Hi Everyone!
So sorry for the long time in between posts!
But...we can give you a little update of whats been going on these past few months!
December 2011- We chipped away at getting our house fixed up...cleaning...decorating...etc. It was nice to feel a little more settled. December 15th was the start of Juans working season and full schedule.
January 2012- We had the campaign for the District Convention and got to go to some rural territories to preach. (about 2.5 to 3 hours away) We had some good experiences and even got to talk to some gringos that were travelling around. Our District Convention was from January 20-22 and it went great! We had Janel & Joel Terrazo come and stay with us for a week and attend the Convention with us. Joel & Juan were extremely busy with things for the convention so I was happy to have Janel there with me! The boys did great on their parts. Juan and I even had a fun little demonstration I may upload..but its in Spanish! 498 was the final attendance on Sunday. Not too bad! In the evenings we would go out and eat or hang out at the house. We went to a nearby city called Puerto Aysen (about 1 hour away) and got to see the pretty scenery. There is a nearby Port...called Chacabuco and its where cargo ships and cruise ships arrive. It was a nice fun-filled week and we had a few days to rest before our CO visit. The CO visit was probably one of the most encouraging ones I have heard. It was so nice. The CO's wife invited me to go running at a track with her one of the mornings. Lets just say I couldn't keep up with her very well! I jogged the entire time thinking she would tire out...but no!! She lapped me twice! I'm determined to be in better shape by the next visit! :)
Feburary 2012- Jenesia and Vanessa (Juans sister) arrived on the 9th and got straight to work in the congregation. Supporting the service, giving talks, etc. We got our guest room all ready for them and even gave them some precious closet space. They have been great visitors helping prepare meals and clean! A week later Ed Visger came for a visit and stayed with a brother from our congregation. They seemed to have a nice time together. With Ed, we were able to find a lot of English speakers in Coyhaique and informal preach to the tourists. One morning we had coffee with a girl from California and talked with her for 3 hours! Ed had a Bible Teach to leave her and we have been in contact with her over email. We also got a woman who is a Chilean English teacher and wants us to come and visit and talk about the Bible in English. On a negative note, in February there were some crazy protests going on in Coyhaique and some of the neighboring cities. All would be pretty peaceful during the day, but at night...that's another story. There was no gasoline for the cars. They were cutting of the main roads. People were burning tires and vandalizing downtown. It was a little unnerving because this has never happened in Coyhaique. The people basically have a list of 11 demands that are not being met by the government and this is their way of showing their anger at the whole system. Thankfully Juan and I escaped a few weeks of the protests because we headed up North at the end of the month. The girls were left to housesit for us!
March 2012- Juan and I arrived to Santiago to stay with his parents and go to his friend Max's wedding. It was neat getting to see how Chilean weddings and receptions go. The actual civil ceremony takes place at the courthouse with close family and friends and then a day or so later they have a ceremony with a brother giving the talk and the reception afterwards. Its a full few days of wedding stuff! I think we danced till 3:00 in the morning at the wedding. We had a lot of fun! A few days later we were flying to California for my brother Cameron & Caitlins wedding as well as Hilary & Johns Wedding. Congrats to the beautiful couples! We had a great time seeing everyone...but it seemed like too little of time because we didn't get to see EVERYone. Next time we'll haveta stay a little longer. It was good though because Juan was able to change his flight to stay until the end of the month like me! We had a pretty crazy flight back though...30 hours of travelling. Had a flight that cancelled on the way back to Coyhaique and stayed in an all expense paid hotel, had breakfast and dinner taken care of and $500 towards a flight. Not too bad! We got home finally on Thursday March 29th and had a full weekend ahead of us. Pioneer meeting and Circuit Assembly. Everything went well of course..although the jet lag hit me in the late afternoons and I just wanted to close my eyes! Maybe its a good thing we don't have the assembly in the nice, comfortable movie theater.
April 2012- Well, here we are in April. We got to help with the tailend of the Memorial campaign. It looks like the entire territory except for the rural areas got covered. Jenesia and Vanessa had the opportunity to help in Cochrane, Tortel, and O'Higgens. Not sure if you remember, but Cochrane is Juans old assignment...its 7 hours from Coyhaique. This year for the 1st time they got approval to have the Memorial in Tortel. Tortel is about another 2 1/2 hours from Cochrane and its amazing. Its like a Hawaii/Venice. The whole town built on water and rains 360 days out of the year. The girls went to help 2 of the brothers serving in Cochrane and their attendance was 8 people. Very interested and appreciative studies came. O'Higgens is 6 hours from Cochrane...they had the memorial for the 3rd time this year. The girls went to O'Higgens for the Special talk a few days later and the attendance was 18 people. Not bad for a very isolated town. Its amazing Jehovah's people really are at the most extreme parts of the earth!! The girls fully enjoyed themselves and were blessed for having the willing spirit to go down there. Jenesia had the privilege of helping with the sound and Vanessa was the attendant!! So neat! Here in Coyhaique we had 169 for the memorial. I had to help someones bible study understand that she shouldn't partake of the emblems as she started to reach for them. Pretty funny. Juan had the special talk on Saturday which went well. Not sure how many were there...but it seemed like a packed house. This week has been a full week of service with great experiences. Yesterday we saw a woman in a store and hesitated to preach to her....an hour later we were on the same street with her practically following her. Wherever she went, we went. But just by chance! I finally gave her a tract and said "It seems like we keep bumping into you! I would love to give you something." She looked at me and said "Thanks and asked if I was a Jehovahs Witness." We told her yes. She then asked if she can give me her number and if I can visit her. I said "Of course we can!" She then mentioned that one of her friends has a son that is a witness...and just at that moment the friend passed by in her truck! We told her.."It looks like Jehovah is trying to tell you something!" And we both started laughing. You never know how angels direct the work. Later in the afternoon yesterday I went to a study who said would be home. She wasn't. I called and called. Nothing. An hour later after doing other return visits, I called again. She answered and said "sorry, I just got home! And I didn't have my phone!" I decided to return at that moment and I get there and the woman (Mariela) and her 4 children were ready to study! Jenesia and I were amazed. Everyone participated and had comments. Even the 3 year old girl seemed attentive!
So ...thanks for reading our update!
Hope all is well with everyone!!
ABRAZOS! Besitos!!
chaoooooo
Stephanie & Juan
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