Road Trip

We started June with a road trip.  We were excited to be able to see more of Argentina.  We left right after church on June 2nd to go into Rosario to catch a bus and head up to San Miguel de Tucuman where the migration office was that would process our visa requests.

You can see on the map both our starting point - Rosario and our destination - San Miguel de Tucuman.  Turns out is was a 12 hour bus ride.

The Garretts, and some additional younger missionaries and us were being sent as guinea pigs to try this new process for obtaining visas.  The process through Rosario is a slow one and requires many different appointments to complete.  The visa process up in San Miguel de Tucuman where the church processes visas for missionaries serving in a number of missions located more north and east of Rosario is a one day ordeal so the church leaders wanted to see if it might be beneficial to start having the Rosario missionaries go through San Miguel de Tucuman as well.

Our bus ride took off at 5:30 and turned out to be a "furnace of affliction".  The seats were uncomfortable with little leg room.  The TV screens played movies non-stop, some of them not so great.  But the worst part was the temperature.  We dressed for colder temps and it turned out to be a sauna.  We spent the night sweating.  I didn't sleep at all.

When we arrived in San Miguel de Tucuman at 6:30 am we were taken to a hotel and told we had until 8:30 am to rest, clean up, eat breakfast and be ready to head to the migration office.  So not too helpful there.

We spent all morning at the migration office and had a bit of drama when it was discovered that Elder Trevino from the mission office who was responsible for bringing all the necessary documents failed to bring the originals with him.  He brought copies thinking those would do.  He learned the hard way that when it comes to legal transactions, original documents are required.  The poor boy broke down in tears as he feared we would have come the whole way just to not get anything done.  He thought for sure his office days were over.  Elder Rhoades and I had to do a bit of tender coaching and teaching as we let him know that mistakes often are what teach us the most, especially the big ones.

In the migration office - L-R:  Hna Rubino, Hna Mazareisgo, Hna Garrett, Hna Rhoades, Hna from another Argentine mission

Luckily for us, the Migration officials worked with us the best they could.  Two additional office elders had to make the trip up to San Miguel de Tucuman Monday night to bring the originals and then we had to spend a second morning at the migration office to complete everything.  But we were told that the documents will come about 3-4 weeks later and we will be in the country legally.  Once we hit June 27th we will have been in country for our 3 month grace period that they give you.

Hna. Garrett sitting outside the Migration office enjoying the sun.  The green beltway is along a train track and we got to watch this one go by.  It was pretty loud.

We had two afternoons to sightsee around San Miguel de Tucuman.  We learned that we were staying in a city that hold a lot of historical significance to the Argentines.  San Miguel de Tucuman is where independence was declared on July 9, 1816.  Monday afternoon we visited a museum housed in the "Casa Historica" where it all took place.

Outside of the museum the walls have murals with historical information.  Apparently, Bernabe Araoz played an important part in the fight for independence.  Unfortunately for him, it was a roller coaster of ups and downs that ended with him losing his life to a firing squad.

 Elder Rhoades is standing next to the original doors of the Historical House at the time independence was declared in 1816.  Other items of interest at the museum can be seen below.

 Close up of wooden chest

 Apparently fancy leather worked chairs is what important people sat in.  No gold like in the Incan empire in Peru.

Ornate Leather chest

 They have their own version of a Liberty Bell.  It even has a crack in it like ours.

 This key is from the 1800's.  Funny, our house keys don't look much different 200 years later.

Tuesday afternoon we walked around the main plaza and visited a big city park.  Their main plaza is called Independence Plaza - no surprise there.

Orange trees were everywhere!  At the plaza, down the streets, everywhere!

Elder Rhoades couldn't resist and finally picked one.  When he took a bite, he learned they were pretty sour.  Apparently they have a strain of oranges that are used strictly for juice, meaning you add the sugar.  They are not naturally sweet.

 The main square was surrounded by old colonial buildings.  The photo below shows a government building.

Here is one of the cathedrals that surround the plaza.  We were reminded of Cuzco as there were plenty of churches around, but not as ornate as those in Cuzco.

You could see plenty of metal works - above on the doors and below an example of a ornate wrought iron gate.

                                                        

Our visit to the city park was probably the prettiest place we have seen since arriving in Argentina.

It was interesting to see these beautiful fall colored leaves on the trees and yet right among them was a tall palm tree.

This tree was just begging for a photo op.

And what was pretty exciting was to see mountains off in the distance.  They weren't close but you could see them and they were mountains!  So it was proof that all of Argentina is not flat.

Lucky for us, someone must have gotten wind of the horrible bus ride we experienced because when we went to get on the bus to go home, we were very pleasantly surprised.

See?  The smile on Elder Garrett's face says it all.  We actually had fully reclining chairs with privacy curtains.  It was wonderful.  It was still rough to sleep but it was possible to catch a few hours of sleep during the 12 hour ride home.

We took some time to do some shopping in Rosario when we got in Wednesday morning before heading out back to Venado Tuerto.

The following day, Thursday, we attended our second zone conference in the mission.  Luckily this time we didn't have to travel anywhere.  It was right here in Venado Tuerto.

 At each zone conference, the missionaries that are leaving before the next one have an opportunity to share their testimony.

Zone conferences are a time for the missionaries to receive instruction, be motivated, receive revelation for their areas and have their testimonies strengthened.  This conference had a particularly strong spirit there.  It was wonderful.

Venado Tuerto Zone as of 6.6.19 Front row L-R:  Hna. Salmon, Hna Condie, Rhoades, Allreds, Morenos, Hna. Alvilez, Hna Elos (newbie) Middle row L-R:  E. Cantero, E. Maco, E. Backus, E. Smith, E. Fugal, E. Fields, E. Fernandez/Rios, E. Verdeja, E. Navarro Back Row L-R:  E. Galindo, E. Fuentes, E. Margaria, E. Barrientos, E. Morales, E. Christensen, E. Gonzalez, E. Nerey, E. Raven (newbie)

Friday we were entertaining.  We had two families come over for lunch.  They are both recent converts.  Two brothers, Gabriel & Gustavo Rolon.  Gabriel and his wife, Pamela were baptized before we arrived in the mission.  Gustavo and his wife, Soledad were baptized about a month ago.  Both brothers have a small business doing construction.  They both have received the Aaronic priesthood and have the potential to become good solid members with some encouragement.  We like them.  I managed to figure out how to fix beef stew without a crock pot and have it turn out decent.

EnglishConnect has gotten underway and will now take up our Friday nights and Sunday nights. 

This weekend I finally was able to get piano lessons started.  I have 8 students total.  3 in the morning and 5 in the late afternoon.  Elder Rhoades is going to use the time to split with the younger missionaries or go out with members to visit in-actives or young men.  He had a good experience this first weekend visiting members in Branch 3 with Elders Navarro and Fernandez.

Spiritual Thought for the Week:  It is time to put on the full armor of God so we can engage in the most important work on earth.  It is time to "thrust in [our] sickles, and reap with all [our] might mind, and strength.  The forces of evil have never raged more forcefully than they do today.  As servants of the Lord, we cannot be asleep while this battle rages.  My dear brethren, you were chosen by our Father to come to earth at this crucial time because of your pre-mortal spiritual valor.  You are among the finest, most valiant men who have ever come to the earth.  Satan knows who you are and who you were pre-mortally, and he understands the work that must be done before the Savior returns. And after millennia of practicing his cunning arts, the adversary is experienced and incorrigible.  The Lord needs selfless men who put the welfare of others ahead of their own.  He needs men who intentionally work to hear the voice of the Spirit with clarity.  He needs men of the covenant who keep their covenants with integrity...worthy men who can be called upon at a moment's notice to give blessings with pure hearts, clean minds, and willing hands.  The Lord needs men eager to repent - men with a zeal to serve and be part of the Lord's battalion of worthy priesthood bearers.  We are engaged in the work of Almighty God."   President Russell M Nelson - "We Can Do Better and Be Better"  General Conference Priesthood Session April 2019