Another busy past week just became a memory. Amy and Landon arrived back from Hawaii with the family. They are moving into our basement in Provo, until they can close on their home the end of June. We are so glad we can help them out in this way. They will probably help us out too by watering our bushes and trees. It is winter here in Chile, but summer in Provo. We also appreciated seeing the photo of Stephanie and her three children who took flowers to Robert's grave on Memorial Day. This is always a sad day for us. Also we so appreciated having Stephanie pick flowers from our yard to take to the cemetery. The big rose she sent us a photo of, was simply beautiful.Merrill's rose bush gift given to me many years ago for Mother's Day is still giving us yearly gifts, and this year it went really overboard. (see photo if we can take and send it to you)
Our SPIRITUAL THOUGHT for this week would have to be - "To just keep trying to work at anything you are trying to change or perfect in your life. We have found that a more extended daily personal scripture study time has really changed our thoughts and attitudes plus has increased our knowledge. Also it seems to have increased our being in tune with the spirit so we can receive the little still small voice promptings. This is something you would not have to be on a formal mission to obtain. Just takes a larger block of time."
PHOTOS Sent (June 3rd Friday)
Sent a photo of the school that goes with last weeks photos
Sent a photo of Lucy and Sergio and their son.
Sent a photo of the pineapple cake they brought to us
Sent a photo of Gabriella who helps to teach us Spanish served in Jon's mission at same time.
Sent Past Trip Photos
Sent a photo of the sunset while walking on the beach
Sent a photo of our hotel taken from the beach
Sent three photos of the Brazian dancers in their costumes
Sent these (June 4th Saturday)
Sent a photo of Graciano and family from Origines Ward
Sent a photo of Hermana Casseros from Bolivia
Sent a photo of the new booklets on Serving and Temples
STORY 141 (New Church Booklets) Monday May 30 at the office. Upon arriving to the office two new boxes of booklets arrived from Church Headquarters (see photo) showing two new booklets that go with missionary lessons. These are called "Service in the Church" and "Temples and Families". The ones that came were in English. George took a photo for you to see them. The church is trying to KEEP the people who are baptized, in the church and teach them that being baptized means they now SERVE in taking a church assignment and doing other things. It is a long long process from baptism to full conversion. Chile will really benefit from these two new lesson booklets. (see photo)
STORY 142 (Jose Came to Dinner and Ship Discussion) Monday May 30. We had our friend to dinner again and had soup, salad, and a fruit cup. No photos. But his hobby is following the Chilean Ships and other historical ships. We brought him a booklet back from Iquique on the Ship Esmeralda and since it was in Spanish during the meal he proceeded telling us all about the photos and translating the captions into English. After this discussing he took us to the computer and asked for SHIP BUCKET LIST and then clicked on Chile. He showed us some more ships. We then told him we wanted him to watch Journey of Faith and learn about the ship that Nephi built. He was agreeable, but it was 90 minutes long and he could only stay for 45 minutes of it so we will finish it next Monday with him. George and I watched the rest of it and the SHIP portion was done really well. The JOURNEY of FAITH CD is well worth the cost. We so appreciated Laura mailing it to us for Christmas. Our mission is all of your missions too, we are in this all together as a family, and so appreciate your prayers for us and for the people we are working with.
STORY 143 (Dice Family Came to Dinner and We Played Yahtzee) Tuesday May 31 No English a full Spanish husband, wife and son age 8. We determined from comments made this was their first time being with Mormons. But they told us they were Catholics and that they attended the down town central Cathedral for church. After the meal we played the dice game, as you recall this was the couple who purchased the dice for us and brought them to our door. They very much enjoyed the game. We FIND that the Chilean parents have small laptops for their children or phones and they are constantly playing games with them, or doing other activities. We introduced to this family the concept of a "Family Home Evening" where those things are not allowed and they do something together. We had our two lists (one in English one in Spanish) with:
FAMILY HOME EVENING (one page charts)
One in English One in Spanish
"Family Home Evening" "Noche de Hogar"
Opening Prayer Primera Oracion
Sing a Song Cancion
Share a Scripture Compartir una Escritura
Have a Lesson Tener una Leccion
Play a Game Jugar un Juego
Enjoy a Treat Disfrutar un Postre
Closing Prayer Ultima Oracion
So we did just this. Instead of reading scriptures or having a lessons we bought out our (Spanish and English) Proclamation to the Family and wanted them to take turns reading it. To our surprise the little son age 8 in 2nd Grade (segundo is second in Spanish) wanted to read too. His reading was fantastic. He could sound out all of the works and had proper pronunciation. We were certain he may not know what some of the words meant but he could read them. It was a very lovely evening and we set up another date the end of June to have them come for another meal and another game for another home evening together. (see two photos one of the family one of the cake they brought)
STORY 144 (Made Brownies for the Office Staff) Thursday June 2 One of the office elders (Elder Morales) from Conception Chile has helped me a lot with making our hand outs into Spanish with words here and there. So I promised him some brownies. The office elders love treats like this and made a big deal out of it. I purchased the regular brownie mixes in boxes, but then instead of water, use grated Zucchini that they sell in Chile, plus another egg. It seems to work well and makes them more nutricious. We have really enjoyed working with the office young elders. The new elder from Alabama (Elder Huffstettler) is one of the nicest elders we have had yet. He will make some young woman a very nice husband some day.
STORY 145 (Gabriela Hermana Trigo) Wednesday June 1 This is an amazing story. We met Gabriela at the last General Conference session at the La Portada Stake building. We had gone to that building to meet up with some investigators but they did not come. On our way walking out we met this man who spoke some English. He said his wife spoke English too. We met her and their two children. She was SO wonderful and wanted to help us with Spanish and then we would help her children with English. She started coming to our apartment once a week. We went to her home too, to work with the children. We purchased THREE Spanish books on how to learn English. (Spanish Text) English Words. Then she said she wanted to come to our apartment three days in a row. On this day we found out that she served a MISSION in the same mission as our son Jonathan and during the same time (Santiago Chile North 1990-1992). The next day she brought 6 photos from her mission. We sent an email to Jon about this and then George sent the photos to our son Jon. Jon sent them on to his mission president's wife. The photo sent to you is only of Gabriella. Jon did not remember her, nor her him, but they served in the same mission and at the same time. She was 26 when she served and the president used her to help with the younger sister missionaries. She did not marry until she was 36 and had two children one at age 38 and another at age 38. She is now age 53. Gabriella has been wonderful to help us with our Spanish.
This Gabriela Trigo who has been helping us with our Spanish. Interestingly enough, she served in the same mission as Jonathan, and at the same time. They do not remember each other, but had the same mission president. It is a small world in the church
STORY 146 (Origines Ward Family came to dinner at our apartment) Thursday June 2 We met this family after church last Sunday. The husband (Graciano) and (Camila) told us that they were leaving Chile to go to Utah in the United States in August, and he is studying English. We felt impressed to invite them over for supper. We were able to tell them all about Utah, Deseret Industries etc. where they can purchase things at a very cheap price, plus about the Front Runner train system, and many other things that they really appreciated. This man told us that his father and mother died when he was young (mother at age 4 and father at age 8). He was then raised by a grandmother who died when he was age 13, and he then went to live with an Aunt. He met his current wife (a member) and was introduced to the gospel and joined the church. They have two children. The little boy enjoyed our toys (over 25 cardboard ends from printer refills for ink and about 20 plastic dressing tall skinny bottles). We have big boxes of both that we have for children to play with. Parents are shocked how much their children enjoy playing with this (no cost) toys. The family left so glad they came and were so appreciative of the information we gave them. (sent a family Causiano photo)
Gaciano & Camila and children Donato And Josefina. Members moving to Utah in August.
STORY 147 (Last Leadership Council Meeting for this President and Wife) Friday June 3 We are doing our last last last things with this current leadership as their mission ends in 25 days and the new president and his wife arrive. The new leadership are Chilean and both only speak Spanish. Elder Morales (office elder) is from Conception and he gives us this kind of information. We worked all day long for this monthly event associated with serving 49 people lunch the food prep, the clean up and then taking down all of the long tables and chairs (which you know George always does the lions share) plus putting everything away associated with the days events. We were both tired when we walked home at 5:45 pm. This LAST meeting for this mission leadership, consists of the missionaries (zone leaders, district leaders, and sister trainer leaders who all come in on bus from all over the mission for: 1) bringing in the original baptism records, 2) for instructions and 3) mail and magazines are put in their luggage and missionary supplies, to take them back to their zones, and districts. These missionaries all BRING letters and packages that they are sending to former companions so it is really a big day handling all of these kinds of things. They start arriving at 7 am and leave on buses between 6 and 8 pm to go back.
STORY 148 (Hermana Caseros from Bolivia) Friday June 3 She has been particularly friendly with us and returns to Bolivia in two weeks. She came to the leadership training meeting and hugged and said goodbye. We took her photo with her by the map and she is pointing to Bolivia. (see photo of her pointing to map)
Hermana Caceres from Bolivia who goes home next week. She is pointing to Bolivia.
We love all of you so very much. George may be able to get Ooma fixed this week, but also again he may not. We do LOVE and READ your emails. We do appreciate hearing from any of you and loved the emails from Laura, Merrill, Stephanie and Amy, and Dallin.
Love Mom and Dad
We had the Brasil folklore dancers pose for us.
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