Serving together, members and missionaries

Throughout our mission we have traveled every Sunday to attend church in one of the branches of our three districts, except for stake and general conference Sundays.  We have enjoyed a Primary program presented by the only 2 Primary age girls and the presidency.  We have visited on Fast Sundays where every person in attendance bears testimony every month.  We have listened to talks given by faithful members who have many different challenges and come from many backgrounds.

It has been a privilege to come to know these members and see their efforts to serve and obey and sustain the church in their home area.  Many branches do not have very many priesthood holders which brings additional challenges. Our missionaries often serve as branch clerks or counselors or with the young men and the sisters often help with primary or young women.

In most of the branches, the missionaries also teach Sunday School (Gospel Principles), often without prior notice.  They also often speak in Sacrament meeting.  Even though we have learned to know and love the members, as the missionaries serve and work in the branches and wards they form strong bonds with them.  The members return that love and serve as they give lunch to the missionaries, go out teaching with them, welcome their investigators and attend baptisms.  They are flexible about accepting missionary changes: saying a fond good-bye to those leaving and welcoming new arrivals.

None of us are perfect so occasionally problems arise, but overall members and missionaries work together to live the gospel and advance the work here in Chile and we are grateful to be part of it and also for the friends we have made among the members.

The pictures today include a couple from the self-sufficiency training, from our temple trip and from new missionary training.

Weekly Report

            This week we finished interviews for the last time, definitely a bittersweet experience.  Since President won’t be interviewing these missionaries when they go home we decided to increase the time a little in order to have a little more one on one time.  While they are waiting for their interviews I have tried to encourage all the Latin missionaries in their English studies and help them remember what a great opportunity they have to learn it on their mission. 

            Next week we will have our last cambio or transfer.  We have 23 going home and 18 coming this time and in July the difference is even bigger.  The new president and wife will have the opposite challenge as when we came.  They will adjust numbers and close sectors, while we struggled every time with finding housing and sectors for large groups. 

            It has strengthened my testimony to realize that the work goes on even as the workers and situations change.  We are grateful for the members here in Chile who help out by giving lunch to the missionaries, going out to teach lessons with them, giving them references and friendshipping investigators who come to church.  Each of us can help the work of salvation by doing those same things wherever we may be.   There are missionaries in almost every part of the world and we all have the same goal: to invite others to come to Christ and be baptized. 

            I invite you to do something this week to help the missionaries in your area.  They will appreciate it and you will be blessed for it.

             The pictures this week are from interviews in Curicó, outside the church in Nancagua and English class after the district meeting in Lautaro.

Where are they from?

            Over a year ago, I posted about the countries represented in our mission.  Today I did a recount because I thought it would be interesting to see how or if things have changed.  One big change is the numbers of missionaries we have.  In October, 2013 we had 290 missionaries, but since then we have gradually decreased in size until today where we have 191.  It seems like everything should be a lot easier with 100 fewer missionaries but we haven’t noticed a decrease in any of our activities.

            Here is the breakdown:  Argentina-14, Bolivia-3, Brazil-15, Canada-2, Chile-8, Colombia-7, Ecuador-10, Guatemala-2, Korea-1, Mexico-8, Nicaragua-1, Panama-1, Paraguay-1, Peru-16, United States-99, Uruguay-3.  Obviously, 15 different countries represent 15 different cultures and even changes in language usage.  Even within countries cultural differences exist.  I feel this is one of the many blessings of a mission; the missionaries can learn that we are all children of Heavenly Father, trying to live the gospel and invite the people in Chile to come to Christ.  I’ve included below the paragraph from the earlier post so you may compare if you like: (we still have eleven from Arizona:))

                         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.

            As we look ahead to the missionaries coming in the next two transfers, the numbers of Latinos will increase because few Americans are coming.  The pendulum has moved back and forth several times during our mission but we gladly accept whoever comes because missionaries are called of God no matter what their country or language.  We are grateful for the chance we’ve had to learn about the people and cultures of other countries.

             The pictures this week are from interviews in San Fernando, Santa Cruz, Buin and a Tupahue zone at our house.  The other one is of the elders teaching English class at district meeting.

Missionaries Past and Present

            By the end of our mission we will have had about 600 missionaries come here to Rancagua, Chile.  That is am amazing number when I think back about individuals.  The missionaries ask us if we can remember everyone, and unfortunately that answer is no, unless we see a picture.  Some of the early ones who left right after we got here are not as familiar as those we had for their whole time.  We are anxious to stay in touch with as many as possible and President already spends a lot of time corresponding with former missionaries; answering questions and giving encouragement.

            This weekend we enjoyed visiting with two of our returned missionaries; both are married and one couple is expecting, while the other has a 4 month old baby.  A few weeks ago we visited another couple with a new baby.  It is a wonderful privilege to see them, see their progress and know they are on the right path of temple marriage and starting families.  Plus those babies are very cute!

            When we have our final testimony meeting each change we often ask the missionaries to remember us and keep in touch.  Even though it won’t happen with everyone, we are looking forward to many years of wedding invitations and baby announcements and visits from “our” missionaries.  This is a blessing we didn’t know about in the beginning, but now we look forward to watching their progress as part of a unique family—our returned missionaries and us.

             The pictures this week are from consejo, interviews and other meetings--always plenty of those!

Conference in Curicó

            Today we attended a stake conference in Curicó.  After today’s conference we only have two more before we leave; one in Tupahue stake and the other in Talca.  Even though we are close to the end I am still nervous about whether or not I will speak and if I do whether anyone will understand my Spanish.

            On the other hand, it is so great to see all the missionaries assigned to a stake or district when we go to conference.  We are able to greet each one of them, check up on a few who have been sick or had other challenges, and President usually has at least a couple of interviews; this time he did four. 

            President has become very good at understanding what needs to be said in each of the three meetings and giving a talk based on those needs.  I always have a talk prepared for the Sunday morning meeting but usually bear my testimony instead because the time is short.  It means I can keep the talk ready for a long timeJ

            It is also a real privilege to be with the members.  We have gotten to know many wonderful people here in Chile and recognize many others by their smile and warm greeting every time we see them.  During our mission we have learned to admire the Saints here because of their faithfulness, often under difficult circumstances.  We appreciate their friendliness to us and their generous support of the missionaries by feeding them and going out teaching with them.  However, there is still a lot of work to be done and we know good things will continue to happen even when we are gone.

The first pictures are from the cambio and the last one is from last week's concert in Pichilemu.  The fourth person is from Pichilemu--all of them are very talented!

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Missionaries going home

             Last week, we had transfers or as we call them, cambios.  Transfers happen every six weeks and it is a time of change and sometimes even upheaval since missionaries go home, companionships change and missionaries must move to new apartments or houses.  Transfers are another way a missionary must adapt along with a new language and the mission culture among others.

            Today I’m going to focus on missionaries who are finishing their mission.  If asked how much time they have left, they make a face because they don’t like to think about it.  In the beginning, eighteen months or two years seemed like forever, but the time passes so rapidly that it doesn’t seem long before they receive what we call “trunky papers”.  The information from these papers tells the missionaries what they need to know before leaving the mission and also ask what airport is best.  We encourage them to work hard and stay focused until the very last day, but it can be hard to do.

            I have mentioned before that missionaries leaving have a workshop on self sufficiency, go with us to the temple and have an afternoon to buy mementos.   They also bear their testimony for the “last” time many times, say goodbye in their current ward or branch, write notes to be given to their converts or former companions and wonder how they will fit everything into their suitcases.

            For the most part they are nervous, because mission life is well-regulated and now they face major decisions about school, work, and getting married.  It is like leaving a shelter and going back out into the storm.  They have not focused on their family during their mission but now the time is very short until they will see them again, also an adjustment. 

            For our part, we are sad because we have enjoyed getting to know them and serving together.  We know it is time and are grateful for the growth we see in them during their mission.  We always tell them, please stay in touch and let us know how things are going, which many do.  It is our great privilege to have these amazing young people, watch them serve the Lord as full-time missionaries then send them home to do great things.

Pictures this week are from saying good-bye to missionaries, greeting new ones and the first training.

One week at a time

     Last week I posted about the training we do for the missionaries which I hope you enjoyed but it seemed dry.  This week I would like to share our schedule for last week which was a little crazy, but you can judge.

     Monday morning we had our regular office meeting which includes the finance and history couple, the couple in charge of apartments, the assistants, secretaries and us.  Its purpose is to coordinate and discuss the temporal side of running the mission.  Before that meeting we always meet with the mission nurse, to go over our concerns about various missionaries. Monday night we hosted self sufficiency training for the missionaries who leave this week, and six sisters stayed for the night.

      On Tuesday morning we left at 7 a.m. for the temple.  After the session and lunch we ran a few errands before returning home.  President is using any available time to work on transfers. Wednesday was district meeting: we are trying, between the assistants and us, to meet with every district to make sure the training we did last week for the leaders is being passed on; so we drove to Talca for those two zones.  We also took the nurse and her husband in order to finish giving the flu vaccinations.  Thursday we attended the district meetings in Curico and then took the current assistants and the assistant who is leaving, to lunch.  Assistants usually go back into the field for their last transfer, but this is a small way to show appreciation for their hard work before they go home so we meet them and go out.

      Friday we held the five week training at our house for the missionaries who came in March and their trainers.  Since the housekeeper is out sick, a senior couple and some of the sister missionaries really saved me by helping cook, serve and clean up the lunch.  Saturday we went to the grocery store in preparation for next week's meals (transfers), packed and headed to Santa Cruz for the district conference and a baptism.  We went by Chepica on the way to deliver plastic bins since it has been raining hard; their roof has a serious leak and it is a complicated repair.

       And that was our week--this week will be busy also, but that is why we are here and we are so grateful for the opportunity to serve and be with the missionaries.

        This week's pictures include photos from the new missionary training on Friday and of course the one from the temple.