guest post by tricia #6

From the buenosaireswest blog:
We started out the day learning the news that there is yet another strike in Buenos Aires. Over 100 roadblocks on all the major freeways and highways were planned. It was ultimately decided that the North mission would have their own conference and that the South Mission and the CCM would meet with our mission at the Ramos Mejia building. Suddenly, everyone had to be in route right that moment, for a meeting that would take place two and a half hours earlier than planned.
Even avoiding the known locations, we had a really difficult time getting to the building ourselves. Three lanes of freeway were bulging at the seams with six lanes of cars. [And what she doesn't say is that we actually saw the smoking remnants of things that had been on fire on the freeway just minutes before.] We arrived just minutes before the start.
Elder Cook shook the hand of each and every missionary [and mine! and mine!]…even the late arrivals were asked to go to the back when he finished speaking. Both Sister Cook and Elder Cook shared their love and messages with us. It was an extraordinary opportunity for us as a mission and we basked in the joy of what we experienced afterwards in an impromptu meeting for just our mission. [I have never seen so many missionaries in one place. It was extraordinary. Singing all the verses of Called to Serve with them (there are 4 in Spanish) was awesome.]


At the meeting, I sat next to some hermanas in the CCM. One of them was 19 and is headed to Uruguay. That's my first time meeting 19 year old sisters in the field. Having everyone together allowed for one unique experience. The South missionaries told one of the sisters serving in the West mission that her dad had set a baptismal date. You can read that extraordinary story here.
My mom, dad, Brianna and I enjoyed a lovely dinner at sunset on the racetrack at Rosa Negra 1000.