Conference Day - Saturday, April 3, 2010

We had been looking forward to the weekend all week long. Watching conference with the other senior couples at Bonpland/Area Offices is a treat that we look forward to.

We slept in until 7:00 and easily filled the morning hours with things to do before we had to leave at 11:30 to catch the train to the Capital. Clothes were washed, sheets changed, bathroom cleaned and the floor vacuumed. Oh, and I boiled the eggs for my potato salad that I would finish after arriving back home in the evening.

As we made our way to the train station which is about six blocks away, we noticed the cross bar was lowered and the cars were stacking up waiting to cross the tracks. The train had not yet pulled into the station, but we were still about one and one half blocks away. Never did we think we would make it to the station in time to catch that train. We didn't run, but we walked fast and as we were approaching the steps to the platform, the train pulled to a stop. Could we make it? We ran up the stairs and through the gate entering the first open door of the train we came to -- without purchasing a ticket. We would buy it on the other end.

When we got to Belgrano where we get off the train, we were early enough to take a bus the rest of the way. We didn't have to wait long for bus 29 to appear. It drops us off about two blocks from the Area Offices. We are so excited to be able to get there by train and bus and not have to take a taxi part of the way. It only cost a total of $1.10 for both of us to go by train and bus. Now, that's a bargain! Taking a taxi from the train station to Bonpland is $3.00, which isn't really all that much, but it's fun to do it cheaper.

We rearrange one of the assembly rooms by taking folding chairs down and wheeling in more comfortable chairs that are in an adjacent room around a big conference table. General Conference is projected from an LCD projector attached to the ceiling onto a big pull down screen. The young man on the left is the son of one of the computer technicians who gets things going for us and remains until it's over. He joined us for conference.

We all throroughly enjoyed the Saturday morning session. There were some powerful addresses given. Love those brethren.

In between sessions, five of the seven couples took off walking to see if we could find a restaurant open. No such luck! When there is a holiday, this city takes it seriously and practically the whole place shuts down. But not this corner sandwich shop. We ordered sandwiches which came with french fries. They were really good and filling. I had pollo (chicken) and Rich had carne (it was like a hamburger). We sat at the counter and around the tables out front to eat our food.

We enjoy our friends and they have made us feel welcome and a part of the group.

Grant and Marilyn Barton are from the Salt Lake area. I think he worked for the church before retiring. This is their third mission, the first being a mission president in Texas for three years. They also served in West Africa for 20 months as the Area Welfare Specialists, and are here in Buenos Aires for 18 months as Employment Specialists. Elder Barton has been heavily involved with the Sons of the Utah Pioneers (SUP) having served as the organization's National President. They return home in June.

This is the first mission for Charles and Eileen Fuqua who come from Wellsville, Utah. They have only lived there for two years, having moved to Utah from Oklahoma. She was a Junior High School teacher before retiring. I can't remember Elder Fuqua's occupation. They came last summer and are serving for 18 months with the Perpetual Education program.

Anthon E. Anderson (Tony) is the new Area Medical Advisor who just came last week. He and his wife, Jean, are now from St. George. He was an OB/GYN doctor in Salt Lake and retired in 2000, sold his home and moved to St. George. They have seven children. His wife said that his patients LOVED him and told him that they wanted to marry him if anything ever happened to her. One lady seriously asked him if he believed in polygamy and wanted to know if he would consider taking her as a second wife. He told her that one wife was enough.

They are the type of people who are friendly, outgoing, approachable, and upon meeting them make you feel like you have been friends forever. Their brief mission is just for three months and they will return to the states June 21. Another interim doctor will come for three months until the doctor who has received an 18 month call arrives in October.

In the 10 years that Dr. Anderson has been retired, they have been on three medical missions. He served one year as the mission doctor in Venezula covering four missions. Then, he was the Area Medical Advisior for one year in Colombia covering 13 missions. And, he served an 18 month mission as the mission medical doctor for the South Salt Lake Mission. Is that really a mission?

It will be easy to call Dr. Anderson with our medical issues -- not intimidating at all.

When the afternoon session of conference was over, it was 7:00 our time. Rich and I left and took a taxi back to the train station. Soon we were on our way back to San Fernando arriving about 8:15. Elder Kroff still had one more session to attend, as the Priesthood session began at 9:00 over at the Stake Center. The only people in the "English room" would be President Argyle and two of his sons plus Rich. Conference is better and more meaningful to hear the messages in the voice of the speaker. All the elders cannot go because of the late hour. He returned at 11:00.

I whipped my potato salad together to be taken tomorrow for the dinner in between sessions, then started the journal entry. It's been a wonderful day!