More musings...

Not much to say this week (at least that I can think of up front). This last week was hectic, with four mega-zone conferences in a row Tuesday through Friday!  At each one I check all the cars and give a brief presentation (15-20 minutes) on vehicle-related information. The purpose is to emphasize safety and other timely information.  I’m always glad for the years of experience (church callings) in front of groups, so I can focus on the best way to get the information across, instead of on overcoming nervousness!  Elder Johnson (housing coordinator) and I were commiserating ahead of the first conference that it seems like we talk about the same things every time, and the thought came to me, “Do you think we will hear a lot of startlingly new information at General Conference this weekend?”  I guess we hear what we need to hear, and whatever we are prepared for sticks.  Our weather here is turning Autumn-like (mid-sixties, overcast, rain showers), and at the conference yesterday I got pretty wet checking out 22 cars!  I was wearing my Tilley hat, and every time I got into a car to check out the registration and insurance, the water ran off my hat onto my lap and the seats.  Made me feel pretty tough!!

Missionaries are like the rest of us—many different ideas of what taking care of and keeping a car means!  Most keep the readily-visible exterior pretty clean, but the less-visible interior is immaculate and organized in some cars, and others are dirty and disorganized.  (And they all think they do a pretty good job keeping their vehicle up…)  The church spends an average of $14,000 a month (of your tithing money) on the vehicles just in our mission.  I always try to emphasize to the missionaries that if they are like me, they may never drive a vehicle this new and nice for the next twenty years!  It kind of amazes me that that the mission cars we are selling (50000-54000 miles) are the same age as my brand new (in my mind) retirement car! 

My companion has been sick with flu-like symptoms the last three days, and it’s made me realize how blessed with health we have been since we came!  She has been able to work in the office every day, and handle three callings in the branch, with NO sick days until Thursday.  We are truly blessed!!  I told the missionaries in my zone conference introductions that of all the companions I’ve had in my two missions, she is by far the best, and they (led by the sisters) always say, “AWWWW…!” Then I tell them that the only unique thing is the dresses that show up on my credit card sometimes…  They don’t have that problem very often.

While I’m rambling, let me talk about being in the eastern time zone.  Everything is three hours later than Seattle, so conference sessions start at noon, 4PM and 8PM.  Kind of different going to a meeting that lasts from 8-10PM!  Sports events (not that I notice, since I’m on a mission) often start at 8PM and end after midnight!  The Seahawks are playing the Jets at MetLife stadium today, about 3 miles from our apartment (GO HAWKS!), during the Sunday morning session of conference.

We are looking forward to going home for a week for Darci and Jeremy’s wedding!  We’ll leave a week from Tuesday (10/11) and return a week later (10/18).  It will be fun, and a little strange, to see everyone after 8 months!!  Speaking of time zones, while I’m home I’ll be fielding calls from 5 or 6AM, when the auto shops open in NYC.  Will be a little strange! Hope there are no accidents! (Probably will be, but hopefully just a fender-bender or two…)

We love you all, and know we are doing the right thing (for us at this time) by being here on a mission!!  I tell people all the time that if Diane had her way, we’d put in mission papers for a second mission two or three months before we leave this mission.  I tell her, though, that I need six months to fix up the house and sell it (and actually be retired) before another mission…  We’ll see.  You never know what the Lord has planned for you in your mortal training program!!