First of all, there's a lot of buzz about the new age requirement for missionaries. Applications opened (electronically) jumped from the average 400 per week to 7,000 the week after the announcement was made. The influx of increased numbers could be felt as early as this spring, with the training time also being decreased. Here are some of the impacts these new numbers will have.
Number of missionaries will increase 30%. We now have 193; we'll operate at 250. This means 30% more vehicles and homes or apartments. President Lewis remarked that it takes all his time just to interview 200 missionaries on a consistent basis. We have a mission nurse, who has a bluetooth attached to her ear and is constantly dispensing medical advice, as well as caring for the infirm. She's have a 30% larger population to monitor.
Once the existing missions are topped up, new missions will be opened to accommodate all those wanting to serve. Feels like a stone cut from a mountain without any hands. Momentous times.
This was transfer week, which is always busy and emotional. The farewell dinner and testimony meeting for the "dying" missionaries fell on Halloween night, so the office elders were posted on the porch of the Mission Home to handle the trick-or-treaters. They were less than enthusiastic about this assignment. I heard the words, "...like losers who aren't invited to the party..." bandied about. I couldn't resist taking a picture of them pouting.
Elders Jones and Henderson, not serving with a happy heart
Because of budget constraints, the libraries here are open fewer hours than back home. But one cool thing they have is "Lucky Day" books. When passing the rack last week, I noticed several hot new bestselling books, one of which I had requested and was number 53 on the hold list. I was told that whatever was found on that rack was available for checkout, making it your lucky day for coming in. I checked out three, making me triple lucky. It doesn't take much to make me happy.
Found a miniature pumpkin on my desk yesterday with the following note attached: "A lady being baptized was asked by a co-worker what it was like to be a Mormon. She replied, "It's like being a pumpkin. God picks you from the patch, brings you in and washes all the dirt off you. Then he cuts the top off and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc., then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His 'light' inside of you to shine for all the world to see."
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