A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT WE DO

Hi!  Well, tomorrow we'll have been here one month and one week.  It seems a lot longer than that, but that's not counting the week at the MTC.  Even though we aren't proselyting missionaries, or office people, we keep pretty busy trying to do what the Bishop, ward mission leaders, Elders, Sisters, and sometimes the office people need us to do.  The RS president gave us a list of sisters who need to be visited - mostly elderly.  We have visited with a lot of them since last Friday, and have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them.  We visited a lady yesterday who will be 100 in June.  She said her people just keep living; they don't die.  Her sister just passed away at the age of 105.  We hope to help celebrate her 100th birthday.  She doesn't socialize; just stays home.  She's more like 80 or 90, than her age, but she's lost most of her hearing, so doesn't go out much.  She was a delight to get to know, as are the others we visited with.  We have meetings every Friday morning with the zone leaders, Elders and Sisters, and sometimes (like tomorrow) take part in teaching part of the training.  We've had to teach in the gospel essentials once.  We have meetings almost every Sunday - 8:00 or 11:30, then church at 1:00 (our most favorite time - NOT).  We get together with the other senior missionaries almost every Sunday evening and do dinner.  On the first Thursday of the month, we fix lunch for 40 missionaries who come for mission leadership meeting.  We've only done it once, and we fed them potato bar, salad, fruit, hot rolls, brownies.  They loved the meal, and raved about it, so it was a success.  A week ago, and every six weeks, we feed lunch to the new missionaries, zone leaders, and sister trainers.  There were only eight new missionaries, but next time there are about 20 coming.  We also help the next morning for breakfast at the transfer meeting.  It was wonderful, and a learning experience, for us to see what happens when the Elders/Sisters get transferred or are going home.  Emotional, tears.  Anyway - there is always something for us to do, and we're ready for bed at night.  We love the other senior missionaries.  We all get along really well, and that makes it all good.  We've had little miracles, meeting people we feel that God has put in our path for us to talk to.  We are praying that they will call the number on the 'pass-out' card (as Ray calls it), and have the missionaries come teach them.  It's hard to fit time in for letters and emails.  Always something to do.  Today I ironed four of Ray's shirts, but there are more to do.  That will give him enough to last for a bit.

This is our sweet friend who will be 100 in June.