Day of Baptisms

It was wonderful to have a sleep-in Saturday for a change. Well -- we only slept in until around 7:30 but nonetheless we didn't have to set the alarm. After getting ready for the day, Rich decided to go for a walk while waiting for me to get my makeup on and hair done. I decided that my hair needed a trim, so it took me longer than usual to get put together. Then when he came back, I decided he needed a hair cut too and he was willing.

Even though our apartment is small, it still requires a little time to get the bathroom scrubbed, and the floors vacuumed and damp mopped. I also did two batches of laundry, and fielded one health call from a missionary.

We needed to pick somewhere to do some grocery shopping today, but WalMart seemed too much of an effort, so we decided to check out a Carrefour that is on the outer edge of Tigre. We pass it each Sunday as we travel to church. So, with our domestic duties completed by noon, we headed out to McDonald's for lunch and "the usual," and then caught the first bus heading down Libertador towards Tigre.

We don't mind riding the colectivos at all. We enjoy watching the people get on and off and comparing how each bus is decorated inside. The drivers sometime get really fancy and put up valence type borders along the top of the front windows, plus have dangling ornamental things as well. I guess they take pride in their vehicle and want to show it off. We think they should take pride in the outside of the bus. I have never seen such filthy, dirty busses and sometimes the windows are as bad. One can hardly see out.

Riding public transportation has made us realize that we have reached the status of the elderly or older generation. Often, people defer to us when we get on a bus or the train. They give us their seat, move to another location so we can sit together, and generally act respectful of us as their elders. When did we reach this station in life? It's one thing to feel the aging process, but to look old in the eyes of others is a bit depressing.

This Carrefour we went to is really big. It not only contains grocery store items, but also has dishes, appliances, refrigerators, stoves, washing machines, TV's, and other electronics. We liked it and will probably go there again. As we meandered through the store, I was surprised that we really didn't have to do major shopping. We just needed a few items that could be carried. We didn't need to call a remise for a ride home. So with that in mind, we decided to find a bus that would take us down Peron and drop us off right at the corner of our apartment building. An easy thing to do!

Rich is standing by a sign that says "You have arrived at Tigre." It is in a park type area across the street from Carrefour. We had to walk across the plaza to get to the bus stop we wanted. We are only about 20 blocks from home.

We loved the fact that on this laid back Saturday, we could take a nap before heading out to an evening full of baptisms. We put the groceries away and each picked the desired spot for a rest. Rich chose the couch and I chose the bed.

This is the last weekend to accomplish the goal of doubling the baptisms that was set last year at this time. Our office elders who work in the Virreyes branch have two baptisms at 6:00 and Elders Bloxham and Urra who work with the San Fernando ward have two at 7:00. The Virreyes branch meets in the San Fernando ward building, so they will both be at the same location. Since both sets of elders know us and since we live in the San Fernando ward area, they asked us to help out at the baptisms. Elder Kroff was asked to speak on the Restoration at both services, and I was asked to lead the music at one of them. Plus, we sang a hymn as a special musical number with our office elders at both baptisms. We didn't know we were doing that until we got there.

Elders Urra and Bloxham baptized Patricia Suárez and her daughter Delfina.

Elders Paz and Nelson baptized Mauricio Benitez and Tatiana Duarte.

These are two stalwart sisters and good friends of mine in the San Fernando ward. Hermana Amelia Paz on the left of the picture is the R.S. President and has been a member of the church for 25 years. She loves me and expresses it with an affectionate greeting every time she sees me. I feel the same about her. Hermana Mansilla is on the right and is originally from Peru. We have eaten dinner at her house, and in an entry a couple weeks ago we posted a picture of their darling family at the baptism of their 8 year old daughter. It was fun to attend this baptism and socialize with our old friends. I look rather pale between them.