First "real" day..........

I do not plan on posting every day. But I had to say something about today. The couple in the office--mission secretary and finance--were in Utah for a week for family events (read weddings!!--yes, two of them!!) and they were back in the office today. For two days I heard a lot of "We'll have to ask Sis. Newman", "Let's wait and see what Sis. Newman says". So today we heard what Sis. Newman said!! She is a lovely lady--former kindergarten teacher--who loves the Lord and is serving with heart, might, mind and strength. And it's a good thing we waited to hear her!! She had a question about the copies of the Liahona we get......... so I called Salt Lake to see if we could make a change, etc. My answer--basically, no. Very politely said and that's okay. She was very kind and I was somewhat reticent to call anyway! So I divvied up what copies we had among our Spanish speaking missionaries. (I had no idea we had Spanish speaking missionaries in Alabama!)

I was then able to do what I really wanted to do first off...........make referrals!!! It is an amazing system!! They come from Salt Lake to our office. I then find out which ward/branch they live in and assign the referral to some missionaries. With one click!!! I can send the information by text to the missionaries!!!! I can now text faster than Julia!!!! And that's saying something!!......as you know. The missionaries can then make the contact and update the information so I can see what is happening. A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. what the Lord has done!!!! He has done so much to hasten His work!! I'm humbled that He will let me be a little part of it. I had to call the help line and got a very nice and cheerful young man in Provo who walked with me through a couple of referrals...........again......it's amazing what the Lord has done!! We were able to share screens so I could see what he was doing and he could see what I was doing............He was so kind and patient. I suppose he gets to work with senior sisters fairly often, since we are often called to work in the office. I hope I can be as positive an influence on someone else as he was with me.

Pres. Hanks wanted to talk with Roger and invited me along........he is also very kind. He is so concerned about how I am feeling about everything. He wants me to feel safe and has asked three times now if the apartment is okay. I think both Roger and I were feeling a little displaced and wondering if this could ever really feel like "home". But this morning Roger said he is feeling better about it.........I didn't know till then that he was struggling a little with it........as I have.......

Our "galley" kitchen.....you can see the corner of the sink on the left and the edge of the frig on the right. Immediately next to the frig is the stove and then 30 inches of counter space before the wall on the right-hand side.

I have chopped all our veggies and fruit on that little bit of cupboard in front of the toaster. There is about 15 inches to the left of the sink where I can put the washed dishes on a towel for a bit before drying them and putting them away. Yes. You can see a dish washer.......but we still wouldn't have filled it once!!! I'd much rather have another cupboard! I wonder if I will be able to get the hang of shopping for one week at a time!!?!?

The "view" from the front door.......the "bar" into the kitchen. I'm sitting at the table in the chair facing the door right now as I write this. Roger is lying on the couch......you can just see the corner of it peeking out of the left side of the picture. He worked so hard today.

We were told so many times "your mission president is going to love you!!" I know that will be true with Roger. Pres. Hanks "deputized" him today--well, me too, I suppose--but with Roger's nature and personality he is going to take a huge chunk of anxiety from the President. The first vehicle coordinator Pres. Hanks had was a stickler for detail (much as Roger is, I suppose)......but he had the program down to where he would text Pres. Hanks to tell him his car was due for an oil change this week!!! Then another couple was here and it all fell apart. Pres. Hanks told us today that he is not going to "look over our shoulders"........well......maybe a little with Roger, just because things got so behind. The young elders who have been filling that assignment for the last while (I don't know how long) have been amazing!!! They ARE amazing!! Certainly born in the computer age! And they have done much and very good work, they have just about everything back together, but they are peers........ I'm excited to watch Roger and see how he will do his part of this marvelous work! He spent a lot of time today calling missionaries to tell them their cars need and oil change NOW!!!

This is so long!!! Sorry!!! Just to tell you that Pres. Hanks gave me a couple of other assignments today........these are going to stretch me some!!! AWK!!!!!!!! Food for the mission leadership council meetings which are once a month and last through lunchtime and excursions for the senior couple missionaries every 4-6 weeks!!!!! See why I'm concerned!?!?!!??? This isn't "cook a big pot of food" stuff. This is call someone--Subway, a pizza place, etc.--and order it. That is SO much harder!!!! If I ask him about my "budget" he'll just say, "use what you need". This is plan something for others that will be fun. And I know very well that what's fun for me is not necessarily fun for you!!! Pres. Hanks is a BIG man!!! 6'6" and wide!!! He completely fills a doorway! And a personality to go with it. He said he got his leadership ideas from his father.........very "I give you an assignment and you do it" kind of attitude. And "I'm not going to continually check up on you"!!! MLC (mission leadership council) is June 30!!! AGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When Sis. Newman said she would help me, he made it very clear that only one of us is to be "in charge"........there will be no falling through the cracks........... there is so much I can learn from him if I'm smart enough to remember!!!

Okay..........I'm going to stop............it's been good to talk about it and relive my day............ We are having "sisters' training" tomorrow. And then next week, Tues-Thur, we are all going to the temple. They assign the couples when so there will be couples in each session and we are expected to participate. The other couples are excited about it............must be another wonderful experience. I'll let you know................

If you made it all the way through.......wow!!! You are amazing!!!