Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Our Mission Continues September & October 2011

At the end of our Family Home Evening lesson, we celebrated Sister Bueno's birthday.
They all enjoyed learning "The Lord's Standards."
Dad had a great activity to introduce our Family Home Evening Lesson.
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We had a nice luncheon for the Brumbles on the last day of their Mission here in Chile.  We will miss them!
The Valverdes invited us to stay for "ONCE" after our lesson.
We had a delicious Sunday meal with the Lillo family.
This sister lives up on Cerro San Cristobal. She is lucky to have a scooter.  She is brave to ride on the streets with so many wild drivers.
The presentation of our "Early Pioneers" brought many of those in attendance to tears.
Helaman's 2,000 Warriors set the tone for a spectacular presentation  and most spiritual program.
Elder Lawrence Corbridge, Elder Kent Richards and  Elder Jorge Zeballos delivered inspired words to those in attendance.
On October 15, 2011, Senior Missionaries from the Chile Santiago North Mission and Chile Santiago East Mission along with  a few hundred young missionaries, and thousands of members and special guests gathered to enjoy an unforgetable 50th Anniversary Celebration.
This young missionary was working in the Mission Office when we arrived here in July.  His family came to pick him up, and to attend the 50th Anniversary Celebration. The family wanted to meet us and invited us to have lunch with them.  We had  delicious  Chinese food in a restaurant on Avenida Pedro De Valdivia near the Temple.  
It took about 1 hour by Metro to get to Los Dominicos.  This cart might have taken 2 or more day to cover the same distance.
Los Dominicos must have looked like this 75 or 100 years ago.
On the Brumble's last Preparation Day as Missionaries, we had fun walking in and out of artisan shops in el Pueblo Los Dominicos.
On October 15, 2011 we had the joy of meeting several former missionaries who returned to Santiago to participate in the 50th Anniversary Celebraion of Missionary Work in Chile.  This former missionary served here in Chile 30 years ago.  He wanted to share with us his joy in finding some of the people he baptized, and some Church  members who were dear to him. 
The Brumbles live in the same apartment building.  We have become very good friends.  We enjoy our time with them on Preparation Day.  We walked over 2 miles to Estadio Santa Laura for rehearsal to prepare for the 50th Year Celebration of Missionary Work in Chile. Full time missionaries sang, "A donde me mandes ire."
"FERIAS" are very popular here in Chile.  We have not been to one, but many times when we are driving from one place to another, we see the "FERIAS."  Clothing, shoes, toys, and many other items are sold at the "FERIAS." This picture was taken from the van we were driving.
One-horse power wagons share the same roads with Mercedes, Fords, and old and new cars in Santiago.  These wagons are used to transport building materials, fruits and vegetables sold in the "FERIAs" and anything that needs to be transported.
We were there when Cristian's sister told everybody that she had been meeting with the missionaries and that she would be baptized in 2 weeks. She lives a few miles down the road.  We experience many happy experiences during the week.
The Aravena family has industrial sewing machines and sew great quainties of garments each day. We admire the quality and beauty of their finished products. 
While working in our sector, we saw this colorful train full of children who were having fun riding around Avenida Valdivieso.
The Sister Missionaries stopped by the Mission Office and gave Dad and I a treat.  We gave them a "SUPER 8".
All the missionaries were happy to get our "SUPER 8" treat after the installation of smoke detector and apartment inspection.
Dad and I moving one missionary to his new apartment.
New missionaries going to their sector by Metro after their welcome, and orientation at the historical Mission Home.

I took time to visit with Alejandra and her family.  Another family we visit 2 or 3 times each week.
The Aravena family invited me to eat with them.
I am helping with our first ward social.  It was a great success. 
This dog was sad becuase he could not stay inside the church with his family.  It was the first time Patricio and Angelica were attending Sacrament Meeting.
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Dad could not believe that I asked him if he was hungry.
Late one evening, as we were walking back to our apartment, these boys were playing soccer.  We must have looked like foreigners, because they asked what country we were from.  When we told them we were from the United States and  had only been in Chile for 5 weeks, they were astonished, and told me that my Spanish was "SUPER BUENO."  They also told us that Dad looks like a popular professional soccer player.  We visited for a few minutes and walked home smiling all the way.
Coni and her mother prepared "Sopapias" for the "FAMILY HOME EVENING" treat.
Coni and Laura were excited to show us and the Elders the two day old tiny kittens.
It was almost impossible to find parking in Santiago.  Dad and I had 3 smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to install, so once we found a place to park, we walked several blocks to the different apartments to take care of the installations.
Sister Bueno and Sister Avila and girls are delightful.  This picture was taken at the end of our first visit.
Sometimes we purchase vegetables from Don Ramon.  His vegatable stand is near our apartment.
The Sister Missionaries were happy to have Dad install a smoke and carbon monoxide detector in their apartment.
Dad and I walked over 2 miles to the Stake Center to enjoy our first General Conference here in Chile.
Dad was given the assignment to price lumber, roofing material, doors,window,nails,etc. to build a house.  It isdifficult and expensive to transport things to Juan Fernandez Island.
Dad is pricing materials for a home that was destroyed by the tsunami in Juan Fernandez Island.
The mall here is just like the malls in the USA.
It was fun riding the Finicula Tram up and then down Cerro San Cristobal.
We finally got to see Santiago from the top of Cerro San Cristobal.
We had a great Family Home Evening at the Valverde's.  They hope to visit us in Texas someday.
We noticed California Street near the Temple in Providencia.
We appreciated the delicious Peruvian lunch the Morales Cruz family prepared for us.
Luis, joined us for Family Home Evening a few weeks after meeting the Office Elders  one evening when they were in their sector sharing the gospel.  It is alwahys  a very special day for all the missionaries when somebody is baptized.
We are enjoying the warmer temperatures as we walk down Avenida Valdivieso  to make our visits.
Walking to one of our appointments.
The Brumbles joined us on one of our Temple Tour.
Our Mission President is happy to have us along with the Waldrons and the Brumbles serving in the Chile Santiago North Mission.
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Dad installing the first smoke and carbon monoxide detector in the Chile Santiago North Mission.  We decided to install the first one in our apartment.
At the end of our our lesson, this family told us they had decided to be baptized.  We were all happy, because we know the gospel will bring many blessings to this family.   Hope, happiness. spiritual growth and the fruit of eternal life.
We walked up the hill, and now we must climb 120 steps to our 9:00 PM appointment.
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It was a nice warm afternoon.  We decided to teach the Urrutia family in their front yard.




Brother Urrutia lives way up on  the hill.  He can see a great part of the city from his property.  Dad is learning to play with a Chilean toy.
Independece parade by the Mission Office.
This is part of the Independence parade that passed right by the Mission Office.
One of the Office Elders is visiting with "MONA", the mean dog, while we wait for the family to open the gate.
We celebrated September 18th, Chile's Independence Day, eating a burrito feast at the end of our day.
Sister Brumble and I preparing burritos for our Office Staff.
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Dad and I value our personal study time.

Coni and her dad  represented our ward in the Stake Dance Festival.  Her dad (a non member), had such a great time that he attended church with the family on Sunday.
We are proud of our new sign.  The Mission Office is new.  It took a few weeks to get our Santiago Mision Norte sign.  These are our Office Elders with the Brumbles and the Eulitts.
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Our ward, Los Olivos, took first place. Notice the flags.  The Clilean flag reminds us of our Texas flag.

These are some of the Los Olivos Ward members who represented our ward in the Dance Festival.

This non-member father decided to represent our ward in the Stake Dance Festival by dancing with his beautiful daughter.  Their participation was possible because of our first visit to this family.
The Mision Office pays this mailman $12,000 each month to deliver about 10% of our mail.
Sister Villalovos is our Gospel Principles teacher.  Before this picture was taken there were several other dogs  near the door.  Sometimes we feel like we live in the "Dog Capitol" of the world.