The First Week of June Brought our first Rain

First Week of June: Rain and chilly Weather in Santiago

When I posted them a month ago, I wasn't sure of the significance of all the life jackets covering the many columns of the Biblioteca Nacional, but now there are more life jackets and the sign is up: 
       "Safe Passage" by WeiWei
"Liberty is not (a given, or) an absolute condition, but the result of resistance/ struggle."
The exhibit is a commemoration, an awareness of all the risk, sacrifice and effort of immigrants and those who assist them. What a blessing (though some would disagree) that the world has become so multicultural. Hopefully we can take the best of each culture to be a better world. It is certainly an interesting world!
The Library built in French style with beautiful marble staircases, bronze balustrades, murals, and carved wood, houses 60% of important literature printed in the colonial era.

I finally "ran into" Elder Brandon Jacobsen from my home ward in Palo Alto, California, who will complete his 2 year mission in the Santiago North Mission in August. He loves missionary work, says he can't express how much he loves it! Missionaries within a certain distance from the temple usually come to attend it three times a year. I was coming out, he and his Chilean companion were coming into the temple. I was really dressed in blue, but not feeling at all blue!

We got our first rain this week, but that did not seem to slow down the construction of the high-rise across the street. When the sun is out, the big crane lifting re-bar and cement walls, etc. blocks the sun in my room as it swings back and forth.

With the rain, came the cold and lots of snow on the towering Andes up against Santiago, so close to us. I guess the ski resorts will open or have opened. How beautiful the mountains! And we've had a little break from the smoggy air. The average height of the Andes is 13,000', the second highest range in the world. Due to a lack of precious minerals like gold and silver, and the country's remoteness, Chile remained a rather unimportant part of the Spanish colonial empire. Wealth was earned only through hard work (mining and agriculture), so most early immigrants were poor Spaniards, with slavery almost non-existent. Other Europeans came later.

The view out the other (west) side of our building is one of the water tanks which supply this part of the city. Fall is ending. June here is December at home. It feels like we should be getting ready for Christmas, just having celebrated Thanksgiving. Strange! Gone almost are the blueberries, melons, peaches. In the markets are the chestnuts, persimmons, pomegranites, artichokes, oranges.

The back of the temple coming from our building after the sun came out.

Down the street with Andes behind. Still yellow leaves on the gingko trees. The one out my window is still bright.

Thanks to an internet broadcast I very much enjoyed the program
"Be One," celebrating inclusiveness in our worldwide church, which is rapidly growing in Africa and the African diaspora throughout the world. It is a beautiful mostly musical program.

The link is: https://www.lds.org/church/events/temple-square-events/2018-celebration-of-the-revelation-on-the-priesthood?lang=eng

“Be One” is the theme of the musical event, based on the Savior’s admonition to “be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine” (D&C 38:27). It will feature messages from Church leaders and performances by Gladys Knight, Alex Boyé, the Bonner family, the Unity Gospel Choir International, and members of Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

 Saturday is always busy with people sitting, walking, talking, kids running around everywhere on the temple grounds. There can be as many as 10 buses parked in the parking lot. There are always weddings and happy sealings of families. The guy standing up on the bench just wanted his photo taken!
Many come from the very north, or the very south of Chile, a country as long as the distance from northern Maine to southern California, or Moscow to Lisbon (2,647 miles long, but only 110 miles wide). 
1/10 of the land is arable, 1/10 forested, 1/6 permanent pasture, and most desert or highlands. 18% is national parks. 

Sunday nights we have a long choir practice, preparing for ward conference next Sunday. Such a great group! It's pretty cold in the building, though not as cold as outside, now, so we are all bundled up. I think I am going to have to buy a warmer (and more neutral-colored) coat! The accompanist, Brother Cahoon (back right, whose ancestor was Joseph Smith's body guard) is Canadian, has lived in Chile for 31 years, working as a translator for mining companies.

I have all I need in my cozy apartment, except a frost-free fridge and oven. A simple life is good. If only I could have my family and friends from home along with my new friends and the temple so close-by. I am spoiled and blessed!
I'm grateful to be a member of a lay-church where we all take part, all have leadership, teaching, missionary, temple, ministering, or other "callings"/responsibilities, through which we can grow temporally and spiritually in confidence and skill. We are led by wise men and women, unpaid, who receive inspiration and guidance for us from God, who knows us perfectly and loves us despite our weaknesses. And we individually can receive inspiration for ourselves and for those such as our children for whom we are responsible to raise to the best of our ability. What a great plan!
Love,
Hermana de Schweinitz