The Happy and the Sad

I am completely amazed at how the week flies by with so many things happening.  The days are jam-packed so full and it would be so hard to describe them.  This week, as all weeks, has definitely had its high points and low points.  The happy first:

On Sunday, the Barrus family invited us to dinner--Jason and Kami who are from Layton.  They have been so good to us and blessed us in so many ways.  They are so devoted to the church, have a great family with five adorable children, and it's so fun to be around them.  At the end of the dinner, Glen left them with a message for the children, reading "My Purpose as a Missionary" to them from Preach My Gospel"  and then having them compare it to the Fourth Article of Faith.  The Spirit was there.

On Monday evening, we had the monthly senior family home evening at Pres. and Sis. Black's home--the mission home.  From left to right are the Conders, who serve with us at the office, Glen and I, and Sis. Young and Sis. McDonald, who serve at the employment center, next to us in the DI complex.  It was a wonderful evening as usual.  Pres. and Sis. Black work so hard!

On Tuesdays, district meetings are held in the mornings.  The zone leaders come in to the office after these district meetings to pick up supplies and turn in vehicle and many other reports.  The office is full and there is always a lot going on when they come in and it's always so fun to see them and talk to them.  Elder Wilkerson and Elder Herlin came in and told me that they needed a desk.  (Can you believe how often I have to go get desks?)  I told them to start praying now--they live far enough away from the mission office that it's hard for them to come very often.  We got to DI and looked in the usual places, but there was nothing.  I told them about one huge desk out on the floor that I was aware of, but told them it may be too big for their apartment.  They wanted to see it anyway.   When they saw it, they were completely overjoyed and said it was perfect!   Elder Wilkerson is so cute and animated anyway, and he was SO excited!  Success again! 

 The next day, two sisters called me in the morning and said they were desperate for a dresser.  They begged to have one THAT DAY because they hadn't been able to unload their suitcases from transfers because they had no where to put their things.  (Why didn't I know this earlier?)  I told them also to pray for a miracle and I would go to DI right then to look for one, knowing that dressers are just as hard to come by as desks, and then I would call them and tell them what I found.  There was the perfect size of dresser there!  I couldn't believe it!  I called them and they came over immediately in their car, hoping it would fit if they put the back seats down.  No amount of rearranging seats would allow the dresser to fit in, and they were quite disappointed.  I suggested they call their zone leaders to help them but they said they knew the zone leaders  couldn't that day.  I suggested calling the assistants, who have a truck.  They called, and the assistants said they could, but it would be about 9:00 that night before they would be available.  The sisters' disappointment was deepened.  Right at that moment a truck with Utah license plates pulled up to the pick up area, and inside was a couple who appeared to be in their 60's.  I went to the truck, introduced myself and exchanged pleasantries, and then asked how their day was going.  They said it was great.  I asked them if they would be available to provide service to the sister missionaries (who were standing 6 feet away).  They said they would be delighted and would do anything at any time for the missionaries.  They loaded up the dresser into their truck, followed  Sis. Garcia and Sis. Brady to their apartment about 20 minutes away and helped them unload it and set it up!  Are people wonderful or what?   We thanked the Lord for his tender mercy.  Two days later I received the following letter in the mail:

It was totally unexpected and brought tears to my eyes.  Especially the three words at the bottom! 

That same day a senior missionary came to the office from the Las Vegas Mission to show us how Google Earth can help us with ward and stake boundaries and how Glen can add his missionary apartments and houses to the program to help him with his work.  As they got talking, Glen felt a kinship and understanding with this senior missionary, who felt that some of Glen's responsibilities could be shared with others in the office.  We met with Pres. Black who concurred, and now the load has been lightened for Glen, which will really help him.  This meeting was an answer to prayer and a sacred event.    

Oh, how fun when the missionaries come into the office.  Here is Elder Perez, from Mexico, Sister Ali'ifua, a Samoan, Elder Lloyd, Sister Argueta from Guatemala--a sweet, dear, amazing missionary--sweet, like the other Guatemalans we know and love, Elder Barlow, and Elder Weaver.  How we love them!

I went with Sister Carr and Sister Dewey to the Relief Society General Meeting.  It was so great to be with them.  The meeting was SO good, and I loved the three principles that Sister Burton wanted to emphasize during her presidency:  one, that all things that are unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  Two, there is  enabling power in the atonement to help us overcome the natural man.  Three, that the Atonement is the greatest evidence of  the Father's love for us.  I loved that--emphasizing the Atonement.  

We ended the day by going to the baptism of the family pictured in the center--a husband and wife and 10 year old son. They are solid.  It was in the Spanish ward of our mission, and to watch the missionaries in action was simply. . . awesome.  Two of the missionaries who spoke just came to the mission 8 weeks ago, and you couldn't believe their Spanish--it was a sight to behold.  (and hear!) This is Elder Brown, Elder Naranjo, from Columbia, Elder Tanner, Elder Diaz from Puerto Rico, and Elder Solis, from Mexico.  Elder Naranjo is here to be an English-speaking missionary.  What joy to see new people coming into the church!  The miracle of conversion is real, and the Latin people of Las Vegas are really adding to the strength of the church.  The bishop of the ward is a convert of 12 years and was amazing.

The sad part of the week is that we lost three missionaries to early departures.  I cannot express the sorrow that we feel because of it.  Because we have been here longer and know them more, it hurts more.  One of them we truly loved as he had helped us so much during our rough transfer week.  We've had true grief.  But to end on a happy note, today was fast and testimony meeting in our ward, and it was amazing.  Last week the teacher's quorum advisor challenged all the the teachers to fast and then bear their testimonies this week.  There are 12 in the teacher's quorum and 11 are active.  They were asked to fast for the one inactive member.  The teacher's quorum advisor bore his testimony first, a humble and sincere testimony, and then 10 teachers got up to bear theirs.  One teacher was out of town this week.  All of the teachers' testimonies were strong and deep, and it was evident that there is a closeness and unity in the quorum that was amazing.  Being at church is so inspiring and uplifting and it really strengthens us.  We're so grateful to those who bear their testimonies!

Transfer Week

Wow!  Miracles do happen!  We made it through the week, with the help of the Lord and others who were directed by Him.  What a week. . .

On Monday the 22 new missionaries came and I am devastated to say that I forgot to take my camera with me to their orientation.  We may never get such a huge transfer and I'm sick to think I don't have pictures of it!  Here's how transfer day happens:  The missionaries are picked up at the airport at 9:00 a.m. by Pres. and Sis. Black, the assistants, and Elder Dana.  Glen had to help pick them up last transfer, but since there were six fewer missionaries he didn't have to this time.  They are taken to the mission home for breakfast and pictures and then transported to the church near the mission office for their full day of orientation.  They drive past the mission office and we come out and say hi to them and then meet them an hour later for our part of the orientation.  Pres. and Sis. Black talks to them, the assistants talk to them, and then I welcome them as well, talk to them about their new binders and the papers they need to fill out, their mail, their nametags, giving blessings, passports, and a few other things.  Glen talks to them about their housing and cell phones.  Then I serve them lunch, clean up, and then return to the mission office to get other things ready.  They are oriented to their vehicles for the afternoon. Then Glen and I go back and take the mountains of mail and packages to distribute and he takes the cell phones, their MSF cards,  and the packets he has prepared for the new areas with the keys to their apts. in them and information they need.  Then Pres. Black announces the new companionships and has each new missionary come from behind the curtain of the stage and meet his/her new trainer.  It is so awesome to see the new missionary meet his/her new companion for the first time.  There is a lot of cheering among the other missionaries and a great feeling of comradery that is so neat to witness and be among.  Then we load up again and go back to the mission office.  This time we still had supplies we needed to give out and so we were at the mission office until 9:00 p.m.  We just hoped that the missionaries would find their new apartments, and that all would be in order there.  We were praying for them!

It was the last time that we would see Elder Humphery, the assistant who was going home the next morning. This is him playing a joke on Elder Dana by controlling Elder Dana's computer with another mouse without Elder Dana knowing it.  We were laughing our heads off as we saw his frustration with his "broken computer!"  Tears were just rolling down my cheeks!   Elder Dana was a good sport when he found out what was going on.  Anyway, as missionaries leave the office I always say them, "Hurrah for Israel!" and put my arm in the air.  Most of them respond with "Hurrah for Israel" too, and it's so fun.  Elder Humphrey said that wherever he goes now he always says "Hurrah for Israel" and said that it's my legacy now.  It was so sweet!  We have really missed him this week.

On Tuesday night, we had to go to an apartment to help some elders, so Glen helped them so they could have hot showers. We were there until 8:00 p.m. but it was fun for Glen to work together with the elders.

On Wednesday, I had a true miracle happen.  I still can't get over it.  Sis. Black called me at about 11:20 from the church where they were doing leadership training and asked me if the lunch for all 80 missionaries was coming because they hadn't seen anyone preparing for it.  I looked in a panic at my calendar and saw that I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR NOTIFYING THE STAKE RELIEF SOCIETY PRESIDENT about preparing the luncheon!  I had emailed her about 7-8 weeks before, but noticed on my planner in horror that she had indeed NOT responded to my email and I had failed to follow up on it.  I said a prayer and called her--at 11:22--and asked her if she had received my email.  She said she had not.  I told her what was going on, and there was a pause at the other end.  Very graciously, she said, "Let's just say a prayer, I'll go and order pizza, and we'll make this thing happen."  I was sick. . . devastated. . . horrified. . . embarrassed. . . you name it.  I called her back at about 3:00 to see what had happened.  Again, she was very gracious and said, "Actually, that was the best thing for me to not have to spend 7-8 weeks fussing about what we were going to serve, make assignments, etc."  She has been in charge of these luncheons before on several occasions.  She said, "Let me tell you about the miracles that occurred on my end--the pizza guy was able to make 25 pizzas in 30 minutes--I got a parking place at Costco on the front row--I grabbed veggie trays, drinks, etc. and checked out within 6 minutes--we got to the church and there happened to be four other sisters there and we all pitched in and had lunch to the starving missionaries by 12:20."  She kept saying, "Don't think another thing about it--don't worry--(I kept telling her how devastated I was)--it worked out so great, and we all saw the hand of the Lord helping us."  It was really a great lesson for me about how kind people can be in spite of the mistakes and weaknesses of others who are really trying to do their best.  Can you believe that happened?  I thought I was a responsible person!  What was amazing, is that after the leadership training, several elders stopped in at the office and I asked them how the training was--they all responded, "It was good--and the best part was that we got Papa John's pizza!"  But think of the miracle in the first place--that she was HOME when she answered the phone--that she was AVAILABLE to do it--think of all the scenarios that could have been!  And I was all alone at the office and didn't have a car to drive to the church, about 25 minutes away anyway!   Glen had the car and he was at the training!  I continue to marvel at the hand of the Lord that day.

That evening we left the mission office late as usual, and just as we got home at 8:00, the assistants called and said they had locked themselves out of their apartment.  Could Elder McMillan come back to the office and get a key for them?  Of course he could. . . He got back at about 9:30.  It was somewhat gratifying for me to see that others make mistakes too, and Glen responded so graciously even though he was dog tired.

Here I am doing my 110 or so letters that need to be done after transfers.  One for each missionary with a new leadership calling (assistants, zone leaders, district leaders, and trainers), one to inform each of their parents, and another letter with a picture of each new missionary to their parents, informing them that their missionary arrived here, the name of his/her new trainer, and the zone that they were assigned to.  Some of these missionaries need two letters to parents if they are divorced.  Remember that I am sending these letters to many different countries. BUT THEY ARE NOW FINISHED!!!  Please pray for me that none of the envelopes arrive to these parents empty again! 

We worked 8 hours again on our p-day so Glen could get caught up with all the things he has to do and didn't get done because of all the new apartments that had to be found and furnished.  Now we're hoping that next week we can say that we are caught up!  As we were talking about this, Glen said, "I really miss our family.  I miss seeing them.  I miss being with them."  Yes, we have still been homesick.  But we will press "onward, ever onward, as we glory in His name!" 

On Saturday, some elders called and asked if they could meet us at the mission office and get some desks and some desk chairs (the rolling office chairs are the elders' preference) from DI.  I told them that they should probably pray for a miracle because I had just bought two desks and two chairs for some elders the day before, so I knew that DI didn't have any, and that they are hard to come by.  I said several prayers in the morning, and in the afternoon, I went to DI before the elders got there.  DI allows me to go into the back where they process and price the things before they take them out to the front of the store to be sold.  And what did I find in the back?  Can you believe it?  Three desks and three office chairs that were perfect for what they needed.  They were so excited!  I told them they must have been praying pretty hard for this tender mercy to happen.  And  I was pretty excited too--it felt like Christmas!  "Forward, pressing forward, as the triumph song we sing, God our strength will be, press forward, ever called to serve our King!"

We're almost there!

What a week it has been!  Busy, demanding, unbelievable!  But through the tender mercies of the Lord we have accomplished so many things and feel so grateful.  We knew it was going to be this way--Elder Dana, the vehicle coordinator in the mission office said to us, "This will be the hardest week of your mission.  After this it will get better."  We hope he's right, because now the week is over, but we still know we have so much to do this coming week.  Remember the 130+ letters that I wrote the first week we were on our own here?  I need to do it again this week!  (I can't wait. . . ) One night we came home from the office so tired we could hardly get out of the car.  When we came in, I said to Glen, "I think I'm going to die."  When he said the blessing on the food, he said, "I hope we don't die. . . "  We both burst out laughing and it took some time before he could finish the blessing on the food.

Tomorrow is transfers, (hurray!) and Pres. Black told us this has been the hardest transfer of his time as mission president, and he's been here over two years! Nine new areas are being opened up, starting tomorrow, so it has been a HUGE project.  We have again been working 12 hour days trying to get everything ready.  But we're excited to meet the 22 new missionaries that are coming from the MTC, in addition to the 28 we received six weeks ago--that's 50 new missionaries in 6 weeks!  So far for October transfers, we only have EIGHT coming--what a huge difference!  But you never know--things change DAILY in the mission.

Anyway, here are some of the past week's happenings:

Every 2nd Sunday we are invited to a couple's home for dinner, and she sets a gorgeous table with delicious food.  Too bad I'm not looking in this picture, or Elder Weekes and Elder Vieira, but they are sitting across from me.  And guess what?  Elder Weekes was called to be an assistant this week, and we are SO excited!  We were hoping he would be, because he is an awesome missionary.  At the end of dinner, Elder Weekes and Elder Vieira were asked to leave a spiritual thought (the wife of the couple is not a member) and they immediately went into the First Vision, the restoration, and the Book of Mormon.  The Spirit was very strong as they bore their testimonies and invited each of us to read the Book of Mormon.  I then bore my testimony of the Book of Mormon and so did Glen, and as we added our testimonies, the Spirit was even stronger.  It was the neatest experience ever, and our hearts rejoiced!  The next day, the Elders told us how much it meant to them to have us add our testimonies and how they appreciated everything we had said, and  Elder Vieira (who is from Portugal) said, with his accent, "You guys are the BEST!"  He said it over and over.

  

Since last week I told you some of what Glen does, I thought I would tell you some of what I do.  SOME is the key word.  I have to sort all the mail that comes into the office each day for all the missionaries, using mailmerge (I know. . . me using mailmerge. . . it's a miracle!).  See the packages in the background?  I also have to forward them to the missionaries' apartments.  The volume of mail is a LOT, but I still wish there were more.  When missionaries come in and see me doing the mail, they ALWAYS say, "Is there any for me?"  A lot of times there isn't, and they are so disappointed.  So if you know a missionary, WRITE TO THEM!  They really need the support.  

 I also prepare a mission guidebook for each new missionary, consisting of about 40 pages each and has some pages individualized for each missionary.  All the binders behind me are for the new missionaries.  It is a huge project to assemble all the binders and takes hours.

  I also prepare a departing folder for each departing missionary, consisting of 10-12 pages along with their flight information.  Some of these pages are also stored for the huge book kept at the office for all departed missionaried and another copy is saved for Pres. Black's book.  It's been a learning curve to keep it all straight!  

We are in the same big complex as DI, so every day I have gone there through their back doors and made a quick run through to see if any furniture was donated that day that can be purchased  for the missionary apartments.  They have been so nice and supportive there and were willing to store the furniture until we needed it.  Here is some of the furniture that I picked out.  One really awesome director of employees there who was helping me told me that he was baptized about 10 years ago and told me how it has completely changed his life.  He said over and over, "It has been the most important thing that has ever happened to me.  I can't thank the missionaries enough who taught me.  I have now baptized my mother and it has brought new joy into her life too."  He just glowed as he was telling me.

We're loading the furniture into the mission trailer to be delivered to a new apartment for the sister missionaries.  Can you believe these beautiful chairs that were donated to us?  These missionaries helped us a ton, even though they put their goofy poses on here.

I also have to talk to all kinds of people on the people on the phone every day, including parents of missionaries.  I told one father this week how much we love his son serving here.  There was a long pause and as he composed himself, he said quietly and with emotion, "We do too."  When I told that to another father he said, "I have too many tender feelings when I think about it."  So sweet.  

It's so great that now that we have been here for  nearly two months  I can recognize by face so many of the missionaries.  It's been fun this week to hear who the newly called zone leaders, district leaders, and trainers are.  Fifty new missionaries in six weeks also mean 50 new trainers!  Hurrah for Israel!  

Yesterday was our p-day, but again, we had to work all day.  At t 7:30 p.m. we were brain dead, so we left the office and went to  a couple's home to watch the BYU-Utah game with two couples  The game started here at 7:00 and we got there during the 2nd quarter, and the game lived up to it's usual hype--always crazy things happening in that game!  We really enjoyed our time there.  

Thank you so much for your prayers this week!  We felt them and we really needed them.  One of our friends said to us, "We pray for you every night."  Our family tells us that too, and we are so grateful to hear it!  I thought of the words of James 5:16--"Pray one for another, that ye may be healed.  The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."  

It's Crunch Time!

At our district devotionals this week, Glen has had us recite the "Standard of Truth" quote from Joseph Smith, that he wrote as part of the Wentworth letter in 1842.  It has always been so inspiring to me but even more now that we work among the missionaries and are so involved in the mission.  This is the quote:
"The Standard of Truth has been erected.  No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing;  persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly and independent till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done."  (History of the Church 4:540).

I just marvel at these words of Joseph Smith that he was able to write with so much persecution going on.  As I was reading in Alma ch. 59 this week, (part of the war chapters that I really love)  I was struck again with the similarities of the church members then as they are now.  In vs. 12 it says, "[the chief captains] doubted and marveled also because of the wickedness of the people, and this because of the success of the Lamanites over them."  Because of a few of the missionaries who have had to go home early, I felt that yes, no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing, but unworthiness (wickedness) can surely contribute to the success of Satan over the people.  It seems that members' (missionaries') unworthiness can slow down the progress of the work far more than Satan can.  No wonder Satan works so hard to prevent church members, prospective missionaries included, to not live righteously!  What a battle that goes on, and we must be , as "Like a mighty army [that] moves the Church of God. We are not divided; all one body we:  One in hope and doctrine, One in charity."

Well, this is the week we have been preparing for, and now it's crunch time.  Transfers are next Monday, and we are getting 22 new missionaries, in addition to the 28 we got at the last transfer.  Fifty missionaries in six weeks!  Only this time it is US who is getting ready for them and there is still so much to do!  New areas have to be opened up, and of course Pres. Black is also working so so hard to get ready for this.  Glen has had to find apartments for them to live in the right area, sign the contracts, find furniture (couches, tables, desks, beds, mattresses, etc.) and buy all the supplies needed for each new apartment.  We were still shopping at 9:00 on Saturday night to find all the things that are needed, and now we have to actually get all of this stuff to the apartments this week.  It's a huge task!  We have been praying mightily for the Lord's help to be able to accomplish the work that needs to be done.  We ask for your prayers also!

He finds the apartment complex in the right area and signs the contract.

He moves the furniture in.  He has to do it this week because it's too costly to rent an empty apartment too far in advance.

The furniture is hauled in this mission trailer.  When we bought the supplies for the apartments, we also used this trailer to load them all.  Sometimes Glen wishes he would have brought his truck here!  It certainly would come in handy!

When we're finished, it takes Glen about 15 seconds to start snoring.  Okay, maybe 20. 

We were able to take a few hours on Monday, Labor Day, to visit Hoover Dam and tour it.  It is so amazing!  Las Vegas certainly couldn't exist without Hoover Dam, for flood control, water storage, and electricity.  We thought we lived in the desert in Utah, but no, no, no, this is the REAL desert!  

We went with our good friends, Carl and Margaret Truman and had such a great time with them.  It was so rejuvenating, which was so needed!  This is a picture of the bridge with the new highway that bypasses Hoover Dam.  It was so spectacular and cost more to build than Hoover Dam itself!  It was just finished a few years ago.

From the top of the new bridge overlooking Lake Mead.  It was so windy but so beautiful!

On Wednesday night, Jeanette, her son Max, and her granddaughter Shiloh were able to come over for a visit.  It was so fun to see them!  We haven't seen Max or Shiloh for years, so we were really happy to see them.  Max was married in the Las Vegas temple last year, which was really neat for him and for Jeanette.

"Called to Serve: The Time (for us) is Now"

We received our September Ensign this week and were so excited to see the cover story about serving missions.  We certainly know that we were called to serve NOW and in this mission.  We were more excited to read the messages inside, beginning with President Eyring's awesome article on "Sharing the Gospel Heart to Heart".  He said, "If you do your part, you will increasingly have the sweet experience of meeting people who are prepared to hear your testimony of the truth--offered from heart to heart, yours to theirs."  I know this to be true, especially the "if you do your part" part.   I love hearing about the experiences our children are having right now about talking to people about the gospel and I'm so grateful for their example of truly loving and accepting people of other faiths. Way to go you guys!

We also loved the article on p. 22 where it addressed the 4 F's about the decision to serve a senior mission:  Fear, Family, Finding the right mission opportunity, and Finances.  We certainly went through those exact same emotions.  But we loved what the article pointed out that their family realized what great blessings came from  their service, and we hope that our children and grandchildren, too, will be able to bear witness of their great blessings that hopefully will come from our service.  That is our challenge to our family!

And here's some of what has happened this week:

Our good friends, the Trumans, who live here now, made a trip to Utah and picked up some things from our house to bring back to us.  Thank you so much, Carl and Margaret!  And thank you Lisa for gathering up the  stuff for us!  Our walls here were so bare and I really missed our pictures being on the walls.  They brought back some of our pictures, which immediately brought more of the Spirit into our condo.  Seeing these pictures really strengthens me. 

    

                     

Once a month, all the senior missionaries have FHE at the mission home, which includes having dinner and then a lesson.  This is our second one now, and we look so forward to these.  Pres. and Sis. Black make the dinner (we all bring things, but the major work is done by them) and this time Elder Conder gave the lesson, which was wonderful.  We love being with them!

We also went to the temple again this week, and got here early enough this time to take a picture of the beautiful Las Vegas Temple.  The temple is on the very east end of the valley, and we live on the west end of the valley. It's nearly a half an hour's drive from our condo.

We couldn't resist taking a picture of the blue moon from our condo--it was so so beautiful.  The next blue moon won't be for three years!

We had such a busy night Thursday night.  We wanted to hear Mitt Romney speak at the Republican National Convention, and Glen was able to hear it.  Our Relief Society presidency came over to visit during that time, and they are so sweet.  Our president wanted to hear about our duties and responsibilities at the mission office, and I was telling her about them.  I told her about Glen's responsibility right now to find apartments for the 20 new missionaries that are coming in two weeks and that he has to furnish and equip the apartments with beds, tables, desks, chairs, couches, dishes, cleaning supplies, vacuums, etc. She immediately offered to send an email the stake Relief Society president to send to all the wards requesting furniture and dishes to be donated to the missionaries by the members.  It was amazing to see how she could see what was needed and then to act on it.  It reminded me of Kathy Mower, our amazing Relief Society president in our ward in Layton.  The very next day we had people responding!  It will help Glen and the mission so much!  One thing we have been amazed at so much here is the member support of the missionaries--it is truly incredible.  Unbelievable.  

It was also the BYU football game that night and we wanted to see it so badly.  A couple here, the Joneses, invited us to their home to watch it, and it was so awesome!  They are the nicest people, and it was so fun to  be with them and get to know them and to see the game, but definitely not the same as being there at LaVelle Edwards stadium!  We also had to leave early because the game started so late and we get up each morning at 5:30, and we're just too tired to stay up late! 

Glen has had to spend a lot of time signing new contracts for missionary apartments and renegotiating old contracts.  He really feels that the missionaries need a place to live in that will allow the Spirit to be there and he wants to make sure that their living arrangements will provide that.  He's been overwhelmed this past week in finding these apartments and getting the things I mentioned above to go along with each apartment.  I know exactly how he feels about being overwhelmed!  But we know that as we trust in the Lord He really will help us.  We have to do this on a daily basis!  

This week I have also been able to work on getting the office surroundings a little more conducive to the Spirit.  We now play the Mormon channel live music stream, and the music adds so much.  Many of the missionaries comment on it.  I also made a framed scripture of JS-History 1:16-17, the parts quoted in Preach My Gospel,  and added a bronze statue of Joseph in the Sacred Grove.  It looks so awesome!  I also added a picture of our family on the desk, and I love it!  President Black said I could do this, but I never had the time until this week.