October 11, 2010

We saw the most beautiful part of our mission on Tuesday. We took the pouch to the coast, but they were having an area wide tsunami drill and the elders couldn’t have their zone meeting, so we had to take it to their apartment in El Quisco about 30 miles up the coast. It was a series of quaint little towns on the hills above the ocean. Now and then there were beautiful beaches alternating with rocky outcroppings just like our Northern California home. The trees are different, but the vista is breathtaking. No, I didn’t have my camera, but be sure, we will go back on a p-day and do some exploring and take many fotos. It was obviously a vacation destination; there were cabins for rent, a couple of high rise condos, nice shops. We didn’t even mind getting a little lost and going a couple of miles too far before asking directions.

On the way we saw a man on a bike way out in the country carrying several long boards like 1 x 6 or so and 8-10 feet long. He balanced them, himself, and the bike and rode along the freeway without a care. I couldn’t see where he might have gotten them or where he might be going. The crops are springing up and the orchards and groves have changed from carpets of pink and white to new green. Strawberries will hit the market in a week or so. We also saw two men cutting tall grass along the right of way. One swung a scythe and the other picked up the grass and piled it onto a small pickup. We’re guessing they were getting some free hay for their livestock. In San Antonio the tsunami drill was just ending as we drove into town. All the downtown had been evacuated up the hill and the people were coming back down in a solid mass from sidewalk to sidewalk for blocks on every street. We couldn’t get through to the chapel and had to go around another way.

We didn’t have time to buy, but we saw tomatoes 4# for $2 and bananas 8# for $2. They’ll probably be cheaper next time. We pay about 50% more than that in the store; haven’t bought any from vegetable and fruit vendors on the street, yet. Fresh Asparagus is $2 a kilo, about $1 a pound. Yards have citrus trees and every meal is served with fresh lemons. I saw a women squeeze several lemons on her salad. I ate an artichoke with lemon/oil to dip it in. I tried zuchinni with melted cheese, but didn’t like it. We love the fresh oranges. We cut several into smiley wedges for our lunch. The orange trees are blooming again although they still have fruit on them. We get a sniff of orange blossoms as we walk to and from the office.

I drove the route both days with only one real lost episode, easily corrected by the elder who rode shotgun. We will soon be able to drive the whole thing by ourselves. We use the mission’s Kia van for now. When we get a car we will use it.

Tonite we saw a fancy red horse drawn cart with a young driver in some kind of dressy clothes on our way from the office. The other day we saw a horse cart in the city part of the city. One guy had a little tiny car pulling his old cart. There are old men who collect cardboard in little bicycle carts. I can’t imagine that they make more than pennies a day. I saw our second homeless street beggar the other day and a woman tried to sell us bandaids by laying them on our table at KFC and coming back a few minutes later to collect.

The other day we saw a bus hit a delivery van and roll it onto its side in slow motion. In a few minutes four men climbed out of the truck apparently unharmed. A man got hold of the back corner of the van and started to lift it. It looked like he was going to do it! Then a few others joined him and quickly righted the truck with no great damage. It was obviously the van driver’s fault, which impression was reinforced by the fact that he didn’t jump out and curse the bus driver. The people all got off the bus and ran to catch another one. We turned around because they would be blocking the intersection for hours while the police sorted it out and did all the paperwork. They love paperwork. You think our government requires a lot, you ain’t seen nothin. You get a little colored receipt for EVERYTHING.

I’ve been watching the car models and I don’t see any Chrysler products. ‘Splain it to me. There are Peugeots, Renaults, and Citreons from France, lots of Toyotas and Nissans (nearly all the Taxis are these), Kias, Suzukis, Mercedes Benz buses and trucks, but not many sedans in this part of town. A very few little Fords and lots of little Chevy models we don’t have in the US. I haven’t seen any brands I don’t recognize; do they not have an auto industry? I don’t know what the rich people on the east side drive, but in Maipu there’s nothing bigger than a Corolla.

By the way, for those who are asking, Maipu is the name of our town. Nearby is the Maipo River which comes from Canyon de Maipo, a tourist attraction we haven’t seen yet. I don’t know how the spelling got changed but our grandchildren love to laugh at it. It is the site of the last battle for independence from the Spanish two hundred years ago. Now it is just a part of Santiago and the home of a very tall “Temple de Maipu” commemorating the victory. It towers over the town as we walk about our business. I don’t know what they use it for.

Also, FYI, our correct mailing address is :

Elder Blair and/or Hermana Betty Jane Pack
Chile Santiago West Mission
Casilla de Correo 149
Chacabuco 166
Maipu
Chile

This will work for letters (about $1) or packages ( $40 to $100 or more). We’d be happy with just a letter. I think we gave out the wrong address, because we haven’t received a letter since we left the States (hint, hint). Or you can send a single sheet folded into three panels and taped at the top only (no envelopes) or postcards (current US rates ) to:

Elder Blair and/or Hermana Betty Jane Pack
Chile Santiago West Mission (pouch mail)
POB 30150
Salt Lake City UT 84130-0150
USA

Sorry for the confusion. Hope this solves the problem.

One of the tricks missionaries use to avoid theft is to have their families put stickers of Jesus and the BVM (Blessed Virgin Mary) on the package to deter the religious or superstitious. Or you could write: If you steal this stuff God will smite you dead and you will go to Hell, or a variation of same. We handle all the packages and letters that are sent by USPS and in 6 weeks have not heard of a single problem with theft or customs, and most of them don’t bother with stickers, but if you are superstitious, go right ahead. The “Christian” bookstores or Sacred Heart School should have some. Ask a Catholic.

Yesterday there were 9 big parcels that required to be picked up in the mission truck; today just three small ones that fit in our shopping bag. Each day a dozen or so letters from home. Doesn’t seem like enough for 166 missionaries. We hear that some missionaries NEVER get a letter from anyone. That should be a capital crime. We don’t know who they are or they would get cookies. We can’t keep track of every letter and missionary.

Speaking of dogs, they are everywhere; in the houses, in the yards, in the streets, in the stores, in McDonalds. They love their dogs. The fleas seem to attract dogs, too. Did I tell these stories already? Sorry.

OK. . . Something spiritual. Conference was wonderful. The Pres said we should watch it in our native languages so we did. We heard with new ears, but could hear it better on Sunday when we were alone in the office watching it on the internet. Saturday in a small room full of elders, was too much of a Gringo Party. A Chilean man who speaks excellent English and taught at the Provo MTC joined the Gringos because, he said, he likes to hear it untranslated. There is always something lost in translation. Especially when we are translating.

In priesthood meeting Pres. Uchtdorf “translated” President Benson’s 1989(?) classic talk on pride, clarifying the difference between being proud of someone’s accomplishments or the good works of the church with being prideful, the universal sin. He said what I have thought, that church members misunderstood Pres Benson and made “pride and proud” dirty words not to be used by decent people. I appreciated the clarification of one prophet‘s words by another prophet. Is there anything Joseph Smith or Brigham Young or Isaiah said that has been or needs to be clarified by living prophets? Stay tuned.

We especially loved Pres Uchtdorf and Pres Eyring, and Pres Monson, and Elder Holland, and Elder Packer, and Elder Ballard, and the other Apostles and Seventies, and the prayers with different worldwide accents, and delightful Elder Gerrit Gong. We hope they let him speak again even though he is “just a Seventy”. Maybe someday he’ll be an apostle; I’ll raise my hand high. Our favorite sessions were the ones on Saturday and Sunday. We could go on and on.

It’s different when you’re not wearing pjs, right Emily? She always dresses for conference and prefers to go to the church to watch. I doubt she has missed more than two conference sessions since she was a teenager. Keep it up Girl!! And a challenge to the rest of us? Will you take the challenge?

Another spiritual gift is from our current reading of the Book of Mormon. We have been challenged to read it again in 85 days (the time it took Joseph to finish the translation). We are having a mission Christmas celebration on Dec 23, Joseph’s birthday, 85 days from the challenge, with a special testimony meeting. We are to read it in our own language and mark the words of and references to The Savior in one color and gospel principles in another. Since our only English copies are already marked up we are doing it a little differently. OK?

We are reading it aloud to each other in dramatic fashion, trying to take on the persona of the writers and “speak” it ; then we stop frequently and “liken it unto ourselves.” We watch for the Savior’s words and names. It’s fun, and again we are hearing it with new ears—missionary ears—and we are teaching each other. We’ve never done this before and I’m learning a lot from Mom. It’s a real feast.

Por ejemplo, one of my favorite verses of scripture for years has been “and my father dwelt in a tent”. We have talked at length about Lehi’s faith and sacrifice, and every time Nephi refers to the tent, we stop and talk again, comparing their total sacrifice to our small one and taking caution from Laman and Lemuel and other murmurers. Murmf,mrumdmmkurmmffer.... So stop already your murmuring. We’re trying to. We’ve got it pretty good haven’t we?

We have also enjoyed going “UP” to Jerusalem and “DOWN” to the wilderness or Ishmael’s house, etc. Mom and I (and stowaway Amanda) went up to Jerusalem in 1976 and we recall the topography. From everywhere, you go up to Jerusalem and down to elsewhere. How did young Joseph Smith know that? And how did Nephi know that Mary was a Virgin? He could see that she was fair and beautiful and young, but he didn’t grow up with her and know her character. He saw and knew by the spirit just as we can and must. You can see the creator by observing his creations, but you can only know the Savior by revelation.

I know that the Lord will help us to know whatever we need and want to know. If we don’t want to or try to we’ll never know. But if we really want to and really try and are patient and never give up, we’ll know for ourselves as certainly as if He had spoken it in our ears. Every person can know the truths of eternity. Another of my favorites is Nephi’s confession that “I know that God loves his children, but I do not know the meaning of all things.” Neither do I. Yet. But we will someday, and in the meantime, it is enough to know that our Father loves us. Every one of us. Each of US. He knows YOU. We are his children. He knows all things and he loves his children. That’s enough for me.

We are going to bear our testimonies two or three times this weekend. Once in fast and testimony meeting in the branch and once Saturday night when we go with Pres Cerda (not cerdo=pig) to visit two inactive priesthood holding families he has assigned to us. The topic of branch presidency meeting this week was how to fill a dozen callings with 5 or 6 active men. The faithful women outnumber the men by two to one and there are men who come but don’t serve. The obvious answer is to get more active priesthood holders. How? Reactivate or baptize. The missionaries baptize. We’ll work on the ones already baptized, the menos activos.

In my halting, word at a time, Spanish I told the presidency the story of my father being reactivated by Bishop Arch McKinnon who wouldn’t take no for an answer. “This call is not from me and my counselors, Phil, it is from the Lord. Will you do it?” The first time my dad said “no,” after 10 years of inactivity, but they came back and asked again. His heart was softened and he said “yes”. From that day on my father was on the stand as the ward clerk and participated in every bishopric meeting and weekly bishopric temple session. I was about twelve years old. His answer changed my future and yours too.

He bought a little typewriter and brought his clerk work home and hunted and pecked on that little Smith Corona portable almost every night. (Who has that precious typewriter now? It may be in my barn. Will someone look for it? ) He served as clerk in four wards for almost 40 years. When he died he was clerk of two wards at once--his own and the ward at the nursing home in his stake. One in the morning and one in the afternoon.

I am and my posterity should be forever grateful. When Bishop McKinnon died I cried like he was my grandfather. His son became my best friend and was best man at our wedding. I am the oldest of four returned missionaries who were all married in the temple and have faithful children and grandchildren. What if Bishop McKinnon had not come back and asked a second time? I dread the thought.

I understand Lehi’s fear for Laman and Lemuel’s souls. The future turns on very small hinges. Hold fast to that iron rod, PLEASE, for your own sakes and mine and moms and your children and your children’s children.

I hope my grandkids hear and reread this story several times during our mission.

These two families in the Las Lomas Branch may be the primary reason BJ and BP are in Chile. The pouch and the piano may be sidelines to the most important work of our calling. I look forward to meeting them tomorrow night. Pres King said today, “Just bear your testimonies and tell them the gospel blesses families.” We can do that.

I’ll get back to the rest of the story before I send this very long email.

Sat 9:30 pm for a few minutes.

We have seen another side of life you probably can’t imagine and I can’t adequately describe. We spent p-day at one of the nice big malls in Santiago shopping for an outfit for Mom and some kitchen and bath accessories in pretty colors to coordinate with what we already have. We ate at Burger King and sat watching well dressed, well behaved families by the hundreds enjoying their Saturday afternoon. Then we caught a cab to our branch to meet our two families. Pablo, the Elder’s Q pres who learned to speak fairly good English on his mission two years ago, met us and took us walking through the branch, up a long hill, with a beautiful view of the city, and into a neighborhood such as we don’t have in Hattiesburg, even in our poorest parts of town. It would all be condemned and torn down where you live.

The two families are wonderful, sweet, kind, generous people, and not really inactive, just not fully active, but solidly in the church. The Sala family (when the inlaws are living in the house) or Bizama family (when they are living in Talca, down the country where the earthquake was) is a multigenerational fluid family of from 4 to 10 people, including three sisters, their parents (sometimes), two priesthood holders (sometimes) and children and a husband or two. We didn’t meet them all. Cutest kids you can imagine, from 9 months to 8 years. Papa showed us photos on the 40” flat screen Sony TV from his digital camera and they gave us gifts of home canned peaches (duraznos) and frozen raspberries (frambuesas) that I am going to try in a few minutes. They are as good as gold and 8 year old Catalina wants to take piano. They speak NO English, but we managed a long and pleasant conversation.

The Familia Henrriquez is Alexis, an RM to Columbia, his wife Aracelly, members of 7 and 8 years who met after his mission and were married in the temple last year, and their 3 week old Ignacio. They speak a little English—Pablo helped translate. We had a wonderful conversation while she nursed the baby twice. They taught us about “Messenger” a Skype-like free internet communication program. They were on it with two friends who live in Egypt. They are both university students in the city studying finance and public relations and talking of starting a business of some kind. They too showed us baby fotos from the camera through the (smaller) flat screen TV with the Phillips DVD player/recorder and stereo system. They are blessing their baby at church tomorrow. We already love all these people. They are as fine as any in your ward.

Now, the contrast. Living conditions: The Henrriquez’s live in a three room, handmade from scrap lumber, add on behind the tumble down, homemade house of another family. The “bathroom” is in the “breezeway” between the two where we made our way through the hanging laundry. Both houses would easily fit into our garage/tv room, but you can’t see through our walls, and our floors don’t cave in as you walk across them, and we have light fixtures and sheetrock and room to turn around. I can’t describe the neighborhood sights, sounds, and smells, but people are out and about in the one-car-wide streets, children playing, little stores (almacens) open, business as usual for them, but a culture shock for us. The familia Sala/Bizama live in a slightly larger house we couldn’t see through with a homemade upstairs, probably for sleeping. Neither home was filthy, but cluttered is a kind description—what all they have is stacked everywhere. I doubt there is such a thing as a closet in either one. Do any of you remember Sister Meyers’ house in Arcata?

We were told our branch was poor. We have seen and smelled it, and can’t go there at night without an escort. Don’t worry, we won’t. But we will go back , take a baby gift, eat onces (night time snacks) with them, and love them. Pablo is their home teacher and will escort us. I don’t think it will be hard to “reactivate” them. They just need a little attention. We didn’t get to bear our testimonies, but they both said they will be at church tomorrow and we will do it then. See you later.

Sunday pm:

Six of the seven adults and their children we visited yesterday were at church, boosting the attendance by 20%. Aracelly bore her testimony and Alexi gave the baby a sweet blessing. We enjoyed lots of hugging and joy (abrazos y gozo) with them, and the whole branch gathered around the baby. BJ and BP both bore simple testimonies with the help of our cheat sheets, not much though.

I love singing in Spanish, especially in priesthood meeting; these men sing with gusto and right on pitch. The branch is getting used to singing with accompanament. Mom begins teaching the music classes in the branch on Thursday during my presidency meeting. Interest is high. BJ is called as a counselor in YM; BP is to start teaching the deacons (both of them) next Sunday. Standby. No, we don’t speak Spanish yet. We can make sense of most church literature and scriptures, but can’t express ourselves or understand others, yet. It’s coming. Lento. Poco a poco.

The peaches are nearly gone. We had to restrain ourselves from eating them all in one sitting. It will take three. What a treat, delicious, home canned, locally grown peaches. Roast and rice and gravy with them today along with two-week old cake and vanilla ice cream. Hoy fue un buen dia. Buenas Noches.

If this is too long we can send it as an attachment. I'll do both for good measure.

We sure do love you ALL
MOMANDDAD GANDG BPANDBJ