Sunday, January 13, 2013
  Greg reminded us that yesterday was our two month anniversary of being out, only 10 to go and according to Kyle who keeps track of percentages, that's 1/5 down.  Does it sound like we are counting?  Actually we have had some good experiences this last week that help us stay positive.  Sunday night was the fireside I was telling you about last week.  And yes, I sang in a choir.  Of course with 80 other voices I didn't ruin things.  The missionaries really sing with gusto.  They sang a number of songs, Call to Serve, Battle Hymn of the Republic, Because I have Been Given Much - with special added mission words, and Amazing Grace the mission theme song and it was amazing.  The missionaries going home bore testimonies, the President and his wife and Tacoma Stake President talked too and then there were also a sisters double quartet and an elders double quartet.  There was also a solo by an elder accompanied with violin, cello and piano.  They were all fabulous musicians.  People were invited to bring investigators and the chapel and cultural hall were filled.  This was only half the mission and we will do it again next weekend with the other half of the mission.  I will get to sing again!!!  Maybe I should practice, but there is no hope.  I'll just keep saying "watermelon, watermelon" with a smile on my face.
  This week I have been scheduling mission conferences and lunches and the corresponding buildings.  A lot of e-mails and calls.  Then since it's the end of the year there are baptism reports for the wards and stakes.  Since the missionaries aren't always the best in getting the paper work in, I have had to make a lot of calls.  Even the Mission President was calling them to find the records.  I guess they are still kids you need prompting.  Jerry has been frantically looking for apartments for the new missionaries coming in in January and March.  We get around 40 new ones, so that is alot of housing and furniture.  We get two new senior couples too.  
  Tuesday we started our sign language classes.  It was very interesting and we have been working on memorizing the alphabet all week.  We also learned some phrases and my favorite one if "Slow Down" and "Repeat."  Today at church we are suppose to go great a deaf person and tell them our name.  I hope I don't swear at them in the process.  Finally more people in the ward talked to us and I found out one girl was a roommate to Erin Start, one a cousin to Judy and Doug Holladay, one a mission companion to Dan LeDuc.  Amazing world.
  I've had a bit of Carolyn Jones world instead of Sister Jones.  Had to go to Costco for office supplies, Ashley Furniture for apartment furniture and Macy's for nylons.  Who'd have thought I'd love being in Costco, now Macy's a given.  It certainly was a break back to my worldly ways (even though there was a mission purpose).
  Friday was a special day.  We got to go to our first baptism.  It was with the elders and sisters assigned to our ward who had been working on a family and this was their youngest son.  In the afternoon three sisters ran into the office looking for a bowl and towel because they had brought one of the sisters in to get a blessing and she was having a case of Meneiers.  I understood what her vertigo was all about.  Jerry and the other senior elder in the office went out to give her a blessing and that night she was looking good and feeling better.  She'd gone back to their apartment and slept and woke up able to stand without spinning.  What a blessing as she only has three weeks left on her mission and had worked with this family and really wanted to be there to see the fruits of her labors.  Our mission president's favorite word is "miracles."
  We've had sun for a couple of days and more than just "breaks."  It's been cold, in the 20's and 30's and the people here think that's really cold.  I just love seeing the sun and no rain.  It's been staying lighter long and I love not going to work in the dark and coming home again in the dark.  We hear Idaho and Utah have had a lot of snow.  Keep warm and we'll keep dry.  Miss and love all of you.