Great Missionaries - Friday, November 19, 2010

When President Gulbrandsen arrived in July, the new leadership training progam came with him. It was outlined for four days of instruction in the beginning with the expectation that it could be reduced to two days as time went on. This time around it was completed in two days because the leaders in attendance that have been through it before knew the routine and what was expected in the practice sessions etc. They could help those that were new to the training.

When we got to the office today, the Assistants and the President were running around trying to find the microphone and stand that they used yesterday. Bishop Gimenez came to get it after yesterday's training to use it for something going on last night at the church. It was locked up somewhere, not to be found. So the President sent Elders Peterson and Paz out to buy us our own microphone for mission use. Good move!

Elder Healey has been in a trio with our office elders for a few days so he helped me sort some letters and mail to be given to the District Leaders to take back to the missionaries in their areas. So now my supply room is cleared out of most of the packages and envelopes, only to be stacked up again when Elder Peterson goes to customs next week to retrieve more mail.

Many of the packages now are starting to come in with Sister Gulbrandsen's name on them so we won't have to pull missionaries out of the field to come in to sign for them. Elder Peterson took Sister Gulbrandsen to the correo yesterday to sign for several pieces of mail and it was a piece of cake. It didn't take much time at all. Hopefully we have resolved this problem.

Lunch time came and it was the same as yesterday. Elder Peterson helps fill the plates with the tasty empanadas ready to be picked up by hungry missionaries.

Elder Peterson and Elder Healey help Sister Gulbrandsen set out the food. Our local Nobels Pizza and Empanada place owned by some members of the church have a good thing going with the quantity of food we order from them whenever conferences or training are held here in San Fernando.

While waiting to give out the mail we organized earlier, I entered some baptisms, but that was about all I accomplished. Rich had two checks to cash at the bank, but I am so glad he didn't leave me because when everyone started coming to the office to get the mail, it took two of us to help the missionaries. He was changing their money for coins to be used for buses and trains while I handed out bundles of mail. The other three elders had gone on an errand.

These two cute sisters almost look like twins, they are told. Hermana Peña from El Salvador is the trainer for new Hermana Gonzalez from Orem, Utah who just arrived this week. Hermana Gonzalez already knew Spanish so she came early from the MTC. Her parents speak Spanish in the home so she had an advantage with the language. We can tell she is going to be a good missionary. She is so personable and self assured. Sister Peña is as well.

Sister Gulbrandsen, in the middle, joins this group photo of a bunch of great missionaries. We are certainly going to miss mingling with this younger generation. They are the best!

When things cleared out, we visited a few minutes with the Gulbrandsens since they will be gone all next week to the South. We may get a break from a busy, hectic schedule, but they don't. They go from one thing to another.

Since it was Friday, we had plans to go to Disco to pick up a few groceries, then get a bite to eat at McDonalds, then go to the Kodak store and get some copies of pictures. But a few minutes before we walked out the door, Elder Paz called and asked if Elder Kroff could meet them at the church in a half hour to sit in on a discussion with a single sister that they are teaching. Well, sure! So after eating a bowl of cereal, he was off and I started on this entry. We'll go to the store tomorrow.

We are looking forward to tomorrow because we are meeting our senior couple friends, the Grieves, for a lunch date at Kansas up in the Capital. Should be fun!!