On God's Errand: January 2017

We've been here a couple of weeks now and are beginning to settle into a routine. In the winter months we work at the Visitor Center for six hours a day, six days a week. Thursday is our P-day and a chance to clean house, do laundry and shop for the week. January and February are pretty slow months as far as visitors to the site go---we average 2-3 tours per day, so we have lots of down time to continue to study and learn all the things that good tour guides are supposed to know. You never know when a General Authority will show up 😜 . Certainly want to look like we know what we're talking about. They are trusting us to do our own tours now. Each tour lasts from 1 to 1 1/2 hours plus a beautiful video that can only be seen here at this site. Summer time they tell us will be crazy---last year they had up to 700 visitors a day, so we'll enjoy the peace while we can. Our Visitor Center directors will be leaving next week and the other senior couple leaves in 3 1/2 months, so soon we will be the most experienced ones here. Kinda of scarey, I know.

The holidays were different, but lovely just the same. Christmas day is the only day in the year when the visitor center is closed down, so we got all the missionaries together (14 in all, 8 senior missionaries and 6 young sisters) for a nice turkey dinner and some fun games after Church. Then all headed to their homes to call their families. We loved talking with all of our kids and grandkids during the day. Technology is such a blessing, it was wonderful to be able to see everyone as well as hear them. Don't want them to forget what we look like. New Year's Eve we all got together for some more games and snacks, but the young sister missionaries had to be in by 8:00, so the party broke up pretty early. Have to admit we were in bed before midnight. Party poopers, I know!

We have been assigned to attend and support the Honesdale branch which is about an hour away on twisty and winding roads. I'm proned to carsickness, so that's become a bit of a challenge. I take a lot of Dramamine (then sleep through Church). It's a very small branch, with almost no Priesthood brethren. Two young elders are the counselors to the branch president. The first Sunday we were there they held a phone up to the microphone and sang along to the recorded hymns on the Church's website. So, they were glad to see us show up. I know we'll grow to love those devout people who are faithfully doing what they can to live and share the gospel in a remote part of Pennsylvania.

Enough for today---gotta save something for my next post.
Enjoy the pictures!