Mom's/ Carol's journal entry

Sunday, July 27, 2008

I just spoke to Mom and Dad,/Grandpa and Grandma, and told them that I have been writing down lots of thoughts, even in some jumbled, bulleted note form, just to get them down so to not forget and Dad reminded me when he used to say to his jury: “Even the dullest pencil is better than the sharpest memory.” That is true and reminds me to make sure that I get these details down, so that they don’t escape us and slip through our fingers or minds, in our case.
Hence, here are the notes from the past, whirlwind week:
Attended the Temple our first time here in Santiago, July 18th, with the 5 latin missionaries who are going home on Tues. It was quite a memory for me, as I loved being inside a new temple that I have never seen before, and then realize that the Lord really loves all of His children and wants the eternal saving ordinances for each one, that’s why the work is done one at a time there. They don’t rent the clothes here, if you need them, (like we do until our shipment arrives with our temple clothes) they give them to you to use. No cost. I changed into my white temple clothes, and then stood in line to receive a name, and as I looked to the front of the line, I saw myself in the mirror on the wall, near the front of the line, with about 6-7 sisters in front of me, all of their heads hit about my chin level, and my head was towering over them all, and I suddenly saw that they are smaller and shorter, and it shocked me. I guess because just speaking with them, kissing them on the cheeks, each one greeting each other, hugging to get acquainted as the Latins do, feeling a spiritual connection with them, I hadn’t noticed or felt that I was that different, but in body I really was. I just ignored that and then entered the session. That’s when more of the differences began. I hadn’t really thought of the whole session being in Spanish, but it was of course, and suddenly I was concentrating so hard, to understand each part, listen to the words, try to understand the sentences, when I knew what they should say in English. Then I started to get this claustrophobic panic that, ‘Yikes, I need to know and do this in Spanish. I don’t know this, I wish I could escape and get out of here, doing it in another language! J I looked over and grimaced at Mike and he just sympathetically smiled and gave me a confident wink and nod, knowing that I would be alright and make it through. I knew that they would help me, but it was humbling because I always ‘prided’ myself if being able to go through without any mistakes, errors, help, etc, and now I needed help. It was another teaching moment that the Lord knows I need to have.
We were expecting to go to the airport early on Tues morning, at 5:30am our group was to arrive from the MTC/Provo. However, we rec’d a call at home saying that their flight was cancelled because of jet troubles, and they were in the Dallas airport, staying in a hotel and would fly out the next day. Sarah and I were in Mike’s office when he rec’d the call and he said to the SLC mission flight dept, “El vuelo fue canelado?” (Asking if the flight had been cancelled?) and Sarah pipes up to me, “a grandpa died?” because she interpreted it as , Vuelo=flight, Abuelo=Grandpa, cancelado=cancelled, cancelled out=she thought meant died! We all laughed together at that one!
We went with the assistants to the CCM/MTC here to pick up the 3 new Latin missionaries who have been here for 3 weeks only, doing Predicad mi Evangelio training. We took them to the mission home and did some simple training with them, took pictures with them, fed them some food, gave them the overview in Spanish of the basics they need, had their trainers come to take them to their new areas. It was a busy and long day. This sameTuesday night we had the 5 missionaries come to the mission home who are going home in the morning on Wed. Mike gave each one an ending interview, along with a blessing, which was sweet for him and them, and then we had a nice lasagna dinner and the testimony meeting afterwards. We have a mission board in the dining room, similar to the one Mike has in his office and one in the main mission office downtown. This one however, is listed in alphabetical order, and as the missionaries leave the mission, they remove their own photo, and move it across the board, to the left side, to those who are leaving and when we leave the mission, we will have about 450-500 missionaries total, who we will have served with. I will keep those pictures ourselves. These 5 are precious to us already in 4 weeks.
The Tuellers gave me the suggestion of an idea that they had heard of during their mission: I also asked them to bring me a tie/corbata that they will leave with me, the sisters bringing a sleeve cut off from a missionary blouse or shirt, showing our hearts are still ‘tied’/atado together, and the sisters wear their hearts on their sleeves, sharing important things together, with our hearts and not even time, distance, or age will really have us part. When I return home in 3 years, the plan is that I hope to make a quilt, using these ties, sleeves, etc and bring it to our mission reunions, so that they can point out their own to their wives and children saying, “This was my favorite, or I loved that tie, or my investigator so-and-so, gave me that one….etc.” They loved it and brought it.
It was easier to say goodbye at night, because we told them we would see them off at the airport early the next day. They were shocked and surprised that we would be there at 5:30am, when the earliest one left at 6:30am. We were up by 4am, showering/dressing and out the door by 4:30am. Now however we know that at that early hour, there is NO traffic and we made it to the airport in 20 minutes tops. Easy drive.
Speaking of driving…I have to put this in….Mike says he needs a helmet and driving gloves. He is becoming bien chileno, as he races around fast, speeds thru the lanes, and we howl that people will drive with their perpetual blinker on showing a right turn, and then they cut right in front of us, in their left lane, no use for their blinker. They don’t let others in, cut you off, swerve in tiny spaces where you think they can’t possibly fit, and then also stop right in your lane, put on their emergency flashers and head into a store, so you are forced to anticipate that move and go around them! The first time we drove on the autopista I about had my foot thru the front floor, trying to do the braking from the front passenger seat, my hand gripping the door, like that would help if we were hit, sideswiped, or pushed ahead. On the way home, Mike pushed my seat further back, so my legs could rest from doing the sitting leg press exercises I was forcing upon myself!
Many times, Mike and Sarah both laugh and tell me to cover my eyes, as I’m squeeling from the shotgun seat to, “watch out, slow down, don’t hit that bus, watch out for that lady, look out this guys merging….” They get tired of my panics so hopefully someday I’ll stop. It doesn’t bother me a bit driving though. I guess it must be a control issue/ or lack of control problem I feel! J
Back to the airport…this is a new happening in our mission. The other mission presidents come to see their new and old missionaries in and out of the country, but the Duncans didn’t, so we are starting a new system here. We sat with those who were leaving and hugged them goodbye as they each went thru individually, at different hours as their planes departed for Argentina, Columbia, Peru, etc. It was tender and sweet. However Mike was relieved that he was there to pay $150.00 overweight baggage for one of our missionaries who Mike says comes from real poverty situation, and is going home with more than he ever had before. What a blessing that the church helps to supply some needful things to those who can’t afford much before this. Mike and I went to the “Gatsby” restaurant in the airport for a simple breakfast buffet, while we were waiting in between flights. Then about 9am, we headed down stairs to wait for the arrivals of our 6 new missionaries coming in from the Provo MTC/Dallas delayed, and it was exciting. I kind of tried to imagine what our Greg will be feeling when he arrives here in about 3 weeks. We don’t know if we’ll be able to see him when he comes, but I’d like to hide out in the baggage claim area with eagle eyes looking for him. We haven’t heard if he has any time in the layover when he arrives here, before he flies on to Concepcion. We’ll wait to hear. These missionaries were a bit tired looking, but all were eager to hug Mike, as we had seen and taught them in Provo, while we were there for the NMP Seminar. Great bunch, their Spanish had improved, and they seemed really eager to listen to every tidbit that we were sharing with them. We drove to the mission home, the financial secty gave them their debit cards, they filled out paper work for their visas, info for our office, and wrote their parents a short letter we would scan and email home. We gave them some empanadas for a snack, with fruit, yogurt, juice and let them sit and visit with us first. They noticed the board in the dining room, and we told them where their pictures would now go up here for the next 18mos/2 years, til they move them across like those did last night. You could tell that they were excited to get on their, and one of our missionaries was a bit more bold and asked us if we had any alfajores. That surprised Sarah, that he would be so forward, but I think that he wanted us to know that he knows some things about Chile. We took pictures with them in the front yard, and then we took them up to the Cerro de San Cristobal, and gave then a lookout view of our mission. We reminded them of the Lord's vision for them here in Chile. There are multitudes waiting here in Santiago Norte for them to be bold and share their testimonies. Their new shoes are shiny and ready and in 2 years will be worn out in the service of the Lord. We shared with them DyC 128:19 “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of them bringing glad tidings of good things…” like the Gospel to the people here in the Santiago North Mission. They loved seeing it from up high. Mike and I put our feet in too, and we felt like a huddle in a football team, working together for the same purpose. We all loved being there together, The assistants loved it too.
Next time I’ll know to wear lower, practical, stair-climbing shoes, like Hermana Bowen!
---see the fotos here, on blog, since won't attache directly!---

After we arrived back to the mission home, Mike interviewed each one, gave them a blessing and then we fed them some other snacks, had their trainers come, and after Mike had already interviewed each missionary, the spirit guides him to know exactly who should pair with whom. It was a real miracle to see the wonderful matches that the Lord needed each to have. We loved to see the trainer go over, give them a big hug, sit with them, arm around them, reaching out already to help the new one feel welcome and loved. It is a beautiful step that we loved to see take place.
As if that wasn’t a busy enough day, the next morning, without skipping a beat from yesterday day’s 4am start time, today we had to bounce back up early, still get in exercise and then be ready for the 9am training in our house that started for those who are 1 change/6wks ago new. We trained with them, in the living room, with their trainers, so that they could have more basic overview again. It was a good thing, and again I try to have food, sandwiches, empanadas, or snacks for them, even if it is for them on the way out the door. They just love being offered any food that someone has made, and they didn’t have to buy themselves. Besides being in this large lovely home, that reminds them that someone cares about them, none of them live in settings like this, so it is pure pleasure for them to even come in with carpet, beautiful furniture, warm bathrooms, and have someone there tell them they are great and doing wonderful work. We love them and tell them, so they don’t have to guess or wonder. They are unique and gifted. We see how magnificently the Lord created such great people to help spread His gospel at this time.
Just like our Elder Steve, Elder Matt, Elder Greg, and the rest to follow….. Wonderfully prepared!
Friday, July 25th we rose early again, with another long day of training with the new missionaries, their trainers and the last 2 change groups all together, with a total of 28 of us, all to have lunch. It was a challenge for me, trying to do my speaking, training section, and then keep slipping into the kitchen to make sure Keka was getting the whole meal correct. (I found a crock pot in our pantry, so we had mini empanadas I had ordered from a nearby bakery, with green salad for first course, and then made Mom’s/Dora’s chicken with chicken soup/sourcream sauce over rice, sliced green beans/slivered almonds and Sarah’s homemade Costco brownies, topped with authentic whip cream and ice cream topping. The whole meal was a real hit, they’ve never eaten in the double dining rooms before and with 28 of us, we just about filled it to capacity. What an initiation to this work!)
Mike asked me to teach about Fe, Esperanza, y Caridad. Here are some of my basic notes:
I talked about faith is believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, Savior of us all. He can forgive us, and He knows and loves each one of us and ALL children in Chile. 2 Ne 26:13, and Helaman 15:7-8.
Hope is the having the faith that the Lord will keep His promises that He makes with us. We talked about PMG calling it an anchor for us. I shared about our cruise and the anchor/rope on the dock in Venice, how huge the rope/soga itself was, and then pulled out some thread on a spool to show the comparison. The Lord steadies us in the torments, storms of our life. I asked if any of them had ever felt their life was ever in a life/death situation? Many raised their hands. I reminded them that their investigators are in spiritual life/death for their salvation. I shared a couple of personal experiences I had learned in a situation about counting on the Lord, like my anchor in my life. Shared Eter 12:4, and DyC 59:23.
Charity: we all know is pure love of Christ. But to continually show love in difficult times is hard. Eter 12:34, we need to pray and seek to have charity. Eter 12:34, 41.
These companionships are happy and seem to be really bonding. It was great to see them looking out for each other, getting better acquainted and trying to help each other understand the other. How sweet that relationship is and how much they will grow to love each other, father/son, they say.
Saturday, July 26th, we took Sarah to Nido to attend her fun activity day orientation. Then we went back at 1:00 for the Luncheon the families were invited to attend. It was great to see Sarah get acquainted with really nice, friendly girls. There were quite a few new ones and they all came over to talk to us and ask if Sarah could go with them walking to the movies? We were happy for her, and she had a great time. As she told us all about them, and their happy, positive attitudes, we are grateful that the Lord has raised up friends for her, as she already considers them her friends, naming off….CiCi from Brazil, Jen from Korea, Sophia from Chile, Stav from Israel, Luisa from Brazil, Hannah from Philippines,(her father is the new principal and her mother is an elementary counselor- they feel like they have so much in common), Maca from Peru, Matt from Calif, Andrew and Kevin from Canada, Francesco from Rome, Ming Joo from Korea, Varun who is funny and his younger sister, Rashi, whose father is the Ambassador from Pakistan, and Anthony from Chile, he’s hot and in our ward!-ooh-la-la, (I told her he’s going to be like a brother to you, going to seminary, mutual, etc, and she said, “I would kiss Greg anyday, if he looked as hot as Anthony! Oh baby…” She loves the “kissing the cheek greeting” when she sees people, especially the guys…oh boy! J
As we sat at the table to eat with the parents we were impressed with the wide variety of travels most of these parents had experienced. Many couples were ½ American and the other from another country who work in embassies, business couples who have lived in such a range of countries, I can’t name them all, like Japan, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, England, Australia, and most have had their children in multiple international schools, but raved about Nido. We also noticed that they are outgoing and friendly, accustomed to reaching out to make relationships, so that they have some type of American network wherever they live. In the church we already have that instant connection, but we will enjoy these people and their friendly, open nature.