Thursday, February 21, 2013

PF Changs, a movie and the upcoming temple closure

So ok I will try this again.  Was having problems with pictures and just lost everything.  So to "sum up"  We went to PF Changs's with Lance and Margie Willis to eat.  We have to take buses 117 and 411 to arrive there.  About 4 or 5 miles away.  Millie hates buses but not too bad as she could sit down and it wasn't too crowded.  The food was good the company was great.  We then returned back on bus 411 and walked about a mile home from the bus stop for exercise.  Then we took a taxi to the Costanera center mall and went and saw the movie Les Miserables.  It was good.  Paid extra to see in the Prime theatre so we had reclining leather chairs to sit in.  Was glad because 2 hours and 40 minutes is pretty long!

Eating at PF Chang's

Lance, Margie and Millie


I don't know why these pictures of us won't go bigger so they are what they are!

The temple will close in 2 weeks and we will be going on a trip with 2 couples and 2 single sisters.  Ida Murphy our dear friend from North Carolina will be coming with us as will our missionary single sister Rina Onate.  The Roberts and the Karens are the other couples.  We will be going to Punta Arenas, Chile at the tip of South America at the straits of Magellan.  Also to Torres Del Paine national park and glaciers by boat.  We look forward to it alot.  We are really tired from the work at the temple.  I guess we are officially getting older!

Monday, February 11, 2013

Time to Post, Fun here in Santiago, and hard work

It really is time to post something to our blog!  Millie and I continue to have such special experiences here in the Santiago Chile Templo.  More than anything what we have learned about giving service where we are asked.  Sometimes our natures are that we know how to accomplish certain tasks maybe more efficiently or even better!  The lesson we have learned is that we are asked to do what is needed at the time by those called to direct us.  It is humbling at times but we are so blessed by the Chilean people we know and love.  We can't even think of what it will be like to leave our friends in a few months.

Eduardo and waiter

Soledad and Eduardo what shall we eat?

Van and Millie Eduardo and Soledad Rojas

Where are we?

Lookin Great!

We are so hip!

Milk Shakes Yummy!

Did they buy them?
We were able to go to the Hard Rock Cafe with Eduardo and Soledad Rojas.  They are young couple that we have adopted as our own while we are in Chile.  We had a great time as you can see from the pictures.  It is fun to interact with the young people here in Chile.  Many of them serve as temple workers waiting for their family to be started.

Brother Calquin and Nazario Pantoja from the Auburn Washington Stake

Brother and Sister Pantoja at the Parcela

Heidi Calquin and Millie

Nazario Pantoja Millie and Van

Brother and Sister Pantoja Millie and Van

Nazario and his parents Millie and Van at the Parcela

Brother Calquin, Brother and Sister Pantoja, Sister Calquin, Millie and Van

Brother and Sister Calquin Millie and Van
The Pantoja family is special to us.  Nazario Pantoja lived in our ward in Auburn Washington.  His parents came and lived with them for about a year while I was their home teacher.  Nazario's dad was a mission president in Vina Del Mar Chile in the early 1980's and a stalwart in the church.  Nazario's sister Heidi has a daughter that married a member of our ward in Auburn as well.  It was great to visit and as always the food was great.

We enjoyed our visit there and Hermana Pantoja has given me a new name Blanca Nieve or Snow White.  As you can tell my the pictures, I do not look very much like the native Chileans with their beautiful tan skin.
The weeks seem to be flying by.  We have had so many wonderful experiences in the Santiago Temple.  It has been an experience that we couldn't have had without coming as temple missionaries.  We also are enjoying the relationships we have with the other missionaries that are currently serving her in Chile.
A mission has a way of making you grow in ways that you would not otherwise grow.  I am sure that those of you who have completed missions can look back and agree that it is a unique way to come to understand that strength and beauty of the Gospel.