Almost June - Where has the time gone?

May 27, 2013
We had a wonderful Memorial Day at the office.  Our mission office is open 5 days a week all year - no holidays for us except Thanksgiving and Christmas and then we have mission activities to be at.

So yesterday we were at the office.  The phones only worked partially.  We couldn't contact most of the places we needed to because they were closed.  But we got a lot done and saw a number of missionaries who came in because it was their prep day and we had fun!

Today the phones were fixed really early - at 8:15 - by  someone from Facilities Management.  Thanks so much, Alan.  We placed orders, found 2 apartments we needed and got those signed up, located another with some help from a wonderful Bishop's wife in Dayton. 

Last week was a great Mission Tour.  And President's parents met him at the end of it and came home with him for a week.  We're glad for all of them.

And now a few 'Memo's for Missionaries and their Parents':

• If you have or are, a youth with poor handwriting or printing, consider getting a calligraphy book from the library or sign up for a class.  Practice and practice and practice until you can write your name beautifully.  You are going to have to sign a lot of things in your life, so prepare to do that the best you can.  I leaves an impression of who you are just like your grooming does.

• Parents - shop around and find neckties for your missionary or to give to a missionary you know as gifts.  I mean shop at Good Will, Savers, Deseret Industries.  Anywhere.  Find any tie that does not have a clip on it.  Missionaries LOVE ties of all kinds and trade and trade them.

• If you are going to fill out mission application papers and haven't done so already consider this.When you are asked about your health concerns,  you don't need to put every cut you've had since birth, or every fall, or every cold.  Just list things that might have some bearing on your mission.  And use the least number of words possible to describe what you need to.   Do the same thing when it asks what your  talents, callings and jobs have been.  The people in SLC and the mission office don't need a lot of wordy explanations.   If something is really serious, then by all means explain it well. 

• Parents of Missionaries in the Nevada Reno Mission (and other mission's, too) - If you have questions, please call me.  Part of my calling as mission secretary to is answer questions for you and your missionary BEFORE they come out to the mission field.  And I love talking to you and your missionary.  I remember well as a missionary parent, and as an adult missionary, the great desire I had to talk to someone and get questions answered.  I am so happy to answer questions and if I don't know the answer, I'll find out and get back to you or send you on to someone who does have an answer.  If you don't want to call, e-mail me!

• The same thing goes after the missionary is on their mission.  I can relay calls from you to them and vice/versa.  Of course if there is something serious you will want to call the mission president directly.  And if there is a health concern you'll want to contact the mission mother.   But if your last pair of shoes just lost it's sole and it is now taped on with duct tape and it is a week until you can e-mail, please call me and explain and I'll call your parents.  Or if you need an address call me.  Or if your wallet was stolen, call me.  Or if mom woke up in the night worried that her missionary doesn't have enough blankets, or a warm enough coat,  call me.  You don't have to wait 2 weeks to find out through e-mail if you need to know now.  This is what I do!  And I love doing it!  I don't get to go out the where the missionaries are very much so this kind of contact is so wonderful for me! 

• Email -  I'd like to explain that our missionary 'P Day' is on a Monday.  That is the day that missionaries are supposed to e-mail, write letters, shop, do cleaning and laundry and do something enjoyable.   Missionaries are told not to use member computers to write e-mail.  Many of them go to public libraries to e-mail.  However, here in Nevada in various places some libraries are closed on Monday.  Then missionaries have permission to e-mail on Tues.  However (again), Tuesdays here are 'District meeting mornings' and these meetings last until noon or sometimes 1 or 2 - depending on how wrapped up the missionaries get.  So I occasionally get calls from parents worried that something is wrong if they haven't gotten an e-mail.   We also need to remember that after District Meeting you need to eat and if more than one companionship goes to eat then it could take a while...  ;-) Or other things can come up.  If you haven't gotten an e-mail by Wed. or for several weeks, PLEASE call me.

I wish I could explain the great joy and happiness I have serving this mission.  I love my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ so much.  I feel their presence really often as I work.  Sometimes I can't believe all I am capable of doing here.  I couldn't have done all this at home just working on things so I am constantly amazed.  I see big and little miracles so often.  Being around the missionaries just brings such feelings of peace and joy - really BIG joy.  They are wonderful and they bring a wonderful spirit.  Seeing their faces as they talk about people they are teaching is just such a beautiful experience.

In addition to all of this - my husband and I have 3 missionary grandchildren serving right now.  They all left in a 5 week period so they are progressing together.  We look forward so very much to each of their letters each week.  We understand why parents call and are worried because their missionary didn't e-mail on Monday.  We get to worrying, too.  :-)

'Till later.....