Beginning 2013 with a Bang



New Years Eve in Buenos Aires is a sight to behold. There were fireworks all over the city all night long. They are all done by individuals in almost every block. We could see at least a dozen displays from our balcony. I love fireworks so this was a grand beginning to 2013.

We enjoyed a fine finishing of 2012. We were well fed at the going away barbeque for Area President Arnold. As you can see, Argentines cook up a fine asado.

We missionaries celebrated with a Christmas

 party which included a potluck dinner,

a white elephant gift exchange, the newly formed

Switzer Singers – our Spanish class, and Christmas carols.

All the senior missionaries were welcome to take vacations the days surrounding Christmas. Sure doesn't seem like what missionaries would do but seniors have all sorts of differences. We chose Uruguay as our destination traveling by hydrofoil ferry and buses. The contrasts between Buenos Aires and Montevideo include size and speed. Buenos Aires has about 14 million people, Montevideo has about 1½  million which is 1/3 of the population of the country. Fewer people mean less traffic, congestion, hustle and bustle. We were pleased to be able to relax. We did our normal huge amounts of walking in the heat and humidity of Christmas season in the summer. Christmas in the summer is very weird. Yes, they do have the tree and Santa, but quite low key. No snow in any photo or artificial snow on trees. And sadly, no mention of Christ. They do sell a nativity scene or two but that's it in Buenos Aires. We have a simple one of the Holy Family. Our hotel was in Old Town Montevideo which put us close to many tree filled parks and beautiful colonial buildings with intricate wrought iron balconies. Interesting fact we learned on our City tour (one version of the naming): When the area was discovered, I think by Zabala, he was, of course, traveling east to west when he came to this area which had the 6th mountain he had seen and wrote the location on his map. Thus 6th Mountain: monte VI –vi- from east to west: de este a oeste, giving us Montevideo. Cool!

main Government Building, Parthanon on top

Among the sites were many statues of Gaucho wagons, a smaller version of Notre Dame Cathedral, and a full sized Parthenon on top of their Government Building (Congress). Montevideo decorated the main street for Christmas with lights across it, Christmas trees in the parks, and gift wrap sold on every corner. Prices in Buenos Aires are high, in Montevideo they’re higher.

The scenery on the bus ride from Montevideo to the beach resort of Punta del Este reminded us of our Midwest, flat with farms and cows and fields. Punta del Este is on a peninsula with La Plata River beaches on one side and Atlantic Ocean beaches on the other. We stayed a couple of blocks from the end of the point and could see beaches one way and the yacht basin the other way. In the photo our hotel was about 1/3 of the way up the middle street. From a corner about a block away we could see the same bodies of water in all four directions. Go figure how that can happens. Uruguayans (and Argentines) welcome Christmas with fireworks at and following midnight, hundreds of them at dozens of individual displays along the beaches. Great for me – more fireworks! The fireworks show was followed by a grand display of lightning and thunder which heralded rain and the breaking of the heat wave, a welcome relief. The heat not only broke but was trampled on by the cold air brought in from Antarctica. Shivering vs sweating? I pick shivering. You can always put on more clothes, there are only so many you can take off. We had three of the hottest days I have ever felt except in Alcapulco in the summer. Nuf said.

It has stayed cool for the next 4 days. In keeping with a fine Helmandollar tradition, we ate shrimp for Christmas dinner. Our hotel was just a block from the port where fishing boats bring their catch each morning. That catch, of course, includes large, cocktail type shrimp. Yum, yum, yum.

  Anchor from HMS Ajax                                                                            El Canto de las Sirenas

John, always the military man, found pieces of the salvaged anchor of the ‘HMS Ajax’, sunk off this coast by the German pocket battleship ‘Admiral Graf Spee’ during The Battle of the River Plate. This battle was the first naval battle in the Second World War and the only episode of the war to take place in South America. Always learning. We loved our walks in the ocean, walks on the beach and lots of the rest time. We slept a lot there, catching up, I suppose.

My birthday was fun. We had the opportunity to be escorts for the day for a young journalist from New York on her way to Antarctica. She was enjoyable to be with. We went out to lunch in Boca where we watched Tango and Gaucho dancers, then went to San Martin Plaza which my favorite tree dominates, a huge ombú tree. Very nice day.

We´ve spent a lot of our office time this month organizing for our job as assistant coordinators for the Visitors Center in the Chapel program. Our first presentation is this Sunday. This program, just like everything else here, has required us to learn how to use more electronic equipment. We conquered the MP3 player, and projector with a slide point presentation from our computer much more quickly than Microsoft Word or our cell phone. I do believe we are ready.

 

Ombú tree in San Martin Plaza

The new Director of Public Affairs has been announced, President Salas, who will continue his service as President of the Córdoba Mission until June when he will come here. However, our new Area President (over Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Chile), Elder Walter Gonzalez from Uruguay, arrive this week. He comes to us from being one of the Presidents of the Quorums of the Seventy at Church Headquarters in Salt Lake City. The Area runs better with its leader in the office. He, his wife, and 17 year old son have strong testimonies of the Church and of the Piñarol soccer team. John immediately invited them to join us at a game in a few weeks. Ah the joys a mission and of soccer.

“And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.”

                                                                                                            1 John 3:23



  

Merry Christmas

May this joyous season fill you with the love of each other

and of our Savior

and bring His peace to you and those dear to you.

Merry Christmas.

We love you,

Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma, John and Jan,

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,

which is Christ the Lord.”

Luke 2:11

From Zero to 60 in Three Months

In front of Córdoba Chapel

This may not seem very fast to you but it’s swift as lightning to us. We’ve gone from very little to do to making it up to many activities in a week, sometimes two a day. We’ve attended community and ward functions. We enjoy them all.

Park in Morón

We continue to get our hands and knees dirty completing service projects with various stakes in their Manos Mormones Que Ayudan (Mormon Helping Hands). This park is across from the train station in Morón – accent on the last syllable please. We stained benches, painted retaining walls and other benches, planted trees and bushes, raked and swept. The park looks marvelous.





 

Constructing first tier of diaper cake

                                                                                                                                the shower 

Then came two words I never imaged combining in the same phrase. Diaper cake. As you can see these cakes were a clever way to celebrate at a baby shower for two of the secretaries in the offices. John said we made the cakes just so we could impress our friends at home with what we sisters do on our missions. Are you impressed?

He’s in hog heaven

Now to impress you with what John does on his mission. On our way to a flee market and just around the corner from our apartment, we discovered an antique Ford restoration shop. John was like a kid in a candy store. Being the shy people we are, John enthusiastically introduced us and the friendly owner gave us free reign of the two story garage. We discovered this blue beauty on the second floor, several antique autos in various stages of restoration, along with floor to ceiling shelves of every car part imaginable. John wants to work there. You never know what you’ll discover behind all those shuttered entrances.

Thanksgiving with Senior Missionaries in the Dining room at the Temple



Thanksgiving brought us double the celebration. Other missionaries invited us to join them at the Kansas Restaurant in stuffing ourselves with turkey, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes with gravy, and pecan pie topped with whipped cream. Missing were cranberries, pumpkin pie, and family and U.S. The following Monday about 50 missionaries and temple workers feasted on all the traditional trimmings of the day. This time there were even leftovers for all to take home. Missing still was family and U.S. friends. We do miss you.

7 of the 40 members of the Cordana Youth Choir, Jakarta, Indonesia



Our next events were viewing groups at programs of Interreligious Sacred Music and an awards celebration for community service at the Auditorio de la Cancillería downtown. These distinctive celebrations exemplify the penchant the Argentines have for honoring cultural diversity and awarding service organizations. The music program gave John the opportunity to tease a bunch of teenage girls from Jakarta, Indonesia. He has to do that every now and then to stay in practice for his grandkids. The girls performed amazing synchronized dance numbers.

Relacción de Amputados de la Provincia

We spent the first weekend of December in Córdoba, one of the cities where John served on his mission in ’66. The ex-director of Public Affairs needed someone to go there to deliver the Cristus statue. He said our favorite word: GO. We immediately, enthusiastically volunteered. Each December, the Cordoba Multi-stake Public Affairs Director organizes a program of community and church choirs in one of the larger LDS churches. In addition to singing and musical numbers, the audience of 720 community members had the opportunity to show their appreciation to several city service organizations. Awards were given to volunteers in areas like the neonatal unit at the hospital, the fire department, and the association of amputees. A wonderful evening!

With my eye patch, hook, and wooden leg, the sharks are afraid of me!

This last week we returned to the schools the Helping Hands painted in October. The principals invited us to attend their end of the school year assemblies. It felt natural to be back in grade schools with awesome children. All three schools had plays and singing.

Where did Cinderella go?

One had a puppet show of Pinocchio, a play with a twist on Dracula, and two of them had versions of Cinderella, one with beautifully crafted puppets and the other with the teachers playing the roles. In addition they all danced, sang, and laughed. I couldn’t resist including photos of the pirate play. Reminded me of the 'Pirates of Penzance', one of Great Grandma Switer’s high school plays. Excellent programs.

USMC’s 237^th Birthday, Ambassador Vilma

Martinez and Marine Security Guard Detachment

November also brings the Marine Corps Birthday. This year the Marine Corps Detachment at the US Embassy celebrated with a cake cutting ceremony at the home of the US Ambassador to Argentina. John was not the oldest marine present but he was asked to give the invocation. The residence is one of the US’s premier foreign properties – go to- http://images.google.com/ and then enter- US ambassador's residence in Buenos Aires Argentina. The architect modeled it after French palaces. Marine Corps birthday cake with the ambassador in a palace! Put that with the adorable school children’s plays, international dancing, and service awards and you have The Best Mission Ever!

Part of the display for theVisitors Center in the Chapel                       Catán Ward with Missionaries

Next came our outing to Catán, just outside Buenos Aires proper, where we assisted with the Visitor Center in the Chapel presentation there. We have just been asked by the Area President to become coordinators of this program for the Buenos Aires South Mission. The program was the brainchild of Paul and Ellen Garvin three years ago in Mexico. They were asked to bring it here to see if it is feasible outside of Mexico. This remarkable program has proven very successful. It is an outstanding and successful way to introduce The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the neighbors around any chapel. Members of stakes and wards, and missionaries love it. So do we!

We hear a Director of Public Affairs has been hired and is awaiting official announcement. No details on arrival date. We will also have a new Area President in January. With all that has gone on so far, more change just feels normal. Files are cleaned out and organized. An office is available. Willing hands and hearts are assembled. Onward and upward!

“Now, what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness! A voice of mercy from heaven; …glad tidings of great joy.”

                                                                                                     Doctrine and Covenants 128:19

 

Happy Thanksgiving

LET  US  ALL  GIVE  THANKS

We are grateful for each of you, for the goodness and kindness you show each other and all around you. May our Father in Heaven continue to guide and bless you.

Happy Thanksgiving

We love you

John and Jan

“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

  Psalms 100:1-5

Progress in All Areas

All of the streets in our neighborhood look like this one. Really, they do. The tree canopies bring welcome shade and beauty to our walk to and from the office.

 

Here you can see John enjoying his perfect meal: ham and cheese sandwiches with chimichuri sauce and a tossed salad with vinegar and oil. He’s in heaven. Janice enjoys trying new foods from the many panaderías throughout the neighborhood. We’re pictured at our dining table, living room and glass doors to patio are behind us.

Two weeks ago we took the bus then train to the Tigre neighborhood for a boat tour of the waterways. If you look really closely you can see part of the Buenos Aires skyline in the distance down this stretch of the river. The ride was cool and we were in the company of several other missionary couples and one embassy couple. Just a nice, relaxing day.

 

Last weekend the King Fahd Islamic Center had an open house which included displays and a tour. We arrived at the Mosque at a good time, not many other people. We were introduced to Sheij Mohammed Mutkhan Al Ruwaili, Imam of the center, who discussed the Islamic faith with us for several minutes and invited us to observe their prayer in the main area of the mosque which holds 1500 worshippers, 10 in attendance. All very interesting. He isn’t quite ready for baptism, nor did he convert us, though he tried. As you can see, Janice decided to redecorate our apartment in the Arabic style, you know how much she likes red. Okay, this isn’t our living room, it’s a display at the cultural center.

This week we attended two events, thanks to our position here. On Tuesday evening we attended the review of a book written by Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim intellectual living in Pennsylvania. Yes, its Muslim week for us. He expresses his views of ‘Islam is the only way’ through teaching humanism, acceptance of all. Interesting combo. What impressed us most was the building next to the Casa Rosada on Plaza 25 de Mayo, the room in which we gathered (picture on left above), and our assigned seats in the second row. The second event was the Annual Prayer Breakfast in the Hotel Alvear Palace (picture on right above), near downtown. We enjoyed praying with community and religious leaders from here and from Chile and Paraguay. Quite lovely. Below left are the two of us with retired opera star Oscar Schiappapietra and his wife. He elevated us with his rendition of 'Amazing Grace' and 'Ave Maria'.

 

It feels good to be learning and advancing. Let’s slow that learning down a just a little bit. We have learned small parts of much. We are learning the neighborhood including the correct store for extension cords, the store for light fixtures, the store for hangers, the one for salt and shakers, the one for meat, etc. We found the street with stores that specialize in fabric, the street with furniture, and the one with clothing outlets. We even found some of the above when the stores were open. We can somewhat use the office phone, Microsoft outlook, a Samsung cell phone, a Spanish keyboard, how to get your gas turned back on, and how to bath and wash your hair in a roasting pan. These all are, of course, important skills. We feel we are making progress and building good relationships.

God be merciful unto you, and bless you; and cause his face to shine upon you; Selah.

                                                                                                                Psalms 67:1