Mission Office 101

What a week this has been!  New and challenging experiences every day - and we have loved it!

Monday morning, November 5th, we left St. George bright and early and arrived in Anaheim in time to make our pre-arranged lunch appointment with President and Sister Golden, our wonderful new mission president and his wife. They made us feel so welcome and let us know they had been anxiously awaiting our arrival. As we had heard before, they verified that there is a shortage of senior missionary couples. They were concerned that they would not have the third couple they need to run the mission office. That would have meant double duty for one of the other office couples. We know we are here because we are greatly needed!

We're here!

The California Anaheim Mission Office

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday included 8 hour "firehose" days of training on how to manage all the apartments and housing in the mission. Here's what we're learning:  signing leases for missionary apartments, organizing furniture for new move-ins, meeting with leasing office managers in various apartment complexes, creating housing lists and documents for the mission, purchasing cleaning supplies for missionary apartments, inspecting missionary apartments, renewing one year leases and sending the info to Salt Lake, closing apartments no longer needed, texting companionships about issues, installing smoke & CO2 alarms in apartments, and planning for future needs.

Elder & Sister Miyamoto with Elder Carpenter, inspecting a new apartment.

Thursday night we attended a going-away party for the Miyamotos, the couple we are replacing in the mission office.

Pres. & Sister Golden, the Rhines, the Simpsons, and the Miyamotos

Saturday morning it was our privilege to meet Jackie, a sweet young woman who is being taught by the Miyamotos. We are excited to get to know her better and continue to teach her.

Elder & Sister Miyamoto teaching Jackie

Saturday afternoon we were ready for a break! Our long-time friends, the Gerritsens, happened to be in Anaheim on vacation and joined us for a drive down to our favorite Crystal Cove State Park. It was a beautiful day for a drive - warm and sunny. We caught ourselves wondering what the temperature at home might be.

Crystal Cove State Park with the Gerritsens

Sunday morning we met up with more dear friends, the Bishops, to take them to church with us. It was our first week in the Anaheim 4th Ward and everyone was so friendly! The Bishop and his wife met us at the door. The children who participated in the Primary presentation did a great job and were so well prepared! Along with our Mission Office responsibilities, we will have the opportunity to be Member and Leadership Support to our new ward.

During our church meetings, we met several new families from Utah and Idaho who were visiting "Mickey Mouse's Ward." Turns out that ours is the closest ward to all the hotels around Disneyland, so if you're coming down this way, come visit the ward!

Sunday afternoon with the Bishops

Now it is Monday again, and we are officially on our own in our new mission office responsibilities. Elder and Sister Miyamoto return to Hawaii very early tomorrow morning. We are sad and a little

Aloha, Elder & Sister Miyamoto!

tentative as we say good-bye to them and strike out on our own. They have done a wonderful work and are greatly loved around here. We hope to be able to fill their shoes. All in all, we feel very blessed to be part of the gathering in this area during the next several months.

- Pat -