Missionaries, Tafi del Valle in Túcuman, and the Argentine flag

Last Sunday was transfer night - they all leave around midnight to take a bus back to Córdoba - and we have a few pictures of missionaries who either were completing their mission or being sent to another area.  We didn't get pictures of Elders Draut/VA, Skinner/UT, nor Lindsey/UT before the transfer.  Here we are with Elder Auma/Perú and his companion, Elder Thompson/UT.  Elder Auma finished his mission and returned to his homeland, Perú, and family.

Elder Sanchez/Argentina and Elder King/AZ are still in Catamarca.

 

Elder Puma/Perú and Elder Larson/AZ.  Elder Larson was transferred back to Córdoba.

 

Sisters Saez/Chile and Castro/Uruguay before Sister Castro was transferred to Córdoba.  We love serving with all these wonderful missionaries and wish them well as they progress in their missions.

 

 

Tafi del Valle is a beautiful town in the mountains in the province of Túcuman. 

 

The mountains surround the town and the higher peaks are covered with clouds most of the time.

 

                                                       We love seeing the grazing sheep along the side of the road.

Looking down the hillside you can see the windy road as well as the river running alongside it.  See how lush and green it is?!!

 

We came across this statue of a warrior Indian on the way to and from Tafi del Valle.  There's a lot of Incan heritage in northern Argentina.

 

We wanted to share a picture of this ginormous flag that flies at the Parque de los Niños/Children's Park.  We took it just as the sun was setting over the Ambato Mountain range.

 

Pancake Breakfast and Zone Conference

On Monday we had the zone over for pancakes with maple syrup and dulce de leche.  Per our tradition, we took a picture of the missionaries in our backyard:

Back row:  Elders Lindsey/UT, Gilman/ID, Chivarry/Peru, Larson/AZ, Draut/VA, Thorup/UT, Sanchez/Argentina, Skinner/UT, King/AZ, and Argyle/UT
Front row:  Sisters Castro/Uruguay and Saez/Chile.  Elders Thompson/UT, Auma/Peru, Puma/Peru, and Espínola/Argentina.             They're another great group of hardworking missionaries!

On Friday we had another zone conference down in La Rioja.  We enjoyed talks from President and Sister Salas.  They're from Buenos Aires and we have enjoyed getting to know and be with them on our mission.  We also had the privilege of learning from Elder and Sister Zaballos from Chile.  He's from the First Quorum of Seventy and is the first counselor in the South America South Area presidency. 

                                     Elder and Sister Zeballos, Sister and President Salas

Below are pictures of happy and content missionaries enjoying their lunch at the end of the conference.

                                                                   Catamarca Zone

Front row:  Elders Larson/AZ, Puma/Peru, Elder and Sister Zeballos, Sister and President Salas
Middle row:  Elders Draut/VA, Lindsey/UT, Sisters Castro/Uruguay, Saez/Chile, Elders King/AZ, Thompson/UT, Argyle/UT, Skinner/UT
Back row:  Elders Auma/Peru, Thorup/UT, Chavarry/Peru, Sanchez/Argentina, Gilman/ID, Espínola/Argentina


                                                                     La Rioja Zone

We are now working with most of these elders on our trips down to La Rioja.  We don't know all of them but do most of them.  They're another great group to work with.
Front row:  Elders Peyton/UT, Jauregui/Peru, Elder and Sister Zeballos, Sister and President Salas
Middle Row:  Elders Zañartu/Peru, Holtby/UT, Guymon/UT, Wood/UT, ?, Hunt/UT, Santo/Brazil, Lindsley/UT, Harper/NV, Ojeda/Argentina
Back row:  Elders Cabrera/Argentina, Soto/Argentina, Diamond/UT, Kohler/UT, Chiroque/Peru, ?

Here we are with the assistants, Elders Acuña/Argentina and Gallacci/WA.  Elder Acuña was in La Rioja for 6 months and Elder Gallacci was in Catamarca for 6 months and La Rioja for 6 weeks so it was a grand reunion for them with former companions, pension mates, and missionaries.

 

 

Pictures of activities and times with members

We've been to member's homes and enjoyed a delightful - and delicious - Mother's Day activity with Catamarca Ward.  Thought you'd enjoy seeing our adventures.

We visited the Pablo and Melisa Torres family in Los Incas Ward in La Rioja.  Melisa made this picture of Christ in Gethsemane by placing nails on the board and wrapping thread around them.  Even the "frame" is made with wrapping thread around nails.  Elder Chivoque/Peru is with us while his companion, Elder Hunt/UT, took the picture. 

We also visited Carlos and Laura Machado and their young daughter, Antonella.  Laura is expecting another baby - Tomas - and has had lots of bedrest with this pregnancy.  They live up in the mountains near Los Altos, northeast of Catamarca.

Here's Carlos watering his lettuce seedlings.  He pushes the machine by hand and does it several times every day.  It's getting very hot down here - mostly in the 90's every day.

                                                     Carlos and Laura with Antonella.

This Gauchito Gil location is different in that it has LOTS of empty wine containers.  We'd never seen anything like this before.

 

 

Here are some pictures from the Catamarca Ward Mother's Day activity.

Sister Lemos with her daughter, Edith Quiroga, and her 2 children, Malena and Matias.  We've had several meals at their home.

 

                     The men cooked chicken and served us the chicken with mashed potatoes.

Doug was great help serving the women.  Included in this picture are Carlos Medina wearing the apron and Hugo Pavon in the pink shirt.

 

Silvina Ledesma is in the center with her daughter Cami on the right and her mother-in-law Margarita on the left.

 

Hernan Pavon was having a wonderful time eating his Mother's Day meal. 

 

From the left side of the table:  Bishop Diaz and his wife Ana, Mikaela and Sister Arpires, Sister Dalia, all the Ledesmas. 

From the right side of the table:  Brother and Sister Salas, Gustavo Ortiz and Adriadna Haman.  I don't know who the other women are beyond them.  All the women enjoyed being pampered at their special activity.