A great week in the temple with the Calama stake

Last year in June the Calama Stake came to the temple and I was able to get to know them.  This year they came again and was great to see them.  Last September Joe and Dixie Bowler and Millie and I went to church in the Calama Norte ward where Aniceto Perez who I and Doug Pulsipher baptized attend church.  Well this year Aniceto came with the group.  It was very spiritual to participate with him in temple ordinances.  President Acuna the stake president brought 140 men, women and children to the temple.  They stayed in the Hospedaje on the second floor just below us.  We are on the 4th floor.  What makes their trip so unique is that they have to make a 3 hour plane trip to Santiago from their city.  In reality it is like a temple trip from Seattle to Phoenix, Arizona.  What further makes it unique is that young people 12-18 participating in the baptisms for the dead are pulled out of school.  President Acuna reasons that if they are going to come he wants the youth to have as much opportunity for baptisms as possible.  He had 46 youth 12-18 participate.  They did 4 hour baptisms in the morning and in the afternoon on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.  Then on Friday morning did 1 session and flew home.  This way all the kids did 10 names in each session.  What an inspiration to us all. 

Van, Millie and Aniceto Perez

Hermano Veliz(temple worker and friend of Aniceto), Van and Aniceto

Hermano Veliz, Millie and Aniceto

People from Calama

More people from Calama

 

Counting down for Gary Davis, Perry Roberts 80th birthday and hard work at the temple

Our very close friend Gary Davis who lives about 2 blocks from the temple, is going home on July 1st probably not to return to Chile.  He has 2 church service mission calls at this time.  One in the Church Historian's office and the other with Agra Reserves a for profit arm of the church that has an olive tree farm here in Chile.  He and his wife were going to be returning to Chile this last January and serve until March of 2014.  But some health issues have kept Debbie in Lehi and Gary is now winding up their affairs here in Chile and finishing his mission work early. 

Gary, Millie and I went to the house of Susanna Orellana her daughter Eros, sister Nellye and brother in law Ariel this last Sunday for dinner.  Susanna always has food for an army and this time was no different. 
Millie adds:
We always have fun with the Orellana family.  Eros talks so fast that I finally gave up trying to understand the whole story she was telling.  We love that family a lot.  We spoke at Susanna's mothers funeral.  So it is bittersweet for Gary to say goodbye for the last time.  It will be diffucult at best for us as well in August.

Gary, Susanna, Eros, Ariel, Nellye, Millie and Van

Millie and Susanna looking at pictures on Millie's IPAD

Nellye, Gary, Eros, Ariel.  Gary organizing Eros laptop with all the picutures he has taken of their family

Millie and Susanna--she loved the IPAD

 

 

 

Gary, Susanna, and Millie at the Villa Sur Ward of the Ochagavia stake

 

 

We went to the restaurant "The Happening" in Las Condes for the 80th birthday lunch for Perry Roberts.  It was a great restaurant and food was great.  I hope I am as active as he is at 80!

Lance Willis, Frances and Perry Roberts, Van and Millie Layman and Margie Willis

 

We had a beautiful Seattle summer day for our adventure today!