The following is a list of questions which we had asked Monson. We just got back his reply so we thought we would post it so everyone can see what his response was:


Q: What is the full name of the City you are currently serving in?
A: Comodoro Rivadavia, Chubut & I am serving in the part of that city called, Maximo Abasalo. The first place I served was called, Bariloche, Rio Negro & the area that I served in was called, Frutillar.

Q: What is the weather like?
A: Bariloche was snowy and rainy but not humid or dry. Comodoro is windy and dusty, dry but not hot

Q: How big/tall are the mountains where you are at?
A: There are no mountains in Comodoro, only hills and in Bariloche the mountains were bigger than Arizona mountains but not quite as big as Utah mountains.
Q: Are they covered with trees and grass?
A: Yes in Bariloche

Q: Is it a lot like Guatemala?
A: Not as green or humid

Q: Is it dirty like Guatemala?
A: Yes and dogs everywhere

Q: Do a lot of the people have running water?
A: Yes, everyone

Q: Do they have hot water?
A: Most people

Q: Do they have showers and tubs?
A: Very few tubs & probably half of the people have showers in their homes. Here in Comodoro the government came through and built a bunch of bathrooms for all the homes.

Q: Do they have air conditioners or heaters in their homes?
A: No air conditioners. Their heaters are gas or fire.

Q: Do they have a lot of little towns or do most of the people live in big cities? A: Mostly cities because most of the people do not have cars so they walk or take a bus. Some live on the farms.

Q; Does it rain a lot down there?
A: In Bariloche yes, in Comodoro no

Q: How often do you get the mail from the mission home?
A: Once a week. It comes in a big bag for all the missionaries in our city.

Q: What are the stores like?
A: They have big grocery stores and then they have what they call kioscos or dispensas just about on every block that sell the basics. They also have small stores of every kind imaginable on all the main streets (with a glass window display).

Q: Do they have grocery stores like us?
A: Yes
Q: Or more like Guatemala?
A: More like us. In Bariloche they give you grocery bags but in Comodoro you bring your own clothe bag (like in Guatemala).

Q: Do they sell a lot of fruits and vegetables?
A: Yes

Q: Do they grow a lot of fruits and vegetables?
A: I have never seen anyone growing a garden here (we are in the cities), so I would guess no, not in the cities.

Q: What is a typical breakfast?
A: We have oatmeal or cereal, or eggs & fruit. But the Argentine people drink mate for their breakfast.
Lunch: Meat, (beef or chicken) and sometimes lamb; and always with bread and pasta.
Dinner: The Argentines will have mate` and a snack. Then around 9pm they will eat another big meal. The missionaries will usually eat something when they get in for the night like rice, cereal, fruit or leftovers.

Q: What are there homes like?
A: Usually brick or cement. They never seem to finish them completely. They move into them as soon as they can.

Q: Do they have a lot of children?
A: They usually have 5 or less children but they start their families when they are young, 15-19 years old.

Q: Do they have loose morals like Guatemala?
A: Yup

Q: What are the hospitals like?
A: I have only gone inside one once. It wasn’t all that clean. It was a really old, run-down building.

Q: Are most of them Christians?
A: Yes, almost everyone. There are a few atheists and I have talked with one or two Jews.

Q: Are there a lot of Muslims down there?
A: None that I have seen.

Q: Are the wards big or small like Guatemala?
A: Small, Bariloche and Comodoro have an attendance of about 30 to 50 people for most of the wards.

Q: Do most people walk to get around?
A: Yes or they take the bus. There are a lot more cars (and nicer ones) here in Comodoro. In Bariloche the cars were all very old.

Q: Where did you say your first companion from?
A:
1st Elder Berghout – Ogden, Utah
2nd Elder Grenko – Brigham City, Utah
3rd Elder Suarez – Buenos Aires, Argentina