All Worth It - Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009

Our day started early with a get up time of 5:00 a.m. Before our scheduled departure time of 7:15 to leave for the airport via the mission home to hook up with the Argyles, Rich had to leave at 5:30 go pick up three missionaries in Virreyes (just next door to San Fernando) and bring them back to the mission office by 6:15. Dr. Petersen was waiting at our office for Elder Davis and a companion to take them to the Austral Hospital where Elder Davis was having a hernia repaired. His surgery was scheduled for 8:00 a.m.

Even though our area doctor, Dr. Petersen, doesn't perform the surgery, and is not even in the operating room, he accompanies the missionaries and waits until they are out of surgery and back in their rooms before he leaves. It is a comfort issue for parents far away from their child during times like this for a doctor from the U.S. to be present and overseeing the medical care given to their son or daughter.

Elder Davis was given a blessing before the three elders (including Dr/Elder Petersen) left for the hospital. Rich then took Elder Curtis, the other member of the threesome, to the apartment of our office elders so he could be with them and come to the office at a later hour.

We arrived at the mission home on time and off we went to the airport. There wasn't much conversation on the way to the airport because the President had numerous calls to make dealing with the transfers today. Sister Argyle was doing the driving. Elder Kroff and I talked quietly to each other if we had anything to say.

After arriving at the airport, the Argyles jumped out of the car and went inside in case any of the elders were through customs and were waiting to be found. We, then, parked the car and followed.

Two elders, Elder Davis from Ohio, and Elder Thompson from Wisconsin were ahead of the others by a long ways. They don't know how they got separated from the others and through the line so fast. So we had a chance to chat with them while President and Sister Argyle went looking for the other 19.

Once all were located, a steady stream of good looking young men pulling piggy backed suit cases made their way single file to a bus that was waiting outside. We should have captured that shot. I didn't get to talk to Elder Vera, who is from Grantsville. Aside from Elder Crane who just went home to Tooele, Elder Vera is the next closest connection we have to our part of the world.

President and Sister Argyle rode with the elders on the bus while Rich and I drove the van back to the office. They were stopping at the MTC in Buenos Aires to pick up a Latin sister missionary, Sister Rivera.

Once at the office, Elders Kroff and Paz left with all the new binders, and bags of pillows and blankets to go to the mission home to do their part of the training. I stayed to help with the transfers and change of companionships that take place in front of the chapel.

It is never hard to get a group shot of elders. They love having their pictures taken about as much as the Argentines do. They like to "ham it up" in photos if possible. Love them!

Short notice the night before has some missionaries packing all of their belongings to carry to their next area. They come to the chapel and find their new companion and then a remise takes them to their area.

Sisters Freitas and Shaffer in the back and Sister Rios in the front are all smiles as they each get new companions. Sister Freitas is especially excited because she gets to go south to Tierra del Fuego today. That has been her wish right from the start. I am happy for her. Sister Rios is from Peru and she is about 27 or 28 years old. She knows German and speaks pretty good English. She is a sweetheart and a good missionary.

Our darling Sister Cano who has been with us in Tigre is leaving and will be with Sister Shaffer up in the Capital area. We will miss her. She came on her mission about the same time that we did. We are happy she gets a change, but we get too attached to these young people and hate to see them go.

The President's assistants conduct a "train the trainers" meeting before they all leave to go pick up their new companions at the mission home. They are provided peanut butter and jam, bread, chips, fruit, and tang for lunch. They are among the mission's best, and are entrusted with the responsiblity of teaching these new arrivals by word and example what is expected of a missionary in the two years he has commited to serve. Strict adherance to the misson manual and all mission rules is a must if one is to be successful and effective.

I said in yesterday's entry that we hoped this transfer would go smoothly without a hitch. Well, there was a hitch!! Six new elders and Sister Freitas were scheduled to leave on flights to the South at 4:00. At 2:00, a remise would pick up Sister Freitas from the church, and a combi (small mini bus) would pick up six of the new elders from the mission home. After 2:00, the President called Elder Coria and said that the combi had not arrived, and to please check on it. Well the guy scheduling the combi forgot to send one. He would get one right over there. Right over doesn't mean they come from around the corner. It would probably take at least a half hour or more to get one over to the mission home. Then the drive to the airport is at least 30 to 40 minutes, depending on traffic. It is a different airport than we went to today.

It was getting late and if they didn't leave within ten to fifteen minutes, they might not make their flights. Two elders were on a flight that if they missed it, they wouldn't be able to leave until the next day. So the President handed Elder Kroff his car keys and told him to take the two elders to the airport in his car. Gulp!! Rich said he was a nervous wreck because he didn't know where this airport was, and if he made a wrong turn or got lost or whatever, the elders wouldn't make it. They were racing against the clock.

With the GPS he didn't get lost, but did have trouble finding a way into the airport which detained them about five to seven minutes. There are travel people from the area offices that meet missionaries at the airport and help them get on the flights and the guy was able to get one elder on his way, but there wasn't room for Elder Santos, from Santaquin, UT. If people are late checking in, then they sell their seats to someone else. The combi brought the other four missionaries to the airport and they made it just in time for their flights. Too close for comfort, though.

Rich brought Elder Santos back to the mission home and plans were made to have him stay with one of the assistants overnight. He would get on a flight tomorrow.

I caught a ride to the mission home earlier to watch the pairing up of companionships, so waited for Rich to come back and pick me up. He and Elder Santos were starved, so we treated him to McDonald's on the way to taking him to where he was going to spend the night. He seems like he will be a good missionary.

It has been a busy day and we area tired, but a blessing to have received 23 young people who will bless this mission with their hard work and dedication to serving the Lord.