Leaving Tigre - Sunday, April 11, 2010

What an emotional day! We've been transferred.

A couple weeks ago, President Argyle mentioned to Rich that he thought it was time that we joined with the branch in Virreyes. They are more in numbers and activity and close to becoming a ward. He felt we could help the members there including the less active ones, so he was going to speak to the Stake President about it. We hadn't heard back from him until a few days ago and he said the Stake President agreed and was going to call President Torre and tell him that this Sunday would be our last one with them. Gulp!! Are we ready for this?

The Virreyes branch and the San Fernando ward both meet in the church where our office is. Our office elders and the assistants both live in San Fernando, but Elders Peterson and Hales proselyte in Virreyes. The areas are right next door to each other. The assistants are the ones assigned to the San Fernando area. So we will get to go to church with our elders. We are happy about that as are they. They can call upon us to help them teach if they need us; however, they already use Elder Kroff frequently.

What we are not happy about is leaving our dear friends in Tigre. We have been going to that branch for eight months and they have become family to us. In anticipation of leaving the branch, we assumed we would be called upon to bear our testimonies, but then today was fast and testimony meeting so that was a given. I prepared my remarks and testimony on google translate with Rich fine tuning the Spanish. So I would use my notes to express my thoughts.

As I was playing the prelude before the meeting, President Torre approached me with his hand patting his heart and expessed his obvious sadness that we would be leaving. And it was downhill from there. In his announcements when the meeting began, he told the congregation that he had received a call from the Stake President and that this would be our last Sunday at the branch. He was very complimentary, and in his remarks jokingly said that Elder Kroff could go, but I had to stay to play the piano. I could feel my emotions rising.

We took the opportunity, right after the President bore his testimony and turned the meeting over to the members, to bear our testimonies with me going first. Mine wasn't long, but I expressed my feelings about our experience in Tigre and bore testimony to what I know is true. Rich followed, and some in the congregation were obviously moved. Our Relief Society President, who always bears her testimony each month, said she couldn't get up because she was crying throughout the meeting.

After the meeting, these sweet members approached with hugs and well wishes. Oh my, I could not contain my tears. Even though I cannot communicate verbally with these wonderful people, the language of the heart is stronger. How we will miss them! Throughout the meetings of the day, kind things were said which made us feel good, but also makes it harder to leave. If we have done only one thing from serving this mission, we hear repeatedly that our example of a faithful Latter-Day Saint couple serving a mission in our latter years has made an impression. Members have come up to us and said, "I want to serve a mission with my companion some day, like you are doing." Let's hope that happens for them.

We will miss working with Hermana Shaffer and Hermana Sandoval, but told them we will be glad to come to Tigre to help them anytime, should they need us for anything. I am so glad Hermana Shaffer can play the piano as she may be the one called upon to play the hymns for Sacrament Meeting. The Grieves, up at the Area Offices, are music missionaries and will be teaching piano lessons. Maybe they can come to Tigre and teach lessons to some willing person.

We will miss these strong members. Sisters Kaputo, Olmedo (a member for 35 years), Luz, Carbajal (R.S. Pres), and Diaz (a member for 32 years) are as good as they get. What special friends they are!

Sister Sandra Torre and Sister Alejandrina Sosa are some of the glue that holds the branch together, moving around from one calling to another. I have become particularly close to Sister Torre as we worked together with the Sacrament Meeting music. She and the President have invited us for asados, Christmas Eve dinner, and have made us feel so welcome and needed. I love her so much. Sister Sosa is a valiant soul having served as Relief Society President, and is now Primary President. She is wonderful.

We gathered Sister Sosa's family together for a photo. She is a great mother and keeps her children coming and active in the gospel. Eugenia is 15, and her brothers are Marcelo (13), Diego (10) Miguel (7), and Javi (5). We have never seen her husband, but understand that he was once very active, but after the birth of the youngest son, he stopped coming to church. We don't know why. They are a darling family.

We stayed after the block to be with the sisters as they taught a discussion to man who is being baptized next Saturday. He has asked Elder Kroff to baptize him. Then the next Saturday another gentleman is being baptized and he also has asked Elder Kroff to baptize him. So, hopefully, we will still have connections with this branch that we have come to love so much.

Change is hard and I am a real boob about it. I get so attached to people and I hate saying goodbye. What is it going to be like when we leave Argentina for good? We hate to think about it.