Anniversary, Argentines, hugs, despedidas, missionaries and hard work!

This week found us with Argentines from Mendoza here at the Santiago Temple.  They come by bus and car thru a pass similar to Snoqualmie pass in Washington State where we are from.  They came on Wednesday and attended the temple and helped us as ordinance workers as well. They got snowed in and had to stay until Monday morning! They are such humble people.  Let me tell you about 1 family.  Bishop and Sister Ruiz.  They have 4 young daughters, he goes to school full time as does she.  He works and is Bishop at the same time.  And did I mention he can't be age 30 yet!  So faithful.  They will be finished with school this year where he will have a degree in Business and English.  It reminded me of Millie and I at about the same age.  Doing things we didn't think were possible but with Heavenly Fathers help it can be done.

High Councilor from Mendoza, Bishop Ruiz and Millie downloading to think pad

Millie and 1 of the Ruiz daughters

Millie and Sister Ruiz(wife of Bishop)

Another significant event this last week was Millie and my 40th anniversary on May 24th.  We celebrated by going to La Hacienda an Argentine Steak restaurant with Gary Davis.  We had a nice evening. 

Van and Millie and John Wayne in the background

Close up just before my Flan dessert

A common occurrence on Saturdays are weddings at the temple.  This is what we see out our window each Saturday!!

This last Sunday night we had a despedida(good-bye) for Ken and Sue Ann Workman from Emmett, Idaho.  They have had to have extraordinary courage to complete their mission.  They had to go home in the middle of their 18 months for her knee to be replaced a second time.  They elected to come back and finish.  Brother Workman speaks little Spanish but has won the hearts of many people here in Chile.  I think it is a miracle that he could work so well in the temple with few language skills other than knowing the ordinances in Spanish.  I learned what a kind heart can do in loving the Chilean people. 

Rick and Stephanie Lee, Sue Ann and Ken Workman, Sister and Brother Graham

Van and Millie with the Workmans

Ken giving a tearful good bye to us all

Sue Ann giving a more tearful good bye

The Workmans will be missed for sure!

On Sunday there was a baptism in our Pocurro Ward.  Seth Asthton age 8 was baptized.  His mother had been praying for a way to return to church after being away for some 8 years.  That same day the sister missionaries came to her house.  Sister Sacamartie(sp) and Sister Johanson have really enjoyed teaching them.  Seth asked Gary Davis to come to the baptism and said I could come along too!  It was a very neat way to spend Sunday afternoon.

Seth Ashton and his friend in primary hemanito Seguel

Sister Salamartie(sp) Rosa Arriagada, Sister Johanson,  hemanito Seguel behind, and Seth Ashton

Gary Davis, Rosa Arriagada, Seth Ashton, Van Layman  hemanito Seguel

Seth's grandma, mom, grandpa, uncle, aunt, cousin, Seth,  hemanito Seguel

Everyone taking pictures!

Sister Johanson, Sister Sacamartie(sp) Seth,  hemanito Seguel and Brother Budini

Van Layman, Brother Budini, Rosa's sister, Rosa, Gary Davis, Seth, and guess who!!

Rosa Arriagada and Seth Ashton

Seth and his mom!

I have talked about everything but the hard work.  Millie and I find ourselves in a constant state of being tired.  Working in the temple is the most rewarding thing we have ever done.  But at the same time very tiring.  Getting up at 5:45am or 6:45am and then being in the temple 6-8 hours does tend to ware you out.  Then that Saturday morning that is your turn to get up at 3:45 am and open the temple at 5:00am.  Well you get the picture.  And we are the youngest couple here!!!  One of the new couples asked one of the older couples when they got here what they did in their spare time!!  Well after a week or two they knew the answer.  You try and rest up for the next week!!  Doing the Lord's work is more than fulfilling.  It is exhilarating but then we are resting up for the upcoming week!!

Faithful Chileans, winter setting in and caught a cold!

Roberto Castillo doing genealogy at our apartment

4 washer and 3 dryers at our laundry on our floor

The plaque of the CCM(MTC) on 3rd floor

This week was a love and love more relationship with those Chileans who attend the temple.  Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday not too many came.  Friday and Saturday were to say the least very busy.  Chileans work day is very long.  They generally enter work between 8 and 9:30 AM and don't leave until 6:30 to 8 PM.  So it very hard to attend the temple during the day as the temple sessions don't start until 9 AM.  The last session is at 8 PM.  So the weekends are packed especially as many come from outside of Santiago by bus.  This weekend we had 5 buses as far away as Puerto Montt(22 hours by bus).  The fun thing to see though is that there were 4 weddings on Saturday.  In Chile, the members have to be married civilly first then get married in the temple the next day.  We also had a sealing of husband and wife to their 2 10 year old twin girls.  Then they go outside on the plaza area behind the temple and take pictures.  It really helps us understand the eternal nature of what temples are for.

After Saturday, we were exhausted.  We got to the temple at 6 AM and didn't have a break until we left at 2 PM.  We could use many more men to assist us on Saturday morning.

This week we had a visit from one of our very close friends.  Roberto Castillo.  He is married to Claudia Baschman.  I baptized her mother and father in 1969 and then she and her sister Angelica were born after that time.  They are a great couple and they just had a baby boy 2 months ago to go with the their 2 year old daughter.

We are so blessed to be here in such pleasant surroundings.  The missionaries we see at the CCM(MTC) here are so delightful.  President and Sister Allred get new missionaries every 3 weeks.  They are here 3 weeks learning Preach my Gospel.  They had 3 go thru the temple for the first time this past week.  Such a thrill to be with them.

I have a had cold this weekend, so Millie and I have pretty much taken it easy so I can get better by tomorrow.  I think it is working.

We are so glad to be able to talk with all of you via phone or skype.  It really buoys us up to be able to do that.  The gospel is true and blesses all of our lives.

We received 2 letters this week.  One from our empty nester home evening group and 1 from Julie Ann Little.  Her wedding invitation.  1 arrived via pouch and the other directly to the Santiago East Mission Address.  So nice to know they got here!!

Mothers Day, Missonaries, and Providencia

This past week was a great week for many reasons.  Millie and I feel much more comfortable working in the temple.  Many reasons but a few are:  We have had many repetitions doing the work in the temple in Spanish, Millie is able to communicate better at the temple, not best but better, We know the people on the shifts we work with quite a bit better, We understand Chilean ways of doing things better, We have a great Temple President President Otay and his wife.  That is to name a few reasons.  This was the first week we got to open the temple on Saturday at 5:00 AM.  It is interesting to be the only 2 people in the temple besides the temple engineer for a period of time!! 

Another reason this week in the temple was so special was that missionaries from the Santiago East mission came each day.  1 Zone at a time.  I thought about our children as they were able to go to the temple as missionaries.  They bring such a special spirit to the temple. 

This last week we finally were able to meet with President and Sister Laycock, the mission president of the Santiago East mission.  Millie brought hugs from the Presidents mother.  Millie and she worked in the Seattle Washington Temple together and she has a special place in Millie's heart.

This week was Mother's day as well.  Thanks for all the well wishes from the kids and grand kids.  We also had the privilege of having Sister Johansen from Detroit Michigan and Sister Sacramarte from Puebla Mexico come to our apartment to Skype with their families.  What wonderful missionaries and they bring such a spirit into your homes. 

Sister Johanson

Sister Sacramarte

Millie with Sisters Johanson and Sacramarte

This week we had a bus from Mendoza Argentina come to the temple.  It is interesting in that they bring the whole family.  They stay here on Temple Square at the Hospedaje.  The youth go to do Baptisms and the parents babysit.  Then parents go to the temple and kids babysit.  They are always out by the fountain behind the temple and in front of where we live.  Here are a few pictures of them.

Family from Ecuador who moved to Chile

Boys from Mendoza Argentina

More boys

Girls babysitting

Another first for Millie this week was her first haircut.  She went to where Sister Workman goes.  Her stylist name was Daniel.  It turned out pretty well!!

There she is!!

Lest you think we never do anything cultural.  Here are a few pictures of things that are within a 20 minute walk from our apartment.

Municipality of Providencia where we live

Building in town

Catholic Church nearby

Rachel there is a library nearby!!

National Tourism office

A great week at the temple and Sunday even better!

This week at the temple was our first on the morning shift.  We had to go in at 8 AM, 7 AM, and 6 AM on various days.  We then were done by 3 PM and 12:30 PM on Saturday.  I kind of liked that schedule.  But this week will be same except on Saturday we have to open the temple at 5 AM.  Getting up at 3:45 AM?  Not generally in my schedule.  But we can do it.  Our first Saturday morning wasn't too bad.  Yes the temple was busy and no there weren't enough men as always but we get the work done.  I won't take time to explain how you are able to attend sessions here as it is too complicated with the time I have.  Suffice to say it is very interesting and inspired.

Sunday was a great Fast and Testimony meeting.  We felt blessed to be in attendance.  Then Sunday afternoon Gary Davis and I went to Los Andes Stake for a meeting they had with all their returned missionaries.  Our friend Dave Memmott invited us.  Paola Sepulveda was there as well as Olga Palacios Gonzalez and her daughter Deniis.  The 3 are such special people in our lives.  It was overwhelming spiritually.

Olga Palacios and Van Layman in Los Andes Chile

The group in Los Andes, Chile

Deniis Palacios, Olga Palacios, and Van Layman in Los Andes, Chile

Paola Sepulveda and Gary Davis in Los Andes Chile

Little of this and a little of that

Today is May 1st in Chile and it is Labor Day so the temple is closed.  So we had yesterday Monday and today off.  Nice little rest for the weary!.  This last week was continuation of our learning of the previous week.  I am finally not as nervous officiating in the ordinances of the temple.  I attended several sessions of the endowment and I think I know it better in Spanish and than English at this point.  Millie is doing great with her assignments at the temple.  She is trying to speak as much as possible and the Chilean people really try and help her along.  We will be switching to the morning shift at the temple for the next 6 weeks.  Will have to be there at 7 AM or 8 AM Tuesday thru Friday.  Get thru at 3 PM.   Saturday a little different.  Either at 5 AM or 6 AM and get done at 1 PM.  So we shall see how it goes. 

Sunday at church sacrament meeting was on the Prophet Joseph Smith.  They had a great choir and we learned things we didn't know.  We had Gary Davis, our friend who lives here, over for dinner and a visit.  Always good to have him over. 

Monday Millie and I went to Los Dominicos to do a little shopping and browsing.

Millie buying a sweater and a scarf

Millie browsing

It was an open air market

Millie in front at the sign

We had to take the Metro(subway) to get the Los Dominicos.  Not Millie's favorite thing but it wasn't too crowded.

Millie sitting down

Van standing and holding on

Here is a picture of the bus we had to take to get to the Metro station. 

Bus 103 or 117 on Pedro de Valdivia

After shopping I took Millie to late lunch early dinner.  We went to Eladio's in Providencia on Once de Septiembre street.  It is on the 5th floor of a 16 story building.  Very good steak, Millie loved the Palta(Avocado) salad she had.  One thing in Chile that I love is their Pure(mashed potatoes). 

Sign in the entry

Van at Eladio's

Here are a couple of pictures of our Hospedaje(where we live).  We are on the 4th floor at the far right windows.

Front of the Hospedaje

Our apartment top far right

Van in front of Hospedaje

Millie in front of the many cars of the mission, area, etc