It's Richard's turn to write, but I couldn't wait for him.... something hilarious happened last night that I know our kids will enjoy reading, so I decided to put it in writing before I forget, since there are no pictures - thankfully - to document the event:
At 3:00 a.m. I hear the biggest thud and hear Richard moan and say, "I fell out of bed... I was having a nightmare .... a crocodile was getting me!"  I turned on the light to find him on the floor, wrapped in the sheet and unable to get up.  He hit his head on the nightstand as he went down, and his ear was bleeding, so I was trying not to laugh.  I loosened the sheets from him and gave him a hand to get up and he said, "What the HELL!"  So kids, picture this, if you dare... dad on the floor, tied up in a sheet, with his C-PAP apparatus on his head, struggling to get up, and me trying not to laugh! But all is well, he said that as he was bandaging his ear he was chuckling to himself.  When we laughed about it this morning and I told him he got up "cussing," he couldn't remember that part :)

Well, last week was the celebration of Chile's Independence, and unlike the US where one day is celebrated, here two days are official, but the whole week is an unofficial celebration. Our office was closed with all the workers on vacation, so we were told to take a few days "off".   Most of the city parks host entertainment, dancing, food, crafts, rodeos, circus, kite flying, foos ball, and we enjoyed watching and eating almost everything available. We also saw a wonderful military parade march right past our apartment building.

Deep fried churro's piped with Dulce-de-leche in the middle!

Sopapilla with fresh salsa and guacamole

Mapuchi Indian displaying the silver jewelry she makes and sells

The Rodeo

Missionary friends, the Udall's and Sister Thompson eating Anticuchos - skewers of grilled meats

Foos ball is a favorite past time

The military band marched past the temple grounds

We followed them up the street for about a half mile, enjoying their marching and music.

 

Move to our Permanent Apartment

We moved across the street this week to our permanent apartment for the duration of our mission.  We had been living on the temple grounds in the apartment building that houses the Chile MTC where 90 missionaries stay for 2 weeks if they speak Spanish and 5 weeks if they have to learn the language.  About 6-8 couples who work in the temple live there also on the 4th floor (that's where we were ) and the second floor is like a hostel where families stay that travel long distances to the temple.  So we reluctantly said good-by to central heat, air conditioning, plenty of hot water, modern laundry room, king-size bed with new mattress and pillows and packed our bags -- making 5 trips back and forth to our new apartment.

Senior missionaries like us have been living in this apartment for several years, so it is well equipped with kitchen stuff and linens -- although sheets and towels are looking VERY worn.  We were able to get the apartment a fresh coat of paint, new carpets in the bedrooms, and a newer box springs/mattress,  which spruced things up quite a bit.  It is going to take some getting used to the tempermental "Califont" -- hot water heater, and the tiny space heater.  We still haven't figured out the gas oven, but two of the four burners on top work great!

So I've decided we left the Marriott Courtyard and moved to the Motel 6 where they promise "to keep the light on" -- only it may flip the breaker off if you want heat with that light!

Our "newer" bed

The gas stove -- still a little scary to use!

The "califont" supposed continuous hot water, but very tempermental!

Our narrow "one butt" kitchen

The only source of heat in the apartment -- can be rolled room to room

Our cosy living room!

The weather had been wonderful the past couple of weeks -- for winter weather, but this week turned much colder again -- just when we moved into an apartment without central heat!  I've got three heavy blankets on the bed, so sleeping is fine, but my fingers are cold as I type this entry.  Luckily yesterday we went to the Estacion Central which is a gigantic shopping area -- it reminded me of Chinatown in NYC with booths of everything imaginable -- anyway I found a pair of fir lined boots that I've had on all day and my feet are toasty.

I don't know if we've mentioned that the chapels here are beautiful to look at, but inside they are FRIGID.  I don't know if they have heat, but if so it is not turned on.  So if it's 50o outside it is 50o inside!  Today we spoke in church and I wore my gloves and boots!  As I looked around the audience, ALL the women had their coats, boots and scarves on.

Just a few observations about church:  The young men who bless and pass the sacrament are all dressed in suits and white shirts -- even in the tiny little wards where people live very modestly.  Most of the songs are sung a capella because no one plays the piano.  Attendance is low, but those who come have such sweet spirits and strong testimonies.

This week is the week of Independence.  The parties are already under way.  At the church office building where we work there was a special lunch for all the people in the building on Thursday -- a traditional "asado" (Bar-B-Q) meal.  The amount of food on each plate was astounding -- empanata,  1/4 chicken, chorizo, beef, pork, blood sausage, and potato, bread, salad and several desserts.  We had already eaten empanatas midmorning with the Perpertual Education volunteers, so we passed on that at lunch!  Friday there were more empanatas at the office and a party at the chapel next to the temple that night.

The Pocuro Ward party started at 8:00 p.m. and went until midnight with games, dances and more empanatas and chori-pan than I could believe!   We ate chori-pan (grilled chorizo on toasted bread with fresh salsa) as we walked home at 11:00 pm.

Oh, the last exciting event of the week -- On Wednesday we were walking home at lunch time and saw a group of missionaries coming our way.  We stopped to make introductions and find out where they were from -- Rancagua Mission -- and then we noticed oneVERY cute missionary with the name tag ELDER ARCHULETTA.  I tried to act very calm as I told him how much my two daughters adore him and about Jaclyn seeing his concert at BYU-I and writing an article for the local newspaper about the concert.  Of course this was the only day I forgot my camera.  As we said good-by to all of them, I shook their hands and Richard got an "abraso" hug from Elder Archuletta!!!  He said he will probably be back here to perform in a Christmas Concert here at the temple grounds like he did last year.  He has just 6 months more time as a missionary.

Asado -- blood sausage, chorizo, chicken beef, pork & potato (we did NOT eat blood sausage)

At Estacion Central -- the food court

My favorite child in Pocuro ward - Matias -- dressed in traditional Independence costume

Tug-o-war!!!

Richard and his new favorite food -- Chori-pan

Sunday Sept 8, 2013
 Today is Sunday, and the first day of daylight savings time!  Luckily someone told us last evening about the time change, because we were clueless -- we thought the clocks wouldn't change until October.  September is celebration month in Chile.  Next week is the official Independence Holiday, but there are already signs of celebration.  Chilean flags and parties are everywhere.
        Yesterday we went with our PEF director, Ricardo to his Stake Celebration party -- much like an American 4th of July in many respects.  When we arrived the young men and women were involved in a tug-o-war.  There were inflatable slides for the little kiddies, jump rope, foos ball, stilts and food, food, food -- empanatas, chorrizo sandwiches, shish kabobs, sopapillas, fruit kabobs and a drink/dessert-- mote con huesillos that is a sweet liquid on top of about 2 inches of a cooked grain, like wheat, and floating in the liquid is a whole dried peach -- you drink the juice, eat the grain and then the peach, making sure not to bite down on the pit!
      So I made Richard take a picture of me on the stilts -- my mama would be so proud because we had stilts just like these that my dad made us when we were kids -- but I only stayed on long enough for him to snap the picture before I crashed to the ground -- bruising my shoulder, elbow, knee, ankle and most of all my PRIDE!
     We had two "missionary moments" during the day.  There were many young missionaries there from all the wards in the stake and we enjoyed visiting with each of them.  Two elders then introduced us to an older man they have been teaching.  He was curious to know if "older" people were also missionaries.  So he and Richard had a nice visit!   Later in the evening as we were visiting in English an older woman came up to me and started visiting with us.  She said she was walking past the church grounds and heard the music and came to see what was happening.  She heard the English and came to talk with me.  She had just returned from England where her daughter lives.  She loves to speak English.  I told her to stay right there, and I found the young sister missionaries and introduced them.  She stayed and talked with us all evening.
      Around dusk the dancing started.  All the young people performed traditional Chilean dances and some dances from the Easter Island area that were similar to Polynesian dances.  Later many of the people, young and old danced the "cueca" the traditional Chilean dance with a hankerchief.
      Today we went to church in the Observatorio ward, which was about a 30 minute drive south and east from here.  The building like all the chapels here is beautiful, in a very poor neighborhood.  About 80 people were in attendance.  I gave a very short little testimony in Spanish and Richard spoke about 10 minutes.  We were so warmly welcomed by all the people.  We spent some time talking to a 19 year-old girl who played the piano for the meetings, and spoke beautiful English, which she said she learned by watching American movies and singing American songs.  She would like to go to college, so we talked to her about Perpetual Education loans.  Later the bishop introduced us to a young mother, Monica, who both she and her husband were participants of PEF loans that have made a huge difference in their lives.  Her husband works in an emergency room at a hospital.

Missionaries against the young men of the ward.  Missionaries LOST!!

"Chori-pan"

Mote con huesillos

The boys carried this foos ball table all around the parking lot!

Young men and women from one of the wards doing a traditional Easter Island dance

Literally 2 seconds before Evone took a fall

The national dance of Chile, "The Cueca"

Monica, one of the PEF participants.  Her husband is also a participant who has graduated and is working

Yesterday, September 2, 2013 marked one month since Evone and I arrived here in Santiago, Chile to begin our 18 month mission for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  We are absolutely thrilled to be serving our Father in heaven and the wonderful people of Chile.

For some of our friends who may not be members of the church, you may be wondering what exactly we are doing as missionaries.  Our call is to work in the Perpetual Education Fund of the Church.  The program helps young people in the church to gain an education which ultimately will lead to employment, and help raise them out of poverty.  The program was introduced by President Gordon B. Hinckley on March 31, 2001.  It is available in 51 developing countries, and has assisted over 50,000 of these amazing people improve their lives and the lives of their families.

After one month on the job, we are beginning to get settled into our assignment.  We spend a full work day working in an office environment working with computers and telephones most of the day.  In addition to that, we are beginning to make some trips out to some cities outside of Santiago where we are meeting and working with church leaders and some of the participants who are currently working on their educations and some who have graduated and are now working.  It is truly inspiring to see these young people who have come from very humble backgrounds and who now have degrees or certificates, and who are working in good paying jobs for the areas where they live.  This program is truly inspired of God, and the many people who have and continue to make contributions to this fund should be thrilled with the good that is coming from their kindness.

Two weeks ago, we had the opportunity of traveling to Vina del Mar, a city about 2 hours directly West from Santiago.  It is a beautiful historic seaside city, which in the summer is a vacation destination for many Chilenos and others from all over the world (see pictures below).  We met with another retired Chileno couple from Concepcion, Chile who are working in an employment office for the church, and who are beginning to assist us with the Perpetual Education Fund.  It was fun to learn what they are doing and to learn about their background and their family.  They are a couple very similar to us, who have left their children and grandchildren to come and serve for 18 months.  We are looking forward to working with them in the future months ahead.

Carolina - just graduated and is teaching English to primary school (grade school)

Sebastian - currently studying engineering

Standing on the beach of Vina del Mar

Quaint buildings and cobble stone roads in Valparaiso (next to Vina del Mar)

Beautiful murals in Valparaiso

Museum in Valparaiso

View from old town Valparaiso over to Vina del Mar

Richard with Ricardo (Director of the PEF, and our boss), and Alfredo, Manager of the PEP call center.  Wonderful men who we truly enjoy working with

A typical empenada (meat pie - traditional Chilean food) stand in Santiago.  We find these in nearly every block of the city.  They are truly wonderful!!