SPECIAL ZONE CONFERENCE

Wow, the weeks are flying by.  This week was very busy.  We had a general authority, Elder Kopischke, come to visit and tour the mission.  We have 5 zones in our mission and we usually have a separate zone conference for each one.  Because of our special visitor we had two zone conferences in two days that included all the missionaries.  Elder Kopischke didn't disappoint.  He has a really cute personality and taught us lots of good things about missionary work.  He's sitting exactly in the center in the second row.

Zone Conference - We're over there on the right sight.  I have an orange jacket on.

Wednesday night we had a dinner with all the Senior couples in the mission.  It was so good to meet the other couples and put faces to voices on the phone.  It was fun to hear what the others do.  Our life in the office is a lot different than theirs.  Our dinner was delicious.  The wife of the stake president made it. Afterward,  we just sat in a circle and visited with Elder Kopischke.  First he told us thank you for coming on a mission and then asked us if we'd come back again and again and again, please come 4 times.  He says they are so desperate for more senior missionaries.  Then we could ask him questions.  Chris asked him why single men can't go on missions.  He said he doesn't know, but speaking of himself personally, he'd never survive a mission without his wife.  It was a great day and evening together. 

OFFICE LIFE

It's been really cold this past week:  cold--bitter wind--no sun--miserable.  Now it has warmed up again and we are having balmy fall weather.  When it's really cold like that, it's hard to get the office warm.  For some reason, I am the designated caretaker of the thermostat.  I feel like when it's really cold, the thermostat only works in the bathroom.  It stays cold in the office but if you go in the bathroom in the building, it's like a sauna in there.  It feels soooo good. 

You never know

You never know what skills you might need.  One night at 10:00 I got a phone call from Sister Dodds, the secretary.  She lives two houses up from us.  She wants to know if we have a pair of plyers.  Chris has his leatherman, so yes.  She told me why she needed them and I said, say that again?  She couldn't get out of her skirt.  So she came down and I used the plyers to get the zipper down on her skirt.  We laughed and laughed.  She was afraid she'd have to wear that skirt her whole mission.  She was getting pretty desperate by the time she called.

Update on angry man 

Last week I mentioned that a man called me up and lectured me somewhat angrily for quite awhile.  Well, Monday morning we got to the office and he was standing there.  When he introduced himself I was pretty scared, but he was nice as could be.  He offered to help us move the sister missionaries into their new place.  It was a cold, bitter, sleeting day.  Chris took him with him and they delivered the box springs we had in our car, then went and got some mattresses out of another apartment and delivered them to the new apartment.  We are missionaries but we are also furniture movers. And it was a good lesson for me on being judgmental. I get those a lot.  He is a very nice man and wants so badly to be helpful that he got his feelings hurt when I didn't involve him.  Now I've got him inspecting apartments and he is very happy.

Old missionaries can learn new tricks

I have a new trick and I'm so proud of myself.  I can talk on the phone with the phone on my left ear, so I can write with my right hand while I talk. 

Lunch at Smokin Joes on Saturday with leftovers for Sunday and Monday:  Chicken Fried Steak and potatoes, Fried Okra, Ribs, Onion Rings.  

MISSIONARIES are still so cute!

Apartments

Well, here I go again.  Missionaries are so cute!  I had to find a place for some missionaries on really short notice.  First I called several other missionaries to see if there was room in their apartment for 4.   No---No---No-- then I asked the Assistants, who happened to be in the office.   Their apartment fit the criteria, they have 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. 

 I said, tell me what the pros and cons are of 2 more missionaries moving into your apartment.  

Pros - 1. It would save us money on another apartment. 2. We wouldn't have to find another apartment.

Cons - 1. It would be far away from their area. 2. Because they are assistants, they have missionaries coming and going for exchanges and would at least twice a week have 6 missionaries staying in the apartment.  

It was clearly a bad idea to use their apartment for 2 more permanent missionaries, but they kept saying to each other.  We've got to find more pros.  If we think hard, we could think of more. (the 2 pros they did think of were basically the same) Come on, let's think of more pros... but they couldn't.  They were so cute!

Mileage

We've been told to crack down on the amount of miles the missionaries are driving.  This is a big mission and it's rocked the mission to have to cut back on miles.  On our mission facebook page, the missionaries are sharing ideas on how they are staying within their miles.  Instead of complaining, for the most part they are finding ways to make it work.  One set published a chart they had made.  They figured up how many miles they needed to get to meetings, then they divided the rest up in their plans for each day.  Again, I get a kick out of their good attitude. 

I graduated from physical therapy.  My knee is lots better.  It mostly keeps me from moving furniture and stuff like that, so it's actually a blessing.  You get to ring the bell when you graduate.