Saturday morning with Elder Uchtdorf

Sunday the 9th we attended church in the El Castillo Ward in the Gabriela Stake.  This had to be the smallest Sacrament Meeting we have ever been in.  I was privileged to play the piano, one of the Elders led the singing, we had a total of 6 missionaries in attendance, and one of them gave a talk.  There were 17 ward members in attendance.  We were told that there are usually about 50 in attendance but everyone is on vacation!  In Relief Society I was asked if I wanted to give the lesson??  The lady trying to give the lesson had her phone with a talk from General Conference to read, and she couldn't read very good.  Then her phone rang and she lost the talk and couldn't find it again.  I had invited a mother and her daughter to come to class with me,

they were not members that the missionaries had invited to church.  I was feeling very sorry that I had invited them to attend! I finally asked the ladies in attendance, all 4 of them, to explain to these visitors the purpose of Relief Society and answer any questions that they had.  It turned out great.  I think they will be back to learn more.
     Monday we spent most of the day getting things bought for the 72 hour emergency kits for our young missionaries.  We got everything put into the zones so that we can deliver them on next Monday when we deliver the pouch mail.  The granola bars and peanuts have expired their pull dates.  We also made up 10 more kits that we needed.  We are hearing about more demonstrations beginning.  We want to have the emergency kits updated and ready before March 1st.

We are sending out a list of foods that the missionaries are to purchase and have in their pensiones in case they are confined to their homes because of the protests.  We have been warned that March and April could be bad again.

Right out side of our grocery store are these recycle bins.  They are usually overflowing and we thought that maybe they should put in bigger ones then we found out just how big they are---

The people are so good about putting things in just the right recycle bin and then the trucks come to empty them

There are huge bags inside that are tied at the bottom. The workers hoist the bags into the trucks and untie the bottom and everything drops into the trucks.  The only problem we saw was that they emptied every bin into the same truck? So much for recycling! 

We are busy getting more of the pensiones painted and repaired before our mission ends.  Our contractors are enjoying having a lot of work.  As they finish a job, we go and inspect to make sure everything is done right.  We painted about 25 last year and have at least 20 to get painted this year.  It is amazing how few service calls come in now that we have gotten the houses updated.  Our contractors will be disappointed when we finish the last paint jobs and there is not so much service to be done.  Which will be good for the mission as we have no one coming to replace us as of yet.  We have a couple of more months to make sure that everything is in good working order before we leave.

Our week was pretty much just inspections and paper work.  With the temple closed we really got a lot accomplished in the other areas of our assignments.  But we have really missed the temple and are excited for it to reopen next Tuesday.

And that brings us to Saturday--

We arrived at the Lynch Norte Stake Center at 8:00am.  We are having a special conference this morning with Elder Uchtdorf and his wife Harriet.

This conference is for the 4 missions here in Santiago; North, South, East and West.  There will be over 700 young missionaries in attendance, plus all of the Senior Couples serving in each of these missions.  The doors to the chapel will not open until 8:30 and this is one side of the building with the Lord's army waiting to get inside and get a good seat.  Some of these young missionaries have been here in line since 6AM.  

Elder Thompson was surprised and thrilled to meet, after 50 years, a fellow missionary from his first mission in Colombia/Venezuela.

Elder y Hermana Gary Swensen y Los Thompson

Elder Swensen is also in charge of the pensiones in his mission.  He and Elder Thompson were never companions, just in the same Zone in Cali, Colombia.  What a fun time to reminisce about their first mission and the people and places.

We were finally allowed into the chapel and everyone found a seat.  We were lucky enough to get on the last padded bench  at the back of the chapel itself.  After everyone had gotten to their seats, we were herded outside once more to prepare for pictures.

backpacks and books saving seats for all

Each mission got into a group and waited for the arrival of Elder Uchtdorf and the Area Authorities and Area Seventies who are with him.

This is the Santiago East Mission 

We are directly under the red arrow on the left side of the photo with the sun reflecting off of Elder Thompson's beautiful white hair.  I will insert the official photo with Elder Uchtdorf when we receive a copy of it.  It was amazing that he would take the time, in the hot sun, to pose for a photo with each of the 4 missions.  

And Elder y Hermana Uchtdorf arrived and this is what they saw:

All 4 Missions

And they took a photo with each mission

And then we were all thrilled when we were able to file into the building and shake hands with both Elder Uchtdorf and his wife. We were the first of the missions to enter the building. We were instructed that there would be no abrazos (hugs) that are the custom here.  We felt such an amazing spirit as each missionary greeted an apostle of our Heavenly Father.  After we shook hands with Elder Uchtdorf and walked into the chapel, I was asked to start playing prelude on the piano until the young Elder assigned arrived.  So I got to just enjoy playing my favorite hymns for the next 20 minutes.

Anticipating the entrance of our special guest

All 4 Mission Presidents and their wives and Area Seventies

And they entered the chapel

Trying to see to the back of the chapet

His translator to the left

It was a wonderful meeting.  We heard from each of the 4 mission presidents,

This is our Mission President, Pres. Brotherson

Elder y Hermana De Hoyos (General Authority Seventy y Counselor in our Area Presidency)

and then Hermana Uchtdorf and Elder Uchtdorf.

  And suddenly the 2 hours are gone

And the Uchtdorf's waved goodbye

and we have to leave the building to make room for the Stake Presidencies and Bishoprics.

 

This is in the Bishop and Stake Presidency meeting.  President Barrelis y Hermana Barrelas from the Pirque Ward, Cordillera Stake ( leaning forward, he served a mission with Brother Crowley from Twin Falls)   

 We are so blessed to be serving here with this amazing young army of our Heavenly Father.  These young missionaries are so dedicated to sharing the gospel with the people here in Chile.  We were all given some great council this morning.  We pray that each of these young missionaries felt the spirit and heard something that will change their lives forever.  The most important conversion in a mission is that of the missionary.  We need them to return home with a firm conviction of the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and an unshakable love for their Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ.

We have had a great week.  We pray that each of you have had a great week also.  You are always in our thoughts and prayers.  We send our love.  Till next week, chao!