Hometeaching Visit -Tuesday, September 28, 2010

The wind was still blowing when we awoke, and shortly before it was time to leave it began raining hard. We didn't even consider walking to the office in this driving rain storm. We would wait for a break. Luckily, it had calmed down quite a bit by the time we were to leave, so it wasn't an issue. Good thing! But it was dreary and rainy all day long.

As soon as we entered the office, my phone started ringing with medical calls. When I finally got around to calling the doctor, I had four things to talk to him about. That doesn't take into consideration the calls that I handled on my own. But, talking to the missionary, asking questions, calling the doctor, calling the missionary back, logging in what happened etc. took up almost my whole morning. It was after 11:30 by the time I finished and was able to go on to something else. Some days are busy like this with one call after another. Other days I don't hear a peep from anyone.

Twenty seven baptisms happened last week so the registers started being faxed to me in a timely manner. I was grateful for that as it reduces all the calling that I have to do. Keep em' coming!!

The office was a hive of activity even with Elders Peterson and Davis being gone today. They, again, had immigration business to conduct up in the Capital. So, they were gone most of the day. Their errands could be done in short order if they didn't have to wait for hours in lines. It isn't the length of time it takes to conduct the business, it is the incredibly long lines that they have to wait in until it is their turn. Someone in Argentina needs to revamp the system. It is this way all over, but the people just put up with it.

Presidente Gulbrandsen dropped in unexpectedly and we were glad to see him. La hermana was not with him. They will be back tomorrow.

District meeting was today and Elders Peterson and Davis arrived back in time to attend it. Elder Paz stayed in the office with the computer specialist from Bonpland who came to solve his computer problems. The testing and probing revealed that his computer and also Elder Peterson's had a virus. Good Grief!! He was still working after we left the office at 5:45.

We were hoping for a chance to gulp down a hotdog before we had to leave on the bus to go hometeaching to the Vega family. Rich and Ezequiel Garcia are hometeaching partners and they had plans to meet each other at 6:00 down by the autopista and then walk to the Vega home. On Sunday, the kids asked Elder Kroff to bring me along too.

We walked to the bus station that is right by train stop and got on bus 710 that went straight down Avellaneda. We got off at the designated corner and pretty soon Ezequiel came by in his car. We didn't know he had his car up and running. It had been out of commission for quite a while. He had his little daughter, Delfina, with him because Rocio was working tonight and he was tending. I was glad he had his car, because the walk was some distance - doable - but there was a chill in the air due to all the rain today.

The parents of the Vega family were not home, but were expected shortly. We visited with the five children - Roman sitting on Yanina's lap, and Morena sitting on Ennduuh's lap. The brother's name in the back escapes me for the moment. Ezequiel and Delfina stand in the middle.

Ennduuh (goes by Brenda) baked some bread today and offered us some. It was good! Seeing that the parents may not make it home before we needed to leave, the brethren gave the hometeaching message and we said our goodbyes.

We expected to be dropped off at a bus stop on Avellaneda, but Ezequiel drove us home. His little girl is so cute when she says "Elder Kroff" or "Los Kroff." She knows our name and is warming up to us. She is pretty shy and clingy to her parents when we are around. It was nice of Ezequiel to drive us home, but he is out of a job right now and we hated to have him use his gas to take us home. He may have another job by this weekend. He is a great guy and has been a member of the church for almost a year now.

Our evening was the same as usual. I worked on the journal entry while Rich read and watched the Fox news channel. We are grateful for a safe warm place to relax and sleep at night, knowing that some Argentines are not so fortunate.