Teaching in Tigre - Wednesday, November 3, 2010

After a comfortable night's sleep, I was surprised when Rich said that the temperature was going to get up around 83 degrees today. That seemed high for the coolish night we had.

I was anxious to get to the office to start on my "to do" list, so I hurried along with my morning preparations. On the way, we saw a dog walker with a pack of really big dogs. We were amazed that the petite looking girl could handle them altogether.

I started right in on calling missionaries for their baptismal registers. They promised to get them to me as soon as their studies were over and they left their apartments. I called others to get clarification on things I couldn't read. All of this combined took most of my morning.

Rich went to pay some bills and stopped at the panadaria to buy some cookies for the elders to munch on. They didn't last long.

District meeting started at 11:00 in the church and this group consists of Elders Rodriguez, and Gillette, Hermanas Romo and Bray, Elder Paz, and standing Elders Peterson, Rasmussen, and Hansen. The Assistants were attending other District Meetings so were not present at their own. That's one thing Elder Kroff and I have not been a part of in this mission. We tend the office while the elders go.

My stress level decreased as I was able to get the tablero cards done for the missionary board in the mission home. The President usually wants them about two weeks before transfers so he can place them and move them around in the mix of it all. I also worked on the welcome letters as I am really behind on them. I am pretty good about getting the ones mailed to the states, but we send the Latins by way of the bolsa (pouch mail) and I have to look up their ward and stake. They go to their stakes, I believe, and the Stake President gives them to their families.

I would have stayed a little while longer at the office today, but the sisters in Tigre, Hermana Bray and Hermana Romo, invited us to go with them to the home of Olga Estela Ordoqui who was suppose to be baptized a couple week ago, but had some fears and doubts if she would be able to keep the commandments after baptism, so she wanted to put it off a little while.

About two months ago before Sister Shaffer left the mission, we went with the sisters to help teach Olga. She likes to speak English and does very well so the lesson was taught in the language I understand well. Olga is such a deep thinker. She understands the doctrine and puts everything in perspective.

The sisters wanted Elder Kroff there to help them out and to try to offer encouragement to Olga that she will be able to live the commandments if she takes this big step. Rich listened and observed as the sisters talked with her, and they were so grateful when he gave his inspired input. Not much was said about the commandments and her fears of obeying them. He felt she needed to understand that the Church of Jesus Christ had been restored to the earth and that she could be a member of it and live the life she desires to live. So he reviewed with her the apostasy and restoration in clear simple language and then asked her when she was going to be baptized and join the church that offers her the life she wants. She smiled and said, "Sunday." The sisters were overjoyed and smiling from ear to ear. They told her they would set up her interview tomorrow or the next day. We knelt in prayer as Olga offered it and there was a sweet spirit in her home.

During the discussion, we could hear it pouring rain outside. We laugh that if we are going to Tigre it will be raining. But, by the time we finished and left, the rain had stopped and there was only a drizzle. We were so grateful. As Olga walked us to the gate outside, her two annoying, barking dogs were not liking Rich. This happened the last time we came too. One in particular doesn't like him and he was very agressive and nipping at his heels. Rich cautiously held his umbrella between him and the barking dog. It was a little disconcerting to him.

We caught the bus home that drops us right off at our apartment building and walked in at 9:20. I knew I had to get going on the journal entry, but with some interruptions that came along, it caused a late night and I couldn't stay awake at the keyboard. So I had to succumb to sleep and quit for the night.