March 20, 2016
         Miracle Bread and the Sword of Laban

We have been having Family Home Evening with a family in Monte Patria:  a single mother, her three young siblings, and her three even younger children.   Recently we acted out Nephi getting the plates from Laban, complete with costumes, armour, swords, and plenty of action generated by four young boys.  Lets just say that Laban was more than dead by the end of the story. 

 The next week we made rice krispie squares with them to take around to people in the neighborhood.  Its clear to me now that this area of the world has not been introduced to this truly American delight.  There actually are no rice krispies here, so we used sweetened rice puffs.  When you mix them with marshmallows that have a tangy fruit flavor, the final product is quite crunchy, sweet, and very flavorful.  It is so different from anything Chileno that they don't quite know what to think of them.  It was fun!  I can't wait to have the Young Singles try them.  

                                                                                                                    

          Taking the goodies to members and a few other people we met along the way.  

A few weeks ago I was running in the park, but later in the morning than usual.  I was thinking hard about the scriptures I had just shared with a non-member (the lady who owns the store across the street from the park) and how I had been inspired to do so.  We have become good friends and she really enjoyed the message of the two scriptures.  I was also working on memorizing a scripture, and so was very self-absorbed when I realized I was hot and took off my jacket.  I usually take my keys and phone out of the jacket pockets, and transfer my nametag to my shirt, but since my mind was busy, I forgot.  (Big mistake!)

A few minutes later while I was running I felt an evil darkness behind me.  I turned around and saw two young men and thought--Oh, no problem--and went on running.  (Another big mistake!) ( I even said "Buenos Dias" to them.)  On my way back toward where I had left my jacket I saw it on the grass! My first thought was that the dogs had pulled it off the bench and then just dropped it. 

I checked the pockets and discovered that my keys and phone were missing!  (My name tag was too, but I didn't realize it yet.)  I searched a while and then ran down a few streets looking for the young men, who obviously were far away by then.  

A taxi driver who lives by the park saw the whole thing and went looking for them in his taxi, then came back and took me to do more looking.  We came across some Carabineros (police) and after a brief discussion, I got into their van and we went looking some more.  

We ended up at the top of a hill where there are very poor houses a little way down the other side.  The Carabineros got out, told me to stay where I was, and went over the hill with billy clubs and guns drawn!  I walked to the edge of the hill and saw them run down to the houses where two young men were walking.  They grabbed them, threw them down, handcuffed them, and searched them!  

I walked down, and by the time I got there they showed me a knit hat they had found on them.  It contained my phone and name tag!  I was shocked!  How did they know?  They took the two guys up the hill, hit them hard on the head several times, kicked them several times, and threw them in the cage in the back of their van!  I was even more shocked!

We got back in the van and I knew I would need help with the Spanish, so I called the Elders who live close by and explained why I needed their help.  Cool, they said.  We drove to the jail where they locked up the two young men, then to the police station to fill out reports.  The Carabineros were disappointed that my phone was not an expensive one.  I was disappointed that they did not find my keys.  (Our apartment, the District Center, and the Family History Center). 

Later that day the Carabineros went and found my keys in the dirt in front of the houses!  I was shocked again that they would take the time to do that--and then actually find them.

I learned to pay more attention to what is around me and to signs of warning.  I learned that many people respect missionaries and want to help.  I learned the value of our nametags and what they represent to us and to others.  

That was on a Friday.  I ran there the next Monday (yes, I know, I have more courage than smarts) and got a contact for the missionaries--that made them happy.  I talked to several who were aware of what happened, including the park worker.  I told him I would run earlier from now on because I felt safe when he was there.  Good people are everywhere.  

Hna. Cluff passed away.  About two weeks ago we received an email from Elder Cluff that Hna. Cluff had just died.  They were the other missionary couple here in Ovalle with whom we worked.  They went home in early December and she has had lots of trouble since then--heart surgery, bleeding ulcers, allergic reactions to medications, trouble breathing, and lots more.  Then she got pneumonia and that made us really concerned.  Elder Cluff knows that she is working hard as a missionary in the spirit world and--the best part--has a body that works and does not hurt!  We deeply feel the loss of a wonderful, loving, and kind person.  We are grateful to know where she is and that she is happy and whole.  

Miracle Bread  Our District (Stake) had an activity yesterday based on the movie called "Seventeen Miracles."  We think it was their Pioneer Day celebration and that they do it in late summer here.  It was a very short trek complete with handcarts, and then our Branch acted out one of the miracles--the one where the mother of the family decides she can't go on and sits on a rock and cries, letting her family continue on without her.  

I was asked to go to a planning meeting for it.  Our Relief Society President asked if I would play the part of the mother and Elder Jones the father.  (There are only thee active couples in the branch, so options are slim.)  Ok, I said--sitting on a rock and crying--I can do that!  After a trip to the second hand store and some adaptations of clothing we already had, Elder Jones and I looked quite a bit like pioneers.  The others did too.  

Someone made me a rock to sit on, and I made the bread that was the actual miracle.  (In the story, I kiss all the children and my husband goodbye and they all leave because they have to stay up with the rest of the company.  The father says he will come back for me later, but the oldest daughter actually decides to stay with me, and says a prayer asking Heavenly Father for help to know what to do.  When she finishes her prayer, there is a pan of bread on the ground for them.  She and I eat it, giving me courage and strength to get up and continue.)

I adapted a muffin recipe, using fresh lemons for flavor and sprinkled sugar on top to make it look crispy and crusty.  It turned out really well.   In the story, after she and I eat it, we join the rest of our family and share the bread with them.  At that point in yesterday's reenactment, our family and many others who wanted to try bread from heaven, gathered around to eat it.  It was quite an experience to see so many tasting it and their reactions.   Its not every day you get to eat bread from heaven.

Acting out this story was a very spiritual experience for me.  It made me realize how the faith of one person in a family can have such a profound impact on the entire family.  Sometimes it only takes one person.  

It was a fun and rewarding experience.  Our family started out with about 5 daughters, but by the time we actually did it, we had 9.  It was great fun.

One of the handcarts

                                                                              trekking

                                                        Elder Jones as a pioneer, with Harold

                                                                             
                                                                      Our family

One last thing:  Orion.  Our granddaughter, Florence, had the answer to the question about how the constellation, Orion, was different here than in the northern hemisphere--he is upside down!  She said he would look like he is doing a handstand.  Congratulations, Florence.  Your dad gets to take you out for pizza!

Love to you all.

Elder and  Hna. Jones