It's Getting Hot - Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009

Today was our first taste of what is ahead of us in our upcoming summer months. The high reached 91, but the weather report said it felt like 96. It was really muggy and hot. I didn't notice it until we left for the day. But, people coming to our office all day were steamy and clammy so I knew something was up outside. Ug!

Elder Coria took nine missionaries up to the Capital to immigrations to get their residency. They go by train and then walk a short distance to get there. It was costing a lot of remise and combi fares to take groups by private carrier, so in order to save a little money, it was decided a train ride would do. They left at 2:00 and while the group was gone, their companions that are left behind team up and go out street contacting.

President Argyle spent most of the day at the office again because the elders needed the car to do some errands. Gas in one of the sisters' apartments got turned off, so they needed to rectify that, plus pillows from WalMart were on the list. Everyone had a place to go at one time or another, but I stayed in the air conditioned office, thankfully.

On days when elders and sisters are taken to immigrations, it becomes quite hectic around the office. Even though their "other half" goes out to work while waiting for them to return, there are missionaries milling around finding questions that they need answered by the office staff. Of course, they didn't mill around too close to the office while the President was here. But, some want Elder Kroff because it is a financial question, and several today took advantage of talking to the "doc" face to face. Most of their aches and pains I could address and didn't have to call Dr. Petersen. And then there are those elders that question whether the package from home has arrived, hoping to get a glimpse of it and stating how badly they need what is inside. I listen, but just smile and tell them that zone conferences will be here soon.

At the end of the day when the group from immigrations should be returning, their companions were starting to congregate back at the office. We allowed them to come in and cool off and we had quite a group sitting around chatting with one another while waiting. We were so irritated with ourselves that we didn't pull out the camera and get a few shots. It would have been great for the blog tonight.

This is a nightly ritual to peel a mandarina for our enjoyment. We really like them and have become quite the fruit eaters since coming to Buenos Aires.

We finally talked with Nate and Melissa on Skype and learned of their harrowing experience trying to get to Colorado on Tuesday. They left around 4:00 p.m. driving two vehicles and encountered a bad snow storm, with Nate spinning off the road and getting a flat tire and the spare being buried in the trunk. Luckily a highway patrolman came by to offer assistance and make sure he got back up on the road safely. Continuing at about 30 to 40 miles an hour, with Melissa getting lost as they were trying to find a motel, cell phones dead so they couldn't communicate, they finally reunited and got to a motel at 6:30 a.m. Meanwhile, it was still snowing. And parents aren't suppose to worry about their grown children? Phooey!!