Easter's new Beginnings

As the leaves begin to fall from the tall shade trees in the neighborhood, the bright primroses and pansies carefully planted by our Haitian gardeners add lovely fall color at Easter here. The Easter Bunny visits young and old in Chile, too, but the real highlight of the past week was our semi-annual General Conference in Salt Lake City, broadcast throughout the world to a membership of over 16,000,000.
Our new Prophet Russell M. Nelson is 93, but is as vibrant and sharp as he was a few years ago as a world-renowned heart surgeon and father of 11 children and their many descendants. He was sustained by members throughout the world, in a Solemn Assembly, along with his counselors Dallin H. Oaks, retired from the Uath supreme Court, former President of BYU, and Henry B. Eyring, former President of Ricks College (BYU Idaho) and counselor to President ThomasS. Monson who passed away January 2, 2018. For "elderly" leaders, these men do not shy away from innovation, as they travel the world to meet and lead. Their love for the Lord, His Gospel and for each of us is tangible.
It was thrilling to sustain two new Apostles: a Brazilian Ulisses Soares and Gerrit Gong, who grew up in my Palo Alto, California ward, where his father Walter was our patriarch, and mother Jean and Siater Marguerite and family are dear friends. He was assistant ambassador in Beijing at the time of Tianamen Square massacre, on US strategic and security commissions, and knows Asia very well. Other men and women were called to various jobs, which keep our lay church running smoothly. Many changes in policies were announced that will provide assistance and support to all members.  Talks from many leaders were inspired and inspiring...a perfect Easter and Conference combined. I listened with some of the young missionaries at the training center. There are 421 missions in the world, with 67, 049 full-time missionaries & 36, 172 serviced missionaries. We were sad to find out that the training centers here in Chile and in Madrid will close at the end of 2018. Missionaries will go to other MTC's. Among other places, new temples were announced for Russia and India!! That is thrilling!!!

I did a little shopping at the end of summer sales, as it will be winter here when I take off for a week in July for England (where it will be summer!) to attend my daughter Anne's wedding to Neil Chandler, a wonderful English guy. They met through their work in Health Care for Public Relations firms and have been carrying on their courting between London and New York and various other places. I visited them in England before my mission in November and was able to see their lovely country old stone home in the Cotswolds which they were about to buy. I hope that most of my children and their spouses can attend, so that I will have a chance to see them before I finish my mission in June of 2019. It is hard to miss family events. My daughter Julie will give birth to my 17th grandchild in May. Thanks to technology it is not hard to keep in touch, but visiting in person is always better.

I took a walk Easter morning before Conference broadcast, and am always impressed that Chileans love their parks. Dog runs, soccer and basketball courts were filled, all ages were out walking and biking, exercising and enjoying the holiday weekend, which was Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Below is Pocuro, which like many streets in Providencia, has sidewalks for walkers and also a separate one for bikers, which during the week is filled with students, those going to work, and those just getting their exercise. Easter was quiet, so bikers used the street. just past the temple on left in background is the temple.
I don't know if the top photo was a birthday or Easter party.
The trees in the Inez de Suarez Park are similar to those at home, and are labeled...I try to learn the names. The carabinero (military police) cultural center is across the street, thus the bugler on horseback.

The only disturbing event around here last week was the annual March 29 day of Jovenes combativos, a day of protests, riots and burning tires, etc. against the police, in the poorer areas of the city, "commemoration" of two young men who died in prison during the dictatorship of Pinochet. We didn't see any sign of it in our area, except that public transportation was cut.

 Sister Umber and I took a bus to Valparaiso, a fascinating  city that began as a port and fishing village, built on steep hills, with many "ascensores" (little trams, the first built in 1893) and the most amazing street art, much of it by famous artists such as political cartoonist Lukas and artist Iki Castro. There are laws against graffiti, but police look the other way, as everyone loves and protects it. It is a colorful city, whose art is always changing, that is twin city of Vina del Mar. Poet Pablo Neruda had one of his 3 homes, la Sebastiana, here, and Europeans from many countries settled here. Each built its own schools and fire department, which in Chile, uses only volunteers. Parley P. Pratt lost his infant son Omner here as he opened missionary work for the LDS church in South America, in 1851-2. There is a plaque on the wall of the Cemeterio de Disidentes, separate from the Catholic cemetery.

Work of Lukas, satirizing personalities of the Pinochet era. Our guide Alvaro gave us lots of interesting history on our 3-hour tour. There are hippies, dogs, tourists everywhere.

A few of the world famous black American musicians on this wall

 For more photos of Valparaiso with descriptions and explanations see link:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/xcDQtdBs3kXgduCW2

Beethoven steps and eclectic creations and messages

I am enjoying the variety in my mission...study and service in the temple, appreciation of the Chilean culture, lots of history, art, beautiful landscapes, lots of busy industrious people, and time to read.
I was spiritually fed during the conference broadcasts, where the focus was on gratitude for the ministry and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, simplifying our lives so that we can better serve, teach, love, forgive, lift others' burdens, and minister to their needs. There should be no divisions of race, class, culture, economic status. We are all brothers and sisters, the children of a Heavenly Father who loves us more than we feel we deserve and is willing to forgive us, if we forgive others and love even those who are hard to love.