Dear Family:
This may be short letter because my hands are tired and I know that if I don’t get the letter done today, it will take weeks. This has been a fun, full week.
We started this week off bright and early. It was our anniversary and we arrived at the office at 8 am. It was probably because we didn’t stop and fix a lunch but decided to come home and have lunch here. While we were home for lunch, Garn got a phone call from President Caplin asking him if he could arrange for a ride to the airport for one of the sisters. Not wanting to take more of our share of being with the missionaries, Garn called another senior couple to see if they could do it. They had meetings that prevented them from helping out and it was getting close to the time that she needed picking up. We decided to do it ourselves. We called the office to get them to send the travel plans that had come since the time we left the office. We picked her up at her apartment, talked with her companions a minute, and Garn asked the companions his standard question—“What do you like (admire) about ________ (the departing companion). As we were loading the suitcases into the car, one of the staying missionaries asked about the travel itinerary a little. I was thinking it was a little nosey, but soon came to realize that it was her way to prepare the departing sister for her travel. The missionary that was leaving had only been on an airplane once and that was when she came out. It was time we headed for the airport. On the way to the airport Garn asked the leaving sister what she admired or had learned from her companions. It was good to hear the positive things shared and realize that we all have gifts and talents that life and help others.
We got her to the airport and I talked her through the check-in process, then let her text her mother to tell her when she would arrive and on what airline. Salt Lake found a very inexpensive flight and things rolled very fast after that, so we had to let people know as the information became available. Our mission president called us three times giving information to us. On the last call he just apologized for the lateness of the notice and explained that it wasn’t his slothfulness that was causing the short notice, but the finding of a cheap airfare.
We were able to go back to the office and get some work done before going home and relaxing for the evening.
Tuesday we had our “rogue” council meeting and then got to work.
Wednesday morning we found out from the housing secretary that there had been a fire in one of the missionary companionship’s apartment. They had stopped at home for lunch about noon and then gone out to work and returned home about 9 p.m. There were police cars, fire engines, and apartment personnel all over the place. The fire fighters found when they broke down the door all 4 gas burners on the stove on, a hole cut in the carpet with a pocket knife of some sort (missionaries didn’t recognize it) and some kind of incendiary in the carpet and on the couch. The sprinklers came on after the temperature in the apartment got high enough and drenched the apartment. Our poor missionaries spent a lot of time being interviewed by the police and fire chief to get their story of where they were and when. They are on the suspect list. It was lucky that our housing secretary is a criminal defense attorney and went through all of the questions and procedures the police would put the missionaries through. After our secretary left, the police did, in fact, call the missionaries and back to question then for an hour to an hour and a half. It was just like our housing secretary had said it would be—so glad we have someone to help our missionaries.
The missionaries were lucky because of the tiwi’s in the cars. These devices tell where the car is at all times; how long it stays there, and at what times the car is there. It showed that the car left the apartment after they had had lunch (just like they said) and was no where near the apartment until they pulled up around 9 p.m. Maybe the missionaries may not hate the tiwi’s so much any more. This little gadget talks to them is they go too fast, if they stop too quickly, or if they start too fast. The senior missionaries hate to drive the mission cars with the tiwi’s in them because it is really annoying. They can, however, have their redeeming value.
On Wednesday morning Garn and I went to inspect an apartment. We just have to go and see if the missionaries are keeping their apartments clean enough to be healthy and make sure that everything is working—especially the smoke (and CO2) detectors are working. After inspecting the apartment, we went on a teaching appointment with the sisters. They were teaching their concierge and needed someone to be there with them. I am always impressed with the young missionaries’ teaching abilities.
We came back to the office to finish up. It was almost like a Friday because tomorrow is Thanksgiving and we aren’t in the office.
Today started out with a 9 am baptism for 7 people. What a wonderful way to start a Thanksgiving morning. Two of the people were Africans, two were African Americans, one from Bangladesh, one of Hispanic background, and a man from New York. It was wonderful!
From there we went home to get a turkey into the oven. Garn loves turkey, so we bought one to cook so that we could have left overs. When we got that in the oven, we took a little nap and then went to I Hop to meet 4 senior couples and President and Sister Caplin for dinner. The room was private and quiet and the food amazingly good for eating out on Thanksgiving. The company was wonderful too. When we got home the turkey was done, so I made stuffing and gravy to take to the office for a left over lunch on Friday. Another senior couple were bring rolls for the turkey sandwiches, and another couple were bringing homemade cranberry sauce and a couple of pies. We felt we had a lot to be grateful for this day.
Friday was a hectic day with missionaries coming and going for a large part of the morning. We had some transfers taking place today and they were meeting at the office to make the exchanges. Those that were in the office when it was lunch time had left overs with us. Sister Caplin came and brought some original Dixie salad for us to try—yummy! I don’t know if everyone in St. George has it, but it is made with those things are native to St. George. It had pomegranate seeds, small native grapes, pecans and whipped cream. Sometimes they add bananas to make it a little sweeter, but they aren’t part of the “native” salad. She even told us how to get the seeds out quickly and without a mess.
Saturday we went to another baptism. It was a Japanese lady and her son. What made it kind of fun was that we have a brand new missionary from Japan who was asked to bare his testimony in Japanese. It was tender to feel the connection between our missionary and the new convert. Garn enjoyed the sushi they had as part of the refreshments.
Sunday was a wonderful day. The meetings were uplifting and made me realize there is always something to improve on.
We love you lots and lots,
Mom
This may be short letter because my hands are tired and I know that if I don’t get the letter done today, it will take weeks. This has been a fun, full week.
We started this week off bright and early. It was our anniversary and we arrived at the office at 8 am. It was probably because we didn’t stop and fix a lunch but decided to come home and have lunch here. While we were home for lunch, Garn got a phone call from President Caplin asking him if he could arrange for a ride to the airport for one of the sisters. Not wanting to take more of our share of being with the missionaries, Garn called another senior couple to see if they could do it. They had meetings that prevented them from helping out and it was getting close to the time that she needed picking up. We decided to do it ourselves. We called the office to get them to send the travel plans that had come since the time we left the office. We picked her up at her apartment, talked with her companions a minute, and Garn asked the companions his standard question—“What do you like (admire) about ________ (the departing companion). As we were loading the suitcases into the car, one of the staying missionaries asked about the travel itinerary a little. I was thinking it was a little nosey, but soon came to realize that it was her way to prepare the departing sister for her travel. The missionary that was leaving had only been on an airplane once and that was when she came out. It was time we headed for the airport. On the way to the airport Garn asked the leaving sister what she admired or had learned from her companions. It was good to hear the positive things shared and realize that we all have gifts and talents that life and help others.
We got her to the airport and I talked her through the check-in process, then let her text her mother to tell her when she would arrive and on what airline. Salt Lake found a very inexpensive flight and things rolled very fast after that, so we had to let people know as the information became available. Our mission president called us three times giving information to us. On the last call he just apologized for the lateness of the notice and explained that it wasn’t his slothfulness that was causing the short notice, but the finding of a cheap airfare.
We were able to go back to the office and get some work done before going home and relaxing for the evening.
Tuesday we had our “rogue” council meeting and then got to work.
Wednesday morning we found out from the housing secretary that there had been a fire in one of the missionary companionship’s apartment. They had stopped at home for lunch about noon and then gone out to work and returned home about 9 p.m. There were police cars, fire engines, and apartment personnel all over the place. The fire fighters found when they broke down the door all 4 gas burners on the stove on, a hole cut in the carpet with a pocket knife of some sort (missionaries didn’t recognize it) and some kind of incendiary in the carpet and on the couch. The sprinklers came on after the temperature in the apartment got high enough and drenched the apartment. Our poor missionaries spent a lot of time being interviewed by the police and fire chief to get their story of where they were and when. They are on the suspect list. It was lucky that our housing secretary is a criminal defense attorney and went through all of the questions and procedures the police would put the missionaries through. After our secretary left, the police did, in fact, call the missionaries and back to question then for an hour to an hour and a half. It was just like our housing secretary had said it would be—so glad we have someone to help our missionaries.
The missionaries were lucky because of the tiwi’s in the cars. These devices tell where the car is at all times; how long it stays there, and at what times the car is there. It showed that the car left the apartment after they had had lunch (just like they said) and was no where near the apartment until they pulled up around 9 p.m. Maybe the missionaries may not hate the tiwi’s so much any more. This little gadget talks to them is they go too fast, if they stop too quickly, or if they start too fast. The senior missionaries hate to drive the mission cars with the tiwi’s in them because it is really annoying. They can, however, have their redeeming value.
On Wednesday morning Garn and I went to inspect an apartment. We just have to go and see if the missionaries are keeping their apartments clean enough to be healthy and make sure that everything is working—especially the smoke (and CO2) detectors are working. After inspecting the apartment, we went on a teaching appointment with the sisters. They were teaching their concierge and needed someone to be there with them. I am always impressed with the young missionaries’ teaching abilities.
We came back to the office to finish up. It was almost like a Friday because tomorrow is Thanksgiving and we aren’t in the office.
Today started out with a 9 am baptism for 7 people. What a wonderful way to start a Thanksgiving morning. Two of the people were Africans, two were African Americans, one from Bangladesh, one of Hispanic background, and a man from New York. It was wonderful!
From there we went home to get a turkey into the oven. Garn loves turkey, so we bought one to cook so that we could have left overs. When we got that in the oven, we took a little nap and then went to I Hop to meet 4 senior couples and President and Sister Caplin for dinner. The room was private and quiet and the food amazingly good for eating out on Thanksgiving. The company was wonderful too. When we got home the turkey was done, so I made stuffing and gravy to take to the office for a left over lunch on Friday. Another senior couple were bring rolls for the turkey sandwiches, and another couple were bringing homemade cranberry sauce and a couple of pies. We felt we had a lot to be grateful for this day.
Friday was a hectic day with missionaries coming and going for a large part of the morning. We had some transfers taking place today and they were meeting at the office to make the exchanges. Those that were in the office when it was lunch time had left overs with us. Sister Caplin came and brought some original Dixie salad for us to try—yummy! I don’t know if everyone in St. George has it, but it is made with those things are native to St. George. It had pomegranate seeds, small native grapes, pecans and whipped cream. Sometimes they add bananas to make it a little sweeter, but they aren’t part of the “native” salad. She even told us how to get the seeds out quickly and without a mess.
Saturday we went to another baptism. It was a Japanese lady and her son. What made it kind of fun was that we have a brand new missionary from Japan who was asked to bare his testimony in Japanese. It was tender to feel the connection between our missionary and the new convert. Garn enjoyed the sushi they had as part of the refreshments.
Sunday was a wonderful day. The meetings were uplifting and made me realize there is always something to improve on.
We love you lots and lots,
Mom
| This is what we came out to find on the car and all over the ground one morning. These were a little easier to get off the car than snow. |
 |
| Thanksgiving dinner—L to R Elder and Sister Larsen. Sister and Elder Christie, President and Sister Caplin, Elder and Sister Nelson, Elder and Sister Gowans, and Sister and Elder Downs |
 |
Thanksgiving baptism—Front-Sister missionaries; middle row-those baptized; back row-elders and Sister and President Caplin.
|
Comments
Post a Comment