Errand Day - Wednesday, August 11, 2010

We are getting spoiled with the temperature these last few days. It has felt almost like early springtime, cool to cold, but sunny and fresh. Rich's daily check of the weather says rain and cold weather are on the docket starting tomorrow and may last throughout the weekend. Well, it was nice while it lasted!

We were able to do our normal preparations for the day this morning and leave together for the office. Sometimes I clock our walk just to see if we are slower than when we first came here, but it still registers a five minute trip. We are so grateful to live so close. And Rich is especially glad when things come up and he has to make an unscheduled trip after hours or on weekends. The only negative thing in our location is the noisy street below, but we tolerate it and don't hear it as much as we used to.

The three elders beat us to the office today even with Elder Peterson and Elder Leavitt making the trip to do the elder exchange thing -- leaving Elder Leavitt with Elder Watson and bringing Elders Paz and Hales back to the office to continue training. Probably after this week that will end, and Elder Hales will leave us and Elder Paz will take over by himself.

Elder Kroff had several errands to do and I wanted to go with him to the printing place that would print off a page for our carpetas that have a picture of the Gulbrandsens and a brief welcome message at the bottom. Rich had it on his jump drive and I wanted to proof read it after they printed off one copy for review to make sure all was in order. We needed to order about 400 of them to be used throughout the three years of their service, so it had to be right. That is about how many missionaries come to this mission in three years. We are gaging it from how many the Argyles received in their three years as leaders. I think they had close to the 400 mark. One color copy goes in each new missionary binder as the first thing the missionary sees when he opens the book.

Then, as we walked around the shopping area in San Fernando just about 10 to 12 blocks from the office, my phone rang and it was Elder Peterson wanting the phone number of Dr. Snell. President and Sister Gulbrandsen were at the office and she wanted the doctors number for some reason. Hearing that altered some of our remaining plans as we thought maybe the President was there in part to speak to us about our replacements and when we would be going home for sure. So we hurried along with the things on our "have to do" list, found the car, and quickly drove back to the office.

The President was conducting interviews with the office elders when we arrived as he didn't have time to complete their interviews when he was doing them with our zone a week ago. So we felt encouraged that he would speak with us too and this would be when we could discuss our future. We visited with Sister Gulbrandsen while each elder had his turn visiting with the President. As the last elder finished, the President came out and announced that he had to hurry to get to an appointment with some elders in Belgrano, so he and Sister Gulbrandsen had to leave right then. Awwww, really??? However, he did mention that maybe he would try to come back tomorrow to interview us. He would see what was on his schedule. We said nothing, but after he left, the elders and us all looked at each other and burst out laughing.

The elders went to the kitchen to eat their lunch that was brought in by Sister Bolentini, and Rich and I left to finish our errands and go home to eat. We bought some empanadas along the way and enjoyed them for a quick lunch.

We got back to the office at 2:00 and I worked on entering baptisms. I entered eight and have nine more to do, however, those haven't been faxed to me yet. Tomorrow I'll have some phone calls to make to delinquent elders.

Sunday, this cute family attended our branch. They were with Elder Garay who taught them the gospel when he was serving down south in Ushuaia. Juan and Ivon Diaz were investigators for eight -- yes eight years. Well, Juan still is. Ivon was baptized in June, but Juan still hasn't made the commitment. They have seven children between them. Each has three and the little girl is theirs together.

Elder Kroff had a good conversation with them and in finding out they lived in Ushuaia, he told them that we were going to go there when our daughters come to visit in October. They immediately told us to call them and they will show us around Ushuaia. She speaks pretty good English and told me she wants us to come to their home. They wrote down all their information and numbers and said to email them when we would be coming and they will make arrangements to take us wherever we want to go. They have taken missionaries around and showed them the sights in this quaint area at the southern most part of the world.

At one point in the conversation, Juan made a positive comment that someday he and Ivon would like to go on a mission like we are. Ummmm, I think he's missing one step, but it looks like he is ready. We plan on communicating with them about our trip.

Speaking of Tierra del Fuego and Ushuaia, an elder called me from there tonight about being bit by a dog. It broke the skin and was bleeding, but neither his pants nor thermal underwear were damaged or ripped. So the dogs teeth did not touch his skin. Unusual!!