December 10, 2010

Dec. 5, 2010- It's a secret I'm sworn not to tell anybody; that's why I'm only telling you. Last night Pres. King called me after stake Pres. Nunez called him (about 10:30 pm), and this morning I told Acting Branch Pres. Contrares I knew the secret. He promptly sat me down in his office face to face and had a little heart to heart. I'm not sure what he said but he was serious about it. “Secreto, confidencial, mucho argullos, cuatro familias, cambios en la presidencia, dos hombres . . . presidentes futuros, y mas. Don't tell Erasmo, don't talk to Jorge, or Pablo or the Elders, or anyone. This is just between you and me.”

Taken all together I think the secret is that I am going to be released from the branch presidency and two men who could be future branch presidents will be called and trained by Acting Branch President Contrares of the high council, but no one knows who or when or how much this will stir the pot. Didn't I just suggest this in my last email? Somebody up there was listening or else I am really in tune with the spirit. Oh yea, I am not the stake president. Back off Blair.

I still get to teach the diaconos (and teachers and priests), except today, when only one joven showed up and Erasmo taught him with the help of Acting Branch Pres. Contrares with me in the bleachers watching and learning. I tried to make a comment, but my Spanish was corrected rather confrontationally so I held my peace. Anyway don't tell anyone our little secret until the stake presidency shows up again and makes the changes official. Thereafter, I am to be an “observer and consultant” to Acting Branch President Contrares, sort of an unofficial third counselor in the shadows. I think this is a new calling in the church, although many a bishop's wife has played the role. Check the new handbook for details. I'll do my best.

Still don't know why Pres. Cerda was released and no one is talking and the familia Cerda was “on vacation” today except Marcelo who attended branch council meeting. Oh, I learned what little Matilda's amazing primary program talk was about. She began: “We believe in God the Eternal Father. . . ” and finished at the end of the third Article of Faith. I can't get over how sweet and impressive it was. She truly is an angel straight from the presence of God. I can't see her without thinking of our precious Ella and all our dear grandchildren. Jesus once was a little child; a little child like you.

Today, at the urging of Acting Branch President Contrares I bore my testimony, the last one of the meeting. Whereupon, Acting Branch President Contrares announced the closing hymn and prayer--”Hermana Pack”--who gasped and sweated as she played through the hymn, then gave a very sweet, simple, completely understandable prayer—in Spanish. Everyone was thrilled—except her. She later told Acting Branch President Contrares (hereafter known as ABPC) that she needed a little more notice next time. She really felt pressured. He is an in your face kind of guy who is pushing us hard to speak only Spanish in the branch. We are trying, but when we talk to him and he doesn't understand, we shift to Spanglish and he hasn't complained. President King assures us we are doing as we should and don't need to feel any pressure to speak only Spanish. We'll keep studying and learning.

Tonight was the stake Evening of Excellence for young women, and it was at least the equal of last week's Relief Society Closing Social, only an hour longer. When you make the effort to bring decorations, food, crafts, class projects, Personal Progress books, the baby and the toddler and more on a bus an hour from the family casa you apparently don't want to waste the effort on a one or two hour meeting. Why not make it three or four ? Even with our car it was a 5 hour round trip—driving time 15 min.

It's Thursday pm at the branch for piano class. One new and one old student so far. Announced beginning times are just an approximation. The leader decides when to start, not the clock. Mom's teaching is amazing. She goes at it 100 percent as if everybody understands her; and they do, somehow. There is lots of laughter, which makes it enjoyable for all. No one seems put off by the language barrier. Besides the church piano/organ she had three teclados on a long table and goes from one student to another giving individual help as others practice. It's kind of a cacophony of sound, but it's working and more people are asking if they can join.

Black Friday in Chile seems to coincide with Immaculate Conception day. As we delivered the pouch into the city yesterday we commented on the light traffic. When we got to our stop in the middle of the university there was not a soul, or a car, in sight. We assumed they were all at mass. Not. After work we went to our two stores, Sodimac Home Center and Jumbo, which it really is. We found the people!! [and refried beans(2.50US), and taco shells,, and canned green beans($1.00US). JACKPOT] Thousands of them (people, not beans). The aisles were jammed. The 50% Christmas stuff was a tangled heap of bodies and scrambled merchandise. It took a half hour to find a parking place—as far as you could get from the store, and drivers were anything but patient. Usually they are more than willing to share your lane on the road. All of a sudden an oncoming will veer sharply into your lane and come straight at you. They never seem to collide, and all they are doing is skirting a pot hole or a bus for a few seconds. It's breathtaking. Mom's friend Bristella rode home with us after her piano lesson Monday and ragged me about my driving. Sometimes it's just as well not to understand everything people are saying.

Yippee!! The Cerda family is here for piano and basket (they drop the ball). They are happy and greeted us very warmly. Maybe they really were on vacation. We are told that sometimes people just close up shop for a few days or weeks or months even and take a vacation. Every time there has been a holiday the world here shuts down.

More about Immaculate Conception. Comparative Religions 101: according to Bruce R. McConkie (and me), Latter Day Saints believe in the Virgin Birth, but not in the Immaculate Conception; Catholics officially believe in both, and most people of these and other religions don't know the difference. A virgin shall conceive and bear a son and he shall be called the Son of God. (re: Isaiah and Nephi and Jacob). That is the Virgin Birth. No question; we believe. The immaculate conception has to do with the conception within Mary's mother's womb. The false doctrine that Adam and Eve's original sin was sexual (thus they would not have had children had they not partaken) and that all children are born in sin is behind the notion of immaculate conception.

False Reasoning: God had to prepare a way for a perfectly pure girl child to be born without sin who later in life could be the Mother of God. If Mary had been conceived normally she would have been a tainted vessel conceived in sin. Can you imagine the Son of God being born to an ordinary mortal? Therefore her mother somehow conceived baby Mary without sin (sex?) and Mary was different from all other children: therefore we(Catholics) worship her with as much or more reverence as we worship Jesus. The Mother of God and the Son of God were special creations. Worship both. Now go look for this in the scriptures, just don't waste a lot of time doing it. That's not where the idea came from. The early church councils and subsequent popes and people decided these things. You see why they believe that infant baptism is necessary? False Doctrine.

The Doctrine of Christ: Little children are alive in Christ and need no repentance or baptism because they cannot sin. As children approach the age of eight they become accountable for their sins and need baptism for the remission of their sins, past and future. Men will be punished for their own sins and not for Adam's transgression. Become as a child: meek, submissive, full of faith. Jesus is the Son of God the Eternal Father, born of the virgin (not capitalized or worshiped, but loved) Mary. Worship the Father in the name of the Son. Have faith in Christ; believe that He is; believe that He loves you; believe that He has atoned for your sins as well as Adam's. Repent and be baptized in the same manner and by the same authority by which Christ himself was baptized. Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Endure to the end with lifelong faith and repentance and worship and faithful obedience to the all laws and ordinances of the Gospel, and YE SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE WHICH IS THE GREATEST OF ALL THE GIFTS OF GOD. Your sins are forgiven. Exaltation is your birthright. Father has made this possible for His children because He loves them. You are His child; He loves you; you will be like Him someday. Now go look in the scriptures for these True Doctrines.

VIRGIN BIRTH? YES. IMMACULATE CONCEPTION? NO NEED. That's the sermon for the day. I just wish I could preach it in Spanish. Unto what was I called and ordained? To preach the gospel and invite people to come unto Christ. Oh, that I were an angel and could have the wish of my heart. Someday. . .

On the lighter side—the other day we went to the Bank of Chile to pay our rent. We deposit it into our dueno's (owner's) account and it must be done at his bank. The line for the general public was 63 people long before we arrived. It probably had been that way all day and as closing time, 2:00pm, approached it grew much longer. Well, we waited our turn. And waited. And waited. And waited. Two solid hours. I amused myself by reading shirts and caps: three Chile soccer shirts AND — Body Glove, Sweet Dreams, Ripcord, Everlast, Izod, Surfrider, Longhorns, Cabella, Head, Faith Rocks, Adidas, True Denim, Santa Barbara California, Glamour, it's me, One Way, Hard Spirit, Nike, Tobasco, Australia, Unlimited, Brooks, Hollister, Live by your own rules, and a 2001 winner of the ???engineering award of ??? company. I'm easily entertained. Others brought books, magazines, ear buds, and lots of phones.

Know what happens when I eat too much fruit? Apparently, nothing. I'm eating all the cherries, strawberries, peaches, nectarines, apricots and bananas as I want and no adverse affects—knock on wood please. I don't know if I'll tire of them eventually, but for now I am in hog heaven. I loved to climb my Grandma McFarland's apricot tree above the chicken house and gorge on juicy ripe apricots. We had canned apricots and juice all year. I've missed it in Mississippi. I hope it lasts all year here. They seem to be able to plant one crop right after the other. They are still pulling onions and potatoes from later plantings. In the corner of the field is a little patch left for seed.

That's it for today. We love you all and thank you for your support. We feel your love and prayers and pray for you every day. We want this mission to bless all of us and many more, here and there.

LUV MOM AND DAD