Week #8 in Argentina

 We continue to get know people in our ward (Congregation) in Pilar, Argentina, while the language can be a barrier with it being difficult for me to understand the accent and rapidity of the language and Linda still working hard to learn the basics, we have been welcomed with open arms into the Ward.   An example of this was at the beginning of Relief Society a sister raised her hand and instructed the sisters that they needed to speak slowly and loudly so that Linda's Google Translate app could understand and keep up with the translation.   Just an example of people of members being aware of and watching out for us.  Below is a picture taken at that Relief Society meeting with Linda to the right

I was asked to give a talk in Sacrament meeting this week which had me a little nervous given my aforementioned ongoing struggle with fluency.   This nervous feeling was trebled when I learned Saturday night that the other Speaker was going to be Elder Costa, a general authority Seventy and President of the South America South Area of the Church.   This ward is interesting in that Elder Costa raised his family in this Ward and Sister Spannaus, a counselor in the General Young Women's Presidency is also from this Ward.   Pilar is a small town north of Buenos Aires and it's interesting that both of them have ties to the Pilar Ward.   Elder Costa was very gracious and kind, I only prayed for the gift of tongues as I spoke to the ward.  He spent much time visiting with members after the meeting


There are so many new members in this Ward, I'm not sure they fully understood how rare and special it was to have a General Authority Speak in your ward.   There were three baptisms after the meetings so we left happy and full of the Spirit.   We have been in this Ward for 8 weeks and there have been baptisms each of those weeks after Church.   As I mentioned, it's a pretty special place and we feel privileged to witness the growth of the Church firsthand here.

If you watch any tourist videos on Youtube you will hear about a restaurant called, "Sigue la Vaca" which serves classic Argentinian "Parrilla" or grilled food.   Essentially parillas are just large grills in which massive amounts of meat is grilled.   This restaurant is a buffet so you can just keep on going back to the grill for more meat.  Think Brazilian Steakhouses other then you don't get the meat in small pieces cut at your table, you can go back for massive thick steaks and other animal parts i didn't want to think about as much as want.   It was good and interesting. We will take anyone who visits us there to get a years worth of meat in one meal.   Probably 50% of Buenos Aires restaurants are Parillas, Meat is a basic staple in the Argentine diet.



I will note that one of my favorite parts of this restaurant is that they brought pitchers of diet coke to our table.   I appreciate any restaurant that doesn't limit me to one small bottle of Diet Coke   :)

As part of that excursion to Sigue la Vaca, we walked around Puerto Madero, the old port that has been converted into an area with restaurants, bars and touristy type spots. It was fun to walk along the harbor where they left the old cranes in place and to see how they were able to maintain the old warehouses and how they utilized that space

A few years ago they completed a pedestrian bridge across the harbor which is said to reflect the Argentinian love of the Tango Dance, I dont see it but perhaps those more artistically inclined than me will see the symbolism here


Right up from the Harbor is the Presidents House call the "Casa Rosada" or Pink House (you can see why it is called that).  I have heard that President Milei doesn't live here very much (he does seem to go to Washington DC a lot to meet with President Trump) but it's the historical residence of Argentinian President.  Lots of monuments, the large cathedral and other government building surround this square.





And finally, a shot of the many fruit and vegetable markets that line the streets in most cities, they are beautiful along with the city murals that are painted for a number of reasons.  I like this one commemorating an Argentinian Science Fiction Graphic Novelist who disappeared in 1977 during the government upheavals of those years.   Lots of history to come to terms with in Argentina...I appreciate the resilience of this country.






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