May 20, 215

Bonnie: I was on my own in the office today! It started out ok but the afternoon was crazy. I had a parent that needed her missionary daughter to fax her something important. We finally got it all resolved about 5:30 tonight.  I received several letters for missionaries who have gone home that I need to resend with the home addresses and the addresses were not to be found. Then I got a call about a package that can’t be delivered without brokerage services, whatever that is.  Another package came that required about $20 before we could have it. I put together several orders for missionaries, including 40 Books of Mormon. Then, I ordered 6 books from Amazon that teach how to speak Farsi (Persian) for 4 missionaries. I didn’t get a chance to organize the small storage room or do any referrals. Three baptisms that I began to record went ok until I submitted them.  Tomorrow Sister Gillen will have to help me clean up what I tried to do today.

Yesterday was a great day, though. Sister Gillen and I started to organize the donated clothing from missionaries that have gone home and I found a coat that I think will work for me this winter! It’s 75% down and needs cleaning of course, but I am thrilled. It will cost me about $300 or more if I buy a new one. We needed to try to clean out our temporary storage area for the clothing, car stuff and large book orders (such as the 1600 Books of Mormons we ordered last time) because it’s in a church classroom.  This could be a huge problem. We’ll have to see what the Bishop wants us to do.

By the way, Happy Birthday to my daughter, Shannan! I hope it’s a wonderful day for you!

Bob: My training is progressing. Besides financial secretary, I am also the housing coordinator. In the last week we have closed down 3 apartments and tomorrow will be the 4^th. Elder Gillen is going to go with me tomorrow, but he wants me to handle it. Closing an apartment is a lengthy ordeal. It requires notice given to a landlord 60 days after the end of the current month. Thus for an apartment closing tomorrow the owner must have received notice by the end of March. Then you have to coordinate utility shutoffs if necessary, clean the apartment and make sure everything is moved out of it. So tomorrow I will take Elder Gillen to the apartment where we will meet 4 Elders to clean and clear everything out. The problem is motivating the missionaries to sweep, dust, and clean.  After all is cleaned we need to dispose of the trash and then get lunch for the missionaries. Disposal of everything requires us to dump the trash in a church bin at the closest meeting house or haul it back to the bin at our office. We also might take some items to Goodwill or put them in our rented storage facility. If we have any heavy items to put in the storage facility we need to coordinate Elders meeting us there to unload. So far it has taken almost a whole day for each closing. It’s nice getting out of the office, but when it’s over I’m pretty tired.

Getting our internet is proving to be quite a task. It was rescheduled for May 25^th at 8:00 am through 12:00 noon. We can’t do that because if Bell comes before 9 they won’t have access to the communication room. And I was told that it is IMPOSSIBLE to request between 9 and 12. You only have 3 options: 8-noon, 1-5, or 5-9. But the communications room is only available from 9-5. This is getting very frustrating.

Another problem is I confirmed with my WV credit union that yes I must set up all my external transfers once again!!!!!! It only takes time and the internet. And the only internet is at work. I think the other people in the office are going to think I don’t want to associate with them at meal time as I spend that time trying to catch up on email, etc.

I was told unofficially today that we would not be assigned to the ward where we have gone the last 2 Sundays. The assignment is going to be at a YSA Ward (young single adults, ages 18-30). It is farther than the meetinghouse we’ve been attending. Looks like we’ll be picking up people and taking them to church, too.

I’m still reading To the Rescue, the Biography of Thomas S. Monson. Scott Crossley suggested I read it as President Monson was Mission President in Toronto several years ago. All I can say is, thanks Scott, it is a great read. There are so many inspiring stories and examples in the book that once I get time to read it I don’t want to put it down. I usually can’t get to it till late at night so I read till I get sleepy, which doesn’t take long. I recommend it to everyone.

It has been a lot of work training, but it has been fun working with Elder Gillen. He has been real patient repeating things and trying to go over as much as he can. The person that had this position before Elder Gillen left a couple pages of handwritten instructions and trained him for 3 days before going home. So I have had a lot more training time than he had.  He typed up about 4 to 5 pages of instructions. Plus he is going to be in touch with me as soon as he gets to the states and reinstates his US phone so he can help me with things I’m not sure about. He’s going to stay away from the office next week and only come in when I need him. (Looks like he’ll have to be there when I get the internet connected!)

I don’t want anyone to get the idea that I’m not enjoying the mission. The mission has been fun and fulfilling, but some of the simple things we take for granted at home don’t happen here. And the reason is, “You are in Canada, eh!!”

Love to all. We miss everyone. Hope Utah is enjoying all the rain.