Talbot Testimony: May 2016

Thursday, May 19, 2016

10 Dice

STORY The New Family (a Dad. Mom and a Son age 7) We Met them at the Mall (May 16, 2016) This is a wonderful story. We went to the mall to find some DICE so we could play Yatzee with some of our investigators families and we needed to buy five dice. We asked and asked and were set to several different stores. At last we were to finally ready to give up. Then I told George as we were walking to ask the lady clerk at the shop we were passing by, but instead he talked to a man who was walking close by. This man, his wife and child were very accommodating, and determined to help us find the dice. We walked, and walked and walked with no success, and finally even ended up at TOTUS another big grocery and miscellaneous store. Again no luck. We finally gave up, but the man said, No, I know where we can find you some dice and we will drive to another place in Antofagasta and buy them for you and bring them to your apartment. We told him to buy 10. We parted. We went on home, and our friend Jose came for supper. The phone ran and it was the man, his wife, and son. They had finally found the dice and wanted to bring them to our home. It was now 7 PM. We had left them at 3:45 PM. We were shocked at the help the had given to us, total strangers. They drove to our building and took the elevator to our floor and rang the buzzer. We welcomed them in and Jose who was at our home at the time they arrived, translated for us as we still do not speak really fluent Spanish. They are now coming to dinner in 2 weeks on Monday evening. The 10 dice were beautiful! We were utterly shocked and to TOP it off they would NOT let us pay for the dice!

Love Mom and Dad

"When I die, I will go looking for George and Margaret"

Dear Family Monday May 9 to Sunday May 15, 2016

Thanks again to our family members we got to talk to over the Mother's Day weekend, which was a real treat over a 48 hour period of time. But the days continue to just fly by. We had two family birthdays this past week Stephanie on the 12th and granddaughter Hannah on the 14th. This was also a week of serving (cena) FOUR dinners at our (casa) home. We are starting a new thing and each week we will give you ten new spanish words to learn and use with your family.

Ten New Spanish Words: dinner (cena), house (casa), Home (hogar), church (iglesia), table (mesa), chair (silla), knife (cuchilla), fork (tenador), spoon (cuchara), door (puerto), sister (hermana). Missionary Elders are not called (hermanos). A hermano is a brother. Elder is an English word, but sister missionaries are called (hermana) which means sister in Spanish. The male missionaries are called Elder.

STORY 116 A Good Visit with Margaret's brother Norman (Sunday May 8 pm) George and Norman had a long conversation about the Book of Mormon geography. There is a big wave going around in the States placing the landing of the Lehi's family on the west coast of Florida, and that the Mississippi River is the river Sidon. Norman and Jerilynn had gone to one of those lectures and George wanted to talk to Norman. This all took place (after) the Mother's Day phone calls. They had a great conversation. Also, Norman had two new great grandchildren born this past week, Bradley's baby girl on Tuesday and Kristin's daughter's baby girl on Thursday.

STORY 117 Having Jose for Dinner (Monday May 9) Jose is the young man who lives in our apartment complex on the 10th floor. He is age 27 and works in a Northern company here in Antofagasta. He rides a bike to and from work. We have had him over for dinner for at least the last six months. It started out with him coming to help us with Spanish. Now we are trying to give him information about our church. We gave him the PLAN of SALVATION lesson tonight. It has been interesting to see how very bright he is and yet so very uninterested in religious topics. He is very well read and knows an extremely lot of information on historical events all over the world.After the lesson we told him, Jose we just do not want you to someday say -Why didn't you tell me about these things? His reply was a classic, "when I die I will surely go looking for you and say Where is George and Margaret?" We also had a temples booklet that had lovely photos of the temples, interiors, etc. We explained about temples, he was impressed with the buildings and interiors, but not necessarily the concepts we taught.

STORY 118 Week New Missionaries Arrive (Tuesday May 10) You have heard us talk about this before. This mission sent 19 missionaries home on Monday and received 9 new missionaries on Tuesday (7 were elders and 2 were sister missionaries) All of them were from Latin countries except for 2 males Elder Barney from Idaho, and Elder James from California. We do the preparations for the lunch for the arriving missionaries on Tuesday that is served at the mission home. We sat at the table with the two sister missionaries as generally they do not sit at a table with the male missionaries. One Hermana (sister) was from Peru that did not speak any English, the other girl was from Santiago (south) and she spoke English quite well. She said her father also served in the Antofagasta mission, as well as an Aunt (a sister of her mother). She opened her letter and gasped! Her mother said tell us, tell us where you are going! She had tears in her eyes and said I am going to Antofagasta. She feels this is her families missionary destination. She must have been raised in a good home, as her father, mother, some relatives, her brother, and now herself had served missions. Her name was Carolina, but they never call each other by first names, just Hermana Salazar. (Full name Carolina Salazar Rocio) The Salazar is the surname of her father, and Rocio is the surname of her mother.

STORY 119 Our Daughter Stephanie's 35th Birthday (Thursday May 12) We did get to talk to Stephanie and the phone went down the next day. We truly miss all of our children and grandchildren, but know we are doing here what cannot be done in Utah. We so appreciate all of their prayers for us and for the people we are working with. Sorry we could not call Hannah for her 19th Birthday. We are so pleased she is going on a mission to Florida (spanish speaking). In Chile they do not capitalize languages!

STORY 120 People and Households we are working with after office hours. Our list seems to grow. We now have 19 different households we are carrying on some kind of relationship with - that involve weekly phone calls, meals at our apartment or at theirs, giving church lessons, following up on missionaries who are giving lessons, and just maintaining friendships which keeps us very busy after our office jobs are done in the evenings, and on weekends. However, George makes most of his phone calls when we are at the office, and he has a break, or during our lunch hour. We do the rest together.

NON-MEMBERS WE ARE WORKING WITH: (1) Edward age 27, (2) Josie age 25, (3) Jose age 27 who comes every Monday evening for our evening meal, (4) Wilson & Ideide (married) and 2 children Daniel 11 and Pascal 6, (5) Martha and Rodolfo (married) and son Gustave age 4, (6) Maria - Rodolfo's half sister her American husband is now in the USA visiting his family, (7) Ricardo (former Area 70's father) and his live in girlfriend Dr Laurita, (8) husband Francisco and two children Sol age 11 - email friend of our granddaughter Madison, and Aluna - downs syndrome child age 5, and the wife Carolina (an inactive) daug of Ricardo, (9) the Leyton family - three older children - with older son age 29 a baptized member but inactive, (10) our dear friend Claudio (separated from Monica), (11) Monica and daug. Gabriella, (12) Raul - lives by Wilson his wife is in the hospital in Santiago, (13) Johann who is separated from wife and has 2 children, (14) the Vega fruit market family - Carlos and Marseta Calderon still having lessons.

BAPTIZED - IN-ACTIVES WE ARE WORKING WITH: (15) Veronica age 65 (inactive church member age 65), 16) Jordan (son of Veronica baptized at age 10 now inactive) has a wife and 4 children all non-members - two below age of 8, (17) Robert age 27 (inactive church member), (18) jaime age 25 (inactive church member who attends church to please his mother, but walks in after the sacrament - says does not believe in the church any more), (19) Adriana age 65 (baptized over a year ago but now not going to church). We do keep very very very busy. George handles all of the telephone calls and we both work together on everything else.

STORY 120 Our Monthly May Antofagasta Zone Conference Meeting (Friday May 13) (see photo) Even though we do not understand all that is being said at these meetings, we do enjoy interacting with the young missionaries at the meeting(1 1/2 hours). These are wonderful youth of the church. We do believe half or more in this mission are of Latin descent. After the meeting they all set all their phones on a timer stacked on books on several tables, and run to get in a group photo. It is a hoot! This is why photos are a big fuzzy. George is not in the photo, but my shirt is yellow. One of the new latin missionaries was from Orem, Utah. His family moved to Orem two years ago. He had to learn English from scratch as they arrived in July and school started in August (Elder Lopez). He is very tall.

STORY 121 Edward and girl friend Josie for Dinner and a lesson (Friday May 13) (not a live in girlfriend) You have heard about Edward before, but tonight we told him that we have only 6 more months in Chile and we do want to share with him some of our church teachings. We started with our spanish "Plan of Salvation Chart." Josie to our delight was very interested. Edward not so much. He said IF he makes it to the Terrestrial Kingdom that is ok with him and IF we make it to the Celestial kingdom we can come down and see him. Josie wanted to go to the Celestial Kingdom. We had a very good discussion, even with our limited Spanish, and their limited English. It is so hard for Edward having NEVER ever gone to any church, has had very little religion in his home, and then try to teach him our concepts. We do love this young man and will just keep hoping the Lord will soften his heart. Josie wants more lessons, Edward said 1 may be enough, but he would go to church with us one time, and wear one of George's white shirts and tie. Before they left to my surprise Edward bought me a "Mother's Day Gift" four bars of scented soap, and a delightful scarf. George tells Edward I am his 2nd Mom!

STORY 122 Carolina and Alexander and two children Sol and Aluna for Lunch (Saturday May 15 1 pm see photo) This was a first dinner for them at our apartment. This young mother is the sister to the former Area 70 (who moved to Ely, Nevada). She was baptized as a young girl, but is now inactive. Speaks fluent English as well as daug Sol. Husband (no English) and not attending any church. Parents of (Sol) who is emailing with our granddaughter Madison. They told us they LOVE the emails that are going back and forth, as it is almost 2 to 4 times a week. After the lunch somehow I walked over and got George's (Guatemala Map Chart) to show Carolina. George said later he wondered what in the world I was doing! But to both of our surprise, Carolin sat at George's side for almost an hour and a half and he explained all about the Book of Mormon, the areas he has traveled to, his testimony, and she was totally rapt with attention. I also had Sol fill out the Genealogy Booklet Pedigree and she really enjoyed doing that. The husband played with their little daug with our make shift toys - empty dressing plastic bottles with numbers 1 to 10, and cardboard things that hold new printer drums. Aluna loved them. They left with a promise to come back for more Book of Mormon discussions, had an Ensign (Liahona) in one hand, two Family History booklets, a map (xerox copy of Book of Mormon lands,), said how much they enjoyed the dinner and visit, and then invited us to come to their home 1st Saturday in July for dinner.

STORY 123 A "Surprise Visit" from Adriana who stayed for dinner and Monopoly. (see photo) The door buzzer rang and we thought it was Wilson and family, but to our surprise it was Adriana. (see photo). She came to the apartment building to visit an old friend, and stopped in to see us too. She was baptized a year ago but is falling into inactivity. We gave she and her sister a home teaching visit two to three weeks ago, but will have to crack down on her as to WHY she is not coming to church any more. She really added to the fun of the game. It was the first time she had played. We all had a good time.

STORY 124 Wilson and Ideide and two children for Supper (Saturday May 15 pm see photo) This was another wonderful evening. We had made tacos and al the trimmings. They loved it. Then we promised their son Daniel we would play MONOPOLY. He was thrilled. Each country has their own Monopoly. This was a Chilean Monopoly that was in our apartment when we arrived. We had a good evening. Adriana came right before dinner and stayed for the game too. She was a real hoot. We dearly enjoy this family and inch by inch they are progressing. It was Ideide's sister Cleyde who was recently baptized. This is the family that gave me the ROCK with the lizard carved in it.

STORY 125 New friends Ricardo and Dr. Laurita for Sunday Dinner (Sunday May 16 2 pm - see photo) This is the father of the former Area 70. From meeting them at the farewell dinner, we invited them to come to our home for dinner. She brought a lovely lemon (Chilean pie) with her. We had a lovely dinner, and had them fill out the Genealogy Booklet pedigree. Laurita showed us a photo of she and her mother and her mother's grandmother who lived to be 100. They really like us and invited us back to their home for dinner for his birthday dinner. We showed them the photos of the prophet, counselors, apostles, and seventies, and said how Richard's son was an Area Seventy. They were rapt with attention. We also said we would go to church with them (Catholic Cathedral) here in Antofagasta in the future. We feel we can really connect with this couple. Richardo is 68 so at least in our kind of age group. We told Laurita we would help her with learning English and gave her a book to help her.

STORY 126 Jose came over to help get our Ooma fixed so we can make phone calls to USA. (see photo) No phone calls to Utah until we get it fixed. Jose came over and worked on it for at least 45 minutes, with no luck. We are having to get additional help from the people who set up the original internet for this apartment. No fun, but may take a few weeks.

STORY 127 Leaving on Wednesday to take four 1/2 days off and go to Iquique, Chile. This coming week the IMOS program the church has for the finances, is down for upgrading, and so George has little to do at the office. We had been invited by the other senior couple (the Lawsons) to go to Iquique and visit them and they are going to drive us around sightseeing on Thursday and Friday. They return home to Colorado in July. We will leave on the bus from Antofagasta on Wednesday at 1 pm, be with the Lawsons, attend church in Iquique, and return on at 3 pm bus arriving at 9 pm Sunday evening. Next weeks email and photos should be of a different kind. We did so much missionary meals and contacts this past week, that a break may be good for us.

WOW ...... What a busy past week. We can hardly believe we did all of this too. But we are still alive, but do not have a phone to talk to any of the children at this time. Plus we leave this coming Wednesday at noon to go to the bus station (return Sunday PM), so will have to see what can be done with the phone problem on Monday and Tuesday. Hope when we get back we have EMAILS from All of our children and any family members.

LOVE to your ALL We so need and appreciate your prayers for us and also for the many people we are working with. We will certainly love reading your emails (If) we get them by Tuesday May 17th, as we can not make any phone calls, so hope we can get our Ooma fixed soon.

Love you forever,

Mom and Dad

PS If we do not get BIRTHDAY phone calls to grandson Tanner age 4 on the May 22, sister Glenda called for her birthday May 22, sister Marilyn May 25, and brother-in-law Glenn May 29 please know we will be thinking about each of you and so appreciate your love.

I won't try to name all of the missionaries in the picture, but I pretty much know them all.

Another photo. Margaret is in the center of all of that action. Elder Jaramillo, being carried and Elder Santos on the floor with his legs in front are the AP's.

From left to right Laluna (Young girl), Carolina, Her husband Francisco, and Sol. We had them to dinner on Saturday. Carolina is inactive, the rest are not members of the church. Sol is a pen pal to Madison.

Adriana, a ward member of the Quito Ward just stopped and had dinner with us along within investigator family.

Wilson, Daniel (kids will be kids) Ideide and Pascal. We had them over for a lovely dinner that Margaret cooked. None of them are members of the church, but a lovely family. Pascal treats us like we are her grandparents.

Heavy into a monopoly game. Adriana joined the fun.

Dinner with Laurita and Ricardo. Margaret fixed a lovely dinner for them and us. Notice the big breast of chicken in front of Margaret.

Our friend Jose, who lives in our building. He is not a member, but a good friend and has helped us with the language and with our computer needs. Here he is trying to solve our problem with our phone.

Mother's Day in Chile

DEAR FAMILY

STORY 108 CHILE MISSION TRANSFER PAGE Every six weeks the mission has transfers. They have an IMOS program where the mission president can move the photos around to where he wants to send them (photo by photo). Here is a copy of that page to look at. All of the over 400 missions of the church have the same process. When this picture page is printed the APs (assistants to the president) phone everyone of the missionaries who are being transferred and tell them where they are going. Each mission has Zone leaders for 11 zones (22 elders), Sister Leaders for how many are needed, District Leaders ( depends), Training Leaders (train new missionaries. Then once a month all of these missionaries about 40, all come to the mission office and have a meeting, receive instruction, get the mail to take back to their zone in their luggage, and we prepare a LUNCH for 45 to 48 people. This happens one time a month.

STORY 109 PHOTOS OF THE OFFICE MISSIONARIES One of the office elders made this for me. These are photos of all of the young elders we have served with since we arrived to this mission on May 29, 2016. Tanner Mangum is at the top of the list of the APs as he was just going home the same day we arrived. It comes to about 20 photos. Plus I had them put the photo of the only other senior couple who serves in this mission but no in the office. They live in Alto Hospicio.

STORY 110 MOTHERS DAY in CHILE They have the same day for mother's day. They had a program at the barrio (ward), but we could not go, that took place on Saturday pm. Today on Sunday at Relief Society they passed out a photo card someone had made for each lady, then they let Relief Society out early and all of the little children (about 20, came in with little bottles of M & Ms with a bow on top to give to their mothers. It was really sweet to see them all looking around for their mothers. Then they had extra ones for the other ladies.

STORY 111 CHILEAN WARD (Barrio) SACRAMENT PROGRAMS They have a really lovely cover in color for the program, but they print only about 20 and put them on a table sort of in a fan style. The early ones pick them up and then they are gone. I guess it encourages the Chilean people to come early.

STORY 112 CHILEAN PIANO PRELUDE MUSIC for SACRAMENT MEETING ( We have one Young Teen Ager) He is the son of the new Area Authority and plays the piano beautifully. Our barrio has two piano players. We are fortunate. Almost any other ward (barrio) that we have gone to DO NOT have a piano player, unless one of the missionaries play the piano. Most wards all just sing accapella, for all of the singing of hymns with no piano. We are very fortunate to have prelude music and two great Chilean young students who play the piano.

Family and Our Family News

STORY 113 We enjoyed seeing on Facebook Brad and Sherry Fawson's new baby girl, Kristin's daug's new baby, photos of other family members. We do not spend much time looking through this but we do spend about 10 minutes a week. We also enjoyed hearing about Amy and Landon purchasing a home in Highland (above Lehi) still in Utah County. They will be moving there the end of June. It is a home in a really nice neighbor hood and will be a really nice place to raise their family of six children. Landon works in South Salt Lake City, so that is a good choice for his commute. Hannah is all settled in at BYU taking Spanish and World Religions. She has only about 40 days before she enters the MTC on June 22 for Orlando Florida (Spanish speaking).

STORY 114 EIGHT MOTHER'S DAY PHONE CALLS

CALL 1 from Stephanie - We loved hearing the two children speak to us Tanner and Lincoln. We loved hearing Tanner sing Pop Corn Popping on the Apricot Tree. We loved seeing the pancake shapes Stephanie makes for her sons for breakfast. It was so nice talking to Stephanie and appreciate her kind comments to us. We enjoyed seeing the BLOG photos of her children and sad to see her tree branch down, plus some of the wind damage to her neighbors shed roof. Beautiful baby Russell. We told Stephanie we want her to call us and play a piano song for us in the near future.

CALL 2 from daug. Amy - We heard the big news that they are purchasing a home in Highland. We spent the next half hour looking at the photos of the home and all that is going on with the Densleys. We were so glad Laura could meet them for the first looking and was there to help when they made the decision to get it. We are SO happy for them to have finally decided on a place to live. Wonderful schools, wonderful neighborhood. Their prayers have surely been answered, even if it took a long time. Loved seeing photos of Miles and Russell together on Stephanie's blog. We told Stephanie she has some wonderful siblings she can call and get advice from in raising children, seeing as she is at the end of the line. Here they call the last child a WaWa!

CALL 3 from daug. Julie - We loved hearing about all that is going on with Michaela flying down for EFY to go with Heidi. We also enjoyed seeing the embroidery that Julie had done of a Family Tree with all of the names of her children and parents on it. We just loved her handiwork. They are getting excited for Jennah and her new upcoming experience at BYU Idaho. We also appreciated Julie's many sincere comments of appreciation to us, for the years when we were in the thick of raising a family. Jennah graduates from Virtual High School this year

CALL 4 from daug. Laura - This was a double surprise as the package she mailed to us came on Friday and she had sent us all of our Christmas cards. We had such a good time opening them. Then she sent a book called the Lion and the Lamb a story of a couple who went and lived in Palmyra New York. It was for me, but George got it and read it all through on Saturday. He and Laura had a good time talking about this. I will read it next. Thank you so much Laura.

CALL 5 from son Jonathan - Earlier in the week. We so appreciated the long conversation we had with him as he was driving home. We can hardly believe his family will reduced to three children come end of June when Kristin and Spencer will be at BYU. Their family is planning a trip to Nauvoo for a BIG family trip before Kristin and Spencer leave. Kristin graduates from High School this year.

CALL 6 from son David - We appreciated seeing him on Skype and talked for almost an hour. It was so fun seeing Danica who will be in 5th grade next fall. We reminded Danica that I was in 5th grade when my parents sent me up to Salt Lake City to live with my Grandmother Hall from January to May. I loved that experience. We asked if Danica wanted to come and live with us next year? No response! Not even a fat chance. They are planning a wonderful family trip to New York in November to see Dayton in the Thanksgiving parade, and will also stop and see Merrill's family in Indiana.

CALL 7 from Merrill - We had a long visit with him on Friday PM,. and received some lovely photos of he and Jen. They were celebrating their first date together. We pray daily for his new business that all will keep going well for him. Jen is also substituting at the High School or Grade Schools as needed to help out. We are so proud of their family and what Merrill is doing in the bishopric. There is so much good that can be done when you are in a leadership position and can help raise the ward to a higher level of performance.

CALL 8 from Bryan and Lisa - We had such a lovely visit with them Saturday PM for over an hour and they told us about all of the trees they were planting in their two large lots covering nearly 9 acres. They will have planted over 150 trees counting last year and this year. The latest trees they planted were 6 Sasafras trees, 10 Black Walnut trees, 14 Hazel Nut trees, 4 Mullbery trees, and 4 Pawpaw trees.They have also found two large box turtles on their property, by the spring. They also put in a Blue Bird House, and have surely enjoyed their new home and the surroundings. They are sending me Amazing Grace (movie) on Amazon for Mother's day. They moved in, in June of 2014 so it will soon be two years.

STORY 115 A SURPRISE Mother's Day BOX - Our Chilean friends Wilson and Ideide brought over a box for mother's day and left it at the down stairs desk. We went down and got it, and inside was the BIG rock with the lizard carved into the rock, plus some pomagranites, and avocado from Ovalle. It was a big surprise! Photos included.

CLOSING REMARKS - We have often heard an OLD saying that "You will not know how good of parents you have been until you see your grandchildren." We surely appreciate the wonderful parents all of you are, your fine spouses, and all that you are doing and giving to your children - musical talents, many opportunities, instilling good goals, teaching solid gospel principals. We send all of you our love and truly appreciate your prayers. This has been very HARD to be on this mission at our ages of 73 (nearly 74) and 76, and having to LEARN a new language, but we do LOVE sharing the gospel, and have over 20 different households that we are working with. We have only had ONE baptism, but do pray that hearts will be softened and we will have others that we are working with read the Book of Mormon, obtain testimonies and accept the restored gospel. We also enjoy the jobs we do at the office, and know someone has to do them, and it might as well be us, Thanks again for your prayers in our behalf. We pray for each of you too, and remember the blessing we received when we left, that OUR Children and grandchildren would be Blessed while we are gone..

Love (amor) to All from Antofagasta Chile on Mother's Day 2016

Mom and Dad

PHOTOS SENT MAY 8, 2016

District meeting mom and sister missionaries

Office Elders working in the office

Mother's day gifts from ward, friend Ideide and Laura's book

Maria talking to David in Spanish on the phone

Will have to send a CHURCH program next week.

Elder Jaramillo from Chile, who is one of the AP's

Elder Huffstutler from Alabama

Elder Spanbauer from Idaho and Elder Morales from Coception, Chile

Elder Santos, one of the AP's, from Brasil

Elder Walker from St. George, Utah. He is my financial assistant

The lovely sister missionaries in our district. Left to right, Hermana Talbot, Caraveo, Cortes, Caceres,Scolise, Gemin, and Spaulding

Maria Antioneta talking to David on the telephone. She is one of our investigators. She is a lovely person and belongs to the Evangelical Church

Hermana Freedman and Cabellero. Margaret became quite fond of Hermana Cabellero from Paraguay. She goes home this week.

The Elders who work in the office. Elders Huffstutler, Spanbauer, Morales, Walker, Jaramillo, and Santos

Mother's Day book received from Laura and a rock lizard received from one of our investigators

Another foto of a lizard carved from rock. It scared mom when she opened it.

Missionaries who have served in the office with us

Mission organization of all the missionaries in the mission.

Margaret's Mother's Day card given at the church.

Sunday, May 1, 2016

Ward Talent Show and RS Dinner

DEAR FAMILIES, April 1, 2016 Fast Sunday in Antofagasta, Chile

(March 24 to April 1 in 2016)

We can hardly believe we are only 18 days from the date we started our mission on May 18, 2015. The days just fly by, but we do keep very busy, and truly believe when we go home it will be a vacation from what we do here day in and day out. But we came here to serve, and serve we must do so that we make the most of every day we have here to serve the Lord in this way. Since your father has done the weekly emails for the past two months (all of March and 3 weeks of April) I will; start here on STORY 96, my last number I had used when I did the family news sent on March 2.

STORY 96a FAMILY MISSIONARIES UPDATE A quick review of missionaries out or soon to go from the Fawson side of the family Emily Smith Jolley's daug has been called to Brazil on a mission, Kenneth Welling's son Truman has been called to Bangkok, Thailand and enters the MTC on Aug 3. Laura's daug Hannah soon will be going to Orlando, Florida (Spanish) enters MTC on June 22, therefore FIVE missionaries will soon be in the field counting your cousin Stephen Fawson's son Robert is in the Phillipines, and our own David Talbot's son Dallin in California, Fresno. My parents would be pleased to have this many of their great grandchildren accepting the call to serve.

STORY 96b OUR OWN FAMILY NEWS We were so happy for Laura's daug. Hannah to be accepted at BYU Spring Term as a Guest Student. She is taking a Spanish class and a World Religions class - excellent choices to learn more on before she leaves on her mission. Jon reports that Spencer and Kristin will both be at BYU for Summer Term. Their family will be going to Nauvoo for a family vacation, David tells us that his family is driving back to New York for the Thanksgiving Day Parade where Dayton will be playing the trombone with his school band. Stephanie and David expanded their back yard by taking out the existing fence and laid some sod last week. Bryan & Lisa have a fox den on their property with little young foxes. Merrill will be having company from David's family in November. Laura's Michaela is flying to Texas to go to Especially for Youth with Heidi. Julie's daug. Jennah will be going to BYU Idaho in August. Amy and Landon are still looking for a home. We pray for each member of our family daily as we wish we were home to help more anywhere we can.

STORY 97 EMAIL PAL for MADISON Enclosed this week is a photo of Amy's daug. Madison with her siblings that she sent to "Sol" (means sun) a little 10 year old girl here who turns 11 on May 17. She attended the Chilean International school where they only speak English, so she is fluent in English at her age. We met Sol at a goodbye dinner for our Chilean friends (former) area 70 Richardo and his wife Catherine. They left last Monday on a flight to the USA (Ely, Nevada) where he has accepted a job for 3 years working for a big Copper Mine as the head accountant. They invited us to the going away dinner at Richardo's father's home on ARGENTINA Ave. Sol is the daug. of Richardo's sister Carolina. Carolina was baptized as a child, but has since left the church. We made friends with them at the dinner and told Sol that we would give her name & email to our granddaughter Madison. Enclosed is a photo of that email. We plan to visit Sol and her family today. She has one younger sister Aluna who is a Downs Syndrome child age 5.

STORY 98 HAPPY BIRTHDAY to JULIA. Since today is her 12th birthday and such a big one as she starts Young Woman. For the Jewish community, this birthday is huge. It is huge for our young granddaughters and grandsons too. We are so excited for her and particularly as her birthday is actually on Sunday too, May 1. It is hard to believe that I flew out to be with this new baby in Texas and it has now been 12 years ago.

STORY 99 PHONE CALL to CLEYDE - We called her in Ovalle, Chile yesterday and she told us that although she was baptized on April 17, she would receive the Holy Ghost today at Sacrament Meeting. We are so very happy for her. This is such a BIG step for people to join the church and take onto themselves all of the covenants and commitments that go with baptism. Many of you may have read earlier that David our own son served in Ovalle, Chile for several months when he was on his mission. We hope he will email her (Cleyde) today or this week and help fellowship her into the new church she has just joined. These new members need all of the encouragment and support they can get from members when they are so new.

STORY 100 ANOTHER TRY to GET PEOPLE to READ BOOK of MORMON Last week we took the Child's Book of Mormon (with many photos and in Spanish) and scanned some pages from the Joseph Smith story (3 pages), Lehi story (2 pages), and whole book of Ether pages (about 10 pages) and put them into a little spiral bound booklet. We made two of these and plan to use the to introduce the Book of Mormon to see if we can get more of an interest. We will EMAIL a photo copy of this and of our TIMELINE we made (for you in English) also made in (Spanish). It has occupied a lot of our time making these and getting them translated into over the past two months, making new GRAPHICS to use. We will try to send a few scans of these each week.

STORY 101 FIRST TRY WITH LITTLE B of M PICTURE BOOK - We took this to the home of Ideide and Wilson. We also purchased 4 empanadas and took some salsa we had made for dinner for this family. Then after dinner we brought out the little booklet and went over the story of the Tower of Babel and had them read Genesis 11:2 and compare to Ether 1:33. They were very receptive and said they would read the book of Ether this week. After this lesson we played ROOK. They really like this game and we had a good time.

STORY 102 OUR STREET ON BELLAVISTA AND A NEW CONTACT It has been torn up now for the past three months. We have sent pictures earlier. Now they are coming almost in front of our building. The big equipment digs down at least 10 to 12 feet and they are relaying pipes, etc. Since Antofagasta is built on ROCK, they have to chip away at the rocks. It is a noisy and long process. Our water was turned off two times this past week for several hours. George always says hello to the workers as we pass by. Today he was at Lider's grocery story and a Chilean came up and acted like he knew George. George did not know him. He said he was one of the workers that George has smiled and waved to. Then he gave George his name to have the missionaries come. Amazing what a "Smile and a Wave" can do.

STORY 103 BAND ON OUR STREET - We were walking home on Saturday from going to visit Jordan and a loud loud band was playing. We entered the school front entrance gate and saw this band. The class members were all dressed up in blue and white ready for some kind of performance. George took a photo. People in Chile LOVE their bands. The drums are Big and make a very Loud sound. They will perform today on Sunday and perhaps we can go see them after Church. We were not able to, as we were visiting with investigators.

STORY 104 HELPING WITH ENGLISH and HELPING US with SPANISH - We have a trade with a family in the North (members). We will go there today and help the two children with Spanish, and the mother takes the bus to our home on Tuesday mornings at 8:30 to 9:30 am to help us with Spanish. We pay for her bus tickets to and from. It is working out. We purchased the two children (teen agers) some English from Spanish books and we are using them, but they are written in Spanish but they work out OK.

STORY 105 BLESSING NEW BABIES Each country must do this a little different. Here in Chile sometimes the mother carries the baby up and stands close to the circle but not in the circle for the blessing, then the father holds the baby up to show the audience. This would really shock a Provo Utah congregation.If the blessing is for an older child they just walk up. One time the child did not want the men's hands on his head and kept pushing them off. This went on for sometime, and then I think they just lightly touched his hair.

STORY 106 SERVING the SACRAMENT in a CHILEAN WARD Here, they do not let late comers have it. Someone stands outside the door and holds it. After the sacrament a whole lot of people enter the area, that were not served the sacrament. In Utah wards I have been in they take the sacrament out to the people in the foyer.

STORY 107 THE ANTOFAGASTA CHILE STAKE ALL WOMEN DINNER This was quite the occasion. According to Chilean time, things start 1 hour later than the assigned time. (Church times aren't this way - just activities). The stake cultural hall was set up with over 25 tables with white cloths and blue squares and real flowers centerpieces. They also had bows on the chairs, and some chairs with white coverings similar to a wedding reception etc.. Then there were 8 young men (teacher age) dressed in black slacks, white long shirts and black bow ties who served the meal. We were told to come at 7, able to sit down at 8, started serving food about 8:30 to 9:30. The women brought their own drinks (bottles of pop, juice, coke cola, sprite, etc. This is kind of the way it is. Sometimes you bring your own plate and silverware too. I told them we do not do this in USA wards or at least the Utah wards I have been in. Our table did not have anyone who brought drink, so one kind lady left and went and purchased some. I didn't know or I could have brought something. The food was wonderful a (first a crepe with corn & meat inside, and then bunched up like a basket and tied with a strand off from a long green onion stem cut longways to give many strands. Second = meat and curried rice were nice too. I did not stay for the desert. The other thing that was SO nice is that each barrio (ward) had a film presentation honoring every woman who had ever been president of that ward. Then they had photos of the women. current presidency, etc. of that ward doing their activities for the year. That went on throughout the meal and before, only three wards of the 7 had done this before I had to leave at 9:45 as we took two sister missionaries home to be in their apartments by 10. This affair must have lasted until 11 pm or later. The women in Chile LOVED it. They also had large photos on one wall of all of the presidents of the Relief Society since Emma Smith. It was a very very nice affair. Just long, and started 1 hour after the starting time. But that is Chilean time.

ENDING WORDS - Well, that is all I can say at this time. We have a busy time coming up again. 18 missionaries going home and 9 coming. We get a new president and wife, the end of June. The young missionaries in the office have been really good to work with. We have 7 Latins coming in and only 2 Gringos. That is what they call us (Gringos) and from any South Amerrican County (Latins). This mission will be down to under 190 soon as 18 go home in the next 6 weeks too, middle of June.

We are so glad we can serve this mission and help anywhere we can. We so appreciate all that each of you do to build up the Kingdom in your own wards and where ever you live. For each of us we are ALL on MISSIONS. It is ONE BIG mission to just do whatever you can, where ever you are, to and for anyone you can, to help build FAITH, and SHARE the GOSPEL.

Love Always Mom and Dad

Ward talent night. The little girl sang well.

Ben and Monica Cruz did a Columbian dance which was impressive

Another foto of the dance

Dinner at the Jimenez home. The father collects clocks an owls.

Owl collection

Father Jimenez with his owls.

Elder Jimenez and his wife Catherine. They are moving today to Ely, Nevada for three years. They want to meet us in Oak City, and go to Oak City Days.

Elder Jimenez's sister Carolina and her husband and daughter Sol.

Father Jimenez with his live in girl friend, Laurita.

This is Sol, their daughter. She would like to be a pen pal with Madison. She speaks good English. Her email address is solraylen@gmail.com She is not a member of the church even though her mother was baptized some years ago, although inactive. She is 11 years old.