What a week we have had.  The work in the office has kept us on our toes as we learn more  about our job assignments and implement them.  We rearranged our office and removed two old printers and hooked up the new one.  Doyle and I share the same office, but we each have our own desk and our own computer.  It's cozy!

On Thursday we had dinner with Danielle, a member of the branch we attend.  Her boyfriend and our two missionaries from the branch were there.  We had a lovely visit.  Her dog Zoe loved Doyle and didn't mind showing it!  What energy.  Danielle sent us on our way with a quart jar of her  chicken soup made from her grandmothers special recipe. We plan to enjoy it for dinner tomorrow.  On Friday the office staff had lunch with the Mission President and his wife at the deli just a short walk from the office.  It was a luncheon to thank the Bowman's for their work in the office as it was their last day.  The deli has the most divine Tomato Basil soup.  Tonight we had a staff dinner at the Bowman's apartment with our local sister missionaries, the assistants to the President and our last three visa waiters who leave for Columbia tomorrow.  Sometimes it takes a longer period of time for some visas to process after a missionary is out of the MTC and so they put them on a temporary assignment in a mission in the US.  These particular missionaries had been here for six weeks waiting.

Our wonderful sister missionaries, Sister Allen on the left and Sister Chai on the right with Sister Rothman, our receptionist.

Our visa waiters Elder Soderburg, Elder Palmer and Elder Schwab.  They fly to Columbia in the morning.

 

 

Yesterday all missionaries in the mission plus all stake presidents and their wives had a very
wonderful and special opportunity to hear from a member of the Quorum of the Twelve.  From 4-7pm we were all privileged to be taught by Elder Bednar in our stake building in Columbia.  He was so insightful in how he conducted the meeting by allowing the missionaries to ask many questions and giving instruction to them.  He said that the Holy Ghost is always the teacher, not the individual and that we need to be worthy conduits for that purpose.  He taught that we should first observe, then listen, then discern, and finally, after we do those things, we should talk.  We have to know what the needs of the individual are before we can help them.  We all gathered for a group picture in the cultural hall.  There were about 220 of us. When Elder Bednar was finished speaking to us we each were able to shake his hand!  I will post the picture when I get a copy of it.  Needless to say, it was amazing!  Probably a once in a lifetime opportunity. 

It seems that we are going all the time.  The Mission President has told us that we need to have a date night every week.  I'm not sure how that is going to be possible but we are going to try.  Once a month probably sounds much more realistic.  I'm not complaining!  I'd much rather be purposeful and productive than lost and bored.  I love my mission!  President Holm gives a beautiful coin to his  new missionaries.  On it are the following words:
I love tough things.
I am first to do tough things.
I do tough things first.
I'm a finisher.
Words to live by!