We were up early on Monday for our trip to Salt Lake. Although there were lots of cars on the freeway the drive went quickly so we arrived at The Inn on Temple Square a little early. This gave us enough time to study a little Indonesian before heading over to the Church Headquarters Building. The weather had changed overnight and it was quite brisk as we walked though a very quiet Temple Square. We spent a minute watching a crew start to put up the Christmas lights.The building security is quite tight. No one can get to the elevators without getting a pass. If you are a visitor you must check in at the security desk so they can let you though the turnstiles. Later in the day I forgot to do that and a gate came out and an alarm sounded.
The two days of training was interesting but I thought a little too long. The best part was getting to meet Elder and Sister King who were leaving on Wednesday to be PEF missionaries in Northern Brazil. Brother King was born there and Sister King is native South American. She speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and French. Both are lovely people and should do well there. They were worried because their duties are not clear and they both like to have their duties neat and clear. As the training went on it became evident that they are going into a situation where there are some disagreements between the different PH leaders in the area about how PEF should be run in Brazil. I kept insuring them that the Lord would help them succeed. I think in trying to give them comfort, I was also counseling myself.
I think the staff were not quite sure how to handle Mary and myself. We were not called to be PEF missionaries but took the training because we knew Gordon Creer and Indonesia maybe the next country to be opened to PEF. The main problem is to find a way to legally extend loans in Indonesia. It turns out that Indonesian law prohibits private organizations to give loans and there is no bank in Indonesia that they feel will treat the students — especially those who are not paying on their loan – in a manner the church would approve. If there is to be a PEF program in Indonesia I am sure the Lord will provide a way to solve this problem.
Just before our training was over, Elder John Carmack came in to say hello. He remembered us from over 30 years ago when we went to him to get help with mom and dad’s estate. He was just about ready to leave to become mission president in Idaho. I have met him a couple of other times when he came to Torrance North Stake as part of the area presidency. Except for his hair being a little grayer he looks exactly the same. He has a smile that lights up any room. He invited us to come back sometime before we leave on our mission and have lunch with him.
After our training on Tuesday we picked up our car and went by to see Cindy’s family. There was no one home and when we called her, we found they were at piano lessons and would not be home for an hour. We decided to go have dinner at “Little America” and perhaps when we were finished we would go back. By the time dinner was over I was so tired that I just did not feel like doing anything but head home.
Since there was snow on mountain, about the first thing I did was moving the bougainvillea plants inside. I do not know if anyone will keep them while we are on our mission, but I decided I did not want to let a freeze kill them. Besides unpacking the car and writing a couple of e-mails, Mary watched ‘Dancing With the Stars’ I did not do much before heading off to bed at about 8:30.