Well, it looks like it is my turn to update our blog.  These last two weeks have been very busy.  A week ago Monday night, we learned at our home evening group that a counselor in the MTC (Mission Training Center), Elder Gilbert had been diagnosed with a ruptured heart valve, and was going in the next morning for open heart surgery.  The MTC here in Santiago is a little unusual since some of the 90 missionaries live on site at the church facilities and the rest live in a 100 year old home that used to be the Swiss embassy back in the 50's.  This counselor and his wife run this part of the MTC with only one staff member.  To make a long story short, Evone and I have been over there off and on for the last couple of weeks helping sister Gilbert get breakfast for 40 hungry young missionaries, and then cleaning up afterward.  We would then return to our offices to complete our regular work.  It has been a wonderful experience being around these wonderful young missionaries, to feel of their strength, their warmth and their love of our Heavenly Father.  We truly enjoyed our experience with them and with sister Gilbert.  Elder Gilbert arrived back home yesterday, so we are back to our usual schedule.

Last week we also had the opportunity of attending a 3 day career workshop which is taught by one of our employment centers here in Santiago.  The two men who taught this workshop were simply outstanding.  I have attended many a workshop over my career, and I will tell you that this was the best workshop I have ever attended.  We had 6 people who were in attendance at the class, 5 members of the church and one non-member.  The age ran from 21 to somewhere in the 50 year range.  We had two young return missionaries, a lady from Russia who spoke very little English and very little Spanish.  The workshop helped these people learn how to write a resume, how to tell a perspective employer who they were in 90 seconds, how to prepare for an interview, and then finished up by having them come to the class dressed as if they were going to a job interview.  Each one of them had the opportunity of doing a 20 minute interview and being filmed so they could review them later.  It was amazing to see the difference in these people at the end of the workshop.  They had such confidence and radiated enthusiasm.  I would have hired any of the 6. 

Today, Evone and I ran into one of the participants in the workshop that I mentioned earlier.  She told us that she was scheduled for an interview tomorrow with a big hotel here in Santiago.  She also told us that they wanted to do part of the interview in English.  She was very nervous, but you could see here excitement and enthusiasm.  This young lady is from Spain and served her mission here in Santiago.  She married a young man from Chile and they have only been married a short time.  It is truly wonderful to be working with these wonderful young people who want a better life, and are willing to work for it.  VERY FULFILLING FOR US!!

Lastly, we had a "despedida" (a farewell party) for our director of Perpetual Education Fund, Ricardo Gonzalez.  After 5 years as director, he has been assigned to a new department and position.  We were so very sorry to see him leave.  He and his wife and their three beautiful daughters have been so kind to Evone and I since arriving here two months ago.  On the positive side of things, he is now on the floor just below us, so we will still be able to see him and continue this wonderful relationship.

The MTC for the missionaries living off site.  This was the original mission home for Chile which the church purchased back in 1962.  It was the second piece of property the church purchased in Chile.  It was the old Swiss Embassy dating back to the early 1900's.  An absolutely beautiful house.  Many of the church leaders and church presidents have stayed in this house.  It served as a mission home for the Santiago North mission up until a year ago when they had to convert it to the overflow MTC.

After an early morning breakfast of pancakes, the missionaries are heading out to the bus

A group picture of the missionaries we had the privilege of serving this past week

Sister Ruth Vargas (a volunteer at the call center) doing the Cueca (national dance of Chile) for brother Ricardo Gonzalez and his wife at the farewell party (despedida).  Ruth also comes up to our office several days a week to help Evone with her Spanish.  We truly love her.

Me inside the "Bega", Santiago's largest feria (famers market), and believe me, it is HUGE!!  Ricardo Gonzalez and his wife took us to the market

Piles of greens trimmed from the vegetables being sold at the "Bega".  There were similar piles all over the parking area