Monday did not start off well! I hadn't been at my desk very long
that morning and I don't know what I did or how, but my computer was
all of a sudden totally messed up. I called every missionary ( it was
p-day) I could think of with computer skills reputation and none of them
knew what to do. I called the stake computer guy and left a frantic
voice mail before calling the GVM support line in Salt Lake City. The
patient young man on the other end of the phone asked questions briefly
and then hooked up remotely to my computer and had it figured out in no
time flat! What a tender mercy! I was sweating bullets and about to
burst into tears! At the end of the phone call he said something
like,"Next time sister, don't .................." and I just laughed and
replied, "DON'T YOU WORRY" even though I still don't know what I did.
Elder Lunt asked me to cut his hair and he got to the office after 2 pm on the way to a p-day zone activity. It had been a couple of months since his last one and was desperately needed.
Tuesday afternoon President and Sister Carter and the assistants arrived home from Darwin and Alice Springs at 4:45 pm. President had a meeting in Marion at 7:00 pm. The man never stops!
Wednesday morning I walked into the office and the assistants drafted me to take over weekly reporting of key indicators on the computer and making an excel report monthly for the Stake Presidents meeting with President Carter and the zone leaders. That meant this one time that I had 20 phone calls to make...and of course they are not all available when I call so it took all day to finish. I love talking to the missionaries and the day flew by!
Lee's Wednesday was exciting as well. He ran to the only local box store (like Cash and Carry) and was driving 50 kph in a 60 kph zone, marked with construction 25 kph signs that he didn't notice on HIS side of the street for construction happening on the other side of the street. When he glanced up in the rear view mirror and saw the flashing lights his heart sank! The policeman was young and quizzed Lee about how long we'd been in Australia, how much longer we were staying, and if we were here on holiday. Lee explained that we are here serving a church mission for 18 months and then the guy commented on the clean van, which Lee just washed the other day. The policeman was nice enough to let Lee go without citing him which nearly caused a heart attack from relief and we were saying prayers of thanks all the rest of the day! Knowing what previous infringements cost in the mission, Lee was afraid the fine would be 1200- 1500...... that's dollars!
Thursday Lee was running crazy all day. Easter weekend started Good Friday and stores are closed. They opened Saturday, but closed again for Easter Monday. Lee went to grocery shop for zone conference salad items for Friday, Sisters conference items for Saturday, and he bought non perishables for transfer week. Then he went to pick up a car from the repair shop and met Elders at the temple to get their car for repairs. He walked numerous times to the vault, the shed, and the freezer. He helped move a refrigerator, and received the 10 new missionaries bike delivery at the same time we were expecting missionaries for dinner at 6:00 pm. He went to the post office of course, sorted mail, tracked down lost packages in Darwin by phone, shopped at the meat market, called a list of missionaries about having their cars serviced, promised a new phone and delivered it Friday, to the same place he went Tuesday to deliver the one that doesn't work. He also purchased our personal grocery list, and kept it all separate at the store as well as in the car, and then put it away. The assistants invited him to a teaching appointment in the afternoon as well.
I took an extended lunch so I could get a cake made for Thursday dessert. Lee cooked burgers on the barbecue for Elder Sexton and Elder Vanisi and I made baked beans and a veggie plate along with usual burger condiments. We had a wonderful time discussing their families and ours, as well as the mission, and future plans. We enjoyed having them over, but I really prefer having company on Sunday for dinner rather than on week nights.
Elder Lunt asked me to cut his hair and he got to the office after 2 pm on the way to a p-day zone activity. It had been a couple of months since his last one and was desperately needed.
Tuesday afternoon President and Sister Carter and the assistants arrived home from Darwin and Alice Springs at 4:45 pm. President had a meeting in Marion at 7:00 pm. The man never stops!
Wednesday morning I walked into the office and the assistants drafted me to take over weekly reporting of key indicators on the computer and making an excel report monthly for the Stake Presidents meeting with President Carter and the zone leaders. That meant this one time that I had 20 phone calls to make...and of course they are not all available when I call so it took all day to finish. I love talking to the missionaries and the day flew by!
Lee's Wednesday was exciting as well. He ran to the only local box store (like Cash and Carry) and was driving 50 kph in a 60 kph zone, marked with construction 25 kph signs that he didn't notice on HIS side of the street for construction happening on the other side of the street. When he glanced up in the rear view mirror and saw the flashing lights his heart sank! The policeman was young and quizzed Lee about how long we'd been in Australia, how much longer we were staying, and if we were here on holiday. Lee explained that we are here serving a church mission for 18 months and then the guy commented on the clean van, which Lee just washed the other day. The policeman was nice enough to let Lee go without citing him which nearly caused a heart attack from relief and we were saying prayers of thanks all the rest of the day! Knowing what previous infringements cost in the mission, Lee was afraid the fine would be 1200- 1500...... that's dollars!
Thursday Lee was running crazy all day. Easter weekend started Good Friday and stores are closed. They opened Saturday, but closed again for Easter Monday. Lee went to grocery shop for zone conference salad items for Friday, Sisters conference items for Saturday, and he bought non perishables for transfer week. Then he went to pick up a car from the repair shop and met Elders at the temple to get their car for repairs. He walked numerous times to the vault, the shed, and the freezer. He helped move a refrigerator, and received the 10 new missionaries bike delivery at the same time we were expecting missionaries for dinner at 6:00 pm. He went to the post office of course, sorted mail, tracked down lost packages in Darwin by phone, shopped at the meat market, called a list of missionaries about having their cars serviced, promised a new phone and delivered it Friday, to the same place he went Tuesday to deliver the one that doesn't work. He also purchased our personal grocery list, and kept it all separate at the store as well as in the car, and then put it away. The assistants invited him to a teaching appointment in the afternoon as well.
I took an extended lunch so I could get a cake made for Thursday dessert. Lee cooked burgers on the barbecue for Elder Sexton and Elder Vanisi and I made baked beans and a veggie plate along with usual burger condiments. We had a wonderful time discussing their families and ours, as well as the mission, and future plans. We enjoyed having them over, but I really prefer having company on Sunday for dinner rather than on week nights.
Friday morning I woke up with a huge headache at 4:00 am and snoozed until the meds kicked in and I got up at 6:30 to make salad for Firle zone conference lunch. We went to the office early to make copies for President and the assistants gave me transfer info so I could get busy booking travel. It all worked out great, and I was able to get everything organized except one bus company was closed. Lee came to the church while we were serving lunch to inform me of one small problem, I had scheduled a missionary to travel north to Darwin on Wednesday morn at 8:45 am but he doesn't even arrive in Adelaide until Wednesday at 1:00 pm. OOPS! It was one of the assistants first time at logistics and I am so thankful logistics aren't my category!
I called QANTAS airlines right away to change the flight to the next day and it was no problem at all, and surprisingly, they didn't charge a change fee. After lunch, Sister Carter, Sister Goodrich and I went to the mission home to prepare the salad for the sisters luncheon Saturday. When I wasn't at the church or the Carter's, or booking travel, I was at the computer making a new Proof of Residency form for every missionary that is getting transferred. The forms are required by the library and allows the missionaries to use computers on p-day, and every time a missionary's address changes, and they need a new Proof of Residency form. I finished just at quitting time!
Friday morning Lee made a quick trip to Paralowie to deliver the phone. When he returned, he installed bike pedals on the 10 new bikes and organized the shed, helmets, name tags etc. Lee and Elder Goodrich manned the office and phones while we served lunch although Fridays are notoriously slow. We saw several missionaries after zone conference and we are always glad to meet and greet the wonderful young men and women of the ZAAM!
I don't think I have explained previously about Zaam. The official name of the mission is the Australia Adelaide Mission or the AAM. Upon his arrival in Australia in July of 2012, Pres Carter said he had the inspiration to call it the Zion Australia Adelaide Mission or the ZAAM. The mission anthem is hymn #44 Beautiful Zion and you should hear us and feel what we feel when we sing it! We have Elders and Sisters from the Pacific islands and they can really sing and harmonize so beautifully, especially when it's about something so close to the heart. Wherever we go for the rest of our lives we will associate that hymn with the Zion Australia Adelaide Mission. Beautiful Zion!
Saturday was the sisters conference. More on that in a separate post. Other than that, it was a regular catch up, rest day.
Sunday dawned a glorious Easter morning in Adelaide Australia. We attended church and heard three beautiful Easter messages in Sacrament meeting. Ari was a new Iranian student in our English class and we talked about Speaking to Others About Your Health, as well as reviewed Shopping for Clothes. Danny and Christina were out of town. We'll have a substitute for Wednesday since it's transfer week.
Sunday afternoon the seniors potluck lunched at the Goodrich's. It's always pleasant to spend time together and it was an an enjoyable drive 30 minutes each way on a perfect fall Easter afternoon.
We are happy to celebrate Easter and the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ! Resurrection is a wonderful gift for all! Another beautiful aspect of the Atonement is the enabling power we can access every single day. We are grateful to the Savior and blessed to participate in the glorious plan of happiness!
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