Update -- finally!

Somehow, our google password got screwed up and so we couldn't get back in to post. Finally, got it reset tonite, and wouldn't you know it--it didn't ask for a password this time!

Anyway, last Sunday, our bishop told me that our papers had gone in. Imagine our surprise when we got a phone call Monday night from the Director of the Salt Lake Innercity Project. I thought, Wow, that's fast! He called to tell us that we would be in training on Sat and Sun, Feb 7 and 8 and gave Max the details--where and when. He said that we would be getting a letter confirming our call. We already knew that the letter would be sent to our Stake Pres who would then forward it to our Bishop, who would then arrange to set us apart. Bro. Hodson said that we needed to be set apart before the training on the 7th.

In the meantime, our neighbors/friends/home teachers, the Pankratz', received their mission call. They have been called to serve in the Belgium Brussels Netherlands Mission. They are very excited as Vern served his mission in the Netherlands as a young man. He was our Bishop when we first moved here and is the one that called me to be RS President. They are friends of our friends from Cove Fort, Steve and Belva Gae Pratt. Vern went to high school with Pratt's in Moses Lake, Washington; joined the church a few years later; served a mission; and started writing to the sister of one of his companions. When he got home, he married her and they have raised 11 kids in a strong LDS family. We are excited for them. They enter the MTC in June.

Back to us: last night we got a call about 6pm from the Asst. Director of our "mission" (He referred to it today as the Salt Lake Innercity Project). Since we live in Tooele, he asked us if we would be interested in being assigned to a Tooele church unit. The unit is the Tooele 9th Branch, which is our local Spanish branch. We were taken aback a bit since we don't speak Spanish. I got dad on the phone also and we both spoke to him at some length. Finally, the decision was that we would think about it; attend their Sac. Mtg. tda; meet the Branch President and see how we felt. He did not think the language issue would be a problem.

We talked to Doug about it as he knows this branch. When it was first formed a few years ago, he was asked to teach the Gospel Doctrine class for a few weeks until they got organized. Now, he is the Stake YM Secretary, and so works with all the units in his Stake. He didn't think that the language would be an issue, but offered to meet us there and go to Sac. Mtg with us.

So, we went. Got there kind of early to try to meet Pres. Gonzalez ahead of time. No such luck. We sat on the back bench near a door so that Doug could sit with us whenever he got there. The chapel gradually filled up. We were greeted by one brother who we later figured out was the 2nd Coun. 2 or 3 others came and greeted us, but mostly we were left alone. I was beginning to feel sort of "outcast". We had a program and I was relieved to see that one of the speakers was an "anglo" so I hoped figured that we would understand at least one talk.

It was strange but fun to sing the hymns in Spanish. We couldn't figure out which hymns they were ahead of time, but as soon an the intros started, of course we recognized them. Sang them in stumbling Spanish. The meeting was conducted by the 1st Coun., Bro. Beesley or Beagley--in fluent Spanish, of course. There were several other "anglos" in the congregation, but they all sat in an attentive manner and seemed to understand what was being said. After the opening prayer, the anglo speaker got up and conducted some business in Spanish. I heard the names of English wards, and he was apparently presented Stake business, because after he read a bunch of stuff, everyone raised their hands to sustain. Doug confirmed that it was high council Sunday, but this brother was the one i thought would prob. speak in English. Doug told us that the other speaker was the Stake Patriarch. So, we didn't understand anything that was said. We heard the word "testimonio" at the end of both talks, so we knew they were closing with their testimonies, but only caught a word or two that we recognized.

At the end of the meeting, we made a point to introduce ourselves to Pres. Gonzalez and told him that we would be his new missionaries. We told him we were apprehensive about the language, but he doesn't seem to think it will be an issue, as he estimates that 85% of his branch speaks English and the other 15% generally have someone who can interpret for them. We spoke with him just briefly about our schedule and arranged that as soon as we were set apart and trained, we would contact him for an appt to meet and talk about what he needs us to do. He did say that he would like us to come to Ward Council mtg.

So, my sister Tina's prediction came true! When we got up this morning to a snow storm, it confirmed that this was a good decision. We are glad that we won't be having to drive into Salt Lake City in bad weather.

We went to our home ward afterwards. Talked to our Bishop--he hasn't seen our call yet, but announced to the congregation that we had received a call for a service mission for 2 yrs and that Pankratz' had received their mission call. I had several people congratulate us and tell us that they would miss me/us while we served. So I hope that means that we have made an impact in this ward.

We're quilting like mad to try to get this quilt done before we start our mission. We have about 15-16 inches left, but that is more that it may sound like since there is so much quilting. We didn't quilt tda-Dad's fingers are really hashed and mine are close behind. We'll hit it again tmo and hope we can get it far enough along that I don't have to quilt so much on Wed and Fri when Logan comes to our house.

She's been pretty good about entertaining herself. She plays on the recumbent bike next to the quilt frames while she snacks and watches TV and talks to us in bits and pieces. Everytime she comes, she wants Mac and Cheese and hot dogs for lunch. I asked her Friday what she has to eat at Gramma Peg's. Her answer? Brocolli. She says that Gramma Peg gives her brocolli every time she's there. Mellie says that brocolli is Logan's favorite food. Funny how she never asks for it here. I think I'll offer it sometime and see what she says.

Love to all. Today was a bit exhausting. Came home from our church at 4; ate dinner and fell asleep until 830 ish.