Mining Pods and Moon Valley

Earlier this month 33 miners were rescued from the San Jose Mine in Copiapo, Chile after over 60 days being trapped. Little did Leland and I know that this remote mining city in our mission would be watched all over the world as the miners were brought up from deep within the mine. I guess I don't have to describe our mission's landscape anymore because you have all seen the "beautiful" land of the Mision Chile Antofagasta.

Last week we were in Copiapo while Leland conducted interviews with the two Copiapo Zones and I inspected their pensiones (apartments). After the first day we decided to explore the downtown area and plaza and came across one of the pods designed to rescue the miners that was being displayed proudly in the city. I guess the pod actually used for rescue was shipped down to Santiago, much to the extreme disappointment of the Copiapo residents. Nevertheless we were able to take a few pictures of one of the pods. It was so much smaller than I imagined. Leland would never fit into one of them. But then, Leland would never go underground to work in a mine. Talk about feeling trapped all the time!!!!

Leland's shoulders are definitely two broad to fit into this pod. Copper miner is definitely out of the question as a future career.

By the way, during the inspections in Copiapo I was told by Elder Skene that there's a mine in the backyard of the Jotebeche pension. Sure enough when we got there I took a look and saw a huge hole dug out and machinery, tools and dirt in the backyard. Someone has their own personal mine in the neighborhood. It kinda reminded me of mining for gold at Knott's Berry Farm, without the water. I guess there are no Homeowners Associations in Chile. Yeah Right!!!

The central plaza of Copiapo. We enjoyed the trees. Afterall, this is the greenest part of the mission.

Open chess games for anyone who is interested. There were men waiting to get in on a game.

One of the pleasures of life: taking an afternoon nap...

whether you're a man or a dog.

Some of our missionaries really get into decorating their pensiones. Elders live here now, but the previous Hermanas created this colorful Plan of Salvation wall decoration.

By the way, all of the homes are painted with BRIGHT colors: pink, blue, yellow, green, etc.

A neighorhood in Copiapo. Notice the dog sleeping under the red car. Dogs are everywhere. I think there are more stray dogs in Chile than people.

After we finished in Copiapo we drove to Vallenar and Huasco (the most southern part of our mission) for more interviews and inspections. We were lucky to see the end of the Blooming Desert which only happens every 4-6 years. This might be the only time it blooms while we are on the mission. It was a beautiful sight to see purple flowers everywhere.

Last weekend the Hermanas of the Las Rocas sector invited to attend a baptism in the coastal town of Mejillones (which means mussels). This was the only place we hadn't visited in the mission. The Hermanas also asked Leland if he would perform the baptism. So Presidente had his first baptism in his mission to Chile.

The building in Mejillones was located right on the coastal highway across the street from the beach and it had the tiniest and cutest chapel. We had to get a picture.

Hermana Maria Carmen Del Vaca Aranaja was baptized and her reactivated husband came to the baptism. The baptismal font was freezing and Hermana Aranaja was hesitant to go under water. Leland knew she wouldn't do it twice so he Pushed her under the water to make sure it was good. He isn't sure she was happy about the force used to baptize her but it was important to get it done the first time.

Afterwards the Branch Relief Society President served cake, cookies and Lay's Potato Chips with Orange Fanta for refreshments. Even in Chile, refreshments are the favorite part of any meeting.

We went exploring last weekend to San Pedro de Atacama, the driest place on the planet and three hours from Anto. According to brochures it is 50 times drier than Death Valley, California. Well it was dry and warm (not hot) and brown. And we were on the border of Chile and Bolivia. That was exciting to me. We saw license plates from Argentina and Paraguay and felt VERY international in San Pedro. We drove through Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon) and agree that it looks just as I imagine the moon looking. I think taking an actual tour would help us appreciate it more. Here are a few pictures.

The road in and out was unpaved, rocky and scary. I feel like we needed a lunar rover to navigate through this valley.

The best part about the Atacama are the 5-star boutique hotels located there. We toured two of them and I know I could take a few vacations there. The rooms were gorgeous, the swimming pools and lounge chairs were great and all the food is included, including Diet Coke. We will be returning some time during our stay in Chile.

Well, off to our last interview trip to Arica, the northern most Zone in the mission, and attendance at a Stake Conference.