How is everyone??
We are doing fine here! A little cold and snowing is all! Yesterday we went preaching and it started snowing lightly...it was beautiful! By the end of the 2 hours...it was really coming down! My first day in service in the snow! And its not even winter yet... Its gonna be a long 3 months that's for sure!
A lot has happened this past month. Juan & I had our 1st year anniversary! We made it a year! Yahoo! We also had the visit of Juans brother Samuel and another brother from the Construction group. They were here for a week and we took advantage of that time to go up north to a town called Futaleufu (9 hours north). Futaleufu is an independent group that has 6 publishers and depends on our congregation in Coyhaique. 10 of us stayed in a house with a Special pioneer couple that is serving there. There wasn't enough room in the home so all the boys slept in the Kingdom hall which is right in front of the home. We all shared 1 bathroom by the way! Its amazing how with good organization it can work! We had a blast preaching in some rural areas and seeing the sights. The drive was gorgeous.
This past month we have been focusing more a little more on our untouched English territory as well! I can proudly say I have a Bible Study in English and she's Chilean! She loves learning the Bible in English and since she is a an English professor she thinks that the Bible Teach book will benefit her whole class so she has been basing her classes on the Teach book! She works at a Catholic school by the way.
Last week Juan and I went up north to Santiago for his cousin's wedding. It was fun! It didn't get started till around 8pm and lasted till nearly 4 in the morning! We had a great time staying with the family and seeing some friends. Juans uncle drives a mini-school bus...so all us Ponces traveled in style in a short bus that seated 15! I wish I would have taken a picture of that!
Last week we were also able to go to Buenas Aires, Argentina!! Wow! What a place. We took a flight (2 hrs) over for a few days and Juanito was my tourguide since he has been already. My first time in Argentina! A new stamp on my passport! Interesting fact: At 15.2 million, nearly 40% of Argentina`s population of more than 40 million lives in the greater Buenos Aires metropolitan area. When we arrived there I could feel the difference in climate. Very humid. Opposite of Coyhaique. Argentina has a European feel. Restaurants on every corner selling pasta, men kissing men on the cheek as a common custom, cobblestone roads, even the accent has an Italian ring to it! I definitely knew I wasn't in Chile. Juan started picking up their accent. Everyone there thought we were from Brazil. We had people in the streets speaking to us in Portguese countless times. We were able to visit the Argentina Bethel and take a tour which was nice! We walked everywhere and took the subway. I was grateful Juan knew his way arond. As a highlight: One night we took Tango lessons and went to a Tango show. The lessons were funny because the instructor asked where everyone was from and of course all spoke Spanish...but he was determined to translate everything in his broken ENGLISH just for me. All the students would look at me to make sure I understood before we moved on. It was a little embarrassing and unecessary..but oh well! :) We had a great time getting away a few days. The flight back to Santiago was HORRENDOUS. I have had my share of bad flights..but this one was consistently bad. Turbulence the ENTIRE time. I'm glad it only lasted 2.5 hours...but I was a ball of stress for those hours. We had to pass over the Andes Mountains which contributed to more rough air. We all applauded at the end of the flight!
From Santiago to Coyhaique we decided to go back in BUS instead of flying. A lot more economical!...but it is a 30 HOUR drive! In bus! I was expecting the worse...but it really wasn't that bad. Most of the hours are done at night..and if you don't have trouble sleeping..you can sleep almost the entire way! Juan got his dose of rest...I did OK. The road took us into Argentina most of the way because the roads are paved and better. What we could see during the day was BEAUTIFUL. Definitely worth it to do once in your life! Here is a googlemap to copy and paste if you wanna see our trail:
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=200577637051087090521.0004c17325521a0eb5f31&msa=0
Okay! Thats all for now! I'll try to upload more photos!
Love & Abrazooos to alll!!
Steph & Juanito
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