Sept. 19,2010

Good afternoon this beautiful Sabbath. How are you all in the
Mountain West? We become more and more grateful for news from home
and those we love. The miles that separate us don't change how we
feel.

We had Zone Council and Leader training this week. Zone Council was
for all the Zone leaders (24) throughout the mission and it was on
Monday. Then the Zone leader from the islands went back and the
district leaders and the trainers came in for training on Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday . They were from Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname,
French Guiana and Guyana. It was quite a feat for us to arrange
housing, food and transportation for all of them. The office Elders
and the Assistants to the President were on the road constantly when
they were not in meetings getting missionaries back and forth to
embassies for immigration, airports and apartments and a
bed-and-breakfast. Making sure they were physically feed was the
office's responsibility-Sister Mimi, tickets and accommodations-Sister
Ellison and Sister Childs, funding-Elder Wheeler and furnishings for
apartments-Elder and Sister Wheeler. Sister Mimi asked us all to help
with some of the food on Sunday night and that meant that we added
baking goodies in the mix. Sister Ellison hates to cook so she came
to our apartment Monday night and Sister Mimi came to our apartment
Tuesday for assistance with her assignment and then Wednesday night
kinda fell through as Sister Mimi was not feeling well. I still made
a chocolate sheet cake so there was some sweetie at the end of their
main meal that next day. We bought 10 twin size mattresses for the
apartment we vacated last week and filled the fridge with drinks and
fruit and bought rolls and cereal for breakfast. It came together
quite well with few miscalculations. They have all returned to their
assigned countries and areas and are fired up and ready to work.
President Gamiette is a wonderful teacher and blesses the lives of all
who hear him. I asked the Elders who passed my desk to share one
thing that impacted them from the meetings and they will hand me a
written note this coming week as they come to the Mission office for
mail etc. It was also fun to talk to some of their parents this week
as we were facilitating immigration requirements and needing documents
from home. It brought back great memories of letters from the
missionaries in our family and the blessings that come to the whole
family when there is a missionary in the field. We took a deep breath
yesterday and had a great nap this afternoon and are ready for another
week.

Our lesson in Sunday School today was on the prophets. We are looking
forward to General Conference and are ready to listen intently to
their messages. Isn't it wonderful to be members of The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? We hear this wonderful affirmation
when we talk to those who have joined the Church or who are
investigating. Their lives are forever changed. May you each be
blessed this coming week. We love you and miss you.

Much love,