One wonderful year this week

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We have been here just one wonderful year in Santiago

At night after our shift, it almost feels like Christmas with the temple lights...

and Saturday morning the Relief Society Christmas brunch at 8 AM assured me that it IS almost Christmas.

RS leaders Kathy and Marcia with sister visiting from Antofogasta. The rest I mostly won't name; as much as I know many names and most of their smiling faces, I would miss some names. It is especially hard because sometimes they use their maiden names, sometimes married names. We had a delicious brunch at beautifully decorated tables, then a gift exchange as we introduced ourselves. Lots of smiles and laughter with these wonderful women of all ages and situations. Relief society is the largest women's organization in the world and was begun in the mid-1800's by Emma Smith with her husband the Prophet Joseph.

Sister Videla

Sisters de Lamartine and Co

 

Preparing random name slips for gifts

Ricale drew her roommate!

 Selmira doing well after donating kidney to her daughter

 

I received lotion and a bag from Selmira and my gift went to
Zobeida (here).

Two of the distinguished older (but most spunky) Sisters Correa (who served a delicious Boutin (cake) de Navidad and Hoppe (who leads the singing in RS and in the temple, and usually wears red) were surprised to have drawn each others' names.

I'm a bit "bummed" (joke lost in translation) not to be at home for Christmas, but I love these women and feel the Christmas spirit!

After group photo (angle not wide enough) we went out to see the buses still arriving ...it will most likely be a very busy temple day.

Earlier this week (I couldn't get things in order!)

A protest was being held on the Plaza de Armas by education employees 

Every year the city honors a group which makes an important impact. This year it is volunteer firemen (all are volunteers), pictured on posters and around the base of the tree.

 

I love the cathedral's adjoining chapel

 In the Biblioteca Nacional is a display of stained glass production with its creator Frenchman Gabriel Loire, who studied in Chartres and created windows for the large Lourdes basilica in Santiago.

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Drawing and model

I feel at home with the orange trees in the neighborhood and try to prepare for Christmas...

 All week in my tiny kitchen. I have managed to make several kinds of cookies to give out,
a few at a time, but it's very tedious in my small 12"x14" oven!

The Art of Eating at the sculpture park had an entrance fee but since we had brought no money, a young woman gave us free tickets. You know a society is doing well economically when such beautiful, organic, expensively packaged jams, honeys, teas, sauces, clothing, accessories are sold!

 

 

Monday evening Sister Umber and I enjoyed a free concert of strings and recorders playing music by Chilean composers

The sky was brilliant as we left the Biblioteca Nacional, with the lovely old San Francisco Church silhouetted against it.

A nice way to end a bitter-sweet evening of farewells back at the hostel/temple earlier.

Elsa and Ulf Munzing

Jim and Clara Downer

Pres, and Sister Carmack 

We officially said goodbye to two temple missionary couples this week: the Downers and Munzings (as well as the Carmacks, MTC Presidents) with a dinner and sharing of experiences and testimony.

Standing: Sister Umber, Isaacsons, President and Sister Wilhelm, Wallaces, Sister de Schweinitz
Seated: Downers and Munzings

We appropriately had funeral potatoes (is that a Mormon thing?)

We also officially said good-bye this week to our Santiago training center group of about 50. 

These were the last to leave for their missions in various parts of Chile

Pres. Brian Carmack

 The Heaps twins are heading for different missions. The Carmacks will head up the Bogota MTC when they return from SLC with new visas for Colombia.

It is very sad to see closing, as of January 2019, the three MTC (mission training centers) in which buildings I lived for 18 months each, as a senior missionary. There was no MTC in Ecuador (and I missed that, then).The energy and spirit of the young missionaries is contagious. The basketball court is empty, the stairs are quiet. I felt lucky to have spent quite a bit of time helping with language needs in the second two. Now I only speak French occasionally to the Haitian gardeners and a few temple patrons.

Santiago MTC

The church is consolidating its money and effort in more high needs locations throughout the expanding world. The buildings will still house senior missionaries and temple visitors and other facilities.

Dominican Republic MTC

Madrid, Spain MTC

I have loved each of these mission experiences, and fully endorse missionary work. Serving a mission, being constantly reminded of God's love for each of us, and being surrounded by kind and good people, I have made a goal to try harder to be pure in heart. This to me means having kinder, less judgmental, more forgiving and loving thoughts, feelings, intentions, actions; to focus more on the needs, desires, and hopes of others. Christ, as all babies, came into the world with a pure heart, and did all with love for his Father and for each one of us. I will try harder to always be like Him. May we all follow His example, as we feel the joy and light of this best of seasons, wherever we may find ourselves.