 |
| 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.
 |
| 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 |
No comments:
Post a Comment