We took this in January when we visited here the first time
It is a great branch. We really enjoyed our visit and will return in July when they have their Capilla Abierta. It will be interesting to set up everything in this small building. San Jose de Maipo is in the mountains and as we drove home, I took some random pictures trying to show just how close the snow level is getting. The Andes are looking very pretty capped in white.
When we reached the city, it was bumper to bumper traffic for miles. We have to go past the decorated cemetery that I showed you fotos of before and it was packed with people decorating the graves of their fathers. I tried to get a foto that showed the line of traffic. It was a 2 hour trip home.
We were thrilled to hear from all 4 of our children today as they called or texted a message of love to their father. We made biscuits and gravy so we could serve them on Monday morning to the Los Condes Zone.
The biscuits and gravy were a hit at the zone meeting Monday morning. It was "cambios" week. Every 6 weeks we have missionaries leaving, missionaries coming, and missionaries being changed from one place to another. It is a hectic time in the office and we are usually busy trying to get beds moved to different places where there is need of 3 or 4 beds instead of the 2 that we usually try to have in each pension. This was the toughest change that we have had. We had to say good-bye to 17 Elders and 2 Hermanas that we have come to love. One of these was Elder Torres who was in the office when we first arrived and it was hard to see him go. One of the changes was tough also. Elder Gonzales, who has been in the office with us for the last 6 months, is now serving in La Florida as a zone leader. Oh how we will miss his help with computer skills and driving.
It is difficult to say good-bye but at the same time we need to say hello to the new 15 missionaries who arrived on Monday.
We left the office about 6 to head to the temple grounds to meet the new missionaries coming in and get them fed and to bed at the CCM.
The first group of 10 arrived about 8. They came in hungry!
Elder Villena-Ecuador, Chova-Bolivia, Suarez-Peru, Garcia-Peru, Chancay-Ecuador, Prieto-Peru, Thompson-Idaho
Hermana Zentner-Argentina, Hidalgo-Ecuador, Maydana-Bolivia, Rodrigue-Peru
Same group with Hermana Thompson
The Temple missionaries came down from their apartments to help get the beds made and the sandwiches made before the missionaries arrived. Oh how we love and appreciate these senior missionaries who come to help us each 6 weeks.
The Americans
Elder Dyer-Alaska, Behrman-Utah, Hermana Hansen-Utah, y Beeler-Arizona
The last 4 arrived about 10:00. They came from the MTC (CCM) in Mexico. The 15th Elder arrived on Tuesday morning from the Provo CCM.
We got to bed about 10:45. It was strange to be in a warm apartment. We even had to turn the heat down as we are not used to being that warm.
Poor Hermana Beeler was so nervous Tuesday morning that she was sick to her stomach and threw up twice. We try to reassure these new missionaries that they will have great companions and they will love President and Hermana Brotherson. We answered lots of questions about the mission. It is fun to get to greet these new missionaries and this experience creates a special bond with them. We told them to be ready by 7:30 to be picked up and taken to the Mission Office. The 4 Americans were ready right on time and as usual the Latin missionaries were about 20 minutes late. ( It is just in their blood and we will never change them) We had to leave them at 7:40 so Elder Thompson put one of the Latin Elders in charge and told him to get everyone downstairs with their luggage as soon as possible and we headed to the temple for our first shift.
We serve on the Tuesday morning shift which starts with preparation meeting at 8:00. Words can never express the feelings of our hearts for the blessing of serving once again in the temple. This is our 5th temple. Elder Thompson was able to do sealings in both English and Spanish as we had 4 visitors from the States here today. The hermanas on the shift are so loving and kind. I really felt right at home. Looking forward to next week already.
In our March 24th blog, I told you about a young man who came into a Capilla Abierta off the street and was very impressed and even called his father to come and see. Well, we just found out that this young man has been baptized. Wow, our first conversion that started with a Capilla Abierta. We are so happy to know that we are helping people to come to know their Savior. As we do each Capilla Abierta, we will be watching and trying to guess which person our Heavenly Father has prepared to embrace His gospel at this time.
This week has just flown by for us. Whenever we have "cambios" we get lots of calls with repairs that need to be done, especially if Hermana's move into homes where Elders have lived before. Some Elders just live with the problems and then leave a filthly house for the Hermanas to clean. We had one apartment that we will not be using this change and it will be empty for at least 6 weeks. We went to inspect it to see if we needed to do any work on it while it was empty and the Elders had left it a total pig sty. We were so frustrated! We sent fotos to President Brotherson and asked him what we should do about the situation. He made a fone call and the Elders were there first thing the next morning to clean it up! Now, hopefully as word of this spreads through the mission, the missionaries will do a better job of cleaning up after themselves. It's amazing that the Elders always tell us that they have no time to clean and the Hermana's have clean homes. Do Elders have shorter days than the Hermanas do?
These trees are so different than the pine trees at home. The branches are empty except for the very tips. They stay green all year.
And where do the roots go?
The sidewalks are level and the roots never spread out into the roads or sidewalks. We need to learn how to train our tree roots so they don't break up our concrete.
Right in front of our apartment complex
The biggest vacuum cleaner that I have ever seen. They clean up trash and leaves in front of the mall with this.
Who needs a pickup? This gardener carries his lawn mower, rakes, shovels, broom, and weed eater all over town on his bike. We see many of these as we drive around.
Saturday we had a Capilla Abierta in La Florida. It usually takes about 35 minutes to get there but the traffic was back to back Saturday afternoon so we were late getting to the chapel.
The first red brick chapel we have seen outside of the USA
We had the Los Canas and Geronimo de Alderete Wards together for the Capilla Abierta. We had about 100 in attendance. It was a wonderful afternoon - evening, from 4-6. We got there about 3:15 and got home after 8 because the traffic had not gotten any better, only worse.
Today, the 22nd of June, was our 47th wedding anniversary. Couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than to be able to help the young missionaries and these wards share the blessings of the gospel with their families and friends. We stopped at Little Cesears for pizza on our way home to top off a perfect day (except for the traffic).
Mom has completed all of the physical therapy that her therapists thinks she needs. They don't believe she will be able to regain anymore motion in her left side. She is living at Bridgeview and trying to wrap her mind around the fact that she will not be able to return home again. It is disappointing for her, but it would not be safe for her to try to be alone during the day and she needs the extra help that the caregivers at Bridgeview can give her. There are always tender mercies from our Heavenly Father in our lives, we just have to recognize them. Today Mom had Connie, Sharon, John, and Linda all attend church with her. She was delighted!
Well, we pray that you have all had a great week. We have been busy and look forward to a new week with its challenges and triumphs. You are in our thoughts and prayers. We send our love
Oh, by the way,
John Deere is alive and well down here!
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