Another Experience - Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Our morning went smoothly, but instead of being ready a half hour early, we didn't walk out the door until 9:00. Fast one day, slow the next! But, it was definitely a coat day. This is the first day we have had to wear something to be comfortable for our walk to the office. It rained all day with the temperature in the mid 50's. The coat felt good.

When we got to the office, since it was a little after 9:00, the elders were already into their days work. Elders Coria and Peterson were conversing back and forth in a trainer/trainee dialog, and Elder Hales was busy at his computer.

Before I started entering baptisms, I made some calls to missionaries, and Rich set up Sister Argyles computer to get ready for two elders who were coming to take the English test.

Elder Ravanales is from Chile and is going home next week. His English is wonderful and he said he understood everything on the test, so he will probably score high and receive a Certificate of Achievement. Through the earphones they hear things and answer questions orally or type the answers on the computer. Then there are reading comprehension exercises on the computer too. The test takes about an hour and a half, with timed segments.

Elder Ravanales is a good missionary, and I have enjoyed getting to know him. When he comes to the office occasionally for one thing or another, he enjoys talking to me in English. We have had some good conversations. I will miss him when he leaves.

Elder Ugalde was the second Latino to take the test today and he speaks English as good or better than Elder Ravanales. He said that he knew numbers and colors and things like that before he entered the mission field, but has learned the language just in the two years he has been on his mission. I admire these young people who master the English language when they don't speak it all day long like the American missionaries do with Spanish.

President Argyle came when all of these English tests were going on and couldn't go to his office to work. He had a baptismal interview to do over in the church, and I think he would have stayed a little longer when he was finished, but his office was being occupied, so he just went back home.

Elder Coria takes Elder Peterson's picture which needs to be submitted with his application to apply for his International Driving Permit. Since it had to be against a white background, he stood on an unstable chair which went out from under him after the click of the camera. Luckily he only received a slight bump on his head from the brick wall behind him as he slid down.

Last night, the sisters from Tigre called to ask if we would be available to accompany them to a discussion at 3:30 today. They are teaching Juan Pedro who Elder Kroff is baptizing this coming weekend. Sisters cannot teach or go into the home of a man without an adult woman with them. They usually get a member of the branch to go with them, but they could not find anyone. Brother Pedro fell some years ago and broke his hip and uses a cane for walking, so they wanted to know if we could meet them at his home since it would be easier for him than making him meet at the church for the discussion.

Since it was raining and we didn't know where he lived, we decided to take a remise to his home. We were dropped off at the address the sisters gave us and waited for them on the street. When they arrived, they escorted us down a path to the back of a house. Words cannot describe what confronted us. The place were he lived was a mere shed, a small shed with a tin roof. We sat in a space about the size of a walk-in closet and another room partitioned off with a curtain must have been where he slept. A more humble existence we have never seen!! One tiny light bulb hung from a cord above us, and there was no evidence of how the place would be heated. A table outside had scraps of potato peelings on it plus some tomatoes and plums, so we figured he must prepare food there, but have no idea how he cooks.

Sisters Kroff, Sandoval, and Shaffer with Juan Pedro Noriega. He is a very nice gentleman and seems excited to become a member of the church.

Also living in another area next to Juan Pedro, is a little guy who is a member of the church. About seven months ago right after we were assigned to the Tigre branch, we were walking up Constitucion and this man was picking up cardboard boxes in his red wagon/truck pulled by a horse. We asked if we could take his picture and he told us that he was a Mormon and went to Tigre to church, but he didn't go very often because he had a sick wife. Rich invited him to come again and told him he could attend his Sunday School class. The man came the next Sunday and then not for a long time after that. His wife has since died and he has returned to church off and on.

His name is Ceferino Carvallo and he comes on Sundays with Juan Pedro. We had no idea they lived so close to one another. Anyway, when we came today and he saw us, he asked Rich if he wanted to see his Ranchito (small ranch). Then he showed us his three horses that were tied up in the back. Two were under a shelter as seen here, and a white horse that was out in the rain standing in deep mud. He brought this horse out to show us some tricks he taught him, mainly that he could shake hands.

This member has a granddaughter living with him. She comes to church with him and is about 9 or 10 years old. She wasn't in school today and it made us wonder if she even goes. We wonder where her mother is. The two of them stood at the doorway and listened to the discussion given by the missionaries. It looks like these three sort of exist together. Maybe they cook and eat together too. I worry tonight about how they all are staying warm as it is cold outside tonight.

When we left the men and the sisters, they told us that we were only about 6 blocks from a train stop. We went in that direction and then recognized where we were and that we could take a bus home, so we walked to the bus stop and got on the one that drops us off right at our corner. Our little apartment never looked so good and felt so warm out of the elements. How blessed our lives have been. Compared to the majority of the people here in Buenos Aires we live like kings. We have been humbled today.