November 3, 2012: We've been really busy this week getting moved  into the apartment vacated by the previous office couple and trying to fly-solo in their absence.  It will take us awhile to get used to/comfortable with our responsibilities in the office; but, so far, we're still optimistic that will happen.  We took the Musgraves to a Chinese restaurant for lunch the day they left...which was also Dad's birth-day ...and had a very nice meal. They surprised Dad later that afternoon with a German chocolate cake  and vanilla ice cream to share with everyone in the office, which was very nice...and yummy!  Office elders took them to the airport in Santiago shortly  after 6 p.m. that day.

This morning (our P-day) the office elders invited us to go on a 'paseo' (an outing) with them to a place near Coya, a small town nestled at the foot of the Andes near Rancagua. The biggest employer in the area, a copper-mining company called El Teniente, busses workers from Rancagua and Machali to and from a huge mine beyond Coya each day...so we passed many of those.
 

In Coya, we also passed several 'huasos' (gauchos/cowboys) riding and leading horses to and from various places. It is a very picturesque, beautiful and dusty area! We had lunch by a river; the sound of which was music to my ears. Orange poppys grow EVERYWHERE here, just like sunflowers grow along the roadsides at home.   They are very cheery. Because it's springtime here, beautiful flowers are in bloom ie. iris, roses, calla-lillies and others I've not yet formally met. ;-)

We attended a meeting for all the NEWs (new missionaries in the last two weeks) at the mission home.  We learned a lot and are enjoying getting to know Pres. and Sis. MacArthur better. We each taught a short segment about our responsibilities in the office, about the emergency backpacks each NEW ;-) receives, and about the importance of getting baptismal records to us A.S.A.P so each new convert can get a membership record and receive the support they need to continue to progress. Meals at the mission home are always TERRIFIC...so that was a bonus.

Care to hear a funny story? We thought we were purchasing a rotisserie chicken the other day, just after moving into this apartment...which, by the way, will be our home until the end of February when the mission office moves into a remodeled meetinghouse--and we'll need to find a home closer to the new office. Anyway, we obviously weren't paying very close attention; because when we got home, we discovered we had purchased a pork shank, instead of a chicken! (the OTHER white meat, right? =) Evidently even seeing is not always believing! ...Well, guess I'd better go for now. Love you LOTS!!!

November 13, 2012 . . . Hello, again! 'Sorry I've not had time to write much since our first week here...The three weeks we have been here have just flown by! We've been very busy navigating the newbies' =) learning curve while trying to keep things moving as smoothly as possible. Yesterday and today were our first "mission changes". Six missionaries left yesterday...six missionaries arrived today, had interviews w/Pres. MacArthur and were paired with their trainers. Elder Bateman =) taught them how to be good stewards of their debit cards and presented each with a new pillow and blanket. I took individual pictures of each missionary, a pix of each w/Pres. and Sis. MacArthur, and a group pix of the 'news' w/their trainers. (I know exactly what you must be thinking~and YES! that part of my duties comes very naturally! =) Last week I was busy printing and assembling orientation books, trainer books and go-homer books for those involved.

We are amazed, humbled-by and grateful-for the kindness and competence of the four office missionaries with whom we serve. We have gained an enormous respect for how much they accomplish with faithful, cheerful diligence...and it is sweet to see the way they love and encourage all the missionaries they serve-and-lead.
 

We enjoy getting to know the other missionaries, too, little by little...such as when they bring in "registros" which I then use to submit information into the church's convert data entry system. Every Mon./Tues. the assistants gather information reflecting the mission's progress as reflected by our mission's Key Indicators which I use to submit a report on the "i-MOS" (internet-mission office system).

Keeping all the new convert data on a microsoft excel program is a continual process and a constant challenge. Sometimes they are delivered to me and/or the AP's personally. Sometimes they come by email. Sometimes they are filled-out properly and completely...and sometimes NOT, which necessitates some sleuthing.

As financero, Sam has been making-do with very little~ as he can't go to the bank w/o his carnet (a legal document which has not yet arrived). Permission allowing the Chilean elder serving as comisario to do that for him in the meantime just barely arrived... so he knows tomorrow will be a very busy day. Some bills (housing utilities etc.) can be paid automatically (via internet) but some have to be paid in-person because the businesses don't have that type of internet capability. That means he needs to be first in line at the bank to get monies to work with...and then will have to stand in several other lines to get bills paid.

We had a four-day holiday last weekend (that is the country of Chile did =) and at least 3 missionaries had difficulties getting monies from ATM machines...so Sam has had to contest the transactions with the bank to try to recoup their monies. When a missionary loses a debit card, he has to add funds to the card of his companion or ZL so they can get-by until they get new cards, etc. (I'm grateful that is HIS responsibility...and not mine! =)

We moved into the apartment vacated by the previous office couple two weeks ago...and have been getting settled little by little. We have a spare room with bunk beds; so were able to house two elders returning from a doctor's appt. in Santiago last week. It was after 10 p.m. when they got this far, so they borrowed PJ's from the office elders (who also live in our building) and crashed here rather than traveling another hour+ further south so late at night. 

Then, on Sunday and Monday of this week, we housed a sister missionary who had hurt her ankle and had to stay off of it as much as possible. She became a trainer today and a 'mom' to a new sister missionary =). While we needed to be at the mission home, she accompanied two other sisters who just moved into our building with this weeks 'changes'. So, it's been fun to have people here...and help it feel a bit more like 'HOME'.

Last Saturday, we accompanied two office elders to the two southern most zones in our mission: San Fernando and Santa Cruz. We VERY MUCH enjoyed seeing the country open-up into farmland, vineyards and apple orchards. The previous Saturday (P-day for office missionaries, everyone else has P-day on Mondays =) we accompanied the 4 office elders due east to Coya at the foot of the mountains where an electrical plant operates along-side a large river. The country is very pretty there, too; tho' it seems everywhere is DUSTY! We saw men on horseback shepherding horses from one place to another...and goats...and cows...and lots of pretty flowers this time of year. =)  

~We hear you've had LOTS of SNOW lately! ;-)

Nov.22, 2012 . . . Hi! It is business-as-usual here today; but our thoughts are with you. . . and the fact that you are a part of our lives FILLS OUR HEARTS with GRATITUDE!!! Please accept these virtual HUGS and KISSES xoxoxoxoxoxoxo in lieu of the real thing. =)

Our prayer is that each of us may have a lovely, peaceful day amidst tender associations with family (actual or virtual;-) in which we take time to count our blessings...ponder our Heavenly Father's LOVE and purpose for our being here...and the infinitely personal, poignant and powerful gift of the Savior's atonement. These are the things for which we are most grateful. We love you with all our hearts!!!