Rio Bueno and Caupolican baptisms

We have had two children baptized in the past two weeks, both boys about 10 years old.  Both Martin and Tomas were baptized by Elder Sanchez.  Martin is in the Rio Bueno ward and Tomas is in the Caupolican ward.

Martin was baptized in the Rio Bueno River.  The two of Rio Bueno has a very nice area for swimming and partying on the shore of the river so we held the baptism at the far end of the swimming area.  I love this picture,  Martin is looking at Elder Sanchez as if he is thinking, "This is what I want to be when I grow up, a missionary!"

Tomas was baptized in the baptismal font at the Caupolican branch building.  Elder Sanchez was transferred to an Osorno ward a week ago but received permission to come back to baptize Tomas as he taught the family the gospel.

Relief Society Anniversary And Chatting in Relief Society 3-22-2015

We celebrated the Relief Society's anniversary

 yesterday with a manicure!  

I met with the El Centro branch's Relief Society yesterday and got my nails done -- without polish!  I didn't want to have to buy polish remover for a one time use.  Nail polish here in Chile is much thinner than US polish.  So they put on more coats.  Most of the colors brought by the young sister showing us how to manicure our nails were muted colors: rose, brown, lite brown, and ORANGE!  I was so surprised to see the orange.  But one of the sisters used the orange and it looked really nice with her skin tones!  I am too used to the paler skin of our family.  

Then the Relief Society president connected the manicure to Pres. U's talk about our hands being the ones that Christ uses.  She showed Pres. U's talk on her computer.  It worked really well!  Nice going, Presidenta Villarosas.

 I don't know what these sisters were talking about, but she doesn't look happy!

Nice colors but missing the orange!

Orange polish

Remember, file your nails from the underneath side.

While at this meeting, I found that I can chat better now.  My Spanish is finally up to a chat with some sisters who like to talk about their families.  I was talking to this sister who asked me if I have an bis-nietos -- great grandchildren.  I had to tell her no, that my oldest grandchild, Allison, is on a mission and not yet having great grandchildren for me!  She has 24 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren. She is hopefully many years older than I am!  She is so nice to me, always willing to talk with me and listen to my "distinctive" Spanish.

Ordination of Nicolas - March 8, 2015

Yesterday (Sunday) Keith had a surprise in Priesthood meeting.  Nicolas, the brother of Tomas who was baptized Saturday (see other blog entry), received the priesthood and was ordained a deacon. Usually, the person to ordain the young man is asked ahead of time so he can get the total name (Nicolas has four names) and review the Spanish words used.  When it was announced in the meeting that Nicolas wanted him to do the ordaining, Keith was surprised, to say the least!  We assume that everyone thought that someone else was asking him and no one ended up asking.  He hadn't ordained anyone in Spanish for 50+ years -- not since his mission to Argentina when he was 19!

But he got out the Mission Manual (the book telling the mission rules and discussing how to do a variety of ordinances) to see what were the Spanish words for ordaining someone, and he was good to go.  The blessing after the ordaining was easy with his Spanish.

After the meeting I was waiting for Keith to come out of Priesthood meeting, and Nicolas came up to me and told me that Elder Stott (Keith) had ordained him, but I didn't understand his words except "priesthood" and "Elder Stott" so I just smiled and said "Felicitaciones" or "Congratulations."  I had to ask Keith what NIcolas as talking about. Sometimes (a lot of the time) my lack of vocabulary gets in the way of my understanding what people are saying to me!  Oh well, I am still learning.

Zone Meeting at the Park - March 3, 2015

We had an interesting zone meeting last Tuesday. The zone leaders called and said that we were to meet at the municipal park instead of at the chapel.  So we met at the municipal park by the river that runs through the park.  

Without any explanation, the zone leaders had each companionship make a boat out of materials that were supplied, boxes, bottles, balloons, plastic bags, tongue depressors, etc.  The zone leaders gave everyone a "passenger" -- a raw egg that they had decorated with a face and the branch/district name!  I was pleased that everyone participated, every boat was different, and all the boats were launched and floated.

The one problem was that the zone leaders didn't think about the boats getting away from the missionaries and floating on down the river -- free to ride the rapids!  It was funny to see the missionaries finding a big branch and trying to use it to guide the boats to shore.  It was a very big branch that needed two missionaries to handle it.  But it did get two or so of the boats to shore.  

The purpose of the activity was to illustrate to the missionaries that they need to take care of their investigators (the eggs) and guide them past the shoals and rapids (help them overcome trials and teach them the gospel), and that by the time they get past the shoals the investigators should have a friend, a calling, and teaching.  We lost some of our investigators/boats!  But others will help them down the river.

Chalk up one for the zone leaders for creativity!

Learning English Exams

Working with BYU and Language Testing International (LTI), the mission offers English language instruction for the Latino missionaries.  We have had 19 missionaries study the three manuals and take the English test offered by LTI.  The missionaries get manuals 1 and 2 in the MTC and I give them manual 3.  They have all their mission to study, generally taking the test the last week of their mission.  Not all of the Latinos take the test.  It is up to them.  I have the assignment of giving the tests.

It is interesting to work with the missionaries, getting them a date to take the test, giving them instructions about the test (you can make up any answer you want--what the test is looking for is vocabulary and grammar!), and then proctoring the Latina tests.  Keith proctors the Latino tests.  Someone must proctor the test, staying with them during the test making sure they do not use anything but their brains.  Some of the missionaries have very good English skills, some only average.  They receive a certificate after the test showing their grade.  They can use these certificates to prove to prospective employers that they do know English.  It is a great skill to have and I'm glad that they get the opportunity to show their stuff!

Volcon Villarica Blows!

There are many volcanos in Chile, but the one most likely to erupt is Volcan Villarica.  It is about 3 hours away from us so it is not a danger to us here in La Union.  Every 3 or 4 years it erupts, nothing huge, but it is spectacular when it goes off.  

Missionaries from Pucon and Villarica were moved out of harm's way when the alert level went to orange.  So there were missionaries in Valdivia who had elders sleeping on their floors! The volcano blew at red. 

 The Biggs are senior missionaries in Pangipulli who were moved too.  I had called them the day before they were moved asking about the danger of the volcano to them.  Sister Biggs said that she figured they were out of the way, and that the Chileano she has been talking to about the volcano said that it would erupt on Thursday (it erupted on Wednesday so not too bad a prediction!) and then it would "nap" again.  It does not "sleep" as it is one of the few active volcanoes in Chile.  It always has a small pool of liquid lava in its crown. 

The next day Sister Biggs called to tell us they were on the way to Osorno because of the volcano, and did I want a job as a prophet because I was asking her if they were being moved!  Too bad we do not have extra beds in our house.  They could have stayed here.  I offered the floor but she said they were too old for that!  Silently I agreed that we are too old for that too.)

Volcan Villarica erupting