San Nicolas

Hola!

A few days ago we traveled northwest of Buenos Aires to do some training with MSR (Membership Statistics and Records) in San Nicolas, Argentina.  We are partnering with MSR to do training of clerks, bishops and stake presidents.  The drive was about two and a half hours.  This was our first time to "check out " a car from the area office and along with the car we checked out a GPS.  This amazing tool guided us out of Buenos Aires to San Nicolas and back again right in front of our apartment in BA!

We arrived in San Nicolas around 5:00 and checked into our hotel then headed right to the stake center to meet up with Diego and and another staff member arriving at 5:30 just as they had started the first training with the new stake clerk.  The MSR staff brings in computers and goes through all of the computer programs where the donations and fast offerings are recorded and reports given.  It is very helpful to those who are new in particular.

At seven we set up tables and chairs in the gym and setup about 12 computers as well.  About fifteen bishops, counselors, and the stake presidency arrived around 8:00.  We were greeted very warmly by each and every person that came in.  It is a wonderful experience to be greeted by an Argentine in such a warm and friendly manner!

Diego gave a great presentation that lasted until 12:30 am!!  Questions were being asked right up until 12:30!  It was a wonderfully engaging session and it was great to be a part of it.  We had a meeting with the stake audit committee chair and he was very interested in talking with us and working out a few of the problems they had had in the past.  

We went back to the hotel and arrived there around 1:00 am.  The place was alive with people eating and visiting.  Argentine people eat late!  We had not eaten dinner so we split a sandwich and sat in a great relaxing spot in the hotel lobby and had a taste of a fabulous dessert!

I know some of you family members want to see pictures of the people we work with and I will be sure to include that in the next blog.  I didn't take my camera to the meeting.  Sorry!

Our drive to San Nicolas was great!  It was wonderful to see the Argentine countryside and get a feel for a different part of the country.  Oranges are in season now.  There are a few  orange trees a couple of blocks from us in BA and they are laden with fruit.  On the road we saw many, many fruit stands filled with hanging bags of oranges and lemons.  We stopped at two of these fruit stands  and bought oranges, and a few herb plants for very few pesos.

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We will be traveling to Salta this week for a few days.  I will take pictures of the wonderful people we work with and share them on the blog!

Abrazos!