Argentine Mission: Going Home: Trip to the Airport

I stayed up most the night the night previous, and was very glad to have a ride to the airport.  Lucy and Lilly had a friend with a car who agreed to take me. 

Ezeiza International Airport is to the Northwest of Buenos Aires, so it was a good drive.  San Martin, where I was, is to the Southwest of Buenos Aires.  I think Elder Jacobs caught a ride with the Apata family, from Don Torcuato, as they were at the airport as well. 
Elders Lynn, Reed Jacobs, Dennis Lange and I traveled together. 

We flew Aerolineas Argentinas.  We were headed to Peru for a four-day tour on the way home.  I watched the ground as we flew West from Buenos Aires.  It was interesting to watch the lay of the ground below, and how the urban terrain gave way to the rural.  It was my last view of Argentina before I fell asleep.

Papers I Kept From My Mission to Buenos Aires

This is a favorite children's song in Argentina.  I wrote the title, but don't know who printed it for me.
Rice pudding I want to get married
With a senorita from San Nicolas
That knows how to sew
That knows how to sleep
That knows how to open the door
to go and play.

Lucy Corsi gave me this before I came home as attested by signature, With lots of caring, to Elder Wardle, from me, Lucy 1978

This are the words to a special song we sang many times with the Apata Family.  It is "Auld Lang Syne" in English.  Isabel Apata wrote down the words.
Song of goodbye
Why lose the hope of seeing you again
Why loss the hope if there is so much love
chorus:  It is nothing more than a see you later
Nothing more than a brief goodbye.
Very soon around the fire
We will reunite.
With our hands entwined
around the fireplace
We form this night
A circle of love.
chorus
That the Lord protect you
and bless you
Secure in the knowledge
That another day we will reunite
chorus

Someone drew me a clown.  I think this was later in my mission.  The clown Pimpin pinched his nose and with a sneeze made a strong achoo, made a strong achoo.

This was left to me by another Elder as he was going home, about a month into Argentina.  He was Elder Woodhouse's companion.  He was good with cartooning.  I think I have turned out more handsome than he supposed, and it has been 35 years.  I still have my hair (knock on wood).

The Apata Family; La Familia Apata

We spent many fine early mornings and early afternoons with the Apata family while on my mission.  They lived in Don Torcuato, where I served for 11 months.  They presented a place to go when things were slow, or when an appointment fell through.  Over time, we baptized the children, although the parents never wanted to hear the missionary lessons.   Patricia, the oldest daughter was baptized first.  She had been baptized before I was assigned to the area.  However shortly after two of her sisters, Isabel and Maria Ines were also baptized.  We also baptized Mercedes, who had a daughter, Alejqndra, about three years old.  She was the second oldest.  The youngest sister, Silvia was also baptized. 

When we would go by, Maria Ines would often play the guitar and we would all sing.  Her favorite songs were, “I like to Dance,” and “Auld Lang Syne” in Spanish.  It seems the words mean more in Spanish.  “It’s nothing more than an until later, it’s nothing more than a brief goodbye.  Very soon, around the fire we’ll be together again.”
We had a lot of fun singing, telling stories, and doing missionary work together. 
I visited the house of Mari Ines this past week.  She now lives in Salt Lake.  Isabel was there, as was Alejandra.  Maria Ines had married Jose Martinez, who was baptized during the time I was there by the other missionaries in our branch.  They told stories of how the old branch, which was newly formed while we were there, but didn’t have their own church so we went to San Fernando for church, is now numerous wards.

Maria Ines, Silvia, Isabel with Alejandra and Laura

Isabel, Laura, Maria Ines, me, Elder Findley, Patricia, Mercedes and Silvia

 http://billywardlefamily.blogspot.com/2012/07/famiily-vacation-trip-to-salt-lake.html
This is a link with current pictures