Whirlwind!!
We are constantly on the road! This week we traveled to San Rafael (twice in one day) to pick up mission vehicles, Fairfield twice and Stayed up in Ukiah a couple of days. One of the vehicles the mission procured was a new truck for us to use as the housing coordinators. It's a brand new Ford F250 Super Duty. The thing is a beast and we swear the shocks are missing. 😂 We love it though as we can transport more things and tow the mission trailer with no problem. We also are grateful as it saves our car from piling on the miles! In just 5 days we put about 500 miles on that truck.
Every day is different and priorities shift from day to day. We are learning fast to adapt to the moment and write all our tasks down as they pile up quick. On any given day we get a text or a phone call from missionaries who have a need or a problem. Just like in the military we plan our week and then, when the battle starts, we throw the plans out the window.
In the MTC they told us we would have our P-Day on Saturday. Well, we don't know what a P-Day is. I don't think we have had a P-Day since we entered the mission field. We typically work 6 days a week from sunrise to sunset (and many times after sunset). We look forward to the sabbath day to rest and recharge; body and spirit. We are not alone as the other senior couples tell us the same thing - the Lord's work is constant but super rewarding. As we mentioned in other blog posts, we are very happy. Our tiredness is a happy tiredness. We love what we are doing as we feel our work is of great value and making a difference.
The mission apartments and furnishings are in need of refreshing. So we spend a great deal of time meeting with the young missionaries to try and determine what needs they have. Initially the missionaries will tell us all is great, but after asking questions and some prodding, they will tell start to tell us what is broken or old. Just yesterday during an apartment move we looked at the office chairs these Elders had and they were both broken with an illegal amount of duct tape holding them together. We asked the Elders about it and they said, "Yeah, but they're ok." They are so wonderful and simply do with what they have - but it shouldn't be that way. We immediately took those chairs away, went down to Staples got them new ones. We are on a mission to replace old, broken stuff and to ensure they are living in good places. They also had an old extra mattress that we determined has been in the mission 14 years!!! We threw that away as well. During this same apartment move we had several Elders helping us. We gave them each a shower mat and you would have thought it was the best Christmas gift they ever received. We decided to give each apartment (each bath to be exact) a shower mat for health and safety reasons.
We are inspecting apartments and, after meeting with the mission leaders, make decisions on whether to move the missionaries (due to various reasons). This week we moved a companionship and tomorrow we move two more. From early June when we arrived in the mission field thru mid September we will have secured 13 new apartments and moved 8 companionships. With each move we purchase a variety of furnishings and housewares. For some apartments we have to buy a complete set of items. We spend a great deal of time in the truck/car, in apartments and in stores.
The missionaries are wonderful when moving - they all help and do a wonderful job. After the last move we took the missionaries out to lunch. Their funds do not allow them many opportunities for eating out so they love going out to lunch. Missionaries in our mission are fed by the members only on weekends. The exception to that rule is with us as a senior couple - so we get to spoil them. And we love spoiling them. For lunch we typically try to take them to nicer places instead of McDonald where they typically go.
So we are exhausted but happy!! In fact, very happy!! We love serving the Lord and his missionaries.
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