Parker has arrived in Argentina!

Aunt Diane and Uncle Chuck Eberhard are serving a mission in the Buenos Aires, Argentina Temple. They woke up very early on Tuesday, October 29th and took a bus ride to the airport to welcome their great-nephew, Elder Parker Roberts to Argentina! We are so very blessed to have their kind service from 2 wonderful people. Here is their letter:

Buenos Aires Argentina

October 29, 2013

Dear Wayne/Pam and Ron/Bonnie,,

Yes, Elder Parker Roberts has finally arrived in Argentina.  We were at the airport by 7:30 am (it is about 20 minutes from the temple by bus) and within 15 minutes here came Elder Roberts through the main arrival entrance, with a big smile on his face.  He recognized us right off.  His mission president was there to greet him also.  He arrived along with 20 some odd Elders and five sisters, designated for the Buenos Aires North Mission.  There were also equal amounts of Elders and Sisters for the Rosario and Resistencia Argentina missions.  It was great to see him.  He looked refreshed from his long flight from Atlanta and excited to be here. 

His mission president is fairly young and appears very energetic.  He is new, having arrived this past July.  I was mistaken in thinking that the temple was in the Buenos Aires North Mission; it is actually in the Buenos Aires West Mission.  However, his mission president said he is planning a temple trip for the North Mission in February, and will do that every few months.  So we will have other opportunities to visit with Parker.

We had a good visit and met some of the other Elders that were in the MTC with Parker.  Finally all the missionaries had disembarked and were loaded on big two-decked buses to take them to the mission home.  Since another large group of missionaries are arrived next week, the mission president told Elder Roberts that he would be assigned temporally as a companion to a Zone Leader, and next week a more permanent assignment will be made.

We boarded our bus back to the temple, and as we were walking across the temple complex to our apartment, much to our surprise we saw Parker’s bus pull in.  It stopped for a few minutes for the new missionaries to see the temple and more photos were taken.  (See accompanying photos) We helped out taking group photos.

We were glad to be able to see Elder Roberts on his arrival in Argentina.  We work the afternoon shift at the temple this week, so we didn’t need to be there until 1:30 pm.  By this time next week there will be 270 missionaries laboring in the Buenos Aires North Mission.  There were less than 200 missionaries in all of Argentina when I was here 50 years ago.  The work is moving forward.

Love, Elder and Sister Eberhard

Photos:

Elder Roberts getting his first Argentine abrazo from his Mission President.

Elder Roberts with the Eberhards.

A scene from the airport gathering of missionaries – notice Elder Roberts with a group on the right side – his mission president, companion and Elder Eberhard.

Under a sign – can you read the Spanish?  Not to worry, there is English under it!

Elder Roberts and his group at the Buenos Aires, Argentina Temple!  A little haze in the air and the facing the glare of sun position – but if you zoom in on the faces, they are all clear.