Mission Report #6 (Oct 10 - 29)

My career as a hired gun (or more properly a Rent-a-trainer) began the afternoon of the 10th. The mission presidency asked that a few of us spend a couple of weeks back in the training zone as Trainers. That Friday afternoon I began working in the training zone with my new missionary, Sister Lillian Shepherd. She is a very nice lady, just a couple of years older than I am. She didn’t have much of an education and worked as a care giver with handicapped youth. Her computer skills are limited and her typing is very weak.
We had a CSM (Church Service Missionary) devotional that all missionaries were invited to attend. At the beginning of the meeting Pres. Pinon, who was conducting stated how many missionaries we have currently (it is about 415 full time and some 700 part time). He also stated that we had just surpassed the 1,000,000 hour mark in service for the year. That is truly remarkable. You can put an hourly rate on that number to get an idea of the money the church saves by utilizing us rather than employees.
After a week of helping Sister Shepherd work on family history we went out to a concert on Saturday night at the Assembly Hall (free of course.) It was put on by a concert soprano who is Bob and Heidimarie Morris’s daughter-in-law, Rachel Morris. We were contacted by Bob during the week so we made sure to go. It was absolutely outstanding plus it was fun to visit for a while with Bob and Heidimarie. They are doing fine and loving Idaho – unfortunately they live outside our mission boundary so no visiting there.
This last week was eventful as on Thursday, on our way to the Church Office Building for lunch we happened upon the general authorities returning to the Church Administrative Building. The first presidency and Quorum of the 12 travel around underground on oversized golf carts. They have security people all over to stop us from getting in the way when they pass. We saw one of the carts and on it was Quinton Cook, Boyd K. Packer and L. Tom Perry. There was actually one more on the cart but they pass by so quickly it was hard to remember. I had to return to the training zone before Barbara went back to work so I missed seeing President Dieter F. Uchtdorf as he was getting in a car to leave the Administrative building like she did. This is not an everyday occurrence as we have been here 3 months and this is the first time that has happened.
Friday was graduation day for my trainee and a trip to the beautiful Salt Lake temple with the trainees and the mission presidency. I took the name of the non-member genealogist who was the first to research my early LDS Carter family. I didn’t have any special experience but did feel great satisfaction at helping this man who had the spirit of Elijah on his eternal journey. Saturday evening evening we were invited to Roger and SueAnn Lamberts for dinner. They also invited Velda Welton, Helmet and Lark Bambl and Lark’s parents to dinner with us. It was a great evening with old friends from Fresno talking over our families, genealogy and having a great dinner. Sister Welton’s husband, the late Oliver K Welton, was our stake president when we got married. Brother Lambert was our bishop in West Stake several years ago. Henry and Nancy Bowen live in the same development as the Lamberts but they were off in Turkey visiting one of their kids. I should also note that April Lundquist Jolly lives 3 floors below us in our building. It is fun to run into her and her two cute boys every once in a while. They will be blessed with a third child In a few months. Well it is time to close. It is such a blessing to be surrounded by all these dedicated people in our mission. It can’t help but encourage you to raise the bar and try harder to live a better life.