Starting the last week of summer vacation before school starts

I invited Elders Bunnell and Madsen from Utah serving in our Pocuro ward for lunch after church today. Since single sisters have much smaller apartments with no space for a real table, the Hurleys across the hall invited us to use their apartment. We had an enjoyable time getting to know each other and sharing stories. We watched a video about a man who took a cruise, never leaving his small cabin, eating his canned food and envying the other passengers leaving their cabins to dine and enjoy ship entertainment. The last day, to his chagrin, he found out that all these amenities were included in the price he had paid. The message: most of us do not live up to our privileges. There are so many blessings available to us if we would only recognize and take advantage of them. The Gospel gives us so much. We limit ourselves through our tunnel vision. I have learned that when we serve, get out of our comfort zone, expand our gospel and secular knowledge and friendships, how much richer and more interesting life can be!

Packing it all in before school starts March 5

Our small temple has been very busy with Chileans, Brazilians, Argentinians arriving by bus and car and plane, who are spending a few days before the school year begins in the southern hemisphere. It is impressive that they would chose to spend the last days of their vacation at the temple. University students also return to classes in March. This is one of the many buses parked outside my room on Saturday and kids were climbing up to look in my window. Usually during the week there are people on the grounds playing, talking, eating, taking wedding and family photos.

It was quiet on Sunday evening as we took a long 2 1/2 hour walk around Providencia through parks and streets with families enjoying the summer evening together. Chileans seem very family-oriented, courteous, and friendly. It is safe and clean though we realize ours is one of the nicest parts of Santiago, that poverty is right outside and especially beyond the mountains. 

There was a repeating puppet show in one park. The closer bare mountains, not unlike the Wasatch and other Utah mountains, are visible but just behind are the high snow-covered Andes which are covered either by smog or clouds. Every once in awhile we catch a glimpse. The Mapocho River is very muddy and the flow is regulated so that most of it looks small this time of year as it flows through Santiago. (This is only a very small channel).

The very tall bell tower of a Catholic church. Most Chileans are Catholic and are in general fairly homogenous religiously, physically, culturally. 

We met the two sisters serving in our ward, Hermanas Whitaker (from USA) and Corona (from Peru, I think). They insisted on taking a selfie. They use cell phones but no i-pads or tablets. They can email on Tuesdays (preparation day) and talk to their families twice a year. (June 24 for the Santiago East mission here). They have a baptism coming up this Saturday.