6 de septiembre - domingo

Even though we feel somewhat confident getting to Tigre on the colectivo system, we aren't sure about the Sunday schedule. We don't know how many buses come by, and we can't be late because I have to play for sacrament meeting. So we called for a remise and got there at the usual time, 9:00 a.m.

No one was in the building except the brother who opens the building each week and prepares the sacrament table. I turned on the chapel lights as I made my way to the piano. Even the little ladies that are usually in the chapel by the time we arrive were not there. What's up?? I practiced and practiced the hymns for the day, plus some others just for fun. Finally the Branch President came in, but no one else. It was 9:25 before anyone came to church. We were beginning to wonder if anyone would show up. Today, they only needed five minutes of prelude music because of when everyone started arriving.

When the meeting actually started, there were only about 31 people in the congregation. A few more came late, and more came after the sacrament. The sister missionaries say that they have a list a mile long of inactive members. The organizational heads try to visit some and the missionaries try also. I guess Elder Kroff and I should plan at least a couple nights a week when we could try to visit some members. Of course, we would have to take remises all the time because we could never find places riding the bus, and it could get a little costly. But we are willing.

We wondered again how the testimonies from such a small group at church would fill up the time, but again it always does. It is usually the same people who bear their testimonies each month. We don't know where the Branch President's counselors were. He sat all alone on the stand.

After church we walked just a few feet to the bus stop hoping to catch a bus back home in a timely manner. Well, forget that! We waited an hour for the bus. The Sunday schedule is not the same as during the week. They don't have the same amount of buses on the line. But maybe that was a blessing this Sunday because there was a lady and her little three year old son waiting for a bus as well. She was friendly and we had a nice time chatting with her. She is a psychologist and works in the Capital area and goes to an evangelist church there. She was waiting for a bus to take her to her church. She is separated from her husband and has no family around. Elder Kroff said, "Why do you go so far to church? There is one right down the block you could go to" She knew the church was there and thought it was "lindo" (beautiful). So that opened the door for a discussion about what we believe and why. Rich asked her if she had heard about the Book of Mormon and would she consider reading it. She said she might, that she like to learn new things. She gave Rich her business card that had an email address on it and told him to email her sometime. So he is going to email her and see if we and the sister missionaries can come visit her sometime.

When we finally got home, we enjoyed homemade clam chowder that I made on Saturday. I was really glad I had dinner prepared, because I was too tired to whip up something from scratch since we got to bed late and then up early today.

The big event for Sunday evening was the dedication of our mission office. President Argyle had been putting it off and really didn't want a big production, but he decided he better get it done. He turned it over to his counselor and secretary to put it together.

This is President Argyle with one of his counselors, Luis Wajchman, and his secretary, Axel Cecchi. His other counselor is Pres. Fernandez who lives in the South, probably Tierra del Fuego. He needs one from that area because of the missionaries down there. We have never met him.

The Argyle family looked cute tonight so it was time for another picture. They are wonderful children and are receiving excellent training in the gospel. The oldest son, Austin, will be ready for a mission in 2 or 3 years. Boy, he'll know the missionary life by heart when it's his time to go.

The dedication was held in the chapel with just a few people in attendance. Two gentlemen from the company that did all the wood work in the remodeled chapel and in our office were there, plus the Stake President, the Bishop and wife of the San Fernando ward, some missionaries who brought investigators, plus a few other people. The Stake President, and both Argyles spoke. Elder Kroff and I gave the prayers, mine in English. We were typed up on the program and didn't know about it until President Wajchman came up to us minutes before it started and asked if we would do the prayers. Of course. President Argyle delivered the dedicatory prayer.

After the short meeting, everyone was invited to tour the office. This is our kitchen. It has never looked so clean so we decided to take a picture. The elders usually have dishes sitting around that need to be returned to those who have provided meals for them.

This is looking from the foyer down a short hall way into the office. The door on the right is the door into the church from our office. It is locked at all times except when we go through it to use the restroom in the church.

There are five rooms associated with the office: kitchen, supply room, main office area with four work stations, the President's office which is located on the other side of the wall from where Rich is standing, and an attic/storage type room above the office that is accessible by a staircase/ladder which houses mattresses, blankets, pillows, financial records, etc. We are told this is heaven compared to where the offices used to be.

Our cleaned up desk areas will resume their normal appearance come Monday morning.

Our office elders on the left are with Elder Urra and Elder Bloxham. Elder Bloxham (from Davis County, I think Roy, UT) is an Assistant to the President. Elder Urra is from one of the South American countries and is as cute as they come. He is a doll!

Refreshments were served which consisted of a wide variety of tiny pastries from a Panaderia. It was hard to pick just one because they all looked wonderful. So we tasted several and have many leftovers to piece on during the week.