Missionary Journey to Argentina, 1977

When I flew to Argentina, it was after two months in the LTM (MTC).  We were shuttled to Salt Lake to catch the plan.  In those days, families were able to come and visit, and give a last goodbye.  The entire family was there. 

We went to Las Angeles for a layover.  During that layover we had the assignment to visit the Argentine Consulate to get our visas stamped.  We were lucky some of those with us lived in L.A. and their parents had come to visit them.  We were a group of about ten, and we piled in a couple of cars.  We accomplished our mission.  The consulate was across form the Abrea Tar Pits, so we were able to check them out from outside.  We also went to spend some time at the L.A. Temple grounds.

We flew on Branff Airlines to Argentina.  Ours was not a direct flight.  We flew to Lima Peru for a brief layover.  We never left the airplane during these stops.  We then flew to La Paz, Bolivia.  We crossed over Lake Titicaca, highest large lake in the world.  I remember we were so high up that the crystal in my watch popped out.  I grabbed it and pushed it back in, and never had any problem with it at lower elevation.  We also stopped at Asuncion, Paraguay.  I remember the airport there were armed military guards, which was strange to me.  The next stop was Montevideo, Uruguay.  And then the last leg was to Ezeiza Airport in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  I could say I have been to all those countries, but in truth, with regards to Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay I have only seen the airport.  We would visit Peru on the way home.  The assistants to the president met us at Ezeiza and drove us to the mission home.