Feliz Navidad

December 22, 2014

Dear Dad,

It is officially summer – and it’s chilly in Chile!!  Low 70’s (for highs!) and mid 50’s for lows.  Perfect jogging weather.  Speaking of which, I get to jog every Sat on P-Day.  I go down to the water (1.5 mi), then 3 miles along the shore on the boardwalk.  6 miles total.  The great thing about it is that people here don’t get going too early, and at 7:30 or even 8, I have the downtown almost all to myself.  Even the main market area is still just starting to get set-up for the day.

Yesterday on Sunday we had the Primary Program.  Very well done – with a really strong spirit.

  Then last night we went to the stake center at 5 pm and helped the young elders and some of the stake people set up for the 7 pm Gala Navideña.

  The most interesting part was turning all the bench seats in the chapel area, 180 degrees so they faced the stage in the cultural hall.  The benches aren’t “nailed down” you see….  The program was great, and at the end they showed “He is the Gift” – Él es la Dádiva.  We ushered and passed out little info cards, and asked members to help their friends fill out cards with name, tel and address….  Then we got to set the whole place back the way it started.  Great workout – physically as well as spiritually.

So this week we get a visit – not from St. Nick – but from Brett and Kristi-Lynn and Colton and Sadie.  Tomorrow we will go to Santiago and meet them for 2 days there, then take a bus here to Valparaíso/Viña for 3 days.  They will fly out of Santiago next Sun.  …and speaking of flying, we have to fly now – to work at the cementerio!  More about Brett’s visit next week.  Love you.  

Geff and Carol

P.S.  Christmases past:

As we remember that He is the Gift, we thought of times when we added straw to baby Jesus by serving others as our gift to Him.  
“He is the Gift” – Él es la Dádiva 

When Grandpa served as Mission President in Santiago, Grandma Gibson bought us the ornament of the Christmas tree and also one of a Santa not shown in the picture.  So far have not found any Chilean ornaments....