It has a back-up camera and a television!

Last week we received a call from Santiago saying that they wanted to deliver us a new car!  The one we had was a 2011 and I guess they don't keep them when they get over 50,000 miles.  On Monday they drove up in a brand new 2015 Toyota Yaris, which is not sold in the states but is similar to a Corolla, and traded us. It's sweet!  And don't worry, the television only works when the emergency brake is on!

Young Single Activity
Last Friday night was our YSA activity we had been planning for a month.  It went great.  We had a devotional and then pizza and a game.  Our visits to the outlying areas paid off--Young Singles came from all three areas.  The focus of the evening was to invite them to prepare for a trip to the Santiago Temple in December.  The talks during the devotional were geared to that purpose.  I'm not sure why, but the Spirit strongly urged me to give one of the talks.  I did.  It was on temple ordinances and covenants, and took a long time to write, translate, and practice.  The few days before were quite stressful, but on the day of the devotional I fasted, and when Elder Jones and I prayed, the stress left and I felt calm.  I think it went ok.

Fasting, Rain, Flooding
Our Area Seventy asked that all members in our Area fast for rain on July 5.  A week later, on Sunday morning, Ovalle was drenched in a huge downpour causing flooding from the steep hillsides.  Water sources in some of the neighborhoods were contaminated and for the next several days trucks delivered big tanks of clean water.  The moisture feels really nice, and no one is complaining!

Zone Conference with new Mission President, and inspiration!
Last week our new President and his wife came to our Zone Conference.  It was wonderful to meet them.  Those conferences last all day, with many different learning experiences in them.  We were studying a document about teaching with the spirit when a thought came to my head, "check your temple recommend."  I did, and realized that it expires the end of July!  Elder Jones' does too.  We are planning to go to the temple next month with our branch, and would not have been able to go.  Ours has to be signed by the mission president, which is very complicated if you live 5 hours away!  We were able to get new ones that day, and were grateful for the inspiration that reminded us we needed to.

Update on Daniel, Jamie, and Sister Cluff
Daniel (the young man who works in the park who I kept inviting to things but never came):  I had the Sister Missionaries talk to him and they said he didn't seem very interested in coming to church activities.  He probably kept saying "yes" to me because we had become friends and it was hard for him to say "no."  We are still friends, and maybe someday he will come across the truth again and will be ready for it.

Jamie (the man who works in the hardware store) backed off from the lessons and from coming to church.  I am not sure why, but I think he could not see how to make it work for his family.   We have visited him at the store, had him come to dinner, given him things. and I wrote him a letter, but with no real response.  Maybe someday he, too, will be ready to make the commitment.  When I see what change is required for a person to join the church, I recognize that it often takes more than one exposure.  I think that is what is called planting the seed, and the next time around it might start to grow.

Sister Cluff's head wound (the one I stitched up) healed well, but deep bruising from the fall has lead to nerve damage and a lot of pain in her upper leg.  She is not doing well with it, and can barely walk.  She is using a walker when she needs to come to the church to write her mission nurse reports.  I really hope she starts getting better soon.

She and I had to speak in church last Sunday in a different branch--about family history.  I think I have given enough talks lately, but it has really improved my pronounciation!

Trip to La Serena and another assignment
Tuesday afternoon the Stake President from La Serena (a Stake in our Mission that is about 80 miles to the north) called to ask us to attend a meeting in their Stake Center about college classes for Young Singles, saying that it was cleared by our Mission President to attend (it is out of our District, which requires permission).

We went, assuming it was just information we should bring back to our District and that we were to try to enroll Young Singles from Ovalle in it.  It is a great program called Pathways and was created to help Young Singles get an education that is otherwise not available to them.  It was developed at BYU Idaho, and two people from there came and presented it.

After it was over we went up to ask him some questions, not being sure we understood all of what was presented.  He had us go with him into the Stake President's office to talk about it.  He said that it was not going to be offered in Ovalle, just La Serena, and Elder Jones and I are to be the missionary couple to administer and supervise it there.  That requires us to go to La Serena every Thursday night and meet with the group of students who have registered, and oversee their leadership training and institute. Sounds fun!  I hope we can get some of our Ovalle Young Singles to do it.  They desperately need this opportunity.  It is amazing to me what the church will do to help people.

Zone Changes
This is a picture of our Zone (except for Sister Cluff).  We have been together for a long time, and expect that some transfers will be made next week.  We took this fun picture of ourselves and will treasure the memories of working so much together.  We really love these young missionaries.  They work hard and are always happy.

Hna. Filipaki (Brazil),  Hna. Urtasun (Argentina), Elder Cluff (Arizona), Elder y Hna. Jones (Bluffdale), Hna. Eastman (Texas), Hna. Moraga (Argentina), Elder Anderson (Star Valley, Wyo.), and District Leader Elder Benitez (Paraguay),  

I took this desert photo just before sunrise so the light is not good, but it is a beautiful scene we saw just off the highway.

Love to you all.

Elder y Hna. Jones

"We are in Chile now"

Car
I forgot to write last time that one of the senior couples went home about a month ago and since they were using one of the mission cars, it became available.  The Mission President said we could have it so we could travel to the outlying branches to visit Young Singles and talk about Family History.

 When we arrived back in Chile and went to the Mission Office, we were able to drive it here to Ovalle.  We are sharing it with Elder and Sister Cluff and have made good use of it.  Since her fall (that I talked about last time) she has needed some mending time, and a ride to the church is really helpful.  It is a 2009 Toyota Corolla.    When we wrote the Mission President to thank him, he said it was a blessing from heaven.  He's right!  We will be able to make better progress with it, and are grateful.

Speaking of the Mission President, we have a new one as of July 1.  We will meet him next week in a Zone Conference.  President and Sister Kahnlein were wonderful, inspiring, and supportive.  They have gone back to their home in Argentina, but I would not be surprised if they are given an assignment in Salt Lake sometime soon.  They are amazing people.

Our new Mission President is Chilean, and from what we hear, he will be different but also wonderful.  He only speaks Spanish, so our personal interviews next week will be interesting.  We are progressing in Spanish, and are amazed that we can have a 2 hour meeting with a few people and come away from it understanding and being understood.  Blessings!

It is winter here, and getting colder every week.  We have learned to appreciate thermal underwear.  I have only ever used them out in the wild, but since we are in unheated buildings all day we have found an equally good use of them here. Some rooms in the church have small heaters in them, but it is not quite the same as what we are used to.

Since it is winter, the poinsettias are in bloom.  This one is close to our walking route between our apartment and the church!  Try taking one that size to a Christmas party!

America Cup, 2015

Chile recently sponsored the America Cup for soccer.  Every time Chile played, and won, the whole apartment building shook with excitement.  Last Saturday they played Argentina for the championship.  We watched the last half of it on a big screen in the food court down town.  The game itself was rather uneventful, with only a few goal attempts by either team.  After a full game, and a 20 minute overtime, the score was still 0 - 0.  So then they did the one-kicker-against-the-goalie thing.  In five exciting minutes, Chile won the game with a score of 4 - 1.  Ovalle went crazy!  People ran into the streets and all of them headed to the town square.  Screaming, blowing horns, waving flags, and generally making as much noise as possible lasting about three hours.  

I took these photos just as people were starting to arrive.  It went from crazy to crazier, but was fun!

Our Young Single program is going great.  The young missionaries are finding people their age in the branches who want to come back to church.  It is exciting to feel their enthusiasm for it.  We have a District activity next week and are working hard to get the information to everyone.  The District covers an area a little bigger than Salt Lake valley with people and churches scattered all over.  It's success is definitely a group effort.   Elder Jones has such a way with that age group.  They feel his love for them and his desire for their happiness.  They are all naturally drawn to him.  I love watching it!

We are working with Cluffs to get our Family History Center ready for people to come and work.  We are having a Grand Opening on August 1.  Great day for it, don't you think?  Pictures to come next time.  Things don't work the same here as in the States. We are having to improvise a lot.   Elder Cluff keeps reminding us that "we are in Chile now."

We have had some very special spiritual experiences lately.  The Lord is definitely helping us in this work.  We are constantly reminded how special it is to be here.  We are truly blessed.

Love to you all,

Elder and Hermana Jones