Los Hatch

We have been friends with Greg and Florence Hatch for years. This month they came to visit us for the second time since we have been here. It was a quick but fun few days.














They visited Paraguay first and crossed the border from Asuncion to Clorinda. You can not see the front of the line in this picture! But it was smooth sailing.









Their Paraguayan taxi cab driver was a retired airline pilot (notice the Mercedes Benz taxi) who immediately related to Greg who is a pilot that moonlights as a dentist.








They brought with them in those two suitcases over 500 pair of temple garments donated by our home ward for missionaries who might not otherwise be able to afford them. Thank you Pleasant First Ward!!!














While in Clorinda I visited with some missionaries and local leaders while Greg, Diane and Florence relaxed. Diane is on the phone with a missionary who is ill.














Greg reading a little bit in our home before we went out for a walk.














Sunday Greg and I went to Paso de los Libres for some business I had to take care of. It is a 4.5 hour drive each way, so that gave us plenty of time to catch up and solve the world's problems.














One of the things I did in Paso de los Libres was set apart Rodrigo Montiel to be a full time missionary in Osorno, Chile. After being set apart he shook hands with his former tango partner, Yamila Dos Santos....just a little more formal than the tango!!!














On Monday, our talented Office Elders put on a recital for us followed by a nice dessert that Diane prepared.














Speaking of desserts...along with walking all over Resistencia and shopping, etc., Florence and Diane managed to fill this bag with fresh treats for the Hatch's son, Ian who is serving a mission in Montevideo, Uruguay.














And all too quickly, they were off to Buenos Aires and then Uruguay. It was a great visit, thanks for coming!

It is not my fault

I have received some emails and phone calls reminding me that it has been 2 weeks since I last posted anything on the blog. Believe me I have tried but my blogging App is conspiring against me. I have closed it, deleted it and re-installed it several times but it suddenly goes blank or simply will not post my entries. I think it has something to do with not posting my pictures. So, until further notice you will just have to use your imagination...





Here is a photo of when the President of Argentina, Cristina F. Kirchner came to Resistencia for her annual vacation here. You can imagine our surprise when we saw she was standing in line behind us at the Cafe San Jose buying some Chipa!






And how about this one of Diane with Pope Francis! Who knew that his favorite ice cream shop in the whole wide world was the Cremolatti store a half of a block from our home. How can you not love someone who asks for Sprinkles on his dulce de leche and banana ice cream?






I finally caught some Dorado in the Rio Parana! I will be talking about landing this huge fish for years!! I knew my fly rod would come in handy one of these days.






Diane took this photo of me just after I had rescued a family of 4 from the 6th floor of a burning building. I do not consider myself to be a hero. Some days you just happen to be in the right place at the right time.




Just another typical Monday night....I am in the kitchen making dinner and 12 dozen raspberry filled Hostess O's donuts from scratch while Diane is sitting on the couch listening to the radio and playing with her iPad with the T.V. on!





I had to capture this scene from the Plaza 25 de Mayo...young men on motorcycles were stopping young women on the sidewalk and randomly GIVING them handbags and cellphones and then taking off again before the young women could thank them.




I better stop now and save some of the really good photos for when I get the blogging App to work again.

Genealogy

We keep on making connections with family and friends and family of friends and friends of family...here is what I mean...






Future Elder Trotter and our daughter Jennifer at a practice of the Cultural Celebration for the Gilbert Temple. He has his mission call to Resistencia!





The Arringtons, our son Taylor's Mission President and wife.







Elder Taylor Lythgoe, one of "The Three Taylors"!





Hermana Saavedra, a dancer in Chile...





Hermana Saavedra, her twin sister a missionary in Resistencia!





The Sister on the right is a friend of my sister Barbara. The Sister on the left is the sister of my former Assistant, Will Gochnour.








Returned Hermana Rojas coming back to visit with us!





Our niece Chelsea at the MTC in Provo checking out our picture.





Hermana Skirvin, whose sister serves in Resistencia with Taylor in Chile.





Diane and me receiving a portrait of...Diane and me!





Elder Heyman and Elder He-man! A member artist drew that for him on the wall of his pension.





A missionary who served in Resistencia with our son, Chris.





Taylor with Andrew Lark, Chris' freshman roommate...both Andrew and Taylor ended up serving in the Chile Concepcion Mission...and there are too many friend and family connections to even begin mentioning.





Steve Rockwood and me. We knew of each other for years through our mutual friend Jeff Wells but met for the first time in Resistencia when he came with Elder Alan Packer on a family history tour!





This deserves its own blog post. Presidente La Pierre presides over the Posadas Mission, which split off from the Resistencia Mission. We met for the first time in the Posadas Airport. As we talked we learned that he had lived in Newburgh, New York at the same time I had lived in Poughkeepsie, New York...two small branches in neighboring communities in upstate New York. Who could have known that some 40 plus years later we would be presiding at the same time over the missionaries in Northern Argentina!!





Speaking of missionaries, this is just a great photo of Elder M. Russell Ballard and his wife at our Mission Presidents' Seminar in Santiago, Chile.





Now, these are two women on a mission!!! Diane and Debbie Carter were walking down an avenue in Buenos Aires with a purpose and determination. There was a large Carrefour Supermarket that Diane "just knew" would have canned tomato soup, which she could not find in Resistencia. One of the Office Elders gave her a recipe for his favorite cake and asked if she would bake it for him for his birthday...which is in April!!!! Anyway, it calls for a can of tomato soup and Diane was not going to let him down....