Argentina Buenos Aires South Mission

Misión Argentina Buenos Aires Sur

Here are free resources about the Argentina, Buenos Aires South Mission:

Aquí están algunos recursos gratuitos sobre la Misión Argentina Buenos Aires Sur:

*Other Mission Pages: Argentina LDS Missions.

Buenos Aires South Mission Address

Here’s a recent address for the Buenos Aires South Mission. We try to keep this information up to date, but it’s a good idea to check the mission address with several sources, including your mission packet or the mission office.

Argentina Buenos Aires South Mission
Quintana 447
1846 Adrogue
Buenos Aires
Argentina
Phone Number: +54 11-4293-5392
Mission President: President Alejandro Calquin Sepulveda

Buenos Aires South Mission Map

Here’s a link to the mission map for the Buenos Aires South Mission (LDS). To access an official, up-to-date LDS.org map for the Buenos Aires South Mission

  1. Log into your LDS account here.
  2. Click here.


Buenos Aires South Missionary Blogs

Here’s a list of LDS missionary blogs for the Buenos Aires South Mission. This list includes the missionary’s name, URL and when their blog was updated.

*Send your missionary a gift (mission-specific shirts, ties, Christmas stockings/ornaments, pillowcases, etc.)

Elder Skylar Jolley elderskylerjolley.blogspot.com 2017
Elder King Lewy elderkinglewy.blogspot.com 2017
Sister McKayla Davis hermanamckayladavis.blogspot.com 2017
Elder Justin Gibson elderjustindgibson.wordpress.com 2017
Elder Grant Belnap mymission.com/eldergrantbelnap 2016
Elder Ward elderwardinargentina.blogspot.com 2016
Elder Aaron Keeley missionsite.net/elderaaronkeeley 2016
Elder Victor Pribyl victorpribyl.com 2016
Sister Rachel Feldermann hermanafeldermann.blogspot.com 2016
Sister Sabrina Chaffin sistersabrina.blogspot.com 2016
Sister Audrey McBride hermanamcbrideinargentina.blogspot.com 2016
Sister Marissa Runolfson hermanarunolfson.blogspot.com 2016
Mission Alumni mission.net/argentina/buenos-aires/south 2016
Elder Christopher Marsh mymission.com/elderchristophermarsh 2016
Sister Abigail Walker sisterabbywalker.blogspot.com 2016
Elder Stockton Slack stocktonslack.blogspot.com 2016
Elder Kevin McFarland elderkevinmcfarland.blogspot.com 2016
Sister Rio Shepard hermanitashepard.com 2016
Elder Porter Severtson elderportersevertson.blogspot.com 2016
Sister Micaella Wilson argentinabuenosairessouthmission.blogspot.com 2016
Sister Sheyanne Root hermanaroot.blogspot.com 2016
Elder Carson Sawyer eldercarsonsawyer.blogspot.com 2016
Elder Spencer Ward elderwardinargentina.blogspot.com 2016
Elder Stephen Chipman elderstephenchipman.blogspot.com 2015
Elder T.J. Anderson missionsite.net/eldertjanderson 2015
Elder Cohen Carlson missionsite.net/eldercohencarlson 2015
Elder Benjamin Andrew elderbenandrew.blogspot.com 2015
Sister Kendall Barrett kendallmichelle.blogspot.com 2015
Sister Carly Cannon hermanacarlycannon.blogspot.com 2015
Elder Jesse Whetten diana-jesse-anthonymission.blogspot.com 2015
Sister Marissa Runolfson hermanarunolfson.blogspot.com 2015
Elder Tyler Whitaker eldertylerwhitaker.blogspot.com 2015
Sister Alexandra Ostler hermanaalexandraostler.wordpress.com 2015
Elder Tyler Whitaker eldertylerwhitaker.blogspot.com 2015
Elder Skyler Killian mymission.com/elderkillian 2015
Elder Brennen Hall elderbrennenhall.blogspot.com 2015
Sister Jordan Engle hermanaengle.blogspot.com 2014
Sister Danielle Snow hermanasnow.blogspot.com 2014
Elder Matthew Paxton eldermatthewpaxton.blogspot.com 2014
Elder Grant Evans eldergrantevans.blogspot.com 2014
Sister Abbey Browning missionsite.net/sisterabbeybrowning 2014
Sister Sara Newman hermananewman.blogspot.com 2014
Elder Spencer Herrmann hermanoherrmann.blogspot.com 2014
Sister Cristina Andreasen mymission.com/cristinaandreasen 2014
Elder Samson Nelson missionsite.net/samson 2013
Elder Jordan Lewis elderjblewis.blogspot.com 2013
Elder Drew Martino eldermartino.blogspot.com 2013
Elder Rhet Gardner elderrhetgardner.blogspot.com 2013
Elder Cameron Anderson eldercameronmarkanderson.blogspot.com 2013
Elder Brayden Jolley elderbraydenjolley.blogspot.com 2013
Elder Scoty Stobbe elderstobbe.blogspot.com 2012
Elder Braden Saunders missionsite.net/elderbradensaunders 2012
Elder Shane Larson eldershanelarson.blogspot.com 2012
Elder Tyson Winder missionsite.net/eldertysonwinder 2012
Elder Alan Shurtz missionsite.net/elderalanshurtz 2012
Elder Jace Johnson elderjacejohnson.blogspot.com 2011
Elder Ian Wheelhouse elderianwheelhouse.blogspot.com 2011
Sister Kristina Crook missionsite.net/SisterCrook 2011
Sister Mary Lindquist sisterlindquist.blogspot.com 2011
Elder Gavin Rice eldergavinrice.blogspot.com 2010
Elder Austin Schupple elderschupple.blogspot.com 2010
Sister Elissa Urban elissamissionary.blogspot.com 2009

Buenos Aires South Mission Groups

Here are Buenos Aires South Mission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni of the mission.

  1. Mision Argentina Buenos Aires Sur Facebook Group (514 members)
  2. La Gran Mision Argentina Buenos Aires Sur Group (441 members)
  3. Pres. Record – Buenos Aires South Mission Group (391 members)
  4. Mision Argentina Buenos Aires Sur Facebook Group (119 members)
  5. Mision Buenos Aires Sur 1987-1990 Facebook Group (114 members)
  6. Buenos Aires South Mission-Dahl Facebook Group (106 members)
  7. Reencuentro de Mision Buenos Aires Sur Group (63 members)
  8. Buenos Aires South Mission 1996 – 1999 Group (6 members)
  9. Buenos Aires South Mission Moms (LDS) Group (5 members)

Buenos Aires South Mission T-Shirts

Here are T-shirts for the Argentina Buenos Aires South Mission!

Shirt designs include Argentina Buenos Aires South Mission logo/emblem shirts and Called to Serve shirts. The shirts make great gifts for pre-missionaries, returned missionaries and missionaries currently serving. LDS Mission shirts come in all sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, up to 4XL.  The mission designs are printed on white shirts and are shipped to you.

*Simply click on a shirt design to view the details and submit an order. The designs on mission t-shirts may also be printed on other LDS mission gifts, including: Argentina Buenos Aires South missionary aprons, Christmas stockings, ties, pillow cases, teddy bears and Christmas ornaments.

*Click here to browse Buenos Aires South Mission gifts



*Click here to see our new shirt design for the Argentina Buenos Aires East Mission:



B.A.s South Mission Presidents

Here’s a list of current and past Mission Presidents of the Buenos Aires South LDS Mission.

  1. 2016-2019, Alejandro Calquin Sepulveda
  2. 2013-2016, Larry L. Thurgood
  3. 2010-2013, Michael J. Stapley
  4. 2007-2010, Ronald Asay
  5. 2004-2007, Stephen C. Record
  6. 2001-2004, Gerardo Vazquez
  7. 1999-2001, Wayne C. Perkins
  8. 1996-1999, Stephen Berg Oveson
  9. 1993-1996, Keith Crockett
  10. 1990-1993, Rollin S. Davis
  11. 1987-1990, Carlos Aguero
  12. 1984-1987, Jorge Abad
  13. 1983-1984, Wendell Hall
  14. 1980-1983, Lawrence R. Dahl
  15. 1978-1980, Ireneo Frol
  16. 1974-1977, Juan Carlos Avila

Argentina LDS Statistics (2015)

  • Church Membership: 432,007
  • Missions: 12
  • Temples: 2
  • Congregations: 765
  • Family History Centers: 107

Helpful Articles about Argentina

B.A.s South Missionary Survey

Here are survey responses from Argentina Buenos Aires South RMs, to give you a snapshot into what it’s like to live in the mission.

  • *Click here to take a survey to help pre-missionaries going to your mission.

When did you serve?

  • 2014-2016 (Anonymous)
  • 2011-2013 (Luci)
  • 2011-2013 (Tyler)
  • 2007-2009 (Bryan)
  • 1981-1983 (Kirk)
  • 1981-1982 (Kevin)
  • 1980-1982 (Ches)
  • 1979-1981 (Curtis)

What areas did you serve in?

  • La Plata – Cañuelas – Olmos – Monte Grande. (Luci)
  • El parque, Berisso, Villa Progresso, nueve de abril, el Jagüel, Longchamps, Lanús Este. (Tyler)
  • Tandil, Dolores , Florencio Varela, Monte Grande. (Kirk)
  • Quilts Oeste, Madariaga, Dolores, Florencia Varela. (Kevin)
  • Tandil, Azul, Longchamps, Lanus, Platanos. (Ches)
  • Maipú, Guernica, Banfield, Ezpeleta, La Plata. (Curtis)

What were some favorite foods?

  • Empanads and the Pizza. (Anonymous)
  • Asado (Argentinean barbecue) Lomo saltado; Arroz chaufa (Peruvian meals–there are lots of people from Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay–you get to eat their food too). (Luci)
  • Asado, Milanesa, Empanadas, Lentejas, Locro. (Tyler)
  • Milanesa, ravioles, ñoquis, etc. (Bryan)
  • Empanadas, asasdo chorizo, gnocchi , pollo frito, helado. Comida de mamitas (not mamita from banfield )and postre. (Kirk)
  • Milenesa, alfajor, carne a la parilla, helado, dulce de leche, membrillo, batata, mate amargo, asados. (Kevin)
  • Asado de parilla. Montecol. Empanadas. Sandwich de melanesa. (Ches)
  • Matambre, fideos con salsa italiana, alfajores. (Curtis)

What was a funny experience?

  • The drunks. (Anonymous)
  • I had so many but I can’t think of one specifically that was more funny than another. Expect to have fun as every mission is amazing. But Buenos Aires Sur is so much fun. Enjoy your experiences. (Tyler)
  • En la zona de Avellaneda con Elder Madrid y la gran zona en las reunion de zona pusimos un sapo en la mochila de elder raymond y le pidieron un pensamiento espiritual. Al abrir su mochila encontro el sapo y gritaba. (Bryan)
  • Tracting and Elder Powell pushes the buzzer at the front door and it “stuck’. It sounded awful and he beat and pounded on that buzzer desperately but it kept buzzing and when they opened the door Elder Powell just stood there with his arms down at his sides and looked at them like nothing was out of the ordinary. Of course I couldn’t keep in “character” and doubled over with laughter. (Ches)
  • Trying to get cleaned up in the winter with no hot water and no heat in a non-windproof apartment. (Curtis)

What was a crazy/dangerous experience?

  • Getting chased with a machete, robbed, held at gun point, etc. (Anonymous)
  • We were walking and crossing the street on a green light in La Plata (my 1st area) when suddenly a car turned fast in our direction to the point my companion could feel the car touching her skirt. I had noticed the speed so I had grabbed my companion’s hand to pull her to the sidewalk. She said if it had not been for that quick move, the car would have run over her. Drivers are pretty bad in Buenos Aires. Seriously. Be careful. (Luci)
  • Expect to get robbed. I never did because I was cool with the hood rats but I know many people that were robbed many times. (Tyler)
  • Un asalto en Fabian Onzari estabamos caminando con Elder Madrid y vimos a dos tipos poniendo armas en la cabeza de un hombre y le robaron su camioneta, menls mal no le hicieron nada pero cuando ellos salieron con la camioneta nos apuntaron con las armas. (Bryan)
  • Riding trains during rush hour. Having military search your bus out in no where late in evening. (Kirk)
  • I was hit by a car. (Kevin)
  • Almost died of carbon-monoxide poisoning due to defective in-line water heater. (Curtis)

What was a spiritual experience?

  • Gosh. There are many in many degrees. But spiritual experiences that have grabbed me since then and are sacred to me and are the conversion process of Ivana, Daniel and Sebastian (different families, different areas) Tough stories; broken hearted; hopeless lives. I will only say that the spiritual experiences among these cherished friends started when they opened their hearts to the gospel truths we had taught them, mainly to pray, to read the Book of Mormon, to attend church meetings. They didn’t accept it very easily, but once they tested just one thing and had witnessed its truthfulness, they kept looking for more until they committed themselves to follow the example of the Savior, even until now. The key? Pray, read the Book of Mormon, sacrament meeting. Do it with them at their pace. Trust the Moroni promise. It works all the time, but be patient and then you’ll rejoice with them. (Luci)
  • Being able to help someone get to the waters of baptism after 10 years of listening to the missionaries. (Tyler)
  • Con Elder Valdivia, la familia Sosa no queria aceptar la fecha bautismal, cuando por fin dijieron si les preparamos para su fecha y una semana antes de su fecha, ella llego a la capilla y dijo me quiero bautizar hoy, tenemos todo para hacerlo hoy necesitamos esto. Justo ese dia nuestro presidente de mision Ronald Asay estaba visitando nuestro barrio de Budge e hizo las entrevistas. Su bautismo fue en la capilla de El Faro. (Bryan)
  • When you try everything possible to accomplish things and fail and full faith and trust in the lord accomplish tasks. (Kirk)
  • Baptisms. (Kevin)
  • There were so many. Dave Harmer was my junior and was a great companion. A man came up to us in the street and he was crying. He was on his way to the railroad tracks to kill himself. He couldn’t stop crying. He had been crying for weeks. He had tried everything and nothing worked, his wife couldn’t take much more. So went to his house and talked with him and we gave him a Book of Mormon and then gave him a blessing. The spirit was very strong and palpable. He was promised that if he read the Book of Mormon every day he wouldn’t cry anymore. And he did read and he didn’t cry anymore and he came to church for two weeks. (Ches)
  • Baptismal interview of a man who had a very bad past. Seeing the effects of his repentance was wonderful. (Curtis)

What are some interesting facts about the Buenos Aires South Mission?

  • Very hot and humid during the summer. Lots of train and bus rides. Plan in advance to always be on time to take those. Most likely, you’ll have to ride a bicycle. It’s pretty fun, but use helmet and follow the transit rules without exception. Don’t lose sight of your companion–never. There are some rural areas, lot of countryside. Many immigrants from Paraguay, Peru and Bolivia, they are awesome and listened to our message. You’ll find out also that they work many hours even on Sundays. Don’t give up because of that. I’ve seen many miracles because of the truth of the Sabbath. Simply teach them and love them. And you’ll see. 😉 (Luci)
  • That it is an amazing mix of country and city. It’s full of culture and cool history. (Tyler)
  • The people are wonderful. The culture. (Kirk)
  • Argentina was at war with England, peso inflation was crazy. (Kevin)
  • There were interesting Argentine novelties but I’m not sure what our mission’s qualities were that would qualify as interesting. (Ches)
  • Before it was divided, your transfer could be a 3+ hour jet flight away. Although we had the Andes mountains in our mission (3 great towns with missionaries), the central part of Buenos Aires province is so flat that when we had a huge flood, (although no point was deeper than 10 feet) it covered 6 million acres. (Curtis)

What was the weather like?

  • Lots of rain and humid. (Anonymous)
  • Humid in summer and winter time which makes it super cold and super hot in both seasons. (Luci)
  • Lots of rain and humid. (Tyler)
  • Either hot or spring like weather. (Kirk)
  • Perfect. (Kevin)
  • Hot and muggy in the summer and cold and wet in the winter. We had strong, lingering winds in Tandil and hail that was as big as golf balls. In Azul, after a thundershower in the summertime, thousands of tiny, little frogs would appear and cover the roads as they crossed en masse. They would be all gone in 15 minutes. (Ches)
  • Hot, dry summers, cold, wet winters, and very nice in spring and fall. (Curtis)

Any things you really like about the area/people?

  • Everything but mostly the culture of the people. (Anonymous)
  • Everything about them. They are very loving people and would do anything for you if you just give them the time. (Tyler)
  • Su alegria y su disposision a trabajar en la obra. (Bryan)
  • They accept you and share what they have with you even if it’s very little. (Kirk)
  • Friendly. (Kevin)
  • I loved them. I still miss them. I have carried a melancholy streak since coming home. They are a physically beautiful people. They were hospitable and would give you their last bit of food without you knowing it. I found them to be less materialistic than we are in the States. (Ches)
  • Many people were well-educated, well-read, many very engaging. There was a diversity of cultural and ethnic backgrounds that kept life interesting. Most members were fiercely loyal to The Church and incredibly kind to the missionaries – they treated us like angels. (Curtis)

Any packing/clothing advice?

  • Good rain coat with good rain boots, but make sure it does not look expensive or it will get stolen. (Anonymous)
  • Bring a waterproof jacket, both light and heavy…it rains a lot. It rains year round. (Tyler)
  • Standard dark blue or black suit. Plenty of shirts and underwear and socks. Make sure you have good shoes. (Kirk)
  • Get comfy and good shoes. That makes all the difference. Merrell were the best kind for me. They lasted until the very end and my feet remain healthy. 😀 (Luci)
  • Take a sleeping bag. (Kevin)
  • Don’t take too much. If you need something after you are there, you can get what you need down there. (Ches)
  • Be ready for the gamut of weather conditions. When it’s hot, you really need short sleeves and breathable pants. When it’s cold, it’s usually also wet, and with central heating not common, you have to be prepared to stay warm and dry. (Curtis)

What blessings did you receive from serving a mission?

  • Determination to follow the Lord all my life because of the fact that I don’t have anymore doubt (if there was any) that this is the true gospel of Jesus Christ, that this is the correct God’s plan for His children. Many special and cherished brothers and sisters and friends. Many skills. Positive changes in me. I discover many more weaknesses. For me it’s a blessing. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know what I needed to change in order to be better. A closer relationship with the Godhead. A deeper appreciation for living prophets and apostles. Enormous gratitude for my parents–they are the ones who accepted the restored gospel in my family. (Luci)
  • So many friendships that will last for eternity. A true relationship with my Father in Heaven. A fantastic job when I returned and many more. (Tyler)
  • Ver familias cambiar sus vidas. He tenido lo que necesito siempre no he pasado por necesidades. (Bryan)
  • Humility, compassion. (Kirk)
  • Good health, stronger testimony. (Kevin)
  • An understanding of personal integrity, a better clarity of myself and my life. I made friendships that have blessed me throughout my life. (Ches)
  • It taught me how to work through disappointments, how to exercise faith, the value of prayer and scripture study, and especially that God keeps His promises. I’m still being blessed for my missionary service. (Curtis)

 

What are some skills you gained?

  • To plan (I wasn’t always successful), to listen more, to observe more, to not jump to conclusions–to not judge. (Luci)
  • Learned to blend with people that are very different from your own and respect what others think. Speak Spanish very, very well and learn different dialects from different countries like Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, and Bolivia. (Tyler)
  • Tiny bit better in speaking the language. Learning to present yourself and companion and church. (Kirk)
  • Communication, study skills. (Kevin)
  • Speaking Castellano which I kept dusted off throughout my life. I learned how to talk with strangers in a comfortable way. (Ches)
  • My Spanish went from very good to native, I learned diligence and patience, I learned how to follow the Spirit, and I learned to understand how different types of people think and act. (Curtis)

What do you wish you knew/did at the beginning of your mission?

  • To serve my companion and the people more. (Luci)
  • Memorizing and understanding right off the bat. (Tyler)
  • The language. Cooking. Hind sight. (Kirk)
  • Worked harder. (Kevin)
  • I wished I had had a better understanding of myself. (Ches)
  • I wish that I would have known more Spanish to start speak
  • I wish we had Preach My Gospel. It’s the most perfect book next to the Book of Mormon. (Curtis)

Any advice/testimony for pre-missionaries going to Buenos Aires South?

  • Enjoy every moment even the bad ones. (Anonymous)
  • Follow every single rule from the missionary handbook–EVERY SINGLE ONE as simple as it may be, and the ones your President may tell according to the circumstances. Love everybody! And if it turns out a little bit hard for you, ponder and apply Moroni 7:48. I’ll tell ya, it worked out for me miraculously. I know this is God’s work and it is very important to help move it forward. It really is. You’ll learn for yourself, if you are obedient and work hard, the real joy spoken by Alma and the sons of Mosiah, at first hand. It is impossible to explain or describe such feelings. However, I’m confident that you will experience those sacred moments in your own mission field. (Luci)
  • Lose yourself…don’t worry about baptisms. Those will come. But focus on the people, learn from them and know that if you’re going to Argentina. they take time to really open up to you. Just give them your time. (Tyler)
  • Sean ustedes mismos, amen a las personas a las que sirven y demuestren su amor con echos. Sean obedientes a sus lideres y veran que las bendiciones llegaran. (Bryan)
  • That you present the gospel to the people. Not force feed it like spinach to baby. They could be just the seed of the light to be planted not always to be the one to baptize. All steps are necessary find them, introduce them to our church and gospel…give them time to pray and get a testimony of it themselves even if it means waiting on baptism. (Kirk)
  • Keep an open mind. (Kevin)
  • Always be honest. Be fair. ALWAYS stand up to a bully. I testify to the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. I testify that I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God. (Ches)
  • Learn the Book of Mormon and the New Testament, study Preach My Gospel diligently, and above all, keep an open mind about whom the Lord has prepared. Argentina is awesome, despite its many problems. (Curtis)

What was a funny language mistake?

  • Molestar in Spanish means to upset. (Anonymous)
  • Estoy embarazada. Thinking this meant I’m embarrassed. But it means I’m pregnant. It’s tengo vergüenza. (Tyler)
  • Ingles. (Bryan)

Blake (Argentina Buenos Aires South Mission)

–Paraphrased from Blake’s mission interview–

Weather

For the most part, the areas were pretty similar to Utah and Sacramento where I am from. It got hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It snowed before I got there, but that was the first time it had snowed in 20 years. It was a lot more humid though. That was quite the shock. The summer rain storms would still be really humid and you’d be sweating but would still have to have a jacket on from the rain. We had a 45 minute walk ahead of us and the skies were clear and hot and it started to rain about 5 minutes into our walk. It was a light rain so we thought we would be fine, but it got so bad that the streets started to flood and we were drenched and dripping. We walked all the way back to the bus station and then came back with our umbrellas and jackets and it had all cleared up. We ended up being two hours late, but the lesson went really great still.

Safety

I was never robbed. I attribute that to being aware of my surroundings. There was only one time when I thought someone was going to try because he was staring at us. The people will let you know where not to go at night or you will get held up. Once during the middle of the day I noticed a guy that was following us for two blocks and a kid that was with us from there didn’t know what to do. We ended up just running. Most of the people were very accepting of us and if they saw that guy running after us they would have stepped in. You don’t want to fight them. Keep a few pesos on you in your pocket so you can take that out and give it to them. I never had to use that.

Shopping

Shopping was always interesting to me. There were some very stark differences between the different areas. I was in a very rural area and there were maybe two blocks on main street where they had some shops. The prices were high so we never went into their. We lived across the street from a tiny grocery store. Frosted Flakes was the only American thing they had. They didn’t have vegetables and fruits in the same store. They had a store for fruit, a store for vegetables, and a store for meat. In another more high end neighborhood we had some very Americanized stores. They even had an American aisle where they did have peanut butter and oreos and everything we were used to. I never found any good macaroni and cheese. Our church building in one area was right next to a large shopping center. It felt just like our mall. They had the same Kodak machines you would see in Walgreens. They had the familiar restaurants in the food court. They had the same clothing stores, although their clothes seemed to fit differently. We had a Walmart in the mission where you could find all the American stuff you wanted. Our mission office is in a very downtown place. That’s where everyone would go. Every store was always packed. They had book stores, mate stores, and more souvenir type stores.

Argentine People

Don’t lean back on your being American. If I were to meet someone I would shake their hand, but there they will hug you and  kiss you. Be open to that. Don’t hug and kiss the women, but don’t be creeped out or awkward about it. I didn’t look at them as being strange. It was a new culture to me and I was ready to embrace it. If you can make it a part of you and something you want to learn as much as you can it makes such a big difference in the members liking you and trusting you.

Kacy (Argentina Buenos Aires South Mission)

–Paraphrased from Kacy’s mission interview–

Geography

The mission doesn’t even have the city of Buenos Aires. Our mission is just south of the city. It’s a pretty ghetto mission, but that’s what makes it so amazing. There are a couple bigger cities like La Plata, which is the capital of the province.  A lot of times the elders are in the bigger cities and the sisters are in the countryside. It’s maybe an hour or two from one side to the other. There’s also part of the coast in the mission that is far away. There’s a whole zone down there on the coast, but they are far from everyone else. I never got to serve there but it is really pretty.

Branches and Wards

There was a mix of branches and wards. There were only a couple of really big wards I served in, but there were a lot of less actives that we worked to find. I would say the church is still kind of young down there and people are still learning how to do their callings. It’s amazing to see how faithful some of them are.

Argentine Culture

One big difference is how they greet people with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. I remember people talking to us about this and how we weren’t supposed to let the men kiss us. The members are usually pretty good about that, but it’s hard meeting people that aren’t members. I remember seeing the men in the ward giving kisses to the other men on the cheek and I thought it was so weird. There are no personal bubbles down there. We would definitely hug and kiss the other sisters though. You have to greet everyone or they will be offended. It’s a really big deal. You say high to everyone and you say goodbye to everyone. Lunch is their big main meal. Everyone comes home for lunch. If they do eat dinner it’s late or sometimes it’s just bread. They’ll stay up late, even the kids. They always drink this thing called mate. It’s kind of like a tea with a bunch of herbs, sugar, and hot water. They pass around the same cup with the same straw and everyone drinks out of it. They don’t care about germs at all. A lot of people have to have their mate in the morning to keep them up and keep them warm. Because they would share that straw, they’ll share their cups all the time too. Usually with the missionaries they will give them their own cups, but if you get familiar with them they will maybe ask you to just share.

Argentine Food

They love meat and are really prideful about how good their meat is. One thing that I loved is called milonesa. They fry it or they’ll cook it in the oven and they always serve it with mayonaise. They eat mayonaisse with everything down there. I didn’t mind it. By the end of my time there I couldn’t eat anything without mayonaise. They also have really good pasta. They make their own homemade noodles even. They always put a lot of oil in the things they cook and they will add meat and vegetables. Their desserts are so delicious too. They eat bread with every meal as well. They go out in the morning and buy their bread for lunch and dinner. In the panaderias they have facturas which are like pastries that can be filled with a fruit filling, chocolate, or dulce de leche. I loved them so much.

Amber (Argentina Buenos Aires South Mission)

–Paraphrased from Amber’s mission interview–

Geography

They just split the mission. They used to just have north, south, and east. Now there is a west mission, so our mission just got a little smaller. We used to have part of the coast but they gave it to another mission. The work is progressing fast because the members know how to work. It’s really unique about those areas. They understand the Gospel and it’s their life. It’s a really small mission. You can go from one point to the other in about five hours. You get to meet missionaries from every area because of that.

Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses?

They knew who we were. They knew we were Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses. Those are the two groups adamant about missionary work. They would stop and ask you which you were. They don’t hear the church’s full name that much, they know us as the Mormons.

Popular Religions

Argentines were a little bit more on the stubborn side. The pope is from Argentina and most of the people their are very Catholic. The people from Peru were a lot more open to new religions and more open to praying and finding out for themselves. People from Argentina are also willing to listen, but it takes them long to make it click for them. I think the more you get to know them and let them know that you’re human beings and that helped me a lot to get to the hearts of the people.

Transportation

We had bikes for about two of my areas and the other two we walked. In the areas I had bikes, they got stolen so we ended up walking. Only the elders in charge of apartments and the mission president had cars. They had good buses that got you around pretty well except when you’re in the smaller cities. In this mission you will walk a lot.

Cultural Adjustment

The biggest thing is to laugh at yourself, sometimes you won’t understand why they do what they do, but you have to keep your head up and you’ll get used to it. Try new things and don’t be afraid to get on your knees and ask specifically to like the food or connect with the members in a specific way. People in Argentina are really loving. They greet each other with a kiss and a hug. They are a touch feely people, and I’m not like that so it was a little bit difficult for me. The food I really didn’t have much of a problem with unless they fed us parts of the cow. That’s when you have to really pray and hope all is well. Learn about it and love it. You don’t have much time and it’s amazing how much you can miss it afterwards. In learning the language, I would just remember that the Lord loves you for who you are and it is important to go to Him always. Use your companions. You will always have one that is a fluent Spanish speaker. It took me a while because in Argentina they talk fast. Be patient.

La Plata, Argentina

La Plata is a bigger city and they have a ward. In Argentina you clap in front of the houses instead of knocking. In La Plata they had a little doorbell though and they had a little speaker you had to talk into. That was hard when we couldn’t talk to people face to face. I really liked La Plata because the members were incredible. I felt like there was so much to do. Our focus was to help less actives. The Church told us that we needed to focus more on less actives. We knew the members loved and cared about these people even if they aren’t coming to church.

Canuelas, Argentina

We only had a branch that met in a tiny little house each week. It was so fun being able to leave with each of the people in the branch and they would show us who their friends were. We had a member that lived about 15 minutes away by bus and we went to go visit him and meet his friends when it started raining. The member was in poor health and he had crutches and we figured he wouldn’t want to go out with us anymore. We got there and he was still there! We had the most success there out of any of the areas in my mission.