The world is full of good people, and there are lots of them in Chile! One such couple, Hermano Aravena and Hermana Garay come often to the temple, where we have helped each other a lot with ordinances for ancestors. They live in Villa Alemania, where he is a stake president. She has gone almost completely blind in the last few years, but is sharp, with a great memory and is very independent and happy. 
We have discovered we have lots in common. They have 2 children in Provo, one in American Fork, Utah, another in Indiana, and have not seen their grandchildren for a couple of years, either. Whereas many of my ancestors were among the first immigrants to New England, hers were among the first Spanish in the New World (this week we did work for a female ancestor of hers born in 1519 in the Dominican Republic, and others born in the early 1500's in Peru, Conquistador headquarters, from which they branched out to Chile, etc.) She can't see, but her brother does the research and they do the temple work for their family.

Many people have been very generous. Alma knit the gray scarf (mostly on our way to and from Concepcion Temple) Viviana is wearing. I'm wearing one of the three nice blouses another sister gave me made in her factory. Another, Sister Nora Castillo, knit me a white neck warmer (worn with white in the temple,of course), because she saw that I was often cold in the temple (is it cold in order to keep us awake?) One sister jokingly said I looked like "La Reina Victoria". But where is my Prince Albert?


Sister Diaz across the hall just brought me some membrilla (quince) sweets she made from fruit picked on our trip last week to Casablanca. She has also invited 5 of us to spend 3 days with her in her home near Copiapo (north where there are beautiful beaches and the infamous mine where the 33 were trapped for 60 days)  next Sunday to Wednesday (Tuesday is a holiday). When attending dinner at someone's home, food or flowers are usually brought. 

Below photo, we (Alma and the Isaacsons) were delighted to see our dear friend Juana Castro, who until recently served as assistant to Sister Wilhelm in the temple presidency. Her husband is a sealer in the Concepcion Temple. They constantly invite us to stay with them in Concepcion (we did twice, earlier in my mission). Our Chilean friends are so hospitable.

We all love the Ojedas, who are in our ward and are temple workers. They also invited the Isaacsons and Sister Umber to spend a day with them in their childhood homes north of Santiago in the country. (I was on my trip south)

Below, my daughter Julie wrote that she is so glad to be able to enjoy her five children as I did/do. I did not, however, have 2 sets of twins! My youngest (and last) grandchild Phoebe celebrated her first birthday this week.

My daughter Emily gave me a beautiful tribute and sent some fun(ny) photos. We both solved the big curly-hair challenge: she straightens hers and I cut mine really short! (Guess what year the first one is from? Yikes)





My son Marc, always the joker, has other ideas for me! I DO have fun, but in other ways probably than Cyndi Lauper!



In light of Mothers Day and applicable to any dealings and teachings to others, I am inspired by this article by Maureen Proctor, written for her daughter as she became a new mother. Here is an excerpt:

 "You must teach (your child) not to fear—and that cannot come from a lecture or a sermon or a smart phrase on a refrigerator magnet. He will learn what it means to be human from you. He will see how to relate to the world and how to regard it from you. If you are afraid to try new things because of failure or to preserve your dignity or some winning view of yourself, he will learn fear. He will be afraid to strike out and try something that he may not be good at. He will cringe from circumstances he hasn’t tried before. He has to be willing to be really flawed at something before he can learn to be good at it. None of us ever knew anything that we didn’t have to learn. You cannot suggest to him that he is only lovable if he performs.

You teach him to see the world as a place to be brave because you are brave, because you are comfortable enough in your own skin to explore, to stand for something, to get out into the fray of life and fill the measure of your creation without always calculating the cost and finding yourself shrinking with timidity because you can’t guarantee outcomes. Mothers so deeply influence their children, so you are right. You must be who you hope he will be, embrace the world with a delicious sense of wholeness. Your quest to be whole begins in even more earnest when you have a baby, because you have two vulnerable eyes looking at you.

You will have to show him that he can stretch and reach and try new things. Teach him that it is ok to not know, to experiment, to forge where he hasn’t gone, to be willing to learn. Teach him that to have a capacity, we have to start by not having one and take it step by step. Teach him not be afraid of that first step. He is not someone you can pigeon hole. He can do this, but not that. Inside that baby body is a universe, with whirling stars and expanding galaxies and a spirit that was born in light with God. Teach him to try. Teach him that there is no such thing as failure. Help him believe in his divine source, by believing in yours."

I'm not sure I taught this bravery to my children, as I was a shy and in many ways fearful person, but somehow they learned to be brave, to explore, to trust their instincts. Hoorah! I hoped that they would not constantly compare themselves to others, but that they should do right in the eyes of God, caring less about the opinions of others, but finding joy and fulfillment in their own unique ways.

Sophia, who is perhaps a Chinese "tiger mom," is also creative. She is definitely the life of the party today! In class today Cecilia (on right) was saying that her 14 year old son Cris (on left) is shy. Sophia told her what she did with her shy son (now 21) was to have him practice 20 minutes a day imitating Barack Obama's manner of speaking and interacting with people; she and her son also delivered newspapers to earn the money to buy balloons so he could learn to twist them into animals, etc. at parties. He went on to become a confident student body president at his school in northern China.

If you are still celebrating Mothers Day, Happy Mothers Day! In any case, Happy Day and Happy Week! I appreciate the example and friend you have all been to me.

Happy Mother's Day! A celebration of all kinds of families. 

• Today the world received the news of the birth of the newest English royal baby: son (and 7th in line to the throne) of Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Harry says it is all amazing and he is "over the moon."

I'm grateful to my own mother who raised my 3 sisters and 2 brothers without a lot of money but with love and patience, and had a special love for her 12 grandchildren. She passed away in 2007 but would have loved being with her 4 daughters and four of her grand-daughters to celebrate my birthday just before my mission to DR in February 2010.

My daughter and young family saw me off and 18 months later welcomed me home from my first mission to the Dominican Republic in 2010.

 I loved watching this Kenyan mom

How fun to be a grandma! (2009)

As senior missionaries and friends, (away from our families except for the 3 Chileans on the left who live closer to their families), we have a special bond as women, as mothers and
grandmothers, aunts, friends.

Women throughout the world bond and enjoy each other's company through common experiences. I took this photo of these wonderful Bulgarian women, sharing the photo I took of them. (I had 2 cameras...will digital cameras soon be obsolete?) 

I am so grateful to be part of a family (as we all are), grateful to be a mother and grandmother, but am sensitive to other wonderful women not so blessed. The amazing thing about families is the different personalities, diverse talents, and challenges that every family faces, but it is in the family that we learn most and grow, hopefully developing eternal bonds with the chance and goal to return together in live again with our Heavenly Father. I'm also so appreciative of all who have helped me raise my children. Thanks!

My 5 children and new son-in-law Neil Chandler(2018)

Younger Utah grand kids (2018)

2017 Thanksgiving photo with (some of the ) cousins, siblings, kids and grand kids at my home in California. We miss all who couldn't be there!

Fun and funny de Schweinitz grand kids in Michigan

It is in the family we ideally learn God’s Plan of Happiness. He wants us to be useful and loving towards others. He wants us to believe in our own worth. He wants us to be innovative and solve our problems, turning to him for guidance. He wants to bless us for our obedience. He wants to forgive us when we repent. He wants to endow us with power. Everything he wants is about our ultimate happiness.

What the Savior came to do was anything but comfortable—both for Him and for those who chose to follow. Those who sought ease were offended when they found none. Those who sought hyper-intellectualism in a scholarly Messiahship were disappointed and left. And those who sought a warrior to tear down the Romans and establish Israel on high in the world’s eyes were perhaps most dejected of all.

Do we recognize Him today? Do we hear His voice, as sheep to the Shepherd? Or do we succumb to the same temptation that the ancient Jews did, hoping to hear what we want, how we want, blind all the while to what’s right in front of us? The Lord has more ways of communicating with us today than ever before: prophets, apostles, the scriptures, Priesthood blessings and the Gift of the Holy Ghost, to name just a few. Will we wait for Him to say what we want just the way we want to hear it? Or will we let Him work a mighty change in us, that we might hear His voice more clearly and come unto the Good Shepherd as his sheep of old? 

 Elder Holland, in April 2017 General Conference, put it this way: “‘Come as you are,’ a loving Father says to each of us, but He adds, ‘Don’t plan to stay as you are.’” In short, while Christ “is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing,” when we choose Him, we choose to change, not the other way around.

Sadly enough, it is a characteristic of our age that if people want any gods at all, they want them to be gods who do not demand much, comfortable gods, smooth gods who not only don’t rock the boat but don’t even row it, gods who pat us on the head, make us giggle, then tell us to run along and pick marigolds. Talk about man creating God in his own image! (Holland, April 2014)

Mother'sDay (quote from an article by Michaela Proctor Hutchins)

"Mother’s Day isn’t always a celebratory day for everyone. This holiday can be an achy reminder for some that they cannot have children of their own, that they’ve lost a baby or child, that they were abused or left by a mother, that their own mother passed away, or that they dearly miss a child placed for adoption.For women who face any of these issues or others not mentioned, Mother’s Day can be poignant, but it can also be an opportunity for all of us to look around and acknowledge women who may not have families or lives that look typical but who strive to nurture and love in their roles and spheres. Put your arms around the women who come, and pass no judgement on the women who don’t. Make it a day to say, 'There is room for you here. We celebrate you.'”

In the DR, as in many places, there are wonderful people who love and help raise sweet children (these are in different  orphanages... where the church has played a role...we visited). In a "mundo perfecto" all children will receive the love and guidance they need.





I loved my visit with the children below, who are living in an orphanage in Ethiopia. I was so impressed with the young 19 year old American who got his father to put up the money to convert an old building and to take in from the street about 15 young boys. They are able to attend school, eat, sleep and play in a safe environment, and all seemed very happy and healthy. There are so many such wonderful men and women throughout the world.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said, “There is room for the single, for the married, for large families, and for the childless. There is room for those who once had questions regarding their faith and room for those who still do…In short, there is a place for everyone who loves God and honors His commandments…”
Jean Bingham, General President of our church-wide women's organization, said this week that we are all trying to figure out where we belong, and need to put our arms around each other, we need to sustain those put into leadership positions in the church. She said "the Lord is all out of perfect people, so He has to use imperfect people." In all our weaknesses we need, as expressed in my favorite scripture, "to press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men...endure to the end, and (we will have) eternal life.
I know we can all do something to help the world's children (young and old)!

What fun to share lunch and to associate with so many friends and wonderful women: Alma Umber (finishing her mission in 2 weeks to attend the birth of her first grandchild in Utah), Gabriela Huenchur (one of my first Chilean friends and Pathway English speaking partner), Fabiola Torrejon, dear friend and English student, Sisters Gallego and Bair (leaving her new mission after just a month to have shoulder surgery. A city bus stopped suddenly and she was thrown across the bus; US missionaries are usually sent home for surgeries; she will have to have therapy and be reassigned when ready to continue her mission). I will miss them and so many other dear friends in Chile. We learn much from each other and create eternal friendships.

Cumorah Camp trip

 May 1st, as in most of the world, is Labor Day, unlike the first Monday of September which we in the US celebrate with picnics, barbecues, trips to the beach, and traditionally the last long weekend before school started (now most US schools begin in August). 
The first Labor Day was held in 1882. Its origins stem from the desire of the Central Labor Union to create a holiday for workers. It became a federal holiday in 1894. It was originally intended that the day would be filled with a street parade to allow the public to appreciate the work of the trade and labor organizations. After the parade, a festival was to be held to amuse local workers and their families. In later years, prominent men and women held speeches. This is less common now, but is sometimes seen in election years. One of the reasons for choosing to celebrate this on the first Monday in September, and not on May 1, which is common in the rest of the world, was to add a holiday in the long gap between Independence Day and Thanksgiving.
It is incredible that my twin grandsons, John and Luke, are celebrating their 11th birthday today. When they were born they lived at my house with their parents,...such a fun time! This was their first Thanksgiving in 2008 (with their dad Peter Carlston, cousin Ben and uncle Peter de S.) And recently with their family.

We We have been advised to stay close "to home" in Santiago, as there can be some violence and protests carried out mostly by the young who keep the hatred and resentment against the government experienced by their parents. It's time to bury the hatchet and unite in continuing to build the peaceful, prosperous country that Chile has become today. There are things and attitudes still to be fixed, but Chile now has the best economy of Latin America, for which reason immigrants are flocking in from all over the continent. I hear a lot of disparaging remarks about immigrants, but hope in time that mixing with good people from everywhere will broaden perspectives and strengthen the country.

According to official statistics, the number of foreigners in Chile has increased from 465,000 to more than 1.1 million in the last four years: an estimated 300,000 of them remain in the country without a valid visa.

The most radical measure concerns the ban on entering Chile as a tourist, seeking an employment contract and applying for a work visa. As of April 23, visa applications will be processed only by Chilean consulates abroad.* The new rules do not apply to applications submitted until that date.

1% of Haiti's population has come to Chile. Although the Chilean government has clamped down on immigration, "the number of Venezuelans entering Chile on tourist visas leaped to 26,181 in November, the fastest pace since March, according to the Sub-secretary of Tourism. Arrivals dipped in the middle of the year after the government introduced a rule stipulating that Venezuelans needed to apply for new visas before traveling to Chile if they wanted to find work. That measures only seems to have had a temporary impact.

For my fellow Californians: Chileans and other South Americans have been present in the state of California since the 1850s gold rush. Not all Chileans made it to the gold fields. Some remained in San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, and Stockton where they frequently worked as bricklayers, bakers, or seamen. Some with capital established themselves in various businesses, particularly the importation of flour and mining equipment from Chile. In the cities most tended to congregate and live in specific areas in the poorer sections of town. In the gold fields they lived in separate camp sites. In the summer of 1849 Chileans constituted the majority of the population of Sonora. Chileans frequently worked their mines as group efforts. When the placer gold ran out around Sonora the Chileans were amongst the first miners in California to extract gold from quartz. Historical remnants often found in the names of streets in Northern California: Valparaiso, Santiago, and Calera.

Taking a break from our labors in the temple, we enjoyed a great time on Monday, instead, on our...

 Day trip to near Casablanca, Camp Cumorah, April 29, 2019 

Casablanca Valley, halfway between Santiago and Valparaiso, is the Napa Valley of Chile. Lovely red/yellow/green vineyards cover the the hillsides and fields and there are MANY wineries. The town of Casablanca has a pretty Catholic church, and is a mix of old and modern life.

Scott was offering us his yummy chocolate chip cookies when an elderly lady came sniffing and asked what he was selling. She's munching as she walks into the grocery store where Sisters Wilhelm and Dinamarca are buying lunch sandwich ingredients. The temple sister missionaries (minus Sister Wallace) below: Juanita Diaz, Miriam de Schweinitz, Nancy Moses, Lorie Marchant, Holly Young, Nina Isaacson, Alma Umber, Carolyn Clark waiting to be on our way to Camp Cumorah.

With all the eucalyptus, it could easily be California!

Church Camp Cumorah is about 1 1/2 hours west of Santiago. Organized by President and Sister Wilhelm and President and Sister Dinamarca (who live in Casablanca the closest town), all the temple missionaries, temple recorders Angulo and Lamartine and their wives drove in 3 church vans to explore and have lunch on Monday, April 29. The Ponces are Chilean missionaries who run the camp which is available to families, youth and even non-church members as long as they obey the rules! The house is for couples and is also used as a gathering place. There are separate units, bathrooms and meeting hall for campers. 

We picked figs, limes, lemons, avocados (palta), pears, blueberries, and especially quince (membrillas, very prolific and popular!) Pdte. Dinamarca was a good sport to load up wheelbarrows full for those excited to make juice, jam, sweets! 

After picking fruit we drove to learn about the native plants and terrain of the area. At the "Waters (springs) of Mormon" precious underground water is collected. The "peumo" (alba family) with edible fruit, has an exceptionally hard bark/wood and is being planted everywhere in Chile to produce needed oxygen. It has been used successfully in California.

The "canelo" below, left) is  somehow related to the olive with red and brown seeds:

 

Another interesting abundant bamboo-like plant is the "colihue" which is hard and solid. Indigenous people made arrows from it.
The very sharp spiny "Espino" is related to peas and beans (legumes), has pods, is so hard it can't (easily) be cut, and has deep roots that inject phosphorus into the soil and prevents erosion. 

Hno. Ponce also talked about the indigenous peoples of Chile: it is said that there are 40 groups, but only about 20 are truly indigenous to Chile, and most are either extinct or have absorbed into the Mapuche ("people of the land"). One interesting tribe the "Selk'nam" who shared Tierra del Fuego with 2 other tribes, but who, because they were nomadic hunters and gatherers, afraid of the water, became extinct, loosing out to the other tribes who hunted whale and fished and didn't starve to death. Selk'nam are recognized by their elaborate total red-black-white body paint (naked otherwise) and rites of passage. They are more closely related to Australian aborigines than to native American tribes.Their finally extinction occurred inn in 1974. 
(The Selk'nam had lived for thousands of years a semi-nomadic life in Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego (literally "big island of land of fire", its name being based on early Spanish explorers' observations of smoke from Selk'nam bonfires.) 

About 4,000 Selk'nam (more closely associated with Australian aborigenes than with native Americans) were alive in the mid-nineteenth century; by 1930 this had been reduced to about 100. Cattle breeders, farmers and gold-prospectors from Argentina, Chile, the UK and the US had entered the region, and were joined by adventurers and other fortune seekers. The natives were plied with alcohol, deported and exterminated, with bounties paid to the most ruthless hunters.The large ranchers tried to run off the Selk'nam, then began a campaign of extermination against them, with the compliance of the Argentine and Chilean governments. Large companies paid sheep farmers or militia a bounty for each Selk'nam dead, which was confirmed on presentation of a pair of hands or ears, or later a complete skull. They were given more for the death of a woman than a man. In addition, missionaries disrupted their livelihood through forcible relocation and brought with them deadly epidemics. Below, Tierra del Fuego scene:

Tierra 

We ate sandwiches here after walking around the large property.

top back and middle row: Ralph and Holly Young, Steve Clark, Enrique Lamartine, Nina and Scott Isaacson, Jolene Wallace, Cliff and Nancy Moses, Dan Wallace, Hilda Dinamarca, Hna. Ponce.
Front row: Pdte. Gerardo and Silvia Wilhelm, Yvonne Lamartine, Carolyn Clark, Juanita Diaz, the Angulos and Ponce dog Jack, Miriam de Schweinitz, Lorie and Alan Marchant
After a few hours at Cumorah (named after an important Book of Mormon site) delicious sandwiches, a tour of the fruit orchards and fauna of the area, we missionaries and temple presidents and recorders gathered for a photo (above) before driving back to Santiago. It was a fun and interesting Monday preparation day.
On the way home we stopped at Lo Vasquez with pilgrimage church (fragrant with wonderful Easter flowers) to buy honey (cheap and delicious) and eggs and treats.