What a Rude Awaking!

As you all know Elder Ward's area of Chile was included in the 8.8 earthquake that struck Chile early Saturday morning Feb. 28th he was only 15 miles from Concepcion. Today we were finally able to talk with him, the Elder's borrowed a members cell phone, and through Elder Rawe's family we were able to set up times for each family of the 12 Elders staying at the Chapel to be able to received calls. I hurried and added international calling to my phone, we were the last to be set up, and the only time available was during my lunch time and prep period. WOW imagine that ! I came home, David met me there and he decided we needed to get as close to a cell tower that we could, so we did. I dialed the number expecting to get a busy signal, or an unable to complete message, it went through the very first time, it was wonderful to hear his voice.

Matthew said he woke up and the house was shaking and twisting, the first one lasted about a minute, then another one came, then another one. He said he was sure they were going to die. Things were flying off the walls, the refridgerator fell over and broke, things thrown around. By the third wave he said they were off their bed, because you could see the cement ceiling moving above them. He said you couldn't scream or pee your pants you were that scared, his words were "the earth is powerful". He and the Elders all went outside. (Their batteries in the flashlights were dead!) They stayed outside the rest of the night, he said it continued trembling and shaking. The next day they started to Chiguayante, no one would give them a ride, so they started to hike the 7 miles, then they decided no way, so they stuck out their thumbs and hitchhiked. They stayed the 2nd night in Chiguayante along with everyone else who slept outside, with only the clothes on their backs. He said it was quite cold. The next day a member realized that they were missionaries and showed them where the chapel was. He said he was so thankful to see the Chapel, he used to make fun of the Churches in Chile because they have bars and gates, but he said he is so thankful for them now and that they build them to US standards. The church also has an alarm system in place. In that picture that was sent to us we don't realize that those 12 smiling Elder's have in their hands things that they could use to protect themselves and the Church house. The third day was the worst, a meat truck was stopped in front of the church house by a mob, the driver pulled out and the truck was mobbed for what it carried. He said he was very glad to see the military roll into town. His mission president, President Chavez has been by to see them twice, at first they were told not to wear their tags, but on the second visit he told them they could put them back on. President Chavez told them to stay put, so what does Matthew and the Elders from Hualqui do, they find bikes and ride the seven miles to their apartment. They went to get clean clothes, toothbrushes, journals and scriptures, and look for any food that is left in their apartment. He said that Hualqui was hit very hard, that 3 out of the 4 power generators by their apartments are lying on the ground. They have 1 good meal a day that is 1/3 of the size they usually have. The sun stays up til 9:30 at night, and they are in lockdown for 18 hours a day. They have been filling 5 gallon water buckets for people at a well. He says it is back breaking, heavy work, and yet a man came up to him to give him a piece of gum. No food has come into town yet. They are sleeping on the pads from the pews. They have good water filtration bottles, Pres. Chavez gave them out about two weeks ago at the Zone conference and they did an emergency assessment also. They have decided as a group that they aren't going to tell their families everything, because they don't want to worry us. He wanted to know how we were all doing at home. He said that they are still having alot of aftershocks, he said they are pretty much continuous.

Comments from MOM and DAD.
It was very hard to be upbeat, and listen, because no matter what, he will always be our youngest son. Yes a very capable strong young man, whose testimony of the gospel has always awed me, but he is still my baby. When he talked with his dad they discussed how this is like a continuous 50 mile hike but much more dangerous and less food, some will want to go home, some want to quit and some want to complain. Matthew has never been a quitter, he didn't want to talk more about his circumstances but he wanted to know what we were doing. His father reminded him to follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost. It has been a very long week, we are so thankful for modern communication, that we were able to get a picture and a call within five days. As the days go by it will be better when email service is stable so that we can know how their circumstances are. We are thankful for all of the prayers that have been said on his behalf and ask that they continue, we know that prayers have been answered