May Jun post

Well, this is my attempt at a catch up post.  It covers May 27 - Jun 5 then skips over the last post and covers Jun 10 to Jun 14.  Sorry the pictures are at the end.

Our little corner office across from
each other

Monday nights we have a senior missionary combined FHE but the lights went out in the entire building just before it started, so we ate the treats and since it was still light out we did a little shopping and went home.  Mom said she would have kicked me under the desk because I was not patience and a little rude at the office today (a fair amount of stress getting ready for Elder Cook's visit).  We are now learning how to be good co-workers as well as a good spouse.

Tuesday we started the day early because they had a devotional for all the employees/ missionaries of the church systems in Argentina with Elder Cook speaking.  He wanted to shake our hand but had to leave to meet with the head rabbi and arch-bishop in Argentina.  He gave them a book on LDS temples which lead to some discussion with the rabbi about the baptismal font in the temple.  We worked late and bought some empanadas (onion and cheese; ham and cheese they were out of carne, meat) and a chicken Torte (soufflé).

29 Wed.  Another very busy day of trying to get caught up, as well as, learning what we should be doing and learn to read and write Spanish.  We left in the afternoon to hear Elder Cook address the full time missionaries in The Buenos Aries mission (having addressed the south mission earlier).  The chapel was filled with missionaries, and a sweet spirit was there.  Elder Cook had everyone go by and shake all the missionaries hands so we got to shake his hand.  They had the seventy and their wives bear their testimonies then Elder Cook spoke.  The meeting went for almost 2 hrs.  We went back to work and got home at about 7:30.  We had put some beans (different kind from the beans in the states) and some left over steak and hamburger with them in the crock pot.

1Jun.  We started the day by me leaning how to be a hair dresser by coloring mom’s hair - I missed a spot - don't tell here.  We then went with the senior couples to the leather coat district.  We saw some nice leather goods.  We had to get back to meet the internet tech to reinstall our internet. Then I spent Saturday afternoon sitting next to Elder Maynes and Elder Cook in the SAS area offices as they addressed the leaders in Neuquen that I described in the Jun 2 post.

2 Jun.  I gave my first prayer at sacrament meeting Sunday.  There are a lot of struggles with retention down here but the ward we go to has some very strong people.  We had a nice salmon dinner. We skyped with Jared, Grandma Boyle, Seth, Julie and Ezra and we talked to Katie.  Skype is a great thing for people living far away.  

3 Jun Our 38 anniversary!  We took some lunch time to do some shopping.  We told the secretaries that it was our anniversary and they went out and got us some of the best alfajores that I have had and three small heart shaped balloons which the three of them signed.  We stayed home that evening and cooked steaks, baked potatoes and made salad for dinner.

5 Jun.  We accomplished a lot in our Tuesday meeting (we had missed last weeks meeting with Elder Cook here, Elder Maynes joked that Gen Authorities are a lot like grandchildren- you can’t wait to have them visit but you are relieved when they finally leave). I was trying to get the ends tied up but there were too many ends.  We stayed late and quickly bought some empenadas and croissant sandwiches and I ran back for an 8pm – 9:30 video conference that the presidency had with the 17 area seventy in the 4 South America countries.  They had a discussion on how to implement the youth summer activity like the trek.  Pres Gonzalez then reviewed some of the suggestions and ideas that came out of the Area Review with the 12 and gave them some good instruction on real growth as it related to their organizations.  He stated that we needed knowledge and judicial practice - meaning as revealed by the Savior.  They talked about how to use the added missionaries within the keys of authority of the mission presidents and the stake presidents and how important the regular meetings will be between them as directed by the handbook.  He quoted D&C 105:16 or 101:55-56 where the Lord commanded us to gather all the strength of my house, even my warriors, my young men, and middle-aged, to gather together for the redemption of my people (or go straight way unto my vineyard and redeem my vineyard).  These are our warrior missionaries.  They are full time servants of the Lord – 24/7.  We must put them to the work of salvation – and it includes members, and less-actives as well as the gentiles. He emphasized having the “critical mass” necessary in the wards to move the work forward.  (They have struggled with trying to grow too fast and always having weak units).  He challenged them to take a good look at their wards and re-organize them to have strength.  He challenged them to use technology to advance the work and gather the youth that are enveloped in the technology.  He had quoted 3 Nephi 1:29-30 of how the Zoramites led away the youth by their lyings and flattering words and how they must not let that happen today. He then taught them to use the Book of Mormon and noted that most that fall away from the Church say it was because they were offended.  It is a choice to be offended or not to be offended, but the leaders must live, reach out, and judge with the attributes of Christ, especially that of love.  He told them to help those that are no longer with us for whatever reason to remember the feelings they had when they first learned about the gospel.  He then taught them to use pure testimony.  That is to say, “I feel,” “I testify,” “I know.” Things that are “cosas claves, cosas simple” or things that are key (as the keystone that holds it all together and things that are simple).  I was quickly taking notes (in Spanish) so I hope you feel some of the power of his message to the area seventy.

This catches us up to the last post so I will skip it and continue with Jun 10:

Mon 10.  We had our senior missionary FHE held in the conference room at the office and Dr Brunt gave it on some of the medical problems he has seen with the missionaries.  He had us get on-line and watch a youtube video called 23 and ½ hours about the health benefits of regular exercise and how it adds more years to your life (and quality of life) than anything you can do.  Afterwards we went back to work to prepare for the presidencies Tuesday morning meeting.  If you haven't noticed the exec. secretary has is a high-stress, full-time job but with many perks - I wondered why they asked so many questions about our health.

Wed 12.  Another busy day, including another video conference with Elder Christofferson.  It was a review of the efforts the Area Presidency is putting in place to have “Cresamiento real” or real growth and how the visits of Elder Cook and Maynes went – these video conferences with the General Authorities are always a treat and always interesting. Elder Gonzalez asked how Pres Monson was doing with the death of his wife and he said that its hard but he is doing well and during their meeting in the temple that week, President Monson gave one of the dearest testimonies he had ever heard.  He also mentioned the health of a couple others.

The front door to our 3 story
office.  See my reflection?
you enter past a guard

Street on my way to work
Most streets are one way with cars
parked all along them and buses that
barely can make it through

Another late work day so we bought some fresh ravioli to make (boil) for dinner.  They had several kinds and several kinds of sauces.   We chose a ravioli stuffed with mozzarella and calabasa (pumpkin type squash) and a meat sauce. 

Friday I took a few pictures on my way to work.  We work in a very nice 3 story building with a parking lot so that it stretches from one street through the block to the opposite street. 

Dogs are very big things here
Everyone has one and no one
has a yard so..
they do their business on the sidewalks

and some even have professional
dog walkers

Sabrina, the lovely receptionist that speaks Spanish and English

Our vegetable stand setting up for work
notice that there is a lot of graffiti
everywhere

Here is some more shots of the area and street vendors at Recoleta.

hand knit as you can see

all made from spoons, forks

Mate cups made from a gourd
used to drink a type of tea

I am skipping a post I still need to work on, but here is one to keep you up to date.  It is just a thought from our Sunday lesson and a few pictures of our neighborhood, and Saturday excursion in Buenos Aires Argentina, and then some from our balcony off Zobells 10th floor and our 7th floor apartments.  (in the city picture you can see little hot wheels like trikes that the little kids ride on their little balcony 10 stories up - it's all the yard they got. Definitely different than our Gilbert homes):



Gospel Doctrine teacher

9 Jun Sun We attended church and stayed afterwards for a baptism of a young lady.  Studying the same material in two languages often gives enlightening insights.  Our ward has a very thoughtful and precise gospel essentials teacher.  One of the usual questions for an essentials class was asked, “what does it mean to have a broken heart and a contrite spirit.”  The answer I have most heard is humble.  And that is a very good answer because it means you are worshipful, meek, or not proud - therefor teachable.  A young missionary used the word "open" heart for broken which is also symbolic of a heart that is not broken because it does not work or broken like an egg, but instead it does not have the walls around it as many of us put around our heart to "protect" our feelings because we have felt betrayed.  The answer he emphasized for contrite after some discussion was the Spanish word “dispusto.”  I have never found a word that sort of summarized the concept to have a broken heart and contrite spirit.  It really hit me strongly that “dispusto” was the word I have been looking for.  I went to the dictionary to make sure and here is what I found.  “Dispuesto” means willing, ready, disposed, fit, available, and even prepared.  That is a wonderful summary of how one should be.  You to provide a synonym of “broken heart and a contrite spirit” one might say the person is “open to God's love and dispusto!”  

Taken from Zobell's 10th
story apartment

8 Jun   Saturday is our preparation or “P” day.  We cleaned, did laundry and I got a haircut.  Joan said it was one of the best ones I have ever had (except for Julie’s).  It cost 90 pesos or about $12 US.

another from the 10th floor looking
down Santa Fe street

 We left at one o’clock and met the Zobells for lunch (Argentines typically don’t eat lunch until 1pm).  They live on the 10^th floor overlooking one of the busier streets.  They say that the traffic on Friday and Saturday is bumper to bumper from 9pm until 2 in the morning, so it is hard to sleep.  We went to a Chinese restaurant they like.

Military post and sky line again
from 10th story apartment

This gives you a view of the city.  We live close to work and close to many of the parks.


We then took a bus to Recoleta Cultural Center.  There is a park there where a couple hundred little shops are set up.  There is lot of jewelry, wood carving, belts, clothing, etc.  I bought Joan a new wedding band (actually I paid for it but Joan was wanting one and bought it)  We were told not to bring or wear expensive jewelry or have anything on us the we did not want to lose, pick pocked, or robbed or give anyone a reason to want to rob us.  So, Joan left our rings home and she bought this silver with gold inlays for 90 pesos – about $12 dollars - the same price as our hair cuts.  Joan says she is married again.

 They have little news stands every where. Here is one of the bigger ones.








Here is a, once, famous singer who is 78 and now sings for those at the Recoleta park.









 This last picture is of a giant art work that is a metal flower that tracks the sun and closes up at night.  Taken from our bus stop waiting for our trip home.

the pedal shaped structure is a metal flower that has a solar
tracker that follows the sun and closes at night

I also have a few pictures from our apartment balcony (left, right, and straight out but looking downward) and from our balcony into our apartment

our living room with the front door on the left
and the kitchen/laundry in the back thru the pass thru

Joan's little plants for mother's day

Part of the high rise to the right which
has a exercise room on the top floor
definitely one of the expensive places

Hello again...

"Our" bakery, (they sell lunch items also), sandwiches,
empenadas, tortes, (notice I didn't get a picture of them)

We like Argentina but we are still getting used to the food. (none of the same cuts of beef and most provided by a butcher), milk in plastic bags, spices are harder to find, less can goods, lots of very small stores on about every block. They do have lots of good pastries though.

My big events have been the video conference area review with the 12 and the visit of apostle elder Cook. He has been here and I have heard him speak 4 times and mom has been in two of his meetings. We even got to shake his hand several times.

they also have some great bread
and this young lady always helps us

Coming to Argentina has its scary parts but also has its exciting parts and we are learning a lot and helping a lot of people.  Joan and I are having a good time being together 24-7 (but then again you may want to verify that with her).  We have made wonderful friends because there are so many wonderful senior missionary couples and humble, sincere members here.

here are the sisters that are working here

The three brethren in the presidency are all from the 1^st quorum of 70 and truly wonderful.  All the senior missionaries are wonderful and each couple is unique with very different backgrounds and doing very different assignments.  Sometimes the couples are assigned here because of specialized skills or backgrounds of the husbands and the wives have to make a job for themselves.  It makes the transition a little harder for them.  Joan has plenty to do in our office but unfortunately I have very little time to instructor her.  She has been a trooper and learning a lot of new computer skills.

May 24 Well, let’s see what I did today.  I found that I did not email in a letter to the first presidency for a stake president change and we were not sure if Pres Gonzalez had.  So, I called the secretary for the quorum of the twelve and talked to him to see if he was aware of this call or seen an email from Pres Gonzalez.  He was very friendly and talked about how they missed Elder Gonzalez in Salt Lake.  He asked about me and envied me getting to work with him (actually I have found a lot of people envy this calling), but he found no email.  So, I e-mailed the letter to the executive secretary of the 1^st presidency and the quorum of the twelve, and copied Elder Christofferson and Elder Soares, and got answers back from everyone but Elder Soares.  Elder Christofferson’s email came right away and the secretary of the 1^st presidency emailed me from his phone.  Who would believe I would be getting emails from Elder Christofferson or the secretaries of the first presidency. 

25 This was Saturday.  We cleaned and did laundry in our multi use washer-dryer (it really does wash then dry but you can only put 3 shirts or two towels in at a time).  I had a Priesthood Leadership Conference I was going to in the afternoon and some of the other adult missionaries invited Joan to go to China town with them for lunch and shopping.  It seems that the China town shops have a lot of spices and food items not usually found in the Argentine stores.

Our dining room, living room and family room w/ bookcase

Elder Fuss and I took a rental car/driver (remis or private rental, cheaper than a taxi if it is a long way and you schedule it early) across town to where the PLC was held.  There are few freeways and the streets are mostly one way with very few stop lights – its first come first go through. (it is amazing that they do not have more accident, but no one gets up too much speed.  It took us about an hour to go about 25 miles.)  It was also their holiday, 25 of May or constitution day, and there were parties everywhere and traffic was very congested.
 

I learned what a PLC, Priesthood Leadership Conference, is although I did go to an early version of it as a Bishop.  Elder Cook explained that in 1964 the 12 could get out to see all of the stakes of the church about once a year.  With the number of stakes in the church today it would take them 28 years to visit them all.  So they invite all the stakes in an area with their bishops to come to a 4 hour training session.  That includes 2 hours of talks and training and a break and an hour 30 min of questions and answers and 15 minutes to conclude which usually ends in an apostolic blessing on those in attendance and their families.  This way they hope to visit about every stake once every 4 years.

Everyone was seated early. Elder Cook, Elder Maynes, Elder Gonzalez, and an area 70, Elder Costa came in together.  Elder Cook and Maynes had flown all night and arrived that morning about 9 o’clock.  Elder Cook said that he wanted to shake hands with all the attendees, so, row by row everyone filled by and shook hands with Elder Cook, Elder Maynes and Elder Gonzalez.  It was very impressive and went very quickly.  Elder Cook had a translator (Carlos Aguiero) that translated his talk to Spanish and translated the Spanish speakers into English for him.  The brother was amazingly good.  I talked to him during the break and he first said, “I know you.”  And then asked if I had been in Argentina before.  I said I served my mission here in 1970 and 71.  He asked where and I said Mendoza in Godoy Cruz.  He said that he was a convert in 1967 in Godoy Cruz and remembered me and we talked about some of the people we knew back then.   He went on a mission to France before they had an MTC for him, so he went to France and had to learn English to communicate with his companions and the mission president and French for his mission all on his own.  He now speaks five languages- definitely a gift and a memory.   They had a “bag lunch” for us and I did not get to mine immediately.  When they restarted all of them had finished and ready to take more notes and I was only half finished.

The talks were great.  Elder Maynes give his in Spanish even though it had been several years since he had had to speak in Spanish.  It was the first time I had heard Elder Gonzalez give a talk.  He is a very comfortable speaker and has a gift to be able to express his feelings and thoughts very well, and so he easily keeps your attention.

Elder Cook spoke of Prophetic Priorities.  The first two were, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and to be righteous and worth.  When the 12 were writing Preach my Gospel they put in the section about the attributes of Christ so the young elders would develop a habit of cultivating Christ like attributes by studying Christ and His life.  He said that should be a priority for all of us.  He told the stake presidents and bishops that they were good enough to accomplish their callings and that heaven is as close to you as it is to the 12; that the 12 have to do the same things as they do to get and keep the spirit.

Elder Maynes talked about real or true growth.  That is the current theme here in South America.     He talked about how we must teach doctrine and then add how to practice or apply it. He mentioned how Pres Monson would teach doctrine and then tell a story about how the doctrine had been applied.  He quoted Alma 31:34-35 about how Alma had to bring them back again, so, he even struggled with reactivation.

Elder Gonzalez stated that real growth is key (he uses the word "clave" for key or the nail that holds it all together).   He emphasizes the role the priesthood has to fortify and bless the marriage and the family.  He said sealing of husband and wife creates a family by creating eternal companions but Love is a decision, in fact it is a commandment not a suggestion.  He said the gospel and the church asks of us more always more but with young adults they ask less.  He said we have to be very careful and quoted the last few verses of 3 Nephi 1 about how the Zoramites lead away the children and youth by their lyings and flattering words to join the secret combinations.  He called on the priesthood leaders to neutralize the effects of today’s Zoramites.  He called on them to fortify them in their priesthood quorums and quoted Elder Widtsoe the importance of the priesthood being organized and fulfilling their duties and we shall not fail.  
Elder Costa spoke of the tsunami of missionaries coming and how we must use them.  It has been said that a lot of the sister missionaries will be coming to South American countries.

June 1st. Saturday. We have some catching up to do - our email has been down for more than a week.

Elder Cook speaking to the camera and
seeing the four groups with Carlos Aguiero,
 the translator in the foreground.

Before I begin, I just spent the afternoon sitting next to Elder Maynes and Elder Cook in the SAS area offices as they gave a Priesthood Leadership Conference broadcast to four locations in Argentina with about 8 stakes represented.  They were going to give it from Neuquén but the Copahue volcano in the Andes mountains has been threatening an explosive eruption that would ground most air traffic in the area.  Both Argentina and Chile have issued red alerts.  Elder Gonzalez asked if I would represent the office and provide any necessary help, so it gave me a rare opportunity.   You can see in the photo that they can see the 4 sites as they speak and the four sites can see them on large screens. 


Elder Maynes speaking

It was a two way meeting with Elder Cook and Elder Maynes taking questions for half of the meeting.  The 12 have a very sincere desire to ensure the leaders and members know that they are loved, appreciated, supported and that they are "good enough to do what the Lord has called them to do."

Now let me go back to where I left off on the 15 of May:

15 Today we had the SASA Area Review. They set up the camera in the nice Sala (conference room) with Elder Gonzalez center, and Elder Zeballos on his right and Elder Vinas on his left.  I was off camera at the end of the table by Elder Zeballos and Bro Michael Fuss was at the other end of the table.   We were there to take notes of what was taught and what the area presidency were asked to do.

It was impressive, especially, who was there.  The twelve were there except Elder Packer and Elder Anderson, who were on assignment, and the presiding bishopric and the seven presidents of the seventy.  Before they began Elder Bednar mentioned that SASA’s question was very good and very much like the question being asked by the Africa Area Presidency that would take place next week.  There was some small talk, most of it directed at Elder Gonzalez’s choice of a tie which was a striped tie with the colors of his Uruguay soccer team.  They knew him well enough to recognize the teams colors in the tie.  Elder Perry conducted then assigned Elder Christofferson to direct the discussions since he is over this area.  There was a briefing by an Elder Porter then the SAS presidency gave their brief.  They were asked to start with an update on their families.  All three were pleased to be near their birthplaces and families.  Elder Vinas had been asked why they did not use family pictures and his response was that this was the first time in 17 years that he was near his family, consequently had never had an opportunity to take on - the seventy really put in a lot of time.   The presidency’s main points were that the attendance remains flat even though there is a continual supply of new converts.  Few wards have a critical mass to really get the leadership support they need.  Their question was how to maintain a strong priesthood presence and grow it.  The meeting then turned into a brainstorming session.  One of the things that came out was with all the new missionaries coming into the field, we need to be creative in using them.  After all, they are full time servants of the Lord who need to be put to work for the salvation of mankind.

16 Thur.  Elder and Sister Switzer are here as public relations missionaries.  They invited us to go with them to the largest mosque in South America (and very close by – we walked).  They have been trying to set up some short visits for Elder Cook to some of the local Churches and Government folks.  Right now the government is in such an uproar they could not set up anything but they have several of the big churches including the archbishop of Argentina (the spot once filled by the Catholics new Pope).  Anyway we went with them and got a guided tour of this place.  I knew something of Muslims but it was interesting to see how they tried to endocrine you during the tour.  Their argument is that the Bible has been translated many times and has a lot of man’s own agendas added to it, while their holy book has not ever changed so it is the most correct revelation from God and so supersedes all other doctrines and prophets.  They believe in Christ but that he was only a prophet not the Son of God or our Savior or that he brought about an atonement. 

The guide asked what was Christ’s greatest miracles and when someone said resurrection he responded, “no God raised him up – only God raises man to everlasting life; Christ’s greatest miracle was bringing the dead back alive but they, of course, still had to die.”  They believe God is unique above all his creations and has no similarity to us in any way ( I am not sure how man was made in God's image then).  So, Christ becomes a prophet that is not the only begotten with the power to take away the sins of the world or cause the resurrection of all mankind, just one in a line of prophets.  And the guide tried to defuse a possible question about the Bible placing Christ as the Savior - the resurrection and the life, or son of God by giving this analogy; if someone is a the end of the line at the store and he calls to his friends and says, I am the last, he is only the last until another one comes in line, while the prophet Mohamed said he was the final (or something like that in English) so they claim he was really the last. (Wait until they hear about the restoration through the Prophet Joseph Smith.) When asked about why women could not pray with men he said they could but men are commanded to pray and women are not, although, God accepts their prayers, but since the men bend over to pray the women would not be comfortable bending over with men, but a wife can pray with her husband at home if they want.  They are definitely claiming they are the only true religion while trying to put on a happy face for the public.  What they loose is that since Christ is not their savior, they are still living an eye for an eye and so their entrance into to heaven is based on if they do more good than bad in their life.  They never know where they stand and so live a very depressing life of uncertainty.  That is why dying in action can be used as an enticement, because it assures them entrance into heaven no mater how bad they lived their life.

17 worked late (till a little after 7:00) on the presidencies calendar with help from Yamila Caminos.  Joan and I walked her and her son, Lorenzo, to their bus stop.  The Ex. Sec and assistant seem to have to work late most every night.

18 Saturday there was a stake service project planned.  Here the schools are left in somewhat of disarray.  The government does not have the funds to keep them up.  The stake went in and was patching the walls then painting them.  We got there about 10:30.  I painted and Joan cleaned until their lunch (about1:00 usually).   Joan is pictured above with the Zobells.  I will look for some more pictures of this later. The stake provided ham and cheese on French rolls).  We talked to some of the members.  One fellow was from Denmark and he told us his interesting story in English.   He had family (two sons) in the Netherlands that had started going to the Jehovah witnesses (some of the family were JW including this man’s brother) and called to tell him to go.  Soon after a friend called and asked if he wanted to go with him to his church (LDS) and he went.  He took the lessons in a matter of a week and left for the Netherlands.  There he visited the church and made friends with a couple.  It took him about a year to finally be able to get baptized.  I'm in the background painting here.

That's me in the background doing some finishing painting.

Shopping, rug and groceries. ( they have bakeries for bread and vegetable stands for fruit and vegetables and small almacens (groceries) and Jumbo which is like a very large grocery with some appliances and the first floor is like a small mall and a small home depot.

19 I have to explain the apartment set up here.  They have added these small 7-10 story apartment complexes where there was once a home.  Each is a u shaped complex with two apartments on each floor (each side of the u).  The first floor has a garage door that opens to drive to the back parking and a locked entry, usually a glass door, to a very small elevator (you must have a key to get out as well as in the entry door).  The apartment door has a very elaborate lock that is a door lock and dead bolt in one.  There is a separate dead bolt you can lock only from the inside.  Each of these little apartments is locked up like a military installation, sometimes with an attendant inside. 

Joan waiting a the bus stop Sunday morning to go to Church.

 Here we are with one of the women that Joan has made friends with at the front of the Church, which is a three story building with a locked entry and a back basket ball court that serves as a parking lot on Sunday.

Our 3 story Church building has overlapping wards

Sunday we were in a hurry to catch the bus for church and I opened the door with Joan’s key and then we both went back to the bedroom area for something we forgot.  As we hurried out of the apartment, I shut the door and one key was still in the door on the inside.  I went to lock the deadbolt and the key would not go in because there was still a key on the other side.  We went to church knowing that we would not be able to get back in.  We normally walk home from church with some of the other couples just for the company and the walk.  I picked up a couple pieces of wire on the way home to try and push the key out.  The Zobells from Canada walked with us and tried to help but nothing worked.  We contacted the church maintenance folks and after a couple of hours (it turns out the locksmith had just set down to lunch with the missionaries and lived a ways away).  After inspecting the lock and that it was not locked by any of the dead bolts, he got a large sheet of plastic and slide it through the door and pulled it over the latch and got us in.  It turns out that he is the father of one of the secretaries we work with.  The one we walked her and her son to her bus stop the night before.  She is so competent and nice and had told us a little about her father so that we were very excited to meet him.  Alejandro Caminos came to our rescue and got us in.

Here Joan is walking home from Church with Sister Zobell.  We ride the bus to Church but usually walk home with some of the other mission couples for the fellowship.

We walk just about everywhere for work, shopping, church and to visit the parks near by.