PFJ #1

PASSES

We had a serendipitous moment on Monday. We went to the Department of Health to make sure our mobility passes were still activated. Mobility passes are the way Chile tracks covid vaccinations. The pass is required to enter restaurants and to access any public- transportation. Many missionaries have been having problems with their passes. Mystery solved- because we were able to have our booster before we entered the country, our passes are fine. The pass is deactivated after a certain period for those that have only had two covid shots. Thankfully our fellow missionaries were able to find a clinic that offered the booster. The serendipitous part is that the health center was right across the street from the beautiful Basilica del la Merced. When Pedro de Valdivia established Santiago in 1541, part of his entourage were brothers from the Order of Mercy. They built their first church here in 1566. It was destroyed in an earthquake in 1647. The second structure met the same fate in 1730. Thirty years later this red Catholic church with beige trim was finished. The twin clock towers were added in 1859 and 1885.

PARKING

This colorfully dressed man is a parking attendant. Parking is a real adventure in the big city. When you see a man with a yellow, green, or orange vest hanging around you wave and he motions for you to park in random driveways or on the sidewalk or to squeeze into what seems like an impossibly small space, even with elder Lambs amazing parallel parking skills. He watches over your car while you run your errand and you pay him a little tip when you return to your car. OR, you just pull over, turn on your hazard lights and walk away. We haven’t been brave enough to walk away but we did buy our strawberries using the hazard flasher method this week. We saw a sidewalk vendor with beautiful strawberries so Elder Lamb just stopped and put on the flashers while Sister Lamb jumped out to buy strawberries and cherries.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION & PARTNERS

We took a subway ride to visit Cáritas Chile this week. Note the beautiful and diverse tile work in each subway station. Cáritas is a worldwide non-profit organization affiliated with Catholic Relief Services. They focus on emergency response to natural disasters, ecology, and helping migrants, and the elderly. It is wonderful to make these connections with people with service hearts that we can partner with to help those in need.

PARQUES

We found a lovely French restaurant overlooking the Parque Forestal called Castillo Forestal and had a delicious almuerzo (lunch) there. We look forward to our weekly lunch or dinner dates with Élder and Hermana Lindquist – our upstairs neighbors.

PFJ #1

Friday was our first PFJ (Para Fortelecer la Juventud) session (in English- FSY- For the Strength of Youth) These youth conferences held all over the world for 14–17-year-olds are five-day events that include activities, devotionals, and classes designed to help strengthen faith in Jesus Christ and provide opportunities for youth to grow spiritually, socially, physically, and intellectually. Our experience began last Sunday afternoon when we heard happy voices outside our apartment. We went to our balcony and saw dozens of young people with suitcases lined up on the sidewalk waiting for a bus. They were the college-age youth that would act as counselors, heading to PFJ a day before the teenagers arrived. We enjoyed their pleasant chatter and laughter for a couple of hours while they patiently waited for their bus.

This PFJ event was held at a 1,500-acre campground 1 ½ hours outside of Santiago. 400 young men and women from the eastern Santiago metro area were in attendance. We spent the day with them and supervised the humanitarian service project to assemble school kits that will be given to children in rural schools throughout the country. We had three wonderful missionary couples that helped us. We have already introduced you to Elder and Sister Lindquist from Idaho who serve as legal counsel and in the Pathway program. (See Nov 14, 2021 post for details of the Pathway program.) Elder and Sister Acevedo are service missionaries serving from home in the Santiago East mission office and at the Santiago Temple. Elder and Sister Salgado are service missionaries, also serving from home. They volunteer three days a week in one of the bishops’ storehouses here in Santiago. (see Dec 26, 2021 post for an explanation of what a Bishop’s Storehouse is)

We arrived at our office at 7am on Friday to meet the truck driver who transported the supplies for us. The Acevedos and Salgados arrived before 8:00 am having taken the metro to our office from over an hour away. We all piled in a van and drove to Cumorah Casablanca. We were able to join the youth in a devotional and then had a wonderful experience with these fellow missionaries and with the youth as they assembled 383 kits.

Elder and Sister Mora, who are serving as missionaries at the camp (See Dec 26, 2021 post for info about Elder & Sister Mora) invited us into their home for fresh plum juice made from trees on the property and then we headed back to Santiago the long way.

We drove to Viña del Mar for dinner and drove home along the coast witnessing a beautiful sunset. By the time we dropped off everyone all over Santiago, it was almost midnight. It was a full day- full of love and service and meeting wonderful new people. One assembly session down, nine to go.

With love, Elder y Hermana Lamb, (aka Ed & Debbie, Mom & Dad, Pop Pop & Tu Tu)