Saturday, Jan 5, 2013
Wow, a new year.  We are starting our second year.  That seems strange since we've only been here two months.  I guess it just seems like a year since we are missing all of you so much.  We started out the week with a great missionary experience.  Since we have to get most of our missionary moments vicariously we really eat it up when the missionaries come in with their stories.  (By the way we were told in the MTC that when the mission president interviewed us when we arrived, if he asked us if we knew the imos computer program and we said, no, then he'd put us out proselyting.  Some days in front of the computer I wished I would have said that "no.")  Back to the story, two of the Spanish elders came into the office so excited.  The night before they had knocked on a door where some Spanish people were holding a religious meeting.  They were invited in and even were asked to bear their testimonies.  They were asked to leave some Book of Mormons and found out that a number there couldn't even speak the Spanish, let alone English.  They spoke Mam.  It is a language from the hills of Mexico and Guatemala.  It's Mayan in origin.  There are actually some translation of the Book of Mormon in Mam and the elders knew they had at least one copy in their trunk.  They went out to the car and in the trunk there were 7 copies of the Book of Mormon in Mam, just the number they needed for those in the meeting.  They were so amazed and were in the office to have me order more copies in Mam.  I felt like I was part of the miracle and I ordered more quickly.
  We had a fun New Year's Eve and Day.  We went to dinner at a seafood restaurant on the Sound with the two other office couples and ate great salmon and watched the ferries go in and out and other boats.  It was beautiful because it was clear and not raining for a change.  Then we went up to the zoo where "Zoo Lights" were displayed.  It was beautiful, kinda like our Botanical Gardens in Boise.  Then on New Year's Day we went to a Mexican restaurant for one of the sister's birthday and then to see Les Mis.  Well, it was sold out so we saw Parental Guidance instead.  It was so funny.  I'd recommend it.  Even Jerry stayed awake.  Today we are going back to see Les Mis.  Everyone has recommended it to us.
  This week in the office I have been trying to clean up baptism records.  The missionaries call baptisms to the AP's on Sunday nights and then they send in the paper work.  Well, sometimes the paper work doesn't make it so we have to match up the call ins to what we actually get and send to SLC.  The way the elders spell from these call ins leave much to be desired.  It's like detective work and sometimes quite funny.  I'm still searching for over a dozen.  I make calls and the missionaries promise to send them in.  It's like working with children all over again.  I also have to schedule all the buildings and lunches for the year.  I'm waiting for the President's calendar and he's waiting for dates of incoming missionaries from SLC.  We are all waiting.  Hope I can get all next week and start the scheduling.  Jerry has been busy looking for sisters' apartments.  We get 26 new missionaries this month and most are the sisters.  It's good they have Jerry because when he goes out to look at apartments, if he wouldn't put his daughters in them, he won't put the sisters there.  Some places are bad.  He makes sure they will be safe and happy.  He had a bonus this week.  The Church has extended their cell phone contract and so the missonaries won't get new phone this Spring.  They will get them the end of September.  That night mare has been put off.  Maybe by then he thinks he might know what he is doing.
  Well that has been the update.  We are learning slowly and progressing - not making as many mistakes.  Miss you all and are thankful for your prayers and support.  We need them.