Monday the 30th we left the apartment at 7:30am and caught the 503 (bus) for an hour and 15 minute ride to the Immigration Office. We have to get a stamp in our passport which is the first step to obtaining a visa. My appointment was today and we will get to do this all over again tomorrow as Elder Thompson's appointment is tomorrow.
We arrived about 8:45 and were ushered into the line for the 9:15 appointments.
I was afraid to take actual photos today so I got these on line. We didn't go in the front door but went along the side of the building and entered in this door.
Today was cold! It was only 50 degrees with the threat of rain so everyone was bundled up, unlike this photo. We were in a big open patio with lines for appointment times from 8:30 to 8:45 to 9:00 ect. We felt so sorry for the young mothers there trying to entertain children as they waited for their turn.
We filed into the building when it was our turn. It is a huge warehouse. We were sent to a window (there were 43 windows)
The lady behind the window checked my passport and papers proving that my fees had been paid and we were told to sit down and wait It cost the church about $480.00 apiece for this stamp.
The whole process took about 2 hours and I have a stamp in my passport!
We found the bus stop and it took about an hour and a half to return to our apartment for breakfast.
Some random fotos of our trip back home
The brown strip behind the fence is water
The water has lots of minerals in it but it is said to be safe?
On the bus heading for home
We got to the office about 1 and only spent a couple of hours there cause the smell of the new carpet is too strong and makes me sick. So we are home working on the blog and Elder Thompson is baking cookies.
We got up to rain on Tuesday morning. We caught the bus again about 7:30 but because of the rain the traffic was horrible and it took an hour and a half to get to the immigration office. It was only 43 degrees this morning. After a cold bus ride, waiting in line in the cold and waiting inside the warehouse in the cold, we looked forward to getting home to some hot chocolate!
It is not a very affluent neighborhood around the immigration office
Cold and dreary day but we now have a stamp in Elder Thompson's passport!
waiting for the bus
even in the rain the locals put up the tents and sell their goods
So glad we didn't have to drive in this rain and traffic
The only seat we could get on the way home was right behind the driver, who kept his window open the whole way home to keep his window from fogging over so we arrived home really cold! Now we register our stamp on the computer and are put on another waiting list for an appointment at the PDI (policia de investigacion) or the department of police investigations. We have no say as to when our appointments are. With our luck, they will be on two different days again.
We had service calls to take care on Wednesday. In September, we had 42 calls to fix varies things in the pensiones. Elder Thompson and I were able to take care of 23 of them.
It felt so good to be in the temple on Thursday morning. We missed our shift on Tuesday because of the visa run that we had to do so today was very special. We love being able to go to the temple often.
Saturday morning we did some grocery shopping then went to the Mission Home to have lunch with the Brothersons and Hughes. Then we watched the first session of General Conference together. We are 3 hours ahead of Utah right now so it didn't start till 1pm. We enjoyed the next sessions at home.
October is here. Wow, how time just flies by. We have found another apartment in the La Florida area so we can separate the 4 hermanas who live together there. We have a bit of repairs and cleaning to do before they can move in though.
We seem to keep very busy each week. We are enjoying our service here. We do miss our family and friends and pray that they are all well and happy. As always, you are in our thoughts and prayers. We send our love.
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