We are beginning to experience some of the heat and humidity that South Carolina has to offer.  This past week we had temperatures up into the low nineties and at one point while on the web I saw that the humidity was 86%.  Definitely could feel it.  It rained quite a bit this past week but each time we loaded or unloaded we were blessed to be able to do so without a torrential downpour.  While driving, however, we did hit some heavy rains.

Last winter I decided to let my hair grow and hadn't cut it in about 6 months but that warmth and humidity had me seeking a cut pretty quickly.  My hair is so heavy and thick that the curl would start to go limp and it wanted to just hang in my face.  That simply would not work!!  So back to the short hair again...much to Doyle's pleasure.  He likes it short.

This Wednesday is transfers again and it is the largest ever.  We had 30 slated to come in and then last Monday got word of another 9 visa waiters.  The mission has to rent a 15 passenger van and motel rooms to accommodate all of them, in addition to all of the other vehicles we already have.  I don't know how many heads the mission home will take, but we usually have some of the new missionaries staying at the senior missionary apartments on roll aways.  It's only for two nights, so it's manageable.  The new missionaries come in at 9:30 tomorrow morning.  There's nap time, orientation time, proselyting time, a trip to see the temple and many other things that are scheduled before they meet their new companions and go to their areas after transfers at 10am Wednesday morning.  All this after coming in on the red-eye.  I'm sure their heads are just spinning.  On Wednesday morning before transfers actually happen they are given training in traffic safety (Elder Decker), mail procedures (Sister Rothman), finances (Sister Decker), housing (me) and records (Elder France).  These orientations are presented by those of us in the office.

Elder France, Sister France, Elder Decker, Sister Rothman, and Sister Decker.

Our week was spent opening new apartments all over the state.  We opened up 10 new ones in the last 9 days.  Every day we loaded out at 7am with the help of our local missionaries and headed out. We couldn't do it without them.  Every morning they showed up with happy faces and willing bodies.  With Doyle's organizational skills, we usually had all the loading done within about 30 minutes.  I prepare the list and he decides how to load it so it all fits.  The apartments are minimally furnished, but by the time we are finished, they always look pretty cozy.  The biggest thing that is missing that we are all so used to are the couches and love seat type furniture.  President Holm wants our missionaries to stay busy and productive, not lounge around on nice soft furniture.  Makes sense!!

Just got a call from my good friend Margie Rush in East Wenatchee.  She is busy preparing to go on a 4 day trek with the youth of the stake.  Now that's an adventure.  She's busy making bonnets and aprons for the young women and preparing food for everyone for the big event.  What an undertaking!  You go Margie.  All those domestic skills put to the test here.  What would your ward do without you?  Keep up the good work!!

 

The Lord continues to sustain us in our efforts here in South Carolina.  We are blessed with good health and strength to be able to do the work.  We are blessed with enough computer skills to get the paperwork end of our callings taken care of.  When I have a problem I ask Doyle or the AP's to help me.  Our AP's are in the office a lot during the time surrounding transfers as they have many things to do to get ready for the changes that occur.

This is one of the new apartments we opened up for our sisters.  Doyle and I call it "The Plantation". 

That's him sitting on the porch in the top picture.  It's a little house on a beautifully manicured estate in Lugoff.  It is just the perfect size and so cute!  Whoever gets this location will be pleased indeed.  It is the true find of this transfer.  I had an apartment ready to go in this little town and it fell through at the last moment, so the Mihlbergers went there to see what they could find.  They did some super sleuthing at the local laundromat and found out about this little house.  They went to see the owner and he was ready to rent it without a lease of any kind.  I talked with him and told him we needed something on paper, so he wrote up a couple of paragraphs and that was all it took.  Some apartment complexes send me 26 pages!!

 

Life is superb!!.  We love our mission!  We love South Carolina and we love serving our Father in Heaven as we go about the work!

 

Have a great week y'all.