Leaders here suggest that every once in a while even the Senior Missionaries need a Preparation Day. We decided to organize a trip to visit one of the famous Gaucho Ranches, Don Silvano's, to see how Argentine cowboys live. As you can see below, it was good to get out of the usual missionary attire!
We started the activities with delicious empanadas and gaseosa (pop) then headed to the horse barn where we got to take rides on some of their (mostly dead) horses.
We also took rides in a horse drawn wagon with other couples including some people from Jerusalem who were visiting Argentina. We saw the corrals, the other animals, the barn and the barbecue pit and of course there were a bunch of boys outside playing a soccer game. That is one thing that is everywhere here. We ended up at the place where we were harnessed up for the ropes obstacle course and zip line which was great fun!
Cow with very short legs.
Peacock and she is just not interested.
Walking the log, high in the air, hold on Grandma!
Up, up and away--
Sandra, the hostess for our group next took us on a tour of the grounds and the house. We saw a quince tree, which is the source of our favorite flavor of jam down here, membrillo. We then went inside of the mansion which was built in the early 1900's and is still used today for housing guests who spend more than one day on the ranch.
Dining Room
Don Silvano Ranch House
We heard a great big bell sound and all headed to the grub house for lunch. We started with a green salad of carrots, tomatoes, and lettuce, which are all served separately. Then we had boiled potatoes with nothing on them and Argentine rolls. Grandma chose sprite and I chose carbonated water instead of the wine that was on the tables. Then we listened to gaucho music, watched some tango dancing, heard some drum solos and saw an amazing boleador dance. Our little gaucho waiter brought us a chorizo (sausage), then chicken (all you can eat), then ribs (very greasy) and finally steak (again, all you can eat)...unfortunately by the time they brought the steak we were full! They had all of us from the States stand and help them sing "When the Saints Come Marching In" and we loved it because we are the "Latter-day Saints". Then we had flan for dessert, YUM, it was the best part. All in all there were about 200 guests for lunch from lots of different countries.
Where's the beef?
Right here with the chicken and sausage!
The show was truly amazing and they asked for guest performers from the audience and I had to try really hard to keep Sister Knapp in her chair!
We have had some really great Open Chapels this past while. A Stake President from the Buenos Aires South Mission asked us to visit each of his 8 wards before the end of the year and then we had a Bishop call and ask us to please come on a Sunday evening and another Branch President ask for Friday, so in addition to the regular Saturday Open Chapels, we have been very busy, doing two open chapels a week in addition to the every Sunday training in the wards and branches. We love weekends; it is the best part of our assignment here.
We have had some really excellent missionary experiences with people who come to these open chapels. Last Sunday evening we were in a place called Parque Avellaneda with some outstanding young missionaries and before the evening was over we had 92 visitors with 29 non-members from off of the street. 12 of them accepted the challenge to be baptized and 8 of them actually set dates. One family asked the missionaries if they could learn more right then, and so of course, the Elders took them into a classroom and began the discussions with a member present.
Great missionaries help us at Parque Avellaneda
In the training that we do each Sunday, we challenge the members to remember what Elder Ballard asked us all to do in General Conference and invite someone to come to Christ by Christmas as a special gift to him. We have been doing lots of that with this program.
When we were in a little Branch called Villa Espana on Friday this week, I decided to take Elder Ballard's challenge on personally. We were just starting the open chapel and I went out to the front gate with two Elders to make sure that the sign was hanging straight (OCD, I know). A little man came riding by on his bicycle very slowly, watching what we were doing, and I asked him if he would like to take a few minutes to come inside and hear the words of Christ, but he just kept riding. I turned back to the Elders, but then decided to pursue it because I noticed he was slowing down. I ran down the sidewalk after him and when I caught up to him I said, please come back, it is so hot out here and our message will bring you peace, so he turned around and came back inside, bicycle and all. It turned out that he just moved here from Bolivia with his family and started a new job.
He accepted the baptismal challenge, promised to start reading the Book of Mormon, and asked the missionaries to come teach his family. I was really glad that I had pursued my impression to invite him to come hear the words of Christ. Do we all need to be a little bit more bold and share the wonderful message of Christ, especially at this time of year?
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