Night with the Elders - Monday, Oct 26, 2009

We were amazed that it was time for the transfer meeting again. It is held on the Monday prior to transfer week which begins on Tuesday, November 3. There was an email from the President when we got to the office that said it would be at 10:00. Boy, does that hour from 9:00 to 10:00 go fast. We were all hurrying to get a few things done before the President came. Around 10:00, mas o menos, a call came from the President that said he would be here in five minutes and he wanted us seated in his office with a hymn selected. Golly, he must be in a hurry. Maybe the meeting won't last very long.

Elder Paz and I worked together to find a hymn, and the book opened to Israel, Israel, God is Calling. Great, that will do. The agenda was printed and distributed and we were all seated when he arrived. We looked so calm and organized. Little did he know!

Sometimes he conducts the meeting in English for my benefit and makes the Latinos listen hard to understand, but because this was Elder Coria's first transfer meeting, he spoke in Spanish so he wouldn't miss a word. He has more responsibilities than I do next Tuesday.

After the meeting, we expected the President to pack up and leave, but he didn't. He, in fact, stayed most of the day. We love having him around to answer our questions or tell him something face to face rather than emailing him all day, but why the hurry in the morning?

The President is still having me work with Sara in Missionary Travel to find out all the options in flight plans to get missionaries on planes earlier than 11:30 p.m. Since there will be no trips to the temple anymore to take up some evening time, he doesn't want them sitting in the airport waiting all night to leave. However, the more direct flight without so many connections and plane changes seems to be the 11:30 flight. He is reviewing everything and will make a decision. It doesn't matter to Salt Lake when they go, but their objective is to get the missionaries home the fastest way with the least amount of air travel.

We were happy when Elders Nelson and Urra asked us if we would accompany them to a discussion they were having this evening. It was with a cute couple, not married, who have been super interested in the church. They wanted us to come along so they could see an older couple who have been married a long time and how happy we have been in the church. The elders want them to see the benefits of getting married, because they have to be married in order to be baptized.

This is Sara, Julio, and baby Victoria. They are so friendly and happy, and had one of the nicest places we have been in for those with a meager income. It was very, very small with the living room and kitchen being in one tiny room. Kind of like where we live, but much smaller. They had a comfortable sofa to sit on and things were organized and clean. We were impressed.

The baby was born with her intestines outside of her body. When she was two hours old they had to operate on her and put them back inside. She was in the hospital 4 1/2 months. She is 9 months old now and is doing just fine. She was very fussy and Sara was having a hard time listening and bouncing the baby. I wasn't sure if she would be good for me, but I took her and cuddled her and she took her bottle (which she refused from her mother). I sang a soft song to her and talked to her while the elders continued on with their lesson. It was a miracle that she calmed down. They couldn't believe it. I told them it is because I am a grandma. But I think there was help from above so the spirit of the message could be felt.

We love experiences like this -- to see someone with enough faith to change their life and reach out to those things that will bring them closer to Heavenly Father. It was a good night.

When we got home, we changed clothes and got ready for our 10:00 meeting with the tenants in our building to discuss the robberies that have happened. At first only about 6 people were in attendance. By the end, 17 people were present. News to us is that they reported that there have been 6 robberies. We aren't sure if they were all apartment robberies because some could have been things that have been stored down in the basement in cages.

They asked us a few questions, so some people knew of our situation. A petition was passed around to give to someone in charge of this building to come to another meeting we set for next Wednesday. They want someone to come so that they can hear our concerns and decide what to do to make us safer. Several thought that someone has a master key to enter the apartments since there is never signs of forced entry. But a master key cannot get past doors with the monster locks on the front doors like we have. Several people in the room have them on their doors now.

It was a riot to hear the commotion when everyone started talking at once. Oh, my word!! It was chaos. But, it was fun to see who lives in this building. Of those present, we only knew 4 of them. We hadn't seen the others before. I wanted Rich to take a picture or two, but he didn't want them to think he was scoping them out by snapping their photos. It was an interesting night.