A Surprise Visit - Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Happy Birthday Urban - 5 years old

Rich usually gets up and exercises while I am in the shower, but these last few days he just can't force himself out of the nice warm bed until the house heats up a bit. I guess we should set the alarm fifteen minutes earlier to get up and turn the heat on in the living room, then jump back under the covers until the chill is off. We'll have to think about that one.

Our morning routine was pleasant and uneventful and we were out the door by 8:45. I knew exactly what I had to do today which was to start on the 28 baptisms that we had last week. About half of the registros came in over the fax so I decided to just get to it and focus on getting them all done. Surprisingly, most were readable so I didn't have to stop and call for clarification. There were only a couple that gave me problems. Not many of the remainder came in today, so tomorrow I will have to call to find out where they are. It was a good feeling to get them in the computer, so I won't have all of them to enter on Friday.

After that was done, I did my placa order. I am amazed at how many missionaries lose their name tags. Some of the requests I get come from the same ones who ordered them a couple transfers ago. But, I guess in packing and unpacking as missionaries are transferred, there is the possibility that they are lost or left behind. We are still wearing the ones we received in the MTC.

Elder Kroff started calling the zone leaders to get the datos on the zone money that was spent and what needs to be reimbursed. If it is an old zone leader, he is prepared with what is needed when the call comes, but the new ones are sometimes confused and have to be walked through the process. Most times it is the Latin zone leaders that have a difficult time figuring out how to come up with the figures and what is wanted. They haven't had a lot of experience dealing with money and budgets.

The elders are always busy at their computers, and both are great at what they do. Elder Hales is getting the apartments, rents, and all that goes with that job so organized and shaped up that it is going to be hard to have him move on. Hopefully when the time comes, he can teach the new vivienda person all he knows and in such a way that things will carry on as they are now.

Elder Peterson is so focused and on top of what he does that we all depend on him to keep us informed and aware of schedules, deadlines, comings and goings and more. He also has control of the temporary residency/legal issues that involve us all as missionaries. He is way organized and exact. They are both a joy to work with and take good care of the senior citizens in the office.

The elders spent part of the afternoon working on the car situtation. One of the cars had to be taken back to the mission home so it would be there when the Argyles return tomorrow. Then, they went to Bonpland to retrieve the other car that we took there yesterday. Hopefully, the squeeky brake problem was corrected. President said that car could remain at the office for now.

Elder Short was sent from a trio to work with Elder Lazo for a week while Elder Lowry went South with the President. So the two of them asked Elder Kroff to accompany them to an appointment they had with a woman who was in a difficult situation wanting to be baptized, but was living with the father of their child and didn't know if she wanted to marry him or leave him.

Before the elders told Rich where they were going, he asked them about a young woman named Laura that we met when we first came here. We had gone with Elders Clegg and Whitmer several times to teach her, and we also went with Elder Bloxham after the previous two were transferred from San Fernando. Laura had been wanting to be baptized for three years, but couldn't end the relationship with Alejandro, and couldn't marry him because he was not officially divorced. He was dragging his feet at getting the divorce finalized. Rich told the elders that we had become friends with Laura and were wondering if she was still active and wanted to visit her again. Elder Lazo looked surprised, and told him that she is the one they were going to visit tonight. He had no idea that we knew her and her situation. Wow!! Rich was surprised as well, and so excited to see Laura again.

When they got to Laura's home and she saw that Elder Kroff was with them, she let out a yell and ran up to him asking if she could hug him. Then she began to cry. She asked where I was and he told her that he didn't know soon enough who he was going to be visiting or else he would have brought me. They had a good discussion with her and mainly listened as she vented her frustrations and tried to give her encouragement and support. We are so glad that she is still active and wanting to be baptized. She has a big problem to solve in order to be truly happy.

I came home and started this entry while waiting for Rich to return. He came through the door at 7:30 eager to tell me about the experience.