Quite the Adventure

Dear Family,
Thank you all so much for your letters, love, pictures, prayers, and support!!! To make a really long story really short...a whole bunch of stuff happened. What kind of stuff, you say? Well, have a seat. We just had transfers last Wednesday and sure enough, Elder Gutiérrez was transferred to a new area: Cordón del Plata in Tunuyan, Valle de Uco. President had already called me to train so I bought a ticket to get to Mendoza where I would pick-up my new missionary. In order to not travel alone, I bought the tickets for the San Rafael Elders (two of them) who were also headed to the offices so that we would be on the same bus and they were going to pay me back (I got the money so that was no problem). Unfortunately, a few hours before my bus was going to leave the Zone Leaders called to tell me that my new companion had visa problems and would arrive on August 5th. The bus company offers zero refunds so I was in a bit of a jam. I had to go to San Rafael in order to give the other Elders their bus tickets to Mendoza and since I was already in San Rafael and actually needed to finish some Argentine documentation paperwork, I talked with President Jarvis (first counselor in the mission presidency and secretary to President) and he told me to come in to Godoy Cruz, to the offices. I got there (it was snowing!!! Crazy!!!) and helped out with a bunch of generic office problems they had been having. Since my Argentine ID was supposedly ready I went down to the Registro Civil to get my booklet. When I got there I found out that it was missing a signature and would have to be resubmitted. Unfortunately the paperwork takes a year and a few months to finish so obviously it wouldn't be done before my mission ended. As a "consolation prize" the worker there gave me back my certified birth certificate. I never knew that I was born at exactly 9:58 AM. You learn something new every day. Well, after all the helping out and everything it got pretty late so President Lindahl told me not to travel until the next day. I had to stay the night in the offices apartment though. I got there just in time to see Elder Miles, my old companion, who for his last transfer in the mission will be one of the four assistants to President. This makes 3 of my companions who eventually became assistants...that counts for something right? :) I got to eat lunch with the other trainers and then the next day President took everyone out to McDonald's, so I did have fun while I was there. The next day when I was getting ready to go back to General Alvear I had to wait for the contract for the new apartment in Bowen and ended up finally being able to leave at around 7:00 PM. The bus trip back was amazing. They gave me a full dinner, I had the whole front of the second story of the bus to myself, and it was nice and warm. I got home to General Alvear and met up with Elder Crunkleton and Elder Ortiz who work in Bowen. they're going to be my companions until August 5th when my nuevito gets here. I'll tell you more about them next week since I'm out of time right now. I love you all and I hope your week ends up in the L.A. Times for being so amazingly wonderful. Bye!!!

Love,
Elder Williams