Don Pollo, Rainbows and Viejos

We have had some busy times here in the mission. My blog postings are becoming few and far between because I am unable to blog in a short amount of time and that's all I've got these days...short amounts of free time. So this entry may be full of chaos as I put a month into one post.

We said good-bye to a group of missionaries last month and sadly let them go home. Elder Rahde, one of our first assistants was in this group. I'll admit a few tears were shed when I hugged him good-bye at the airport. But we had a fun dinner with all of the viejos the night before they headed home and took this picture to remember the occasion. Since their return many have friended me on Facebook so I am able to keep track of their lives after the mission. How fun it is to have Facebook.

The new drapes still have not arrived, hence the lovely valances.

The day after the viejos flew home we had our first Zone Leader Council (held monthly). All of the Zone Leaders came into Antofagasta with many of them on buses overnight. We had training with them all day and then sent them back to their sectors on buses. I'm glad they are young because those overnight buses are killer. Here is a picture of the finest Elders in our mission on our porch.

Soon after the Zone Leader Council we were able to host two special mission conferences with Elder Claudio Costa from the First Quorum of the Seventy, his wife and President and Hermana Amado from the Area Presidency. Our first stop was Iquique where we bussed in missionaries from Arica to participate in the conference. Before the meeting we had lunch with the General Authorities at a wonderful restaurant on the water. These pelicans were also having their lunch as the local fishermen throw their scraps into the water at the end of the fishing day.

A view of the harbor in Iquique, Chile.

Two sea lions joined in the pelican lunch gathering. They got their fair share of fish scraps.

Our office missionaries work hard all day in the office and then hit the streets at night to find people to teach. This is their newest convert, Marcel, whose day job is mascot for Don Pollo. This is a local restaurant with the most delicious roasted chicken and fries and it has become one of our favorite food stops (even before we knew Marcel worked there). From left to right are Elders Mortensen (Assistant), Elder Vergara (Secretary), Marcel the chicken, Elder Brian (Finance Secretary) and Elder Skene (Assistant).

Marcel had the sweetest experience at his baptism. The water in the font wasn't heated and I was surprised he even got in. But after his baptism he started crying and was so happy. At the brief meeting after the baptism he even volunteered to bear his testimony. Leland and I didn't know at the time that he was the Don Pollo chicken until the next Monday when we headed over there for lunch.

Marcel found us as we approached the restaurant. The same thumbs up as the previous Saturday. He was so excited to see us but was not allowed to talk in costume. So he signaled us with the baptism movements and we knew who he was. I just had to get my picture with him. Notice the stuffing in his shirt. Great costuming. The background building is a typical building in Antofagasta.

The Don Pollo Mascot.
This is a view outside our hotel in Arica. We visited for Stake Conference a few weekends ago. This is a typical site in most cities.

The Assistants hijacked my camera the other day and I found these pictures they had taken. First is Elder Mortensen from Cottonwood Heights, Utah. He is returning home at the end of September. We love this young man.

Second is Elder Skene. He was an Assistant when we arrived in the mission and he is awesome. He helps with every sort of question I have. He is a leader in the mission and we have him for 6 more months.

Driving to Copiapo last week we hit some rain and found the most beautiful rainbow. Maybe it is so awesome because the terrain is so bland. But we had to stop the car and take pictures because none of us had ever seen a rainbow from end to end. It was so big that we couldn't capture the entire thing in one picture.

You can tell how large it is when compared with the electrical lines beneath it.

Life here continues to be an adventure. We are off again tomorrow for a week up north with Zone Conferences, Leadership Training and Stake Conference. More pics to follow.