Late Nights at the Office

Late Nights At the Office

14 September 2014

Hardly know where to begin.  Just when we thought we had a good handle on our jobs things kind of turned upside down.  First, our Mission Tour with a General Authority got postponed .... less than  a couple of weeks before it was scheduled.  That means cancellations and rescheduling of buildings, planning a last minute Zone Conference.  We are losing a lot of Senior Couple with no replacements. 

Second, we have had quite a few medical releases of our missionaries.  One of them was required to be escorted home and so Elder Stringham needed to take a little day trip.  Left at 6:00 am and returned at 10:00 pm......had only enough time between flights to grab a package of trail mix to eat.  Bedbugs in some of the apartments.  The Church spends a lot of money in this mission for exterminators.  Parents calling with concerns. 

Our other Sr. Office Couple had an emergency medical problem.  The Elder has had heart problems since he got here (actually had a heart attack and open heart surgery while on their first mission) and they up and drove home to Utah to his own doctor.  Don't know how long they will be gone.  So we are trying to handle the office on our own.  Elder Stringham walks between his computer and the vehicle computer trying to keep up on the most crucial things!  We have spent several late nights just trying to catch up and get it all done.   They have another Sr. Couple coming into the office for a couple of hours a day to do mail.  That is a big help!   Can I just tell you how much missionaries love mail!!!!!!!  From anyone and everyone....a long letter to a postcard or little card!!!

Occasionally, I take a break from the computer, check my personal messages on my phone and take a peek at Facebook.  I love that when our little Jackson has a procedure done I can get a text before it starts and right after with all the updates and pictures. I love seeing what all the families were doing on their family vacations!  And all the "first day of school" pictures!  I love technology!!  (Well.... except when I need to use it in the office and it gives me grief!)   We are happy to be busy!  I think it keeps us young!

The mission is still doing well in their missionary work.  Lots of converts.  That means I have a lot of baptisms reports to submit to Church HQ. 

We have a sweet older man move into our ward who joined the church when he was about 13 while he was living with a foster family.  He loved this family.  He stopped going to church when he left the family to move out on his own.  He moved to the Phillipines  and got married.  He is retired and has moved back to the United States and waiting for his wife to get all the requirements done to be able to immigrate here.  He decided he wanted to come back to church.  He got a little emotional talking about his foster family and how much love he felt in their home.  There is so much he is still learning!  He wants to progress in his Priesthood responsibilities and go to the temple.   His wife is a member of another faith, but he still felt drawn to come back to "his" church.  Hopefully his wife will be here in the United States soon.

21 September 2014

Well, we received the update on our other Sr. Couple.  It was not what they hoped for.  Because of the damage done the doctors cannot do angioplasty or splint.  They will be trying new medications.  They reevaluate after two weeks.  How I miss them!  I don't think I realized how much time she spent on the phone with missionaries, their parents, referrals, people from the community.  I guess I will be figuring out how to order supplies now, too.  And they are so fun with the missionaries!!  

All of the work for the cars have been put on hold!  Yesterday another Senior Couple dropped by and he said he knows a lot about cars and is comfortable with computers.....I will definitely let the Mission President know about that!  

I also got a little behind on my work.  Two Sister Missionaries called yesterday morning and offered to come help if we needed.  I asked them how soon could they get to the office.  In two hours they accomplished  so much for me and were so fun to have around.  The Lord is seeing that we have the help that we need.....reminds me whose work this is.  We will be using some Elders to help us unpack and stock the new supplies and clean up an apartment that we are closing. 

One of the hardest things about being away on a mission is that people I know and love are suddenly called to the other side.  I feel sad that I will not see long time friend and grandpa to some of our grandkids, Neal Kidd; sweet Keenan Galloway who was such an example of Christ-like spirit  and who was always smiling; and brother-in-law, Rob Campbell whose family had entertained the Stringhams for a day or two on our yearly trips to Idaho.  We have such fond memories of him.  Now, I have just learned that my Uncle George Conley has passed away!  I'm sort of reeling with the thought that so many I care for are now in the next life!  This is when I feel that Iowa is soooo far away!

Well, the weather in Iowa has been absolutely perfect.   Sunshine and blue skies, temperatures mild, and just enough rain from time to time to keep everything green.  It is beautiful here. 

Sorry to be so late on this letter.  It was just kind of pieced together a little at a time.

We love everyone!!