The Story of a Miracle

My husband, Elder Babcock,  and I were called to serve in the Chile Concepcion Sur mission as member and leader support missionaries for a period of eighteen months.  However, our mission was really divided into two parts, the first five months, and last four.   When I started this story, we were in the Clinica Alemana in Temuco, living a miracle.

October 15, 2012 

Beginning - the first day in the missionary Training Center [CCM] in Provo, Utah. This mission is our second as a couple. We served earlier in the Caribbean, in the Puerto Rico San Juan Mission, in the English speaking islands. After seven months with our family we were very happy to be called as missionaries again. Since his retirement, Elder Babcock has had his greatest satisfaction in being a missionary.

We had a lot of help from the MTC in Provo with Spanish and the missionary lessons. Elder Babcock spoke Spanish as young missionary in Mexico, but the Chilean accent was a surprise.

October 23, 2012

We arrived in Concepcion while the Mission President was attending a Seminar in Buenos Aires.  We were met by the office couple who took us to a Holiday Inn and introduced us to Chile.  It was springtime and we were excited to get our assignment.  At the time there were no other missionary couples serving in the wards and branches of the mission.

October 29, 2012

We traveled past beautiful rape fields to Victoria, two hours south of Concepcion, the town where we would live and serve for five months.  The Victoria District Presidency was in transition, but soon Elder Babcock was called to be the executive secretary of a new presidency with responsibility to do training in the branches of Curacautín, Traiguén, and Tolhuaca. There were four beautiful small chapels in the district, but activity was low.

I was called to teach a Mission Preparation class - a little bit difficult for me, but I had taught the same class twice before in English. I also played the piano in Sacrament meeting and helped with visiting teaching. The Primary president was a new convert and had little help.  I tried to help with some of the many challenges, encouraging them to have a singing time and to establish classes and a nursery.  Elder Babcock really enjoyed teaching the 8 to 12 year old Valiant class in Primary for two months. Together we taught Temple Preparation classes in the four branches of the district. We had hoped to attend the temple on April 4, 2013 with the Victoria District and some of the members of our class.  Elder Babcock has no memory of this part of our mission.