New Year's Eve-DAY was a normal day at the office, where-in I prepared 3 books for Elders who would be going-home in a few days and Elder B. helped assemble emergency backpacks for new missionaries who would be arriving...besides the normal processing of registros (baptismal records) and handling of financial matters that come-up each day. That evening all the missionaries were required to be off the streets by 6 p.m., so those who live in our apt. bldg. joined us for a pot-luck dinner and a movie =) "The Work and the Glory"-part 1. Fireworks began going-off in the city just as we headed to bed. It was fun to see some of them from our apartment. We were also at the office New Year's Day...and SO ENJOYED connecting with Kam's fam and Becca's fam that afternoon!
We had the privilege of attending a despedida (farewell) for Elder Cevering, an AP who has been a terrific help to us in the office. He left Jan. 3; so on the 2nd we were invited to the back yard of the home of Cecilia, a member whom he helped reactiviate...along with other members from our ward and Cecilia's family. While there, we got to help make humitas (something like tamales made with ground corn, tomatoes and garlic--wrapped in corn husks and then boiled...and served with fresh tomatoes and or a bit of sugar) With sugar, they reminded me of my mother's recipe for baked corn...and were DELICIOUS!
The next day brought some unexpected Special Changes which always create logistic challenges for the office elders. Elder B. was recruited to help transport elders to the southern part of the mission: two to Rengo and two to Chimbarongo...so others could take departing missionaries to the airport.
There was a zone leaders council that Friday; so I prepared 55 new convert letters so the ZLs could take them to missionaries assigned to specific sectors where they could be delivered.
Thanks to the use of a sewing machine borrowed from the mission home, I did a bit of mending and/or altering on six pair of trousers that week (for an elder heading home, for Elder B. and 3 other elders in the office =)
We took down Christmas decorations and did as much as we could to help prepare for the office move---which at that time was still very much up-in-the-air because of the need to coordinate efforts with folks in Santiago.
Saturday, Jan 5th, we joined some senior missionaries and other tourists on a bus-tour of "El Teniente" the largest underground copper mine in the world--located in the Andes east of Rancagua. We had our first experience catching a "collectivo"...which is like a taxi, except that it only costs $2 to go anywhere along a pre-dertermined route...as opposed to going door-to-door. You just kind of have to know which direction you're headed and then you need to ask one of the dozens of drivers along that route if he's going your way at that moment. We weren't sure Elder B. would fit in the backseat of one of the collectivos (little black cars--all the same size and make)--but he did! So we made it to a large shopping center along the Via de Cobre (Copper Way) where the tour-bus picked-up all its passengers from Rancagua.
We'd been on the road leading east of Rancagua before--with the office elders--when we went to Coya and to the national park, Los Cipresas. This time, however, before getting to Coya we passed through a gate operated by the mine that allowed us to take a different route back into the mountains. From the bus we could see a couple different mines that have subsequently been developed. A city called Sewell was built on the side of a steep mountain where the original "El Teniente" was founded. Sewell became known as the City of Stairs. Most of the buildings are 4-5 stories high and are connected by stairways instead of streets in order to make the best use possible of existing space. For many years, the mine owners (gringos) and workers (latino farmers, originally) lived right there in Sewell. Ox carts hauled equipment, machinery, building supplies, food and EVERYTHING...until train tracks were laid. Eventually roads were built...and after many years, people began living in Rancagua and Machali (a littla town at the foot of the mtns.). Sewell has since been designated as a national landmark and plans are underway to restore many of its historic sites ie. Chilie's first public swimming pool and bowling alley, which the owners provided for diversion. There is a hospital currently under renovation so we were not allowed into that building...or into any of them for that matter...EXCEPT an historic reception center, the bowling alley, an old church and a very nice museum housed in the Sewell City School building which preserves the history of copper excavation, refinement and all its current and historic uses. Our guide was born and raised in Sewell. He was very friendly...and talked 90 miles a minute...so we didn't catch everything he said; but we purchased a book at the museum giftstore that explains the history of Sewell/El Teniente in English as well as Spanish. =) We could not enter the actual mine itself because it still operates 24/7!
Upon leaving Sewell, we retraced our journey back to Via de Cobre and had lunch at the Coya Country Club situated on a beautiful golf-course previously used by Americans who helped build the mine as well as the power plant in Coya that facilitates the operation of El Teniente. We were able to walk through an historic part of Coya where the American workers had lived..and where there is still a very nice full-size soccer field. It was very nice to spend this change-of-pace-day with the MacArthurs, los Sanchez, los McKinley, Elder Finlayson y Hna. Crews. ( I took so many pictures, I wore out two sets of batteries. =)
The following week, we went to Santiago with Elders Stapely (secretary) and Botero (commisario) to accomplish the leg-work and paperwork for our carnets (Chilean ID cards). It took most of a day...and we were extremely grateful for the help of these young men who know the ropes so well. Between standing in-line at several government buildings, it was fun to see some of downtown-Santiago. We even had our picture taken with two mounted carbineros (Chilean Canadian Mounties =). We had lunch together at a Subway shop in Santiago before heading home.
We learned that folks from Santiago would move our mission office to its new location Monday, Jan. 14th. That meant we would lose internet capability Sat. a.m., Jan. 12th. ...We boxed-up EVERYTHING. ...Workers came to remove all the internet-related wiring. ...Elder Leighton joined the office staff as a new comissario-in-training Sunday, Jan.13th. ...And at o'dark-thirty (just after midnight on Sunday) the movers came and disassembled the office furniture...moved it...and reassembled it at the new location. The office elders took turns sleeping earlier in the day so a pair would always be available to assist the folks from Santiago. It took several days, instead of the projected two, to get everything back on-line with computers functioning properly and talking to the printer. My computer still had issues until last week when the folks from SLC finally got the CDE (Convert Data Entry) program functioning as it had been before.
We LIKE the new office in that it is part of a newly renovated chapel, is cleaner, is in a much quieter part of town ~ and the AC works (thankfully!); but it's been a challenge getting settled...because it is configured differently. Shelves had to be added to the storage room to accomodate all the ecclesiastical materials that come and go on a regular basis...as well as sundry other items that are needed only occasionally. The bodega (storage area) is in a continual state of flux. There have been issues with the new alarm system...and we are awaiting custom-made large-enough-to-accomodate-the-ever-increasing-number-of-missionaries cabinets with glass doors where pictures of all missionaries in the mission are displayed. And the pictures we do have, haven't yet been hung (low on the picture-hanger's list of priorities, I guess) so we still aren't quite as settled as we'd like to be. BUT we are functioning. . . THANKFULLY!!!
The three weeks of earnestly-preparing-for, actually-getting-moved-and-reconnected-electronically, and then getting resettled were followed by the largest week of CAMBIOS/CHANGES we have yet seen. 15 missionaries and a senior couple left Feb. 3rd and 22 new missionaries arrived on Feb. 4th. Each departing missionary needs a "Go-Homer" =) book. Each new missionary needs an Orientation book...and each new trainer assigned to a new missionary needs a Trainer book. Previously, it was a rather simple process of printing a handful of books, punching holes so they can be bound with spirals, and putting missionaries' names on them. This time, however, besides the increased number needed...some changes and updates were made in the Orientation and Trainer books (ie new address for the mission office, changes in proceedures for weekly letters sent to Pres. MacArthur, and the addition of an EXCELLENT but lengthy talk called "The Fourth Missionary" by Lawrence Corbridge which needed to be reformatted in both English and Spanish) ...all of which complicated the process of book-making for me this time. The Commisary arranges housing, telephones, personal study journals, etc. and delivers the books I produce. Elder B. trains new missionaries on financial issues and gives them their cards ~and money for a new blanket and pillow. The Secretary arranges all the transportation from the airport and/or the MTC in Santiago (for latin missionaries) to the mission home and from there to their various sectors after INTERVIEWS with Pres. MacArthur, TRAINING from the assistants, Sister MacArthur and the financiero, MEETING THEIR NEW COMPANIONS, and having LUNCH at the mission home. So, when the NEWS and their TRAINERS depart, Elder B. makes sure each taxi-driver is paid and sends them on their way.
We were asked to go to the airport to get a new senior couple who arrived Feb 2nd (..so they could overlap with the senior couple who had been in charge of creating the first single-adult-center in South America here in Rancagua due to the urging of Pres. Mac Arthur). It was our first time driving into the BIG CITY. We made it in plenty of time after missing the initial airport exit...but we had an excellent adventure coming home when we somehow found ourselves in downtown Santiago. We were able to show the Battraw's part of the city they (and we) might otherwise not ever see. =) But just as we were calling the office elders to ask for help, Elder B. realized we were near the temple (where we had been previously as passengers) and found a sign that helped us get back on the right track. We made it back in time for their luncheon engagement with Pres. and Sister MacArthur, however, so all was well!
That was last Saturday. Sunday we hosted a hail-and-farewell-luncheon for the Battraw's and the McKinleys with the other senior missionaries here in Rancagua. I made two 9x13" pans of chicken enchiladas thanks to the generosity of Elder Archuleta who shared some corn tortillas he received in a Christmas package. Flour tortillas are plentiful here; but corn tortillas can't be found. Someone sent him LOTS; so he offered some to those of us in the office. We told him they would keep well in the freezer; but he insisted...so we promised to share with others, too. =)
Mon and Tue were CRAZY with CAMBIOS as mentioned, the taking and making copies of pictures of departing and new missionaries and then the departure of another AP who was here when we first arrived. Elder Traverso and Elder Cevering (previously mentioned) were our papas (in mission lingo =) so it was hard to see them go. They were both EXTREMELY CAPABLE + F-A-S-T at working with computers and printers. They were not only patient with our pleas for assistance, but were genuinely kind about helping us. They were a dynamic-duo who will be greatly missed. One day, shortly after we arrived, we were all working late. I had asked E. Cevering for help once already, so was hesitant to do so again but E. Traverso was busy on another computer, so I walked into Pres.'s office (adjacent to ours, previously) where he was preparing for a zone leader's training ~ and found him kneeling in prayer. It was a tender moment I will never forget. A reminder of the true source of all our help.
Elder Traverso is from Santiago; so his parents and three sisters came to get him. It was very nice to meet them. Elder Belmar also left this week. He was the commissario when we first arrived. He is from SOUTHERN Chile so faced a three hour flight; but his brother, sister-in-law and adorable 2-yr-old niece from Santiago came to see him before he went home. E. Traverso and E. Belmar were kind enough to walk me home late Monday evening (after 11 p.m.) when Elder B. was in Santiago trying to help the APs with a vehicle that had broken down. Others we've come to know and love ~who left this week~ are Elder Aylworth (assigned to our ward), Sister Hansen (lived in our bldg.) and Elder Jara. Elder Jara's family also came to get him and brought the office staff delicious Alfajores--a thick layer of soft caramel between thin wafers (the diameter of a baseball) covered with white or dark chocolate-- for which his hometown, Vina del Mar, is famous. Elder Jara served in the office just before we arrived. We first met him at the Christmas Devotional in San Fernando where he directed the missionary choir and accompanied Elder Archuleta on "O Holy Night".
We were happy to be able to attend a baptism in our ward two weeks ago. Cecilia's grandchildren, Connie (16) and her 8-yr.old cousin, were baptized by Elder Traverso. It was a very sweet moment for office elders who don't often get to baptize while serving in that capacity.
The home closer to the new office that we were hoping to be able to move into is no longer a possibility; as the landlady raised the rent way beyond what is reasonable in that neighborhood. . . so we'll keep looking and hoping. Meanwhile, the 30-min walk between our apt. and the new office is great exercise ~and even enjoyable in the cool of the morning or evening when we may not have access to a mission vehicle.
With the internet being down for awhile and so much else going-on, I'm afraid I haven't yet turned-over that new leaf about writing more frequently. That is still a goal, however...and the moment this post is published I will do my best to post pictures. It seems my little brain can handle only a limited amount of new-to-me technical info. at one time; but since I seem to be growing more accustomed to daily duties, maybe I'm ready to tackle one more new trick. . .
WE LOVE YOU with all our hearts and are extremely grateful to know that our Father in Heaven is watching over you! We know this is His work. We are grateful for whatever assistance we can give the missionaries and the good people here in Chile.
