Letter #34

I told you about the new senior couples coming into the mission, let me tell you about the new office couple that will be starting in January. Their name is Hardman. They will be over the cars and the missionaries’ health. They have absolutely no expertise in their fields and have received no training! It is going to take the prayers of everyone who knows them to help them through this! Our mission nurse and her husband are going home the first week of January. They already knew who their replacement couple would be and have spoken to them on the phone and have arranged to have some time to train them before they are released. We received word this week that the man had fallen off a ladder and needed surgery. They are still planning on coming but don’t know when they will be able to. President Chesnut approached Elder Hardman at the outgoing missionary dinner and asked if we could fill in until we find out what is happening with everything. I was helping with dinner and didn’t know any of this was going on. As we were leaving Sister Chesnut asked if I was okay with coming into the office. Huh? I guess we will go to the office before they leave and get trained, mind you office couples are trained an extra week in Salt Lake before they come out. I am trying to be calm about the whole thing. I probably would be alright except the Mission nurse keeps asking me if I’m going to be able to handle it. Am I a nurse? No! Do I know how to do all the things she knows how to do? No! We will do our best.

This all happened on my “try out” week to take over for Sister Beutler. Sister Beutler called on Monday to have me go shopping with her. We did her last meals on Tuesday, which were wonderful and amazing! She handed me the keys and she is done. Elder Hardman and I did the lunch for MLC on Friday. No one died, we bought too much of some things but other than that we survived. I guess I passed because Sister Beutler is leaving. I don’t know how I will be able to do the food and work in the office but we will see how it all works out.

We have also been trying to establish other service opportunities for the missionaries. It is an ongoing process. We contacted each companionship to find out exactly what they are doing and how much time they spend on service. It turned out that even in areas where we thought they had lots of opportunities not all companionships were being reached. We have been visiting several new opportunities and coordinating the efforts with the missionaries. We met with the volunteer coordinator for Nevada Literacy. They have an adult tutoring program that the Sisters are going to help with.

There are always doors to knock too. It was a busy week with three big meals to shop and prepare for but those ward lists wait patiently for us.

We had a senior couples dinner tonight. We wanted to have it before the Baclayons and the Buetlers leave. We met at the church and watched the Christmas Devotional together and then had dinner. Everyone brings something for the meals. We had yummy appetizers to eat while watching the devotional. We had a great Mexican meal with enchiladas, rice, beans, salads and fried ice cream. I am trying to not think about these couples leaving. I will miss Sister Beutler. I can’t come close to stepping into her shoes and I will miss her friendship. We have been blessed to serve beside them. They are getting so excited to go home and see their families. It does make us trunky. October seems so far away.

We miss all of you! We love you! The gospel’s true and we love you.

Love,
Elder and Sister Hardman