We traveled 4 1/2 hours from Mount Gambier to Adelaide after Sacrament
meeting Sunday and drove right to the Judd's flat via GPS. They live
directly across the street from the church building, which is on the
same property as the AUSTRALIA ADELAIDE MISSION home and office. We got
our keys from the Judd's, went to unload the car, and walked the block
back to their flat from ours for dinner. Sister Judd made a lovely
salmon and baked potato dinner with salad, vegetables, and dessert and
we so appreciated the thoughtful invitation.
We planned to be up early to walk Monday morning, but it was rainy and windy and easy to talk ourselves out of braving the weather. I didn't see any swooping birds though so that's good news!
We were to the mission office by 8:45 am to greet everyone and be ready for Monday morning devotional at 9:00. We met the new Australian housing couple, the Whites, and reconnected with Sister Salazar, the finance clerk. We haven't met Brother and Sister Goodrich yet. They work in one of the wards and help out in housing when needed.
Lee worked all day with Brother Judd, who is the mission's executive secretary and I worked all day alongside Sister Judd, who is President Carter's executive secretary. Each couple took a short lunch break before the guys went to the airport to get President and Sister Carter from a trip up in the north of the mission.
FYI, Darwin is the northern most town in our mission and in Australia, and it is approximately 3000 miles from Adelaide. The Carters also schedule district or zone meetings in Alice springs, which is approx 1/2 the distance, either on the way up to Darwin or on the way back. They take this week long trip every six weeks.
Lee is in charge of the mission office in general with particular responsibility for cars and bikes, so that means accidents reports, repairs, tickets which are called infringements, (someone ran a red arrow signal and was fined $540.00.. Yikes!) annual car budget, car inspections, car maintenance, airport transport, and general runner. Plus other things that he doesn't even know about yet.
I'm still learning my duties. Mondays are always busy as it is preparation day for the missionaries and the office is a meeting place for zone or district activities. It was busy Tuesday and Wednesday also as the President and assistants are getting ready for transfers next Tuesday
(leavers) and Wednesday (arrivers). What a process!
I book travel for all transfers within the mission (ferry to Kangaroo Island, airplane to Alice Springs and Darwin, and possibly bus or train to other towns). Travel can't be scheduled until the President and assistants get the transfers done. There may be new arrivals to the mission as well that are included in the transfer/intake changes. Some missionaries are on hold waiting for their visas to be issued and we don't know until the last minute if their visa will come through as scheduled.
The days seem to fly by! I look up and it's lunch time and the next time I look up its time to go home. I hope I am able to retrieve all that is being put in my brain when needed. Everyone in the mission office is patient and understanding...it's been really fun so far. Lee is in and out of the office, depending on where/what needs his attention.
We are excited about this new chapter of missionary service in Australia. It's only possible through the love and support of our beautiful family by Skype, email, letters, color crayon pictures, videos, packages, and photos. Thank you all!
We planned to be up early to walk Monday morning, but it was rainy and windy and easy to talk ourselves out of braving the weather. I didn't see any swooping birds though so that's good news!
We were to the mission office by 8:45 am to greet everyone and be ready for Monday morning devotional at 9:00. We met the new Australian housing couple, the Whites, and reconnected with Sister Salazar, the finance clerk. We haven't met Brother and Sister Goodrich yet. They work in one of the wards and help out in housing when needed.
Lee worked all day with Brother Judd, who is the mission's executive secretary and I worked all day alongside Sister Judd, who is President Carter's executive secretary. Each couple took a short lunch break before the guys went to the airport to get President and Sister Carter from a trip up in the north of the mission.
FYI, Darwin is the northern most town in our mission and in Australia, and it is approximately 3000 miles from Adelaide. The Carters also schedule district or zone meetings in Alice springs, which is approx 1/2 the distance, either on the way up to Darwin or on the way back. They take this week long trip every six weeks.
Lee is in charge of the mission office in general with particular responsibility for cars and bikes, so that means accidents reports, repairs, tickets which are called infringements, (someone ran a red arrow signal and was fined $540.00.. Yikes!) annual car budget, car inspections, car maintenance, airport transport, and general runner. Plus other things that he doesn't even know about yet.
I'm still learning my duties. Mondays are always busy as it is preparation day for the missionaries and the office is a meeting place for zone or district activities. It was busy Tuesday and Wednesday also as the President and assistants are getting ready for transfers next Tuesday
(leavers) and Wednesday (arrivers). What a process!
I book travel for all transfers within the mission (ferry to Kangaroo Island, airplane to Alice Springs and Darwin, and possibly bus or train to other towns). Travel can't be scheduled until the President and assistants get the transfers done. There may be new arrivals to the mission as well that are included in the transfer/intake changes. Some missionaries are on hold waiting for their visas to be issued and we don't know until the last minute if their visa will come through as scheduled.
The days seem to fly by! I look up and it's lunch time and the next time I look up its time to go home. I hope I am able to retrieve all that is being put in my brain when needed. Everyone in the mission office is patient and understanding...it's been really fun so far. Lee is in and out of the office, depending on where/what needs his attention.
We are excited about this new chapter of missionary service in Australia. It's only possible through the love and support of our beautiful family by Skype, email, letters, color crayon pictures, videos, packages, and photos. Thank you all!
No comments:
Post a Comment