Wet and Soggy

Okay, so the warm and balmy weather I have been bragging about has turned on us. Today, the weather deteriorated by the hour. Rain was predicted to increase throughout the day, which it did, and now it is suppose to continue throughout the night until around 8:00 in the morning. We always think of the missionaries out in this weather and hope they have coats on and umbrellas over their heads.

Today Elder Nelson took eleven missionaries up to the Capital to the Immigrations Building to get their residency done. Most of them were Latinos. They left at 9:00 this morning and got back about 3:30 this afternoon. Their companions paired up with each other, and Elder Bloxham, one of the assistants, gave them different sections of San Fernando to cover to do street contacting. They all expected their companions to be back by 1:00, so slowly everyone filtered back to the office. So we had many elders and sisters coming in to chat or ask financial questions, or use the phone, etc. etc.

These four, Elders Starley, Empey, Wessman, and Lattin (three from Utah) lined up for a photo and would have camped out all day in the office, but Elder Kroff politely told them we had work to do and they would have to go over into the church to talk or study while they waited. That's where they were suppose to be. President Argyle doesn't want missionaries loitering back in the office area and disrupting the office work. We did give them quite a bit of our time and it is fun to talk to the missionaries and listen to their stories, but we had to send them on their way.

Sister Argyle came by earlier in the morning and we talked about the English program that the mission has for the native Spanish speakers. We have been waiting and waiting for the Distribution Center to send us some books and materials that some of the missionaries need. Some are ready for Book 2 and some Book 3 and we have had to put them off and tell them that they are still on back order.

Well, Sister Argyle wanted us to call and see WHY it has taken so long and WHERE the materials are, since BYU has informed her that they have been sent. We did so and one of the managers told Rich that they have been sent to us and he would look up who signed for them. Really??? We then went into my supply room to see, by chance, if there was an unopened box somewhere, or one not completely visible. Nothing!! Then I glanced up and my eye caught a stack of "something" on the top shelf by items I don't frequently use. It was the English books and CD's!!! Good grief, how long have they been there and who put them there? It most certainly was not me. The brethren in the office denied knowing of their existence, so the only thing I could figure out was that Elder Valente put them there. He liked to be helpful and he always opened packages that came to see what was in them. He may have taken them out of the box and put them on the shelf without telling me. That's the story we're going with. It is always easy to blame the person who is not there.

We dodged the rain drops coming home, ate some dinner, and left in a remise for the last of Rich's physical therapy appointments.

Mariana Ottonello has been wonderful and she has made Rich's leg work good and feel normal again. He has had 10 sessions, and now he goes back to Dr. Ottonello for a check up. I guess the doctor could tell us he needs more therapy, but most likely he will have him continue some of the exercises at home. She told him the ones he should do daily. It will seem strange not going on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but we are glad to have those evenings free again.

We wanted to give Mariana something as a departing thank you, and the most obvious gift was a Book of Mormon. Rich told her a little bit about it and she was gracious in receiving it. I wonder if he will give the doctor one?? They are family -- they could read it together.

She really is a darling girl and she and Rich joked around with each other and had a good time. The doctor said his niece knew her stuff and would make his leg feel like new, and he was right.