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.....

'Snail Mail' is SOOOOO important. Email. Packages. Bikes.

Our missionaries can e-mail family and friends every 'preparation day'.  They cannot use a member's computer.  They have to go to a public library, a church library, a Family History library, etc. to e-mail.  When a  holiday falls on their 'p-day' and the library is closed, they can write the next day instead. 

Of course missionaries really want to hear by e-mail from family and friends.  I is important they do.

But 'snail mail' or 'regular mail' is most important.  Anytime a missionary comes to the office, they will always ask if there is any mail for them and I always hear them say things like, 'I never get mail anymore' or 'I've been out too long so everyone has forgotten me' or 'Look, all the mail is for new missionaries.  After they've been out a while, they won't get any, either.'  

Don't forget to write to your missionary - or any missionary you know.  A single letter during the mission of someone in your ward, or a missionary you know can really help, if that is all you get written.  Don't forget your missionaries.  They can get discouraged and down and letters can help so much.

I recently saw a really great idea for a package for a missionary.  It was called a 'Sunny' package and it was a little box full of yellow things.  A lot of things were from the dollar store - but everything was yellow.  What a great idea - think of all the variety of boxes you could send just using single color.

Remember once in a while to include something for the companion, especially if you know that the companion never gets mail or packages.  Ask your missionary if his/her companion gets things.  Ask when his/her birthday is.  Remember at Christmas to send something for the companion. 

Most missionaries love and really appreciate a couple of dollars tucked in a letter.  For some, $5.00 could be a couple of lunches at a fast food place.  You don't have to send a lot, but once in a while, especially if you think the missionary may not have a lot of extra money, a little would be a blessing.  This is especially true towards the end of the month when their money may be gone.

Our mission now requires all missionaries to have a bike.  This has been a huge amount of work for the office and a surprise for many missionaries and families.  Some simply cannot afford a bike.  And a bike is not all - there are helmets, lights, bumpers for at least the Sisters, and other things needed, too.

We've had several real miracles associated with getting these bikes.  One mother of a missionary in a different mission read about this and called and donated 2 complete bikes for missionaries who really need one.  What a huge blessing for our mission.  Thanks so much to her.   Members of a ward here donated 2 bikes.  The Ward mission leader bought and added the helmets & other needed things. Thanks to those who have helped by giving bikes in other ways and getting helmets and lights for needy missionaries. 

I LOVE serving this mission.  I cannot tell you how happy I am.  I find so much joy every day.  The missionaries are so young (I am 72) and bring such a wonderful spirit.  I can't help but love them before they get here, after I type and send letters, prepare their incoming book, fill out files on them.  I can't always remember their names when I see them and that frustrates me totally.  But I know that they are here because Heavenly Father wants each of them here (and I know he wants me here.)  I know Heavenly Father is real.  He is alive.  He knows each one of us and our individual feelings and thoughts.  He is our real Father.  He wants us to succeed.  He especially wants his missionaries to succeed.  We know there is opposition that does not want them to succeed. So missionaries have this new opposition in a new place doing new work.  It is understandable the missionary could be discouraged and worried and thinking they can't do want they need to do.  Please remember to write and send something once in a while to any missionary who is in the field.  It may seem a little thing for you - but may be a huge thing for the missionary.

Photos -finally!

The dates on the first 3 photos are completely off.  I forgot to set them.  :-)

This is our 'Transfer Board'.  It is one of the most 'important' and 'sought after' things for missionaries to look at.  This is where photos of every missionary are hung.  The blue signs at the top indicate zones.  The smaller aqua signs indicate districts.  The pink squares hold photos of the Sisters in our mission.  The yellow squares hold photos of missionaries called to speak Spanish.  They are hard to see, but there are a few cards who are 1/2 pink and 1/2 yellow - indicating Sisters called to speak Spanish.

The 'Transfer Board' is housed in the President office and missionaries rarely, if ever, see it. 
They LOVE to have a chance to stand and look at it.

Transfer day, April 30, 2012.  The new missionaries are inside the Prater Church, the peach/pink building you can see in the background.  Seen here are their companions-to-be or missionaries who are being transferred from one place to another.  I wish I could have been on the roof of the mission office, which is behind me.  Then I could have taken a really good picture of every one outside.  I love this time and having so many missionaries around.  What a great spirit is there.  It was a beautiful day, too.

 

We had 14 new Sisters incoming for these transfers.  There were 13 Elders incoming.

6 of these (3 Sisters and 3 Elders) are 'Visa Waiters' - one going to Peru and 5 to Brazil.  While they are waiting for their visas to go through they will serve in our mission and then leave for the mission they were called to.  We also have 2 'Temple Square' Sisters serving in our mission.  Temple Square missionaries go to more 'traditional' missions for a couple of transfers to serve.

This is our mission office.  It used to be a Seminary building.  It is in the back of the parking lot you see in the above photos.  It was mostly gutted and redone inside before we got here last year in June.
The Nevada Reno mission opening last July 1, 2012.  It is beautiful inside.  I love the flowers on the
bushes in front.

Large & Small miracles

A month or so ago our mission began asking all missionaries to have a bike.  Even if they also have a car they need to take their bikes with them, park, bike or walk around and the go back to their car.
This will save gas and make missionaries more visible which helps let people know we are around.

That is in addition to a number of bike only areas we have because we don't have, and won't have enough cars for all the missionaries.

Missionaries in our mission didn't expect this and neither did families.  So this has been very difficult for a number of missionaries and their folks.  We've seen a lot of miracles to do with bikes and are still having special things happen.  Bikes have been given to missionaries by people in wards or other missionaries, money for some part of needs given,  and they've been loaned by one missionary to another.  Last week a woman called and said she wanted to donate 2 bikes anonymously.  One ward donated 2 bikes and then the ward mission leader paid for helmets, locks and lights. 

We see things happen regularly that make us know how Heavenly Father blesses missionaries.

Another special blessing - this didn't happen in our mission but in the Boston Mission.  This is a quote from a good friend.  Lynlee is her grand-daughter and she is quoting her daughter.

"Lynlee is returning home from her Boston mission this Friday.  We are so excited to see her.  I don't think she is sharing that same feeling."   (Missionaries often don't want to leave the mission and those they're working with. - not part of the quote.)

 "She has been in Boston during all this past week's upheaval.

"On their P Day on Monday, the Elders and Sisters were going to go to the Boston Marathon.  They all met and then kept doing one thing and then another, and finally the thought did not enter their heads to go to the Marathon.  I just can't believe that is all coincidence.  I wonder how the Spirit works to take a thought out of all these missionaries heads and put something else into it.

"Lynlee said she knew there was trouble when all the helicopters started passing them, and then 31 police cars with sirens wailing passed them.  The mission president called them and commanded them to get to their cars and leave the city immediately.  Lynlee said they were running to their cars.

"She has been there on this mission through the storm, Sandy, and another devastation and now this.

"I think you all know how thankful we are that these missionaries go with great blessings."

We are thankful, too.   We love the missionaries and know that God lives and loves them and is aware of all that is happening in the world.  He wants the missionaries to be successful. 

Part of a Day in the Office for me

March 28, 2013
A couple of notes:  Today we heard via the grapevine that the Church is only calling one couple per mission.  The rest of the office staff will be local Church Service Missionaries.  I think this is probably because of the increase of missions and the shortage of Senior missionaries.....We need you older folks!!!

Missionaries who have been in the field for a while LOVE neck ties.  This is really the only change they have in their clothes..  Ask your Elder if he'd like neckties he can trade.  If so, go to Good Will or etc. and buy a bunch at a small price and send them as a gift.

I often get asked what I do in the Mission Office as the Mission Secretary.  Yesterday I decided to write down what I did.  I only lasted until noon when I got so busy the idea when out the window.  Here is what I got for 1/2 a day:

8:00 am - office opens
* Devotional (with other office missionaries - prayer, thought, what is going on today)
* Phone call - Church Service missionaries will be in late - Dr. appt. at 9:00
* Forwarded e-mail to appropriate office people and President
* Volunteer we talked to at Church came in - we talked to him for a while
* President came in - gave us information - during the rest of the morning he was in and out of his office as he worked and talked to office workers (including me) at various times
* Phone Call - non-member wanting rent - gave her Transient Bp. phone  number
* Checked computer and found 3 new missionaries coming in - June & July
* Ran off information for files on 3 new missionaries.  Made files.
* Did labels for their files
* Missionary Sisters  called - need copies of items- wrote it down & will try to get copies made
    before they come in this afternoon (Didn't get it done - they had to make them when they came in.)
* 'Mark' came in - had him fill cabinet with videos.  Talked with him.  (He is a homeless by choice
    young man who has walked across part of the US.  Knows a lot about the Church.  He drops by
    often - almost daily - because "it feels good here"  and wants to see if a missionary happens to be
    at the office and can take a few minutes to 'read the Book of Mormon' with him.  Has taken one
    lesson at the church and stood up the Elders today for another one.) He helps do whatever I need.
* Elders came in for supplies - filled order & talked to them briefly.
* Sorted through my work to evaluate what needs to be done most.
10:00 -
* Two phone calls responding to an e-mail about a hair brush a new sister left @ overnight apt.
* Phone call - transferred
* Assistants came in - gave them a message about an Elder extremely allergic to cats
* Made supply list - took a while checking all cabinets, etc.
* Made supply order - takes a while for a big order like the one I did -  Sent to Pres. to OK
* Mail  arrived - Large incoming pile today -  Sorted and delivered in-office mail
* Sorted mail to open and forward at my desk
* Telephone call to transfer
* Typed labels for mail  and ran off - left them to attach and finish black-lining & stamping 'forward'  mail for later when people are there and I need to talk to them because the rest of forwarding mail is mindless work
* Typed labels for Transfer board - 2 new 'zones' - several new 'districts' - lots of new addresses and
   'areas' -  lots of 'DL' and 'ZL' cards
*  Put all of the above in magnet holders - this takes a loooonnnnggg time.  A missionary was there and not busy because his companion was having an interview with Pres. so I had him help me.
* Phone - address needed
* Phone called transferred.

This is where I ran out of time to write things down.  I think I missed several phone calls on this list.
By now it was about noon.

OK - it is now 9:04 pm and I need to get busy and then to bed.  More later...

Our Reno Mission
Elder Dee Lynn and Sister Lois Ann Lynn

June 24, 2012
Tomorrow is the last day we will be at the Las Vegas West Mission.
We've spent 2 weeks at the MTC and 2 weeks here in Las Vegas.
We were to stay here until transfers, which are tomorrow and then Tues. morning we will leave for Reno.  It is an 8 hour drive.

Observations about the last 4 weeks:

Memo to Bishoprics:   It is really difficult to have a farewell one day and be at the MTC the next day.  We were exhausted on Monday:)
We loved being at the ward and their wonderful response; the family gathering and really appreciated them being there; were excited to see Bryson ordained an Elder before leaving for the Marines the same day we started at the MTC and felt badly we didn't get to spend any time at all with those who came to our house after.

The MTC always is WONDERFUL.  The spirit is so strong.  The young Elders and Sisters are a joy to watch.  LA always loves watching the Elders eat.  The food there is really good.  The mass of young missionaries at the firesides is humbling and listening to them sing the traditional missionary 'Called to Serve' brings you to tears.
The training the first week covers 'Preach My Gospel' and if you stay the 2nd week because you are in an office, doing humanitarian, etc.  the training is amazing.  They are really well organized and young returned missionaries do a great deal of the training.

We left Thusday evening and went home, washed a few clothes, packed the car with Todd and Carson's help and left Sat. am to drive to Las Vegas.  We got lost once we were in town and couldn't find the Stake President's home where we would be staying.  We called the Las Vegas Mission President.  He and his wife came and found us and brought us to 'Spiced Strawberry Street.'  President and Sister Richards have a
'casita' on top of their garage where we have lived for 2+ weeks.  It is really nice, with some food preparation facilities and it's own bathroom.  We have been very comfortable here with the air conditioning being very important in these (today 102 degree) temps.

President and Sister Black (NLVM Pres) are a perfect pair as mission president and wife.  He is not only very much on track with his mission work and dealing with the missionaries (firm and decisive) but loving and so pleasant to be around.  He has a funny sense of humor which often has the office and missionaries laughing so people love being around him.  She is so personable and kind.  She is very
effective in her duties.  It doesn't hurt that she is beautiful and that it is obvious her husband repects her as an equal in their calling and her responsibilities.

Brother and Sister Zobell are the Office Sec. and Financial Sec.  Bro. Condor (vehicles) and Sister Condor (baptisms & referrals) are also very pleasant and easy to be around.  Brother Dana is a local service missionary and the main wheel for cars. Pun intended  :) Everyone of these people have given us everything you can think of by way of help.  We have 2 zip drives full of things and LA has 5 binders full of things to help us get started in our new Reno Mission.

As for Reno, our office will be in an old Seminary building there - a small one.  One of the Assistants was there last weekend and he was excited to see that the walls are back up and painted.  :D  We hope that means that this past week the carpet is in, the shelving, desks, phones, file cabinets, computers and everything else needed is in.  We have been told there is a pallet of paper products there.
We know will still need to get more supplies. 

We will be there Wed. and by Sunday (July 1) everything needs to be in place.  Our Reno Pres. Hermansen and his wife and family are arriving Sat. evening. So are the Pres. and Sister from the Las Vegas and the Las Vegas West missions.  On Sunday after Church the
3 President couples will meet for 2 hours then the two couples from Las Vegas will fly home and the Reno mission will be open.

We were able to get an apt. in Reno and have a bed and table and chairs coming on Tues.  Then sometime when we have time, we will need to go look for the rest of what we need in our apt.

One kind of humorous note - we will begin our mission with an Assistant to the Reno President donated from both the Nevada Las Vegas Mission and the Nevada Las Vegas West Mission.  It appears the two Assistants will be Elder Marks and Elder Sparks.  They will live in Sparks and as the word gets out, this is causing a chuckle among the Elders.

This Reno mission has been formed by combining the two Las Vegas Missions which previously covered all of Nevada, a little of Utah and California.  Now the other 2 missions will cover the small southern corner where Las Vegas is.  We will have all of the rest of Nevada.  We are taking 73 missionaries from the LV West mission and 14 from the Las Vegas mission. About 2 weeks from now we will be getting 16 new missionaries from the MTC.  6 weeks after that we will get another 22 missionaries.  No one will go home during all of that time.  By Christmas we should have about 180 missionaries, as will both of the other 2 Nevada Missions.

We are both so excited to be here.  We LOVE being around the missionaries.  We have really enjoyed being in the Las Vegas West Mission office.  We are excited to meet the new Mission President and his wife and 2 children.  We are excited to get to the cooler temps in Reno. :D  We are hoping and need your prayers that we can remember all of the things we have learned in a month and that they will come to mind at the appropriate time.

Thanks for your support and love.   We love you.
Elder and Sister Lynn

March 8 -
It has been a long time since I've written - all during this blog from the beginning.  When I left for our mission, I was healthy, I felt and the Drs. felt.  Then I ended up climbing stairs every day to get to our housing and later found that caused my right hip to deteriorate very quickly and ended up with a lot of pain and finally a hip replacement the day after Christmas.  Before that I had 2 teeth (which were supposed to be fine for more than a year) break at the gum line with cracks up into the roots.  So they had to be extracted - including one dug out  in pieces.  At Thanksgiving we rushed to the hospital after tests on Elder Lynn to have his totally blocked carotid artery cleaned out.  Then about a month ago I started having a lot of sinus problems and ended up with bronchitis and lots of stuff in my lungs and lots of coughing.   I think I've finally conquered that.  I'm beginning to feel better than I can remember for a long time.  So, after telling you all that, I am going to try to write more often.

One thing I want to say, though, is that we have been tremendously blessed by being on a mission during all of this.  Personally, being here and needing to be in the office from 8-5 daily has made a huge difference for me.  If I'd been home these last months would have seemed to have lasted forever.  Being busy has kept my mind of my problems and pain and I have been so happy.  Plus, we've had wonderful Drs. found in really interesting ways - probably the best in the West. 

And of course, to top all of this off, had we been at home, we'd never have known to have the tests Elder Lynn had.   He would either be seriously disabled or dead from another stroke.  The Dr. who worked on him couldn't believe he hadn't had problems before the surgery, the carotid artery was so totally blocked.

So we've been incredibly blessed because we are on this mission. 

On to the mission....

We had a wonderful experience yesterday.  An older woman drove up to the mission office and came in.  She wondered if she was in the right place.  Then she went to her car and brought in 2 bags of things.  I asked her name and she wouldn't tell me.  The President happened to be there and I called him out of his office and he came to meet her.   She finally told him her last name.  Then she returned to her car for one more sack.  An Elder in the office went with her to carry it in.  On the way out of the door she said, "The Lord has greatly blessed me and I want to do something in return."  She got the sack from the car, gave it to the Elder, got in the car and drove off.  She did not want any recognition.  She had given us 8 new boxes of silverware and 2 toasters.  The interesting thing is that an companionship of Elders had just called and asked for a toaster when we could get one.  Each of those boxes can be divided for more than one set of missionaries!

What a blessing!

Just a few minutes later a Sister came with 2 chairs and a vacuum.  We need those things.
We've had several people bring used men's suits, white shirts, neckties, belts, socks and shoes.
We've also gotten women's clothes.  You should see the missionaries go through these things.

A woman called yesterday.  Her husband has just gotten a job across the country.  Their children are all grown and gone and they are downsizing pretty seriously rather than pay for moving things.  They wanted to know what we can use in the mission.  Plus some clothes her last missionary son can't wear any more (size change.)  They are moving at the end of March so we will have more donated things by then.

Our next transfer is March 19.  This is such a busy time!  We have 4 missionaries returning home honorably and we will really miss them.  We have 2 'Temple Square' sisters coming to work for 2 transfers at that time.  Temple square missionaries go out to other missions for a time to work as other missionaries do.  We have 6 'Visa Waiters' at our mission now and they will be leaving as soon as they get their visa's and go to Brazil for their missions.  We will have 13 Sister's (1 Spanish Assignment) and 13 Elders (1 Spanish Assignment) arriving on the 19th.  We are so excited and racing as fast as we can to get ready for them.

This means President will need to choose trainers (our best experienced missionaries) for each of them.  There will need to be a place for them to live - furnished.  A local couple, the Blankenships handle all of this. Apartment rentals or leases need to be signed and deposits made.  Then the information needs to go to Salt Lake so they can be paid regularly Utilities need to be turned on.  Elder Lynn does both of these things.  Transportation (cars or bikes) will need to be arranged for.  A credit card for each missionary needs to be ordered and arrive. (Elder Lynn)  A phone for each companionship has to be ordered, received, turned on with phone numbers recorded. (Elder Lynn)  A incoming book needs to be made for each new missionary. (Sister Blankenship) A transfer board card for the transfer board needs to be printed, cut out, laminated, cut out and a magnet needs to be put on the back for each new missionary. (Sister Lynn) Food needs to be arranged for the incoming missionaries for breakfast and lunch, and for the departing missionaries for dinner and breakfast. (Blankenships)  Schedules need to be made with assignments for the President and Sister Hermansen, the Assistants, the Vehicle person, the Sister who does referrals and baptisms, (Elder & Sister Smegelski);  Elder Lynn who talks about housing and problems and cards with money on them.  I collect papers, put a photo on the back on the ministerial card and laminate it, and trim it; talk about name tags, letters and packages, communication with parents and others that missionaries aren't allowed to call;  arrange forms so we can communicate with parents or guardians and arrange for the first letter home to be written.  We all answer questions.  This period of training lasts about 4 hours or so.  Meanwhile, President interviews every missionary so he can determine who their companion will be and then prays about and chooses companions.  By about 4 or so trainers have arrived and then there is a meeting where companions meet each other.  I wish you could see this.  There are so many hugs, back  pats, so much smiling and excited - especially by the trainers as they meet their new missionary...  New missionaries by this time are looking a little glassy eyed and smiling and acting as excited as exhausted new missionaries can!  Then they all to a meeting where cars are assigned and keys given out by the Vehicle Coordinater, Pres. Hermansen gives instructions and the missionaries who are leaving bear their testimonies.  Missionaries come to the office and collect mail and boxes sent there, gather up the new missionaries luggage, get in cars and trucks and leave.   President and Sister Hermansen take the departing missionaries for dinner and to the mission home where they have a final meeting and spend the night.  They have gone with the Hermansen's to the final temple session in Reno earlier in the week.  Early in the morning they are taken to the plane or wait for people to pick them up. 

More later....