We had an interesting week.  We have had a lot of people coming to the center for help with resumes and advice on how to accelerate their job search.  We have had many from other countries who have come here looking for a better life.  Many are fleeing from difficult situations some for other reasons.  The story is always the same that they need work until their visas have been approved.  We know from experience that it takes 6 months for a visa when it is just a temporary nonworking visa.  When they want to relocate, it is even harder.  The interesting thing about Chile is you can't work without a work visa,  but if you are here illegally you can't leave the country until you have legal documentation.

One young man, a return missionary, wanted to come to Chile to be with his fiancé who is going to graduate in December.  He is currently studying in Argentina, with a full ride scholarship, but wants to leave to be with his fiancé. She needs to stay here to help care for her dying father.  She wanted me to talk to him on the phone and try to convince him to stay in school and have patience.   I told her that she needed to talk to him and tell him that if he left school he was jeopardizing both their futures by not finishing his education.   she was able to convince him that it would be better to wait. 

We had another workshop with the missionaries from the East mission, who are returning home.  It was a great group of young people.  They are so shocked when we have them figure out what it take to live and go to school in the US.  One of the missionaries is from Lehi, Utah and from my brothers Ward.  Elder Skousan got a picture so he could show it to Garrin when he returns home.  I saw them again on Friday.  He and his companion were going to the temple so I gave them two Ellis family cards that needed the endowments done.  It is so energizing to work with these young missionaries, they are so good and so close to the spirit. 

We have had a real catastrophe in Chile this last week.  Northern Chile is a desert and never gets any rain.  It has not rained there in the last 40 years and last week they had a deluge.  I am not sure how much, but it was enough to cause wide spread flooding with tremendous lose of property and some lives.  Of course the Priesthood leaders have been involved in relief efforts through the distribution of food and other supplies to shelters and families who have been displaced.  Today in Church they asked all of the members to bring to the church non-perishable food items, water and hygiene supplies.  They are taking them north to a small town.  Each stake in Santiago has been assigned a town to send supplies.  They are not allowing any relief parties to go into the area but much is being done in the area by those who live there.  They have enacted martial law in the area with several regiments of carbineros (the Federal Police who are also the army) who are guarding the area.  IF someone is caught looting, they are shot on the spot.  I dare say there is probably very little looting going on. 

This last week we were given an assignment to facilitate the BYU-I Pathway classes in Santiago.  There are over 70 students signed up and we will probably have at least 2 classes.  Those who are not aware of Pathway it is the on-line classes from BYU-I.  Here in South America they consist of three semesters which will be 15 credit hours.  The first year is basic math, English, and English writing skills.  The first year prepares them to be able to take regular college career paths and earn degree and postgraduate degrees.  It is very affordable for them and an opportunity to gain a degree that carries with it a major push up for employment with one of the many US companies that are doing business in Chile.  These companies range from medical, agricultural, to financial.  All of the major hotel companies are established in Chile and are always looking for employees proficient in English. 

We are excited in that it will all be in English and an opportunity for Chris to be able to be a major contributor.   Because of her struggle with Spanish she hasn't felt like she has been able to do much.  Although I must say she has really improved and is able to communicate a little with the people. 

It is interesting that we see many of the same struggles here as we see in the states and people are very much the same anywhere we go.  The members are always saying, "Chileans are lazy, or they are always late, or some other thing that is frustrating about the people".  I ask them if they think that only Chileans are this way because if that is the case we must have a whole country full of Chileans in the US.  People are much the same everywhere, although they really do have a problem with home teaching here.  The Bishop talked for the fifth Sunday meeting and asked how many of the coverts who have been baptized in the last two years were in attendance and only one of 19 was there and he is an invalid who needs help getting to church.  Only four Elders and four High Priests did their home teaching this month.  He begged the priesthood brothers to please visit their families and help them come back to church.  How many times I have heard the same pleadings from bishops all over the church.  I do not understand why it is so hard to go home teaching. 

We celebrated my birthday Friday night.  We invited the other senior missionaries for dinner and then played some games.  At the end we popped a few balloons.  We had a fun time.  Here are a few pictures..

 
 
 
 

Have any of you ever thought that there must be more that I can do to feel closer to the Savior Jesus Christ.  I have been reading a book called "Following the Light of Christ into His Presence".  It has made me think that there is more to it than I have experienced previously.  I have felt his presence, or at least the presence of the Holy Ghost on many occasions but I can not say I have felt that presence all of the time.  But I must say every time that I have asked for that gift I have received it and much more.  I have experienced the direction of the spirit in things that I have inquired of Him, but some times I have not.  As I read concerning the gift of the Holy Ghost and how he works, it seems that we may not know he is directing us when he is.  How can we tell?  At all times Christ through the Holy Ghost works through light and knowledge.  Every thing that is good, and brings light into our hearts and minds is of Christ anything that is rowdy, dark, and does not bring peace, calm and joy is of the adversary and is rouse to deceive man and draw them away from the light.  I am finding more and more that we can easily be deceived and drawn away from the light.  I recommend the book to anyone who wants to better understand how the Spirit works to assist us to come unto the Savior.  It is by John Pontius and can be found at amazon.com for $6.00. 

Other then reflecting on what I can do to better know Christ we have had some marvelous experiences with the work in the Center of Self-reliance.  The last two weeks we have been processing students who are receiving loans from PEF to study.  Most all of these individuals come from a background of poverty.  Most of their parents do not have enough to help them and they are on their own.  They come into the office because they have received a message that they have not completed the application with all of the proper forms.  Most of the questions are simple and we are able to help them with what they need and they move on.  However, sometimes there is a real problem such as they have not been approved because of not completing the needed workshops to receive the check.  It is sad to have to tell them that they must complete all of the workshops before receiving the money.  They have under the old program just attended a couple of days and been able to get the loan.  The problems have been that when it comes time to pay back the loan they just disregard the commitment that they made to pay back.  So to counter balance this issue we have 12 workshops where they are taught the importance of keeping commitments. Also, a problem has been that they do not know how to find work so most struggle with the payments while they are going to school.  The fund requires that they make a minimum payment each month while in school.  This forces them to find work to make those payments and get used to making payments monthly.  The payment is usually around 3.000 to 5.000 pesos which is 6 to 9 dollars a month.  It is not much but the principle taught is an important one.  If they make the payment without default 25% of the principle of the loan is deducted and if they graduate from their career another 10% is deducted.  There are several incentives to help them succeed up to 60% reduction of the loan. The Latin people have had problems with follow through in this society and it is not going to be changed overnight.  But it is changing as the young are learning the principles and following the rules. 

For a professional career the cost of study is about 1,000,000 pesos per year which is approximately 1,500 dollars.  When you talk about a million it seems a lot but is not much when you think of the cost of schooling in the US.  But the average family has an income of about 400.000 pesos per month which is about 700 dollars.  Things cost as much here to live as in the US for food and non food essentials but luckily the rent for them is cheaper and many own there home because they build their own house on a cheap piece of ground that they purchase in a Ghetto part of the city. 

There is a big difference between the rich and the middle class.    If it was not for that they could not make it on what they make, as it is they go without much we are accustom to in our lives.  The cars they drive if they have a car is usually older but well kept, but most of the time they use the mass transit system to get to work and around the city.  We are not familiar with the area outside of Santiago much but in the rural areas it appears that there are land owners and the workers.  Many of the land owners are corporations from the US who own the land and hire the Chileans to work the  land.  The government is ok with that arrangement because they have brought in a great deal of technology into the agriculture environment.  However, much that is done in the fields seems to been done by hand so that there is work for the workers. 

The people where we live are mostly professionals and make very good salaries.  They drive nice cars and have nice homes and apartments (or Condos).  Most buildings are condos not apartments then the owner rents them out.  Property management companies do not own any of the apartments just keep them rented.  Once you rent an apartment you are responsible for all maintenance and upkeep.

That is a long explanation to show why these youth need the loans or they do not study.  

We had a real good experience last evening with one of the participants in our workshops.  He has been a member of the church from his youth and met and married a girl 25 years ago who could not join the church because she is Japanese and her parents forbade her to join the church but she and the children have been attending.  They moved here from Japan and she made the decision that she and the children were to be baptized.  She is delightful person and it was glorious to behold.  She was thrilled to hear that we had a daughter in law from China.  Although different in many ways they are a lot alike culturally. I was introduced to her and the children as their fathers professor.  Which I guess in their culture gives me a lot of status.  I like that teachers are not only respected but almost revered and are given special treatment.  We were given a gift when we met her and given a place to sit near them. 

Those in the picture from let to right: Victor Leon, his wife Andreia Negoro Leon, daughter Biaca Leon, son Victor Leon, and I did not get the name of the youngest daughter.  I was amazed at how much the daughter Biaca reminded me of Jessica my granddaughter.  It was a precious experience that we will cherish. 

 

We also made a bit of an excursion yesterday.  There is a hill here in Santiago that is called the Cerro de San Cristobal.  It has a zoo at the bottom of the hill but you still must climb a bunch of stairs to get to anything because it is built on the side of the hill.  We got a few pictures from the zoo but only one worth showing.

Chris is looking at the elephants which was the only animals that was out and moving around.  I guess the time to go to the zoo is at breakfast or supper when the animals actually move around.  But it was a site in the city we had on our list so we saw it. 

 

We were actually going to see a llama but there were not any to see. On the top of the hill is an old Catholic church and a huge statue of the virgin Mary which is the big attraction.  We then road an elevator tram up to the top to see the statue.  We could tell it is a special place for those of the catholic religion. 

The  statue had a small room inside where people could go in to pray to Mary to intervene for them to the Savior. 

 

 The statue of the Savior is much smaller and has the two Marys by his side.  It is a very nice place and most of the people who visit are very respectful.  I quite enjoyed the visit even if it is not of our religion it is a special place for others and there was a good feeling there. 

While we were there they read the rosary over the loud speaker.  I had never heard the rosary prayers before and they were very interesting to me.

We road this elevator which is very much like a tram but it climbs the hill on a cable and returns on a cable.  There are two trains that go up and down  when going up the tram is on the end of the cable and going down as well.  there is passing place in the middle of the ride for the two trams to pass.  It was fun.  We met a family there from New York who were there to leave  today to take a cruse from Valpariso to Fort Lauderdale Florida through the panama Canal.  Their son had on an Army T shirt and I asked if he was in the army.  He said not yet but was going to join as soon as he finished High School.  His father was an army vet as well as his grandfather.  So he was keeping up tradition.  He was going into military police correctional.  I told them that Jake was in the Army and was in Advanced Individual Training in Fort Gordon.  But the cruise sounds like something that would be fun to do. It actually sounded like a good way to return home at the end of our mission but we will probably only be able to afford  the airfare that the church pays for.

 This is a picture from the tram as we were ascending up the hill and the other photo is of us descending.  The second show some of the city from near the top of the hill as we started our descent. 
                                             One of the great things we were able to see was the city almost to the mountains on the other side.  Usually this time of the year there is more smog and we are unable to see that a clear picture.  In the winter time it is even worse because they have a bad inversion most of the winter that keeps the sun out and makes it much colder then the area outside of the city.  We have not experienced that yet and will see when it comes.  Santiago is a big city but not considered big in South American term.  Chile actually has the smallest population of any of the other south American countries.  If you look at the country it is not that large of a land mass just very long.  Most of the Country is open country, the north is quite barren and rocky and the central part the agricultural part with the far South cold like Alaska with not much sun in the winter and a lot of sun in the summer. (Just opposite of the US)

Last Tuesday we got a bed after sleeping on a mattress on the floor.  I needed to go to the mall to see of I could find a pad for the mattress which is hard as a rock and killing both of us. I found out that you cannot find a memory foam pad in Chile.  They do not make them instead they have a fiber filled pad that can be purchase which is not much.  But I was looking for one for our new bed.  That morning as I do every morning I asked in my personal prayer to guide me to someone I could help.  As I was walking along Nuevo Providencia I stopped for a light  and next to me was a man who looked clean but I could tell was a bit stressed.  I felt prompted to talk to him as he seemed really interested in me and what I was doing in Chile.  I then asked if he was troubled and got his story.  His name is Igor (very common in Chile) and he really needed to find work.  He had a law degree but was in an accident a couple of years ago which left him with brain damage and he lost his memory.  He never was able to gain enough back to continue to practice law.  So he began working as a construction foreman.  They finished a multi year project and he was laid off with all of the other workers.  He had been staying with his grandmother in Santiago but it was crowded and he could see there was no room for him so he left and was sleeping on the street.  I asked how long it had been since he had eaten.  His response was he was ok and just needed work, I pressed him and he finally said it had been a couple of days.  I took him into a shop and bought him some food and a drink.  As we sat eating and talking I told him what we did and invited him to the center to see if we could help him.  On Wednesday he came and I showed him some of the principles to find work and gave him a lead to the Grand Hyatt Hotel which is just opening up near us.  I asked if he had some better clothes and a place to clean up. He said he could get some help with that from family and was so grateful that he had a lead.  I hope he is able to get some work because he is not a good beggar and only wants to have a chance to provide for himself.  I am praying for him and more prayers will not hurt.  I put his name in the temple prayer roll as well.  Even if it is only one at a time it is one and he is a son of a Father who wants him to be happy.


Well we do not have much more to report but we are happy, healthy and working hard to help the people of Chile.  I hope we can in some way make a difference for some of the many who need a hand up.