate how the Lord has blessed this family and stands ready to bless me, my family and everyone who is willing to keep the commandments and commit to follow Him.  Other missionaries have experienced similar miracles:  a father was baptized, another father attended church again after many years, and siblings become interested in serving missions; missionary service is marvelous!  See you next week.

Very happy occasion!

Missionaries are wonderful

            This week has been full of activities: transfers, missionaries returning home and interviews.  Two sets of parents arrived to collect daughters and we enjoyed visiting with them.

            While missionaries are waiting for interviews, either at the mission home or in various chapels, I often have a chance to visit one on one or with a small group.  This opportunity is a privilege for me because at first I didn’t understand or speak enough Spanish to carry on a conversation.  Also, at meetings with 50 or more, or during the organized chaos of new arrivals it is virtually impossible to have a meaningful conversation.

            However, when I can get to know the missionaries individually, (they are very understanding when I ask the same question multiple times), I am continually impressed by their character, dedication and testimony.  They often say, “I want to do only what the Lord would have me do.”   They speak with love about their families and I realize again the sacrifices being made by each missionary and their families.  For example, one elder was working full time to help support his family.  He told me that at first, after he left, his mother really struggled, but now is doing well.  A sister missionary sacrificed three years of school to serve even though now she will have to start over.  Of course, many have postponed school or other activities to serve.

            None of us are perfect, but as President and I watch our missionaries work hard, sacrifice much, encounter miracles and grow stronger in both faith and testimony, our testimonies are also strengthened and we realize again what an amazing blessing we have to be able to serve with and know these amazing young people.  We are working hard every day to hasten the work of salvation here in Chile.  Thanks for reading.

Enjoying lunch after special training for zone leaders, coordinadoras and district leaders--90 missionaries!

Our latest group of new missionaries--26 this time

            

zone leaders enjoying being together for leadership council

Mission stats and dats

            As I was thinking what to write about today, I went back and reviewed many of the older posts.  It seems to me I have definitely covered every aspect of missionary life at least once and several twice.  This week we have cambios or transfers and since that comes up every six weeks, I’m sure I don’t need to describe it again.   Also we are about to start interviews again, which I have also explained.  In short, mission life involves lots of changes but they occur in a regular and predictable schedule.

            However, since missionaries are still people, a wide variety of personalities, traditions and countries is represented.  It is an ongoing testimony strengthener to me that such a disparate group can bond together for the purpose of preaching the gospel.  Of course, it is due to the blessings of the Savior that missionaries can come, learn, grow, preach and baptize and return home to strengthen the church in their own wards and branches.

             Right now we have 242 missionaries, or we will again after Tuesday when 27 arrive.  181 are elders and we have 62 sisters, which is way down from our peak when we had 104 sisters.  Missionaries come from Argentina-8, Bolivia-1, Brazil-10, Chile-11, Colombia-7, Ecuador-4, El Salvador-1, Guatemala-3, Korea-1, Mexico-9, Nicaragua-1, Panama-2, Paraguay-2, Peru-30, Spain-3 and Uruguay-4.  Utah, of course is well represented as is Idaho.  We have 11 from Arizona-the same as from Chile plus three more who will arrive on Tuesday, plus various other states.

            As missionaries arrive from different countries, cultures and traditions, it is a real adjustment to learn to live 24/7 with a companion who is completely different.  However, the miracle is that for the most part they do it very well.  The common denominator, of course, is the purpose for which they came and the blessings they receive day to day.  We are grateful each day to be here with them and watch them grow even stronger in their faith and testimony.  Thanks for the comments about the blog you send with your missionaries and for sending them to serve the Lord here in Chile.

           

 

This board in President's office has all the missionaries' pictures

Seems like I show a lot of the go home groups at the temple, but here is the latest.