Week 9

March 12, 2017

Dear Family,

This has been a busy week.  I like having a busy week.  My final report on February baptisms was due on Thursday. I’ve been struggling with the problem that President Hancock told the assistants not to waste time making the reports that I have been trained to use in determining if I have the forms for all baptisms.  It is true that the Key Indicator reports give me numbers and location of baptisms, but without names, I have struggled all month trying to match up names.  President suggested that he would tell them to email me when they have baptisms. They only have access to computers on Mondays, so I didn’t think that would work.  Last Sunday night it occurred to me that they would have their phones at their baptisms and they could text me the name and Ward and that would give me a list of the baptisms with names that I could check off when the reports come in.  I put my idea into the newsletter on Monday and I received some this week.  Time will tell if this will work.

Wednesday, we were able to hold the Zone Conference in Montpelier that was canceled because of a blizzard a couple of weeks ago.  I drove up with the Christiansens, the couple in charge of Vehicles.  I enjoyed visiting with them and getting to know them better.  Fortunately, the roads were clear, but the snow created a total white out in the fields and on the mountains.  People’s driveways had huge piles of snow where they had been plowed.  All the missionaries seemed especially happy to be together.  In the words of the President, they all acted like they were suffering from cabin fever.  They’ve been rather snowbound because of the weather. I loved hearing their talks when the President called on them extemporaneously. They are such an inspiration to me.

One thing I have learned working in the office is how much missionaries love getting mail.  I feel guilty about the poor job I did of writing to my missionary grandchildren.  I am going to try to be better. Let’s as a family send brief letters to Braden and Steven.  It means a lot to the missionaries when they have a letter in the mail.  I will tell you a sad story about one of my favorite missionaries.  I know I shouldn’t have favorites but Elder Horne was in my Ward and he was so helpful in introducing me to people in the Ward.  He has been transferred out to be a Zone Leader somewhere else.  He was in the office the other day, and I asked him if he had checked to see if there was mail for him.  He told me he never gets mail, and to make matters worse his companion gets mail all the time.  The other day his companion tricked him into thinking he had mail because he put two of his letters face down on Elder Horne’s desk.  His companion was telling me how excited Elder Horne when he saw the letters. He laughed and thought it was such a funny joke he had played on his companion.  I thought how cruel!!!  I would love to have my family send a bunch of letters to Elder Horne at the mission office 135 S. 7^th Ave, Pocatello, ID 83201 and let him have the last laugh!!

I know I am so ashamed that my grandchildren didn’t hear much from me.  I hope you will all forgive me and I hope I can be better to those who will yet go to serve.  I love you all and hope that you got to see the wonderful discussion with President Eyring and Elder Holland that took place in Palmyra.  Thanks to whoever sent me that link.  I really enjoyed it.

I love you all, and I love the Lord and am so grateful to be a part of His important missionary work at this time.

  Love and Hugs, Grammie