Visit to a Convent - Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Our morning routine at home progressed on schedule. We are so predictable, and some might say boring, but we are too old to change. Our lunch at the office is always a sandwich, chips, and apple slices dipped in Dulce de Leche. We sometimes buy some empanadas to change things up a bit, but not very often. We wonder what the elders think as we eat the same thing every day.

The morning air was so refreshing as we walked to the office. We think we are over the really hot part of the summer as the heat and humidity are not constant. Some days are rather uncomfortable still, but most are quite tolerable now. I will welcome cooler weather because I am tired of the few summer clothes I have to wear. My winter wardrobe has more variety, however I remember well last year having to wear thermals from time to time. We can't even imagine it now.

I spent the whole morning and until 2:00 in the afternoon entering baptisms. I am anxious to get into my supply room and start separating the mail into the bins for zone conferences. The amount of packages stacked up is close to our Christmas mail we received. Unbelievable!! I am hoping to enlist the help of Elder Peterson tomorrow to help wade through this initial sorting of packages and letters.

Even though we hate losing missionaries when they go home, we look forward to being able to go to the mission home on their last day to tell them goodbye. As Rich settled up financially with all of them one by one, I enjoyed last minute conversations with the sisters and elders. We became quite close to a few in this group as some had been in the office with us and then we had good times with those who were in our same zone. We would see them more often. Each promised that if he/she went to BYU or came to Utah to see relatives etc. they would call or look us up. We are glad, however, that a good majority of our young friends live in Utah or the Salt Lake are. We hope to have some contact with them from time to time. Email is wonderful for that -- and now facebook.

This is a handsome group of wonderful missionaries. They will never regret their choice to serve a mission. President Argyle works just as hard as they do to baptize. He leads by example.

We came and went in the President's car, and before we ended up back at the office, we needed to find a liberia in order to purchase some copy machine paper. We only have about a half inch left in the tray. We went to a large one that Elder Kroff scouted out a few months ago and they had what we were looking for. So, we bought six reams. We were glad we had the car, because neither of us could have carried them on foot.

We had just enough time to put things away, shut our computers down, and walk home before our Branch President's wife, Sister Torre, was picking us up to take us to a delicious bakery within a convent. At Christmas Eve dinner with them she served a delicious pan dulce (sweet bread) which she purchased at a convent close to San Fernando. We pass it every time we go to the mission home, but never knew what was behind the tall brick wall on our right. She tried to explain where it was, and we would look for it as we would go up and down Libertador, but we had no idea what we were looking for. We mentioned it again when we were at their home for the asado last Saturday and she made plans to come and get us today after work and take us there. We were so excited -- and so surprised to see where it was.

We had to turn off of Libertador and go down a side street to get to the gate where the Benedictine Nuns live and work. We pushed the buzzer and the receptionist opened the gate to let us in. We walked down a hall, peeked in a chapel area and made our way to the "store." Priest's robes were sold there, as well as rosary type beads, statues, and a case of medallions representing various Saints. They sell seasonal foods and pastries representing various events like Mother's Day, All Saints Day, Christmas, etc. Right now all the goodies for Easter were out.

They had all types of chocolate decorated rabbits, Easter eggs large and small -- everything imaginable. Plus, they had individually wrapped cookies, pastries, jars of jams, honey, and more. Everything was neatly organized and displayed. The clerk also said they make a special Easter torta which will they will start selling in about a week. Closer to Easter, they have a week of extended hours due to the popularity of all their Easter goodies. She said there is a long line of people all day long waiting to come in to buy their Easter treats.

We bought three of the chocolate bunnies on a stick to give to our office elders for Easter. We bought the larger one for ourselves to see what their chocolate tastes like and to have as a decoration in our apartment until Easter. When is Easter?? We don't even know. We are going to take the pan dulce to the office and share with the elders someday. It was a fun experience and we will return again. We know the bus to catch that goes right by the convent. Easy! And the place was immaculate in cleanliness inside and out.

Our evening was quiet and calm. I tried again to get two entries done in one evening and failed. I start too late on the first one. I hate getting behind.