Oct 19, 20 - Catching Up

Monday - October 19

I had to make a schedule, at least a mental one, of everything I had to do this week. I still had baptisms to enter, things to order, and materials to print off and compile for the leaving missionaries. Plus, the President added more to my list by considering a change in the day he sends the Latin missionaries home.

Until now, all the missionaries would go to the temple with President and Sister Argyle on the day they are released. Then the North Americans would go to the airport and leave on the overnight flight to the States. The South American missionaries would overnight at the hostels which are located on the temple grounds and proceed to the airport the next morning for their daytime flights home.

Now that the temple is closing, the President is considering sending the Latinos home a day early if possible. There would be no need for them to stay overnight and go the next morning. So he has had me checking with travel down here to see if there are flights after 3:00 p.m. going to Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Mexico. Those are the countries that send us the most missionaries. Paraguay and Mexico only have morning flights, so those missionaries would have to stay the night here and go the next day. But, the rest might be able to see their mothers the same day they are released. Oh happy day for them!

Elder Nelson has been snatched from us for a couple of days. It is understood that during the next transfer in two weeks, he will be assigned a new companion and new area. His replacement, Elder Coria, will be sufficiently trained by then. However, this week the President is sending one of his AP's to do exchanges in another zone, so his companion needs a partner while he is gone. Elder Nelson will step in to do that. We have enjoyed him and his computer knowledge. It seems like he is leaving prematurely. He hasn't been here as long as office elders in the past.

Here are our three amigos, Elders Paz, Nelson, and Coria, helping to show off the much appreciated gift they gave me for the Argentine Mother's Day. They are sweeties!

These are the gifts that were passed out to the mothers on Sunday. The box was decorated by the Young Women and filled with some homemade candy. The candle was made by Sister Carbajal.

Tuesday - October 20

The forecast said the temperature would be in the 70's today, so I was excited to wear something a little lighter than a sweater or jacket -- a white blouse would do. And, it was a very pleasant day. If only it could be this nice during the summer months. The humidity hasn't kicked in yet.

Rich and President Argyle have had their heads together all week trying to refigure the ajuste (adjustment) amount of money that is given to each missionary in addition to the money the church sends them each month. Now that it is the end of the month, calls are coming in from distraught elders that are running short and are worried about surviving the rest of the month. Some elders budget really well, and some don't have a clue. Guidelines have been put in place, but most missionaries don't follow the plan very well. Elder Kroff is suppose to solve the problem. Boy, I am so glad that isn't one of my responsibilities.

I finished getting my order for supplies in the computer and sent off to Distribution. I didn't have to order as much this time around. The missionaries haven't been requesting as much as in the past. What did surprise me, though, was that the Book of Mormon order came today. I just ordered it at the end of last week, and they delivered it today. That was speedy.

We had an interesting experience today. On the way home from the office, there is a little neighborhood market that we pass daily. We have never been inside, but today we decided to go in and see what they had. There was an older gentleman working and Rich started talking to him. He told him we were missionaries from the Mormon church and the man asked if we belonged to that church around the corner and if we were married. When Rich said we were, he said, "That's good because I don't believe in churches that don't allow their priests to marry." He said he didn't belong to any church. As they visited, I picked up a few items and we paid and left.

Later in the evening, Rich was looking for his bolsa that he carries back and forth to the office. It is actually his scripture bag which contains his Book of Mormon plus other odds and ends he might need during the day. He couldn't find it and thought he probably left it at the market. So he left to go see if it was there. When he got there, the man's wife was working and told him that he had just missed her husband -- that he had his bag and was taking it to the church to see if he could find him. So Rich left and walked to the church. When he got there, the Bishop and counselor were talking to the man and showing him the chapel and cultural hall and really doing their missionary work. They invited him to come to church on Sunday.

Rich left with the man and he walked with him back to his market. When he left the church, he said, "Peace." Rich didn't hear him at first and inquired what he said, and the man said "Peace, I felt peace when I was in that church. I have never felt that before going inside a church." They talked about that feeling as they walked back. There must have been a reason to walk in the store, leave the bolsa, not remember the bolsa until later in the evening, leave to go get it right at the time the man left to return it. It is amazing how the Lord works. We shall buy more things from that market, and soon.