La Plata, Argentina, March 20, 2011

Since March 19 and 20 were holidays in Argentina, we decided to see another part of Argentina and went 1 hour south to the city of La Plata, which is the capital of the province of Buenos Aires.  This cathedral is the main attraction and was built about 100 years ago.  We couldn't go inside the chapel because it was closed, but we did take the elevator up to the top of the tower on the left.  The tower on the right hold 26 bells that are computerized to ring 4 times a day.

We brought Sisters Blanchette and Anderson with us from Buenos Aires and ran into  2 sister missionaries from the area who were there to see the cathedral.  What a wonderful coinsidence.  One sister is from Quilmes, Argentina and the other is from Alpine, Utah.  We had a nice time together and took them to lunch in the restaurant, "The Ritz" that is at the museum. 

The twelve apostle guard the entrance to the cathedral. 

The view from the top of the tower.  The white building is a government one and there is a big paper mache man in front of the main door.  The La Plata River is behind the city on the horizon.

Eating the good food at the Ritz.

Primary children in Juncal Ward

 Children singing primary songs before church starts

Juncal Ward Choir, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Hna. Zobrist directing and Hna. Cundick playing the piano

The choir all together after church.  Below, I am with the Relief Society President and the Bishop's wife.

 

The sisters in the ward were so excited about singing in sacrament meeting.  We practiced for over a month before church, during relief society and after church.  And now we have started practicing "How Great Thou Art" or "Grande Eres Tu", which we will sing in 3 or 4 weeks.  They are all wonderful women whom I have come to love!

Outing to El Tigre & Rio Plata with Roy and Ann J.

Beautiful day in Argentina for a boat ride through the waterways and rivers of El Tigre.  The muddy-colored water  comes from all the red clay upstream.  

Why would someone name their dock "007"?

Every house on the river has it's own dock.

White hybiscus...I thought it was in focus!

Graveyard for motorcycles in El Tigre

Good way to preserve an historical landmark!

This boat just got too old!

Gas station for your boat.

Art Museum

Eating lunch at the "Gato Blanco" or white cat.  The only way to this great restaurant is by boat.

Roy and Mark

Ann and Linda

Llamas & more at BA ZOO

Buenos Aires Zoo--just a few blocks from our apartment.

Sisters in Juncal Ward at choir practice in Buenos Aires

Visit to Montevideo, Uruguay

 Veronica, assistent director of the CRE or church employment center , and I in the city square in Montevideo.  She is such an asset for the program.  What a great woman!

I am helping a sister load her things from the distribution center.  She had 2 rolling cases that she used to take the things back to people in her ward.  She had a long bus trip back.

Volunteer couple who manage the distribution center.  It's interesting that all the centers are run strictly by volunteers with strong testimonies of the gospel and a willingness to serve!

Update from Buenos Aires

Asuncion has a huge Beehive clothing that distributes temple clothing throughout the world.

Volunteers in the Almacen or distribution center in Asuncion

This little horse and cart is parked between the Temple grounds and the church offices in Asuncion.

Mark with leaders in the Church Employment Office in Asuncion, Paraguay

PEF volunteers in Asuncion.  The woman next to me is names Marlene, the same as my middle name, but pronounced, Mar le ne, which I think is beautiful.

Home teaching in Buenos Aires

We have been assigned 5 families to home teach in the "Juncal" Ward here.  We have seen 4 this week already and got home from the last visit last night at 11:00 pm, after getting lost 3 times in parts of the city where the power was out!  We were invited to share some homemade salami pizza and it was the best we have had here!  All we ever find for pizza is ham or tomotos, etc.  A lot of the ward members are either from Bolivia or Peru and live in very small apartments.  When we got back to our 700 sq. ft. apartment last night, we thought we were in a palace!

On January 8, 2010, we are having a special night where recipients of the PEFund here is Buenos Aires will come and tell their success stories.  Our purpose here is to set up a system to track the returned missionaries as soon as they come home from their missions, help them make a plan for school and employment and become successful both spiritually and financially.  This will be a great benefit for their families as well as the church.

 One of the bronzes that cover the side of the statue to San Martin.  They tell the story of what happened at that time.

Famous Statue of "Jose San Martin" who liberated Agrentina, Chile & Peru from the Spaniards in the early 19th century.  This compilation of statues is in Mendoza.  Mark is standing with Bro. Oliverno  Pres. Lucas, Dec. 3, 2010.

 Fountain in a huge park next to the university in Mendoza.

 The mission home/mission office of the Cordoba mission.  We were driving a Toyota Corolla, which is one of the biggest cars here.

 Pres. Guido Lucas and his wife, Marcela in front of their chapel in Cordoba.  This chapel will be torn down when construction for the Cordoba temple begins because the land will be used for the temple.

Cordoba temple site with the chapel behind.  The Cordoba mission home is on the right but you can't see it.

400+ year old building which has been preserved.  It's next door to the institute and employment services in Cordoba.

                                     .

This is just one a many little altars on the side of the highway where truckers 

leave a full bottle of water.  The legend, "Defunta Correa", is that a woman gave birth on the side of the 

road and died, but her baby lived by nursing from his dead mother. Inside the altar are small 

replicas of the woman with her baby lying on top of her chest.          

We bought a sheepskin from a man named "Osmar" who lives in the hills west of Cordoba.  Behind us

is a bedspread that he made of sheepskin and goatskin.

Training meeting with a ward council in the new church web page in Spanish in Cordoba.

Pres. and Sister Spitale, who was the mission president in the Bhia Blanca mission.

Self-Reliance Workshop at the Employment Center in Cordoba

          

 Mark and Linda;  Zilla and Kelly Grieves, teaching piano;  John and Charlene Hollingsworth, area doctor for all the missions; Pat and Ron Cundick, auditing.  We were on an outing in the city.