An English neighbor - Friday, October 1, 2010

We didn't know until we got to the office that we would be alone all morning. The car was gone and no elders in sight. Then Elder Peterson called and said that they had to transport a couple of elders to the capital and they would be back around noon.

We took advantage of the quiet morning and worked steadily accomplishing a lot. It was heavenly!! Not that the other three are noisy, but five in one room creates more activity and distractions. I, of course, worked on entering baptisms and calling around to clarify data on the registers that I didn't understand or were unreadable. Rich balanced his drawer, went to the libreria to get a box of copy machine paper, and worked on various financial matters.

When the elders returned about 12:30, they were full and satisfied from their lunch that they had at McDonalds up in the Capital. To my amazement, however, about an hour later Elders Davis and Paz were in the kitchen heating up some of the food that Sister Bolentini brought them this week. Both said they were actually hungry and wanted to eat a second lunch. That's an elder for ya!!

The office did liven up with the return of the elders. Fourteen bolsas were prepared by Elder Paz for the missionaries arriving on next weeks transfer. He put together a blanket, pillow, and a shoulder bag that are given to each one. Elder Peterson waited patiently for the President to forward to him all the transfer changes. He has known for a couple days those going South and those returning, but the regular switching around of companions needs to be in the computer by Sunday night. On Monday, he orders all the transportation necessary to get people around.

At 4:00 Rich and I were finished with the things we had been working on during the afternoon, so instead of starting a new project, we opted to leave for the day. We had a date with the Tigre sisters to go with them at 7:30 to teach a lady who knows English and likes to have the discussions in English.

We chilled out at home, having a bite eat and then a knock came on our door. Who could that be? No one knocks on our door. If someone is coming to see us, we have to let them in downstairs.

Chris Acker from Houston, Texas, lives across the hall from us and she needed a cup of milk for her tea. She just moved here a couple weeks ago and we met her one night as she was moving things in. She is a missionary/teacher for a Christian private school. There is one about two blocks from here so teachers for the Biaca school have lived in our apartment building from time to time. Tim and Lindsay moved out of that apartment two months ago and went to Perú where another school is located. The teachers from the States don't come knowing Spanish and aren't required to learn it as the school is an English school and all subjects are taught in English. The students are to learn the language. It is difficult to communicate - teacher and student - but it works. Most teachers are rotated every two years.

At 7:00 we left to catch the bus to Tigre. We met the sisters at the chapel and walked a few blocks to the home of Olga. It was a great experience for me to understand what was being said and to hear how the lesson progressed through the Plan of Salvation. Olga had been faithful in doing her homework reading of assigned parts of the Book of Mormon, plus the pamphlets that were left with her from previous visits. She asked pertinent questions, and gave remarkable answers relating to her knowledge of what she has learned thus far. It was impressive. She seems sincere and has set a tenative baptism date. Sitting through that discussion made me realize how much I have missed because I can't understand and can't contribute. Sigh!

We walked with the sisters to the bus stop and bid them farewell as they hopped on one bus while we waited for another, which was about twenty minutes. We returned home at 10:00 p.m.