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Elder Nelson - Mobile Devices, Stake Conference, and Keri is Coming

Dear Family,

Mission News
Attended a District Council in Oakton Zone. I am continually impressed by these young missionaries.

Around 10 rent checks did not get delivered this month. The US Postal Service is not so great. This causes Mom tons of grief.

My mobile device responsibility is taking more and more time. I am getting a little better at handling their technical questions as similar problems are reoccurring. I feel a need to get devices up again quickly, but I am not terrible capable yet.

Another dimension of the mobile device assignment is that I need to make sure missionaries are trained on how to use them and use them “safely”. The Church puts an app on the phones and tablets called Maas360. This allows the users to download only selected apps and blocks many websites. I need to make sure that this program is installed on their phones. If the device is not used for a while, I get a report from Salt Lake. Most of the time the device is not used is because it is broken. The missionaries can’t uninstall the Maas360 themselves, so system is pretty secure.

There are 6 families that are picking up their missionaries over the next 6 months. I help them through the process. It is fun to feel the excitement the parents have. Picking up missionaries by parents is discouraged, but not forbidden.

Fun Stuff
Our neighbor next door, James, moved. I helped load the truck and we provided lunch for James and his two friends. He was the nice guy that cleaned off the snow from our car that night of the big snow storm.

We are going to get missionaries to call on him at his new location.

Last night and today we had Stake Conference. It was really good. One story that was shared was about our stake president’s aunt. Our stake president is Bruce R. McConkie’s grandson. When his aunt was about 10 years old she was cleaning the kitchen down stairs. She was home alone except Elder McConkie was upstairs working. All of a sudden, her father rushed down stairs and declared, “The Book of Mormon is true!” and explained why with great energy and enthusiasm. He was excited about what he was working on and needed to share the feeling with someone. She was the only one home. That experience had a powerful impact on her. She felt the truthfulness her father’s words. The point President McConkie was making is that in the teaching of our children, we need to help them to feel the gospel message.

Someone in the conference said that once a month the grandparents get all of the children and grandchildren together with teleconferencing technology and share gospel teachings. Do you think we could/should do this too?

WES News
Carlos quoted a $500,000 job this week. Parts would be deliverable over 3 years. I thought his prices were too high, but we used his prices. I decided: it is better to lose a job because of high prices, than to get a job because the prices are too low and lose a lot of money.

Family News
Keri, McKay, Elizabeth and Margaret Marie are coming on Wednesday for about a week. It is supposed to rain and snow 3 days they are here, but temperature in the 40s and 50s. The bad weather will keep the lines down.

Our bishop’s wife loaning port-a-crib, stroller and car seat. She even offered to baby sit so Keri and McKay could go off by themselves.

Another neighbor works right off the Washington DC Mall and will come Wednesday night with maps and schedules for the trains and metro. He said some of his most valuable knowledge is knowing where the public restrooms are along the mall.

We won’t be able to get away from the office too much and tour with them. We (Mom) are preparing for an audit.

Love,
Dad

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