Another Interesting Week! (Elder Williams)

We had a busy and enjoyable week this week, as usual!  From my perspective I learned a lot: What to do when a car is deemed too expensive to repair, What to do when the transmission goes out on a mission car, How to gently ‘red dot’ a missionary (let him know he will not be able to drive for the rest of his mission).  I’m also learning a lot about using Microsoft One Note effectively. All our vehicle history is placed into One Note, then it’s available on any of my devices for access wherever I am. Don’t know what I’d do without it!  For example, I often get calls saying, “Our ‘maintenance required’ light just went on. Should we take it in for an oil change?”  So I quickly look on One Note to see how many miles it’s been since the last oil change, and at the history to see if this light has been a regular problem with this car, then tell the elders or sisters what they should do. Keeps me busy, with 49 cars, and their maintenance, yearly inspections, body condition, stolen hubcaps, body damage, etc.  I think I’ve probably been through the majority of the usual items for a vehicle coordinator by now, with one major exception -- exchange day!  It’s a long and highly choreographed day, with new elders and sisters arriving, elders and sisters going home, many companion and area changes, and trips to two different airports. Then, straightening up the system and records to reflect the new reality.  I actually like my work here a lot, and Sister Williams and I definitely feel needed and loved!

I was able to observe a neat thing this week! It’s fun to be with the elders and sisters out in public and watch them work. They (and as in everything in life, some are better at it than others) learn really early to feel who they should talk to. I was with a couple of Spanish speaking elders at one of the Toyota dealerships, talking to one of the service managers about getting a car fixed, and everything was cool, cordial and professional until one of the elders started to talk to the manager in Spanish. (I noticed later that the manager’s card in front of us said ‘habla espanol’ or something to that effect.) From then on the attitude changed drastically!  They laughed and talked in Spanish about families and where they grew up (Colorado and Columbia), and it felt like a mutual admiration society.  “You speak such good Spanish for a gringo!” “You speak outstanding English for only X years in the country! Did you learn since you came here?”  Some seeds were definitely planted, and Juan (the manager) went out of his way to call me later in the day with repair status and information. The missionaries definitely have a unique spirit about them, and if people can get over their initial apprehension and distrust, they recognize and feel it!

Had one other unique experience this week. On P-day, Elder Duke (the other senior office elder) and I went out geocaching early in the morning. The clues started at Jackie Robinson’s grave (see picture), and led to a magnetic box stuck to the inside surface of a vertical support for the ‘J’ line train above Jamaica Avenue. It was fun and interesting, and a good way to see parts of the city you might not see otherwise! I might need to ask Courtney or Tyler to send me my hiking GPS. (I know right where it is, although they may be taking their life in their hands getting to it in the room with our stuff stacked to the ceiling!)

Training, Temple and Tender Mercies

We are continually amazed at how much can transpire in just a couple of weeks.  We have had a lot of firsts.  Last week was our first Training Meeting for new missionaries.  My main responsibility was to order pizzas and feed the missionaries and their trainers.   We also each give a little speech to them.  I have the shortest talk, telling them mainly how to get their mail.  Most mail comes through me, a fact which many families and friends of missionaries don't know, so I try to impress on the missionaries the importance of getting their families to use their full names rather than names like "Batman", "Elder Twinkle Toes",  "Stud Muffin",  etc.  We are still not sure who Stud Muffin is yet.  Elder Williams has the longest talk--about an hour--explaining to them how to not get killed while they are driving.

Marc has to answer his phone wherever he is to authorize shops to work on cars, or in case there is an accident.  We had our first accident this week--one in which all airbags were deployed and elders ended up being transported to the hospital.  Fortunately it was just to get checked out and they ended up being ok. (We'll see if/when they tell their mothers...)

Tuesday was our temple trip with 10 of the missionaries.  There were 2 sisters and 8 elders.  I told Marc he had to keep track of the guys and I would keep track of the girls.  I still counted to 10 continually until we got back.  Fortunately we didn't lose anyone (or more accurately, they didn't lose us.)  It was fun and a a learning experience to watch the missionaries in action on the subway.  They fanned out and talked with people.  There were 12 of us.  Poor unsuspecting passengers didn't stand a chance.  The Manhattan Temple is small but beautiful.

One lesson learned while serving here:  When we are on the Lord's errand, it becomes clear that He cares about every little thing that we care about.  Many tender mercies have been felt.  One example:
This week, a Zone Leader brought in 5 baptism records for me to put into the system.  These have to be done accurately since they are a permanent record.  The missionaries sometimes forget to put the last name first and the first name last.  All 5 records were Chinese.  It was quite confusing as the non-Chinese-speaking missionary tried to go over them with me. Finally he said, "Wait a minute, let me see if I can find someone who speaks Mandarin."  Off he went to the outer office.  A group of missionaries had just walked in the door and amazingly one of them was fluent in Mandarin.  He was able to help me, especially with the names that were actually written in Chinese characters.

We love it here and are getting used to the big city.  I no longer cry every time we have to drive in traffic--baby steps.  Monday is our favorite day because we get to go to the office.  Fridays are a little depressing because we don't get to come in for for the weekend. I believe this is the grandest adventure of our lives and we are so thankful that we came.

A few pics

Elder Williams at our Church Building.  Used to be some other church and has a balcony.  Kind of cool.  We are getting a new building this summer.  

Office Missionaries:  Williamses, Princes (who we replaced), Dukes.  We feel bad that we messed up the whole "Dukes & Princes in Queens" thing they had going.  My desk is on the left.  

Manhattan Temple.  We asked them to get in close so we could get them all in.  Lol, still good missionaries--notice the space between Elders and Sisters.

Weekly Report 3/13/16

According to my companion, it’s my turn to write in our blog this week. It seemed to be a pretty normal week in the office—at least I hope that was normal (hard to tell after less than 4 weeks what is normal…)!  No accidents, but had my first training of new missionaries (3 weeks in field) on the driver certification process, with lots of safety encouragement also. I guess I also had one ‘emergency’ driver certification, for a missionary whose companion who had to go home early, plus the normal 10 or so maintenance visits to authorize, track and pay, and introductory visits with some of the regional commercial auto account managers and vendors we do a lot of business with.  The days go fast! 

This next week I have my first two mega-zone conferences (two or more zones), with training sessions and car inspections of 23 vehicles.  Also, Sister Williams and I have our first opportunity to take elders and sisters to the Manhattan Temple.  They get to go on their 6, 12, 18 & 24 month anniversaries.  I think we have 13 this Tuesday to get there by subway without losing any.  Only one transfer under Times Square each way, so we should be able to keep track of them.  (One elder was lost last week for a few hours, but he eventually found his way home.)

On preparation day yesterday we had a clear sunny day, so we took off to drive to the very end of Long Island.  118 miles, according to our GPS, to get to Montauk Point. We were surprised how soon we got out of the city and into normal suburb areas (like Kent, Auburn, etc., but I suspect the property values are 5 times as high).  From 30 to 80 miles was suburbia, then from 80 to 118 miles was tourist city, with homes of the rich and famous the nearer you get to the ocean.  Lot of Bentley, Porsche, Lamborghini, and other high-end dealerships.  They are also into beautiful hedges, some 25 feet tall, but during the winter you can see through and see the houses—pretty nice!!  My companion did say she felt a lot calmer driving out in the suburbs than riding with me in the city. (And I found out she can still drive…)  It was a beautiful day and good company, and I’ll include a couple of pictures. 

Montauk Lighthouse (commissioned by George Washington)

House along South Hampton beach

2nd Week

Wait...has it only been 2 weeks?  Actually, this past week went by quickly.  We really are enjoying our work in the office.  Marc has a hard time getting things done because missionaries are constantly stopping by to talk.  We love it!  they treat us like their long-lost grandparents.

Friday I had to help feed 40 missionaries for a Zone Leader meeting.  That part was easy after years of pot lucks and church dinners.  I told Marc, "It's just Relief Society stuff,  I can do this."  I find myself saying less and less, "I can do hard things" (bless the person who gave that lesson in Relief Society before we left) and more and more saying, "this is fun."  We especially love that we get to live a whole different life for 2 years.  Marc still says "I can do hard things" a couple of times a day.  His job is much harder than mine.  Whenever his phone rings he hopes it isn't a missionary calling to say they've had an accident.

Also, Friday, we did our first Activity Day.  We had a "record turn out" of 6 kids--2 Hispanic, 2 Chinese, and 2 Korean.  We are told there are usually only 3 that come.  We think the curiousity got the better of them.  They wanted to see the 2 new old missionaries.  It went well, thanks to ideas from my family and friends, and the kids were engaged the whole time.  We love them already.

Yesterday we braved the subway and did a dry run to Lincoln Center in Manhattan.  In a couple of weeks we will be responsible for taking 12 missionaries to the temple and have been given instructions not to lose anyone.  Well, we lost ourselves on the dry run and never made it. Our app put us on a train that didn't stop there.  Although we did get to go to Times Square and had ourselves a little adventure.

Had to check the background to make sure there was nothing objectionable.