Life at the Office - Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010

The weather has been pretty tolerable the last couple of days. Of course, we aren't walking around in it all day, but it doesn't seem as muggy and heavy as it has been lately. We stay cool with air conditioning in the office and are so grateful for it.

Our work days in the office are pretty routine with not much variety in what we do. I would like a break from sick missionaries, but the calls keep coming. If the problem isn't something that Dr. Petersen can handle -- like someone needs an xray or needs to see a specialist for a particular ailment, then we send them to the Hospital Britanico or Hospital Austral. These hospitals have clinics in them with a variety of doctors who handle a variety of problems. They work with the church, and all we have to do is fax an authorization to them that allows them to treat one of missionaries and then they bill the church. If a missionary were to go to a doctor outside of these hospitals, then they have to pay cash for the office visit and treatment. The church would still pay the bill, but the missionary has to take the cash with him and then get reimbursed from Elder Kroff. It is just a little more of a hassle.

Right now I have five doctor visits coming up at one or the other of these hospitals. I have to keep track of who is going where and on what date, so I can get the authorization faxed over timely. Now I know why after I fax my weekly report to Sister Argyle of who in the mission has been sick and what the treatment was, that she thanks me profoundly for taking this responsibility off her shoulders. I really don't see how she handled this time consuming job with everything else on her plate.

I finished up the certificates and letters for the families and stake presidents of the 16 missionaries going home in March. We don't have a transfer in February due to the January transfer coming during the last week of the month. I like to be ahead of the game because I never know exactly what the President's schedule is going to be, and I want to have things ready for him to sign when he is available -- especially if it is a big transfer like the one in March.

In doing that yesterday and today, I now have to hustle to place my Distribution Center order and Book of Mormon order for this month. Hopefully, I can do one or both tomorrow.

Elder Paz loves to take pictures, so he grabbed our camera and took this snapshot. Yup, this is how we look most days -- sitting side by side just doing "our thing."

Elder Kroff went to the banco today to replenish his caja chica (small box - meaning his cash drawer) He hops on the bus going up to the bank which is about 10 blocks away, then he walks back. He likes to exercise his leg. He is anxious for it to feel 100% again, but it is taking it's time. The physical therapist said it would take at least nine months for it to be completely healed. It has been five and a half months so far and it feels great, but he can still feel a little twinge of weakness in it at times. It is hard for him to realize that his age could be a factor in how fast it recovers. He wants it all better right now!!

The elders took six missionaries on the train up to the Capital to immigrations. It is about a four to five hour ordeal. Their companions do some street contacting in our area, and then read or study at some tables set up in the cultural hall of the church. They are not allowed to hang around the office because it interrupts our work. Sometimes they do come in for one reason or another, but don't stay long. We like visiting with them for a few minutes, but the President wants them to be doing something productive and not just lounging around while waiting for their comps to return.

The elders left about 4:30, and at 5:00 we closed up shop and went home. We set the security alarm and double lock the gate as we leave each night.

Our daughters are together tonight as Melissa and Urban flew home today so Melissa could go on an annual "girls trip" with her mother-in-law and sister-in-laws. Marianne will tend Urban. The sister-in-law Melissa is still in the hospital in intensive care, but is doing much better. She is taking small baby steps at recovering, but progress is being made. She is still a long ways from getting all the tubes out, and being 100% stable without help, but she is alert and smiling although cannot talk due to a trache in her neck which the respirator is hooked to. She can breath on her own more and more, so maybe that will come out soon.

When Melissa returns, she is taking Mekhi back to Colorado with her for a few days before Marianne will fly over for a short visit and then return with Mekhi. It should be a fun couple of weeks for them.

It is 9:30 and I am through with this entry. Next comes ironing a couple white shirts, and maybe to bed earlier than midnight. We'll see!