Thursday, May 7, 2009

We are still standing but barely

Hi all,

We got a letter today from Camille. We were happy to hear from her. It was fun to get a letter we didn't have to forward. This week is transfers so no mail could go out today and maybe tomorrow. It will be a huge job once the transfers are in the system and we have to forward all of the mail. I was a bit jealous when Camille said they drive to the Mission Office once a week to pick up their mail. That won't work here for the missionary mail to the outer Islands.

Grandpa had to meet a potential landlord tonight to sign a lease for an apartment in the Pearl City area. We left at 5 pm and it took us over an hour to get there. The man waited for us at the Home Depot parking lot then we followed him to his home. The apartment is great for four missionaries and the lease needs to be complete by Wednesday for transfers. Everything went ok until he said he wants to be paid off the record so he doesn't have to claim the income on his taxes. Well you know the answer to that. He said he would check with his accountant to see what kind of a hit he would take on his taxes if he does lease to the church. He really wants the missionaries there, who wouldn't? No drinking, no smoking, no drugs. They are required to keep their apartment clean and there are couples whose calling is to check to make sure they keep things clean.

Guess we will see what he decides.We didn't get back to our apartment until 7:30. We started this morning at 7:00 am so we still haven't gotten to that 9-5 job. But that is ok, we are doing good and things will settle down after the transfers. I felt really good about what I accomplished today finding a quicker way to assign wards and missionaries to referrals by using a program that allows me to pinpoint the right location on the computer rather than having to look up streets and check maps. Then I found a job description and found out that I didn't know I was to send baptismal information to various individuals. So, I will start to take care of that after we get the mail out.

Around 7 pm Saturday we got a call from the other office missionaries and were told that each Sunday we all take turns hosting a dinner so no one has to cook a complete Sunday dinner and would I bring a salad. A quick walk to the store and I had the ingredients to make a Waldorf Salad. So instead of cooking for two, I make a salad for 10. We really do have a social group here with the couple missionaries. One of the couples were in route to the big Island and two of the couples are going home in the next couple of months. Then we and the Miles will decide if we want to continue Sunday dinner every week or do something else. I hope we do it maybe once a month. We usually don't like to have a big meal anymore so cooking small for two suits us best.

Julie--When you see Julie Spencer tell her I really do miss her "hair talents." I went to the Korean hair lady across the street with the specific instructions from Julie and came out with almost black hair. Cindy said her hair products are better than I have been using. I could tell from the start it wasn't going to be a good experience. But I smiled and said next time make it lighter. Missionaries don't throw fits at least where anyone can see. Her curling iron was really strange. She rolled over a tray with a gas burner on top. She had two curling rods that she laid on the flames and used one on my hair while the other one heated up. I was a bit nervous but my hair didn't go up in flames!

Jacki- One of our Assistants to the President has a member of his home ward in SLC going to the Durban, South Africa Mission. His name is Ben Earl.

Well it is 9 pm here and the man called and said he wants to rent to the missionaries and agreed would claim the rent as income so it looks like we have an apartment for the Tongan missionaries. Tomorrow evening, we will be going to another apartment to see if it is a good place for more missionaries and to sign a lease if it is.

Hope all is well at home, we love all of you and miss you.

Best to Kate as she graduates this week. We hope our cards got to her.

Love, G.Carol and G. Ed

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