Mission Tour - October 11 and 12, 2010

Major plans and preparations have been made for Monday and Tuesday for the Mission Tour with Elder Mervyn B. Arnold who is the South America South Area President.

He is a member of the First Quorum of Seventy and we hear he is on fire about missionary work with definite ideas that will make the mission baptize more. He wants to make some random visits to missionary apartments which has had everyone frantically cleaning up. Good thing! He will conduct interviews, check missionary agendas to see what they have scheduled, and teach, teach, teach. It should be a great experience to sit at his feet and be taught.

Monday

During the first day of the Mission Tour, we were assigned to take care of the office while the elders attended the conference which was being held over in the church. Sunday night, Elder Lowry called to ask for our help in purchasing some things that they forgot or were too busy to get. It was a holiday on Monday and most mom and pop places were closed. So, we decided to go to WalMart, and on our list were 90 bananas, 90 mandarinas, cups, and 30 liter and a half bottles of water. We worked for an hour waiting for the store to open and were successful in counting out and bagging the requested amounts. Then at 12:15, we were to pick up all the empanadas from Nobels up the street. Each missionary would receive three empanadas and an alfahore for dessert.

Four zones were meeting in each of the two day sessions. Strict rules were observed which included absolutely NO talking once they stepped foot in the church. They were to be in their seats one half hour early studying quietly until the designated starting time of 9:00. However, the pre-conference meetings with Zone Leaders ended early and so since everyone was there, Elder Arnold started the meeting at 8:30.

Reports from the missionaries gave glowing accounts of what was said, and they were humbled by the spirit as they listened and were taught. We will attend the conference tomorrow in Belgrano.

The four zones were positioned for a group photo and it was done in a reverent and orderly manner. There was no boisterous behavior at all today. If talking was needed, it was done quietly and with order. Even at lunch time while picked up their serving of food and then eating, the mood was calm and conversations were in low tones.

Once the conference ended, a couple of elders came to get their packages that arrived in the mail and then they were "outta there." Elder Arnold wanted them to exit quickly and get back to their areas.

Those of us in the office had a group interview with Elder Arnold in the President's office. He gave wise and needful counsel, then modified the office elders study and planning schedule and dismissed them. As we stood up to exit too, he said, "All but the Kroffs."

We, then, had another twenty minute interview with him. He grew up in Granger and knew the Tooele area well, especially the mountains around Grantsville where he, as a youth, and his family hunted for deer. We chatted about that and then he said if we chose to serve another mission in the future, he invited us to return to Argentina as there is a great need for service from senior couples. He said we knew the area, the people, the customs, and the language (well, some of us) and it wouldn't be hard to adjust. We could get right to work. Ahhhh, really???

Tuesday

Day two of the Mission Tour had us leaving home at 7:30 to be there at 8:30 just in case there was a repeat of yesterday in the starting time. Today we would travel by train and taxi to the chapel in Belgrano.

The day was gorgeous, and walking was warmer than expected for that hour of the morning. On the way to the train, President Gulbransen called and asked us to pick up 76 bananas for the conference lunch. He said when we got to the church to ask Elder Johnson for his keys which he would leave with him. We could take his car on the errand.

The train was jammed packed when we entered with people standing shoulder to shoulder. We couldn't believe it. There was no way we would get a seat today. A member of the San Fernando ward was on her way to work so we had a nice visit standing with her.

When we talked with Elder Johnson, he told us where to find a fruit/vegetable market just a couple block away. It was closed when he came to the church, so he directed us there first thinking it would be open. Wrong!! But we did find another one and were able to purchase 48 bananas there.

We decided to take the bananas back to the church and then head out again to find more. Every place we tried close by said that their banana shipment had not arrived yet. So we walked around a few blocks and finally found one that had some. By the time we got back to the church, I was a little steamy and very tired of walking. Usually I don't notice tired legs like I did this morning, and the humidity was quite high.

We enjoyed the morning session of instruction from Elder Arnold. First, however, Sister Gulbrandsen and Sister Arnold took some time and I was so proud of Sister Gulbrandsen. She is trying so hard to speak Spanish and although she has to read what she prepares, she is doing well. Sister Arnold learned Spanish from studying it after serving with her husband when he was Mission President in Costa Rica. She was prepared if they ever received an assignment again to be in a Spanish speaking country. So she does really well and is so happy to be here to use it.

The same lunch of empanadas, bananas, and mandarinas was provided for day two of the tour. And again, it was done in a calm, orderly manner, at the request of the General Authority.

A group shot was taken of the four zones attending todays conference. We were happy to be among such dedicated missionaries.

Elders Hales, Smith, Trayner, Ramey, Charles, Gerez, Denton, Harris, and Christensen (kneeling) talk outside about the day with Elder Arnold.

Two Zone Leaders, Elder Smith and Elder Denton accommodate my picture taking. They are successful elders and we enjoyed our time with them when they served in our zone.

Elder Ludwig and his fairly new companion, Elder Gardner, enjoyed the day as well. What a special experience it is for missionaries to have times like these when they have the opportunity to spend the day with a General Authority.

We returned to San Fernando by taxi and train again, with another shoulder to shoulder ride home. We spent the evening tidying up our apartment and making ready for the arrival of our daughters tomorrow morning. We can hardly believe that the time is here after all the planning and waiting for the last several months.

We logged onto skype and called Paul at the Atlanta airport to see how things were going and if they all met up together. Paul and Denise could not get on the same plane as Marianne going to Denver. So she flew alone, met Melissa, and the two flew on to Atlanta together. Good thing we had purchased tickets for them. Paul and Denise had to fly from Salt Lake directly to Atlanta. It was a bit iffy for them, but they made it.

Then the wait was on to see if the girls would be successful with their buddy passes getting on the overnight flight to Argentina. It was a nail biting several minutes as the seats were assigned, but they made it with only one seat after them being available. Wow!!! They barely made it. RELIEF!!

Good times ahead!! We can't wait!