Quiet Office Day - Monday, April 12, 2010

We are excited that the sun is moving farther north each day because the sunrises are becoming more and more spectacular. We have a perfect view from our balcony and we remember last year after we arrived how gorgeous the sky was each morning around 7:00. We are looking forward to it again this year.

We were speedy this morning -- don't know why, because we were ready by 8:30. I even cooked us eggs and toast for breakfast, and had to touch up something with the iron to wear to work. We didn't listen to any of Fire of the Covenant over the weekend, so I was anxious to see if any companies were actually going to leave soon. So, that was a must today. We are still in awe of these faithful saints who were only allowed to take 17 pounds per adult and 10 pounds per child of their personal belongings on the trek. That is nothing!! We don't know what sacrifice means in todays world.

We had the car with us, so we drove to the office. When the elders arrived, they announced that they were to take the car, which is a loaner, back to Bonpland and exchange it for the President's van. The maintenance and repairs are all done. Then, they had to pick up Elder Lazo, one of the assistants, and bring him back to San Fernando. He has been on an exchange with other elders for a few weeks. He was with them to teach them how to find, teach, and baptize someone. They were successful, as while he was with them they had three baptisms.

The elders left at 9:30 and didn't return until 3:00. Mondays and Fridays are the worst days for traffic up in the Capital, and poor Elder Hales was frazzled when they returned. Elder Kroff had compassion for him because he knows how stressful driving is here in Buenos Aires. Part of the elders' frustration today was that they couldn't get the GPS to accept the address of where Elder Lazo was. So, someone at Bonpland gave them a map and tried to explain the best route to their destination. Figuring out the one way streets is challenging at best in this city.

We were amazed at how quiet our day was. The correo came a couple times to deliver the mail and a couple packages, and Elder Hales received only two calls. Usually his phone rings all day long. It seemed like a holiday with little or no activity from the outside demanding our attention. Usually on "P" day the missionaries are calling for one reason or another, and those calls were few and far between too.

Rich worked on increasing the money given to the missionaries. The President decided they would get a "cost of living" raise of 10%. It really isn't much, but should help out with the increase in food, laundry, and transportation. That took him all day to figure based on all the variables involved. But, he did it!

I thought I would be hard pressed to find things to keep me busy, but finally the light came on and I realized that this is the perfect time to get ahead of the game and prepare all the letters for missionaries, parents, and Stake Presidents, plus the mission certificates for the group leaving in the next transfer on June 2. I got right to it and have the stacks of each letter on the President's desk for him to sign when he comes this way again. There are only seven leaving in June, but it is good to get them done. Then I can send them off when the time comes without stressing.

The President forwarded me an interesting email today which he received from the past mission president. It seems there was a Latin missionary under President Wilkins that never received his mission certificate from his Stake President. It most likely never made it to his Stake President through the mail. That is why we put it in the leaving missionary's packet for the Latins and they hand carry them to their Stake President when they get home. It isn't a surprise that they will be getting it, but at least it arrives in a timely manner and in fine shape.

Anyway, ex-President Wilkins asked if one could be prepared and President Argyle could sign it or sign President Wilkins' name and we could mail it to the elder from Chile. The missionary returned home in 2005. So that certificate is on the President's desk also.

President Argyle called Elder Kroff in the afternoon and asked if Elder Alvarez could stay at our apartment with us for a couple hours this evening until Elders Peterson and Hales could come and get him and take him to his area.

He was summoned home last week at the request of his mother who is dying from kidney failure. Arrangements were made for him to fly home to Paraguay at the expense of his Stake President. His mother is in the hospital, and has not succumbed yet, but he has said his goodbyes and the family is happy and okay with him returning to the mission field.

He needed a place to go to wait until 9:00 when our office elders would drive him back to Escobar and then bring Elder Coria back with them. Since Elder Peterson does not have his International Driving Permit yet, Elder Hales is the designated driver and after today's experience he wasn't too thrilled at having to go out on the streets and freeway again. But maybe Elder Coria would drive home.

I fed Elder Alvarez some dinner and while I ironed white shirts, Rich tried to find something appropriate on the church website that could be viewed on his computer. It would be okay for him to see a church video, but Rich didn't know how to find any. He did find some talks by the General Authorities in Spanish that they listened to for a few minutes. It is hard to entertain missionaries when there are limited things that one can do with them. He was with us for two and a half hours.

Elder Alvarez is a temporary missionary assigned to our mission while he waits for his visa to go to Venezuela. He has been with us for five months. For some reason it takes for-ev-er to get visas approved for Venezuela. He is a pleasant young man and we feel bad that he has to deal with his mother's illness knowing she will not be there when he returns from his mission.

After he left at 9:00, I immediately focused on getting this entry written and posted.