Cooking for the Hermanas

May, 2014  The zone leaders called last Sunday and asked if we would do a cooking lesson for the hermanas.  They wanted to go somewhere with the elders and had to have something for the hermanas.  So we had a cooking class for North American completos -- chili dogs.  Completos are fast food here, a hot dog with everything, avocado, tomatoes, cheese, lettuce, mustard, ketchup, relish, etc.  We cooked chili which the gringas really liked as it is not served here and the latinas were not sure of.  Everyone had two hot dogs so I guess everyone liked the chili.  I showed them how to make frosting (chocolate, of course) for the brownies and that went over well also.  Sweets are not very sweet here so the brownies with ice cream and chocolate sauce was appreciated.  We had a good time.  I asked Elder Jensen, the zone leader, what the elders did and he said that it all fell through!  So, the hermanas did better than the elders!  Elder York wanted my brownie and chocolate chip cookie recipes as he wanted to cook something from home.  I told him about the hermanas' cooking lesson and he said that would be better than any paseo (excursion) that he has been on.  So we may be cooking for the elders too.

Family History

We had our monthly family history meeting with the consultoras on Sunday.  It was fun because we had two people on each of three computers trying to find themselves and family names in FamilySearch.  I tried to teach them about the Help/Ayuda button.  One still is having problems with her LDS.org username and password so I worked with her individually with the help section.  Two worked on how a consultora can help someone on FamilySearch.  It was interesting!  I tried to tell them how to use the help button.  I used the help button and got the answers to three questions they had last month.  I told them the answers and got more questions to answer next month.  All of this in Espanol!  I have got to work on the Family History Spanish!

Two Family History Meetings in the Ramas

Easter

April --  Happy Easter to all.  We want you all to know that we have a testimony of the divinity of Christ and his atonement and resurrection.  

Easter is celebrated big time here -- lots of Easter candy in the stores as well as ducklings and chicks.  I worry about those birds -- they may end up as someone's pet or someone's lunch!

General Conference -- in Chile

April -- General Conference was great.  English speakers (North American missionaries) has their own classroom with a "big" screen tv while the Spanish speakers met in the chapel and cultural hall with conference projected on a screen.  However, I understood conference!  That was a worry until I heard that we got a room with English.  I was relieved.  It is hard work listening to Spanish and trying to understand enough that you somewhat understand what is expected of me.  I really liked Bro Ballard's talk about missionary work -- of course!

Hermanas' Pizza Party

June 2014  The hermanas (10 sister missionaries) came over to our house for a pizza party.  The Radimadi branch hermanas made the pizza dough and the rest of the hermanas brought toppings.  Our oven was cooking pizza for almost 3 hours!  It was great fun.  One of the hermanas bought some bacon (it is very expensive here, about $8 for a half pound) and I tasted my first bacon since the mission started.  (We are too frugal -- OK cheap -- to pay that much for bacon.)  It was delicious!

We supplied brownies and ice cream for dessert.  Everyone had a great time!

El Rescate (The Rescue)

I am working on El Rescate, the Rescue.  We have a database that compares two databases, the MLS from the Church and the Chile voter registration database.  In Chile everyone over 18 has a Rut number, an ID number and we are trying to find the Rut numbers for members of the Church that are missing in MLS.  Then we an compare addresses that the Church ahs and the addresses in the Registro Civil and have the missionaries go out and find these people and invite them back to Church.  It will help clean up the MLS system, moving people who have moved into another ward, removing people who have died, etc.  It is a great program.

But I am having a hard time trying to find people and it has been frustrating.  However,  I am getting much better about Chilean name spelling and deciding if the person in the Registro Civil is the same person as in the Church's MLS.  The work is moving forward!

Baptisms in La Union

 March, 2014  --  Last night we went to another cita with Hugo Avilla, the young man who was baptized two weeks ago.  He is truly golden, answering all the questions and telling the hermanas the correct answers to all their questions on the plan of salvation!  It is a joy to watch new members come into the church with such enthusiasm.

June, 2014 --  Carlos Vasquez was baptized last night by Brother Hugo Avila (see above).  Brother Avila is the new branch missionary leader for the Caupolican branch and so got to baptize Brother Vasquez.  It is so fun to watch these new members grow in the gospel!