Monday we worked at the mission office in the morning and then joined the other senior couples at the mission home for a barbeque lunch to celebrate the 24th of July. Sister Dianne Smith embroidered our names on bandanas. She said she had lots of time while her husband was driving recently. They must have smoother roads on the north coast than we do here! After lunch, we sang hymns, told pioneer stories, and visited. Attached is a picture of our group.
The rest of the week was extra busy with transfers. We had several 12-hour days at the mission office. Tuesday morning I made waffles at the mission office for the Assistants, Office Elders, and others who come in that morning. They look forward to Transfer Tuesdays as waffle day! The word spreads since with transfers different missionaries serve in different areas. Then we had lots of paperwork for the arriving and departing missionaries.
Wednesday we worked to get things ready to send with the missionaries leaving this week. When they came in to pay any balance from things they ordered, get their passports, and have their interviews with Pres. Hendricks, we took pictures and said goodby. I started the paperwork for missionaries coming in September to hopefully avoid the delay in getting their work permit exemptions that we need to obtain visas. We found out the mission home had no water that day so the seven new missionaries experienced that part of Jamaica right off the bat! I typed the “Safely here” letters after learning from the Assistants where each new missionary was serving and who his trainer was. We had email addresses for all the parents but one. After sending the letters and a picture of the new missionaries with President Hendricks by email, we send a hardcopy in the pouch to Salt Lake City which is then mailed to them.
Thursday I wrote the advancement letters to parents of the new Assistant, Zone Leaders, and Trainers. Then I worked on the mini IDs for the new missionaries. One newbie didn’t turn in his passport so the Office Elders had to drive to pick it up; unfortunately he was clear at the other side of the island! Even though the distances here aren’t very far, road conditions make for long trips. We had lots of visitors in the office. In the morning Sisters Flake, Sister Schaefermeyer, and Pres. Dennis were working on things for the All-Jamaica Young Single Adult Conference. We also had many visitors from the Area office in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic who were here for meetings with the Facilities Department, Church Service Center, Pres. Hendricks, and the Humanitarian missionaries.
We tasted sweet sop, a tropical fruit, for the first time this week. Elder and Sister Smith, who live in our apartment complex, gave us some Thursday night. It has an unappetizing appearance but tasted a little like pudding with large seeds!
Friday we were busy at the office, walked to the bank to pay our rent, and then walked a couple of blocks to FedEx. I typed baptisms and bought a ticket for a Jamaican missionary to go to the Missionary Training Center in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He will have to arrive three days late since flights from here to there that do not go through Florida are only on Tuesday or Saturday. That evening we went to check out an apartment for missionaries. We need to find an apartment to replace one that is being remodeled.
Saturday we did our household chores, went grocery shopping, and I worked on a talk for Sunday.
Sunday we drove to Yallahs for our responsibilities there. We still have to take the computer and bring it back each week. I spoke in Sacrament meeting on pioneers—early Church history and modern-day. I accompanied the missionaries’ special musical number of three Primary songs about pioneers. We have a new missionary, Elder Weldon, to replace Elder Stone who went home. Interestingly, all of us are from Arizona: Elder Weldon from Apache Junction, Elder Diehl from Chandler, us from Mesa. We only had one child for Primary and he turns twelve next month so decided to attend the teenager Sunday School class. I taught a music lesson while Elder Daniels conducted a meeting with the young adults. They went over plans, expectations, etc. for the YSA Conference this week. We visited an investigator and missed two before visiting two member families.
Love,
Mom and Dad/Sister and Elder Daniels
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