The first couple of days were pretty calm and I got a lot of office work done. We have several of the missionaries who are trying to eat healthier...on a budget of $120/month that's a bit tough. So, I've started sending out monthly emails to all of them with medical tips that are applicable to the season. i.e. hydration, bugs (chiggers, mosquitoes, ticks), etc. and attaching some low cost, easy, healthy recipes to each email. Anyway, on the quieter days, I can work on things like that.
Friday was a busy day for Don. If you want to see excited missionaries...tell them you have a new car for them! He had four companionship's bring their cars in to trade out for new ones. In order to do that, the TIWI needs to be taken out of the old one and put into the new one. This has to be done by Inthinc installers. So all of the missionaries are there at 10:00, eager to get their new cars...and no installers. They didn't show up until 11:15, so we have 8 missionaries roaming around the office for about 3 hours...the sisters finally went to lunch and came back.
My "quiet" week ended that day too! One of the sisters had obviously been crying, and asked if I could talk with her. Without going into anything too personal, let's just say she has two weeks left before the end of her mission and she is having trouble with her companion. She has been through numerous companions... Anyway, we talked for about 1/2 hour and I thought things were better until I get a call from her saying she is sitting on the curb in front of their apartment and her companion is sitting in the car. I spoke with both of them and determined there was nothing I could do to make things better and I eventually had to go get them and bring them into the mission office until I could get through to Pres. Brough, who was conducting interviews 2 hours away. About 6:30 pm, he did a comp assessment on speaker phone with them and ended up having one go with one sister trainer and the other with the other sister trainer for the weekend. We got home and finished dinner about 8:15. I didn't even think about being a referee out here...all I could think of was, "Where's Diane when I need her!"
Church was great today...small in numbers (56) but good. In our Gospel Principles class, one of the investigators (from Africa) told his missionaries that he wants to be baptized next month. He told Elder Jensen, "I want to shine like you". Very cool...Don had gone with them to his home for a lesson once. The Sister missionaries were giving the lesson and the spirit was really strong.
Just a couple of pictures this week...our neighborhood ducks haven't been around but we had two geese this week and the pitter patter of little dachshund feet above our head keep us entertained.
Next week...zone conferences, followed by transfers and new missionaries coming in, and others going home the following week. It will be busy again! Love to all...and thank you for your help and support. We couldn't have this awesome experience without you all!
Really nice to see your updates! Love ya Ric
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