It has been an interesting week for us. Tuesday’s District Meeting was video recorded and then on Friday parts of it was shown at the monthly Zone Leaders Conference. Since we were asked to help prepare the lunch for the meeting we were there and Mary got to see part of the presentation. Elder George talked about his style of leadership and how it has succeeded in our district.

  

I grilled 36 hamburgers and a lot of sausages out on the beautiful patio of the mission home. President and sister Anderson says they do not have time to enjoy the pool but do appreciate the beautiful flowers and yard. I was extremely jealous of the gorgeous bed of impatiens that you can see in the middle picture. All the elders managed to get themselves around just three tables. They love to just talk to each other – especially those who have served together or were in the MTC together. There was a great spirit there.

 

When we left the mission home we decided to drive down the street and look at the houses. At the end of the road was this house that looks completely different from any of the other houses on the block. It seems organic to it’s surroundings. The picture on the right tries to capture the size of the huge stag horn fern that is on the tree…it must is the largest one either of us had every seen.

On Thursday I started to seriously get trained as the mission finance secretary. The Steimles have just over 4 months left and then someone is going to have to take his place at what is probably the most complicated job in the office. If elder Steimle got sick and had to go home early  there would be no one ready to step in. On Friday when we are at the mission home, I mentioned to the president that I was starting to learn the job and made a case for me taking over for the year that we would be here after the Steimles go home. He said he had not thought of that and would take it under consideration. So we will just wait and see what happens. But while waiting I will learn what I can. Elder Steimle is a talented and willing teacher.

I am also learning much of what Elder Beagley does with the cars. Where the finance is pretty much learning the routine, the vehicle coordinator never knows what he is going to have to do day by day. There is of course some routine, such as posting the monthly mileage and gas card purchases. But every time his phone rings it could be someone calling because they have had an accident, have locked their keys in their car, lost their gas card, or that one of the cars is acting up. I can remember how elder Sessions in Durban hardly ever made it through one of our meals without someone calling with a problem. Elder Beagley does an excellent job in a very difficult position.