Nov 9, 2014
Talking to an Elder this week, we discovered he was
on the crew who framed our new house. I felt some satisfaction that we
may have helped finance his mission. My pride turned to anxiety when I
heard him say, "Ya--that was the only time I have done that but it was
cool!" Do we put the house on the market immediately? We knew he lived
in American Fork but for him to have built our house--what are the
odds?? And perhaps that explains why the granite backsplash in the
kitchen is 1 inch away from the wall.
I have been the designated
driver as we picked up a new Nissan Frontier truck from Crystal lake and
a new Subaru Legacy this week. I almost rear-ended the new truck as
Elder Taggart stopped and I didn't notice for a second or two. I laid
some serious rubber and he said the look on my face was priceless--like
out of a horror movie. I was grateful to angels who helped my car stop
in time. Elder Taggart said I probably used 100 miles worth of rubber on
that one stop. I can now understand--somewhat--how our missionaries
have lapses in driving. Sisters totaled a car when a police car T-boned
the passenger side of their car. The Sisters got the ticket, the car got
totaled. An Elder backed a 2015 car into a parked car, a good trick
since his companion was standing outside the car to help him back up. (a
mission rule.)
"You aren't like our Catholic Sisters, are you?
Don't you have a husband? Why does your nametag say Sister?" said a lady
I met in the bathroom this week.
Thus started an impromptu
discussion about why I am called Sister. We are all God's children and
that makes us all brothers and sisters.
"Do you go to that big pretty church on Lake Avenue on Sundays?"
No, that is our temple. We go there but it is closed on Sunday.
"My mom says it's amazing inside with a stage and electronics for lights and music."
No,
actually it is a calm, quiet place with no stage, no performers of
music. We all wear white, speak only in whispers, and it is a pretty
basic place. (I'm thinking, why doesn't she ask me about Mormon
doctrine?)
"So your church doesn't believe in music in your services?"
I
wanted to say.....Hello, Mormon Tabernacle Choir.....but I resisted. I
calmly explained about the music in our meetings. What goes on in the
temple has more to do with making covenants with God than singing and
our regular worship services.
"Well I'll have to tell my mom she is wrong about the technology in that nice building."
Successful missionary contact? Probably not.
"Sister Taggart, I got two boxes last week and I'm not sure they are for me."
"Do they have your name on them?"
"Yes but I never get boxes. I'm sure they're for a different Elder ______"
"There is no other Elder ________. Keep the boxes, you deserve them."
We
fed 3 Sister missionaries dinner Wed. night and 2 Elders Thurs. night.
The Sisters eat like birds so the Elders got leftovers, chicken from
Costco, mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy, salad, and dessert. We are
thankful for our missionaries and now I won't need to fix Thanksgiving
dinner.
Petty cash....who knew I would need a degree in
accounting to do this job. Crooks are leaving in a week so Elder Crook
is trying to settle all accounts before he leaves. He wanted to get rid
of my petty cash box once and for all. It has been an irritant to him
since we got here. Why do we need to have it. He is over finances and
why have a petty cash box? I collect payment for nametags ($4 each)
mini-Preach My Gospel books ($4 each) pocket Book of Mormons if they
want them ($4 each), postage to the mailman if anything has postage due
and a bunch of misc. items. We got a $5 rebate from an auto light on a
mission car. The auditor shows up and we spend time trying to resolve
this "problem". Elder Crook wants to deposit all my petty cash. All well
and good until the mailman needs $1.15.....then who has change? An
Elder gives me cash for a nametag....do we make $4 deposits when that
happens each time. And what category do we put them under? Then Elder
Crook wanted me to enter a voucher/receipt for everything that goes in
or out of the box. That means turning on my computer, getting into IMOS,
type a receipt for every transaction and then pick up the receipt when
the missionary drops it on the floor because he doesn't care about a
receipt. The auditor finally agreed with me, said I could accumulate up
to ____ as long as I can keep a log for every transaction, which I had
been doing anyway. Thank you, Mr. Auditor, for keeping it simple.
So
another week has passed. We are thankful for this opportunity every
day. It stretches us both, every day. With the Crooks going home,
several missionaries have hit the panic button and asked us when we are
leaving. We assure them we still have 6 months to go. Many are relieved
to know they will leave before we will. One Elder said, "The mission
will be in a world of hurt when the Taggarts leave." It's good to be
loved and good to be appreciated. I have long said the Senior couples
are the anchors that hold things steady in a mission. Sometimes the
voice or reason, sometimes the patient voice that calms, sometimes a
voice to remind them who they are and what they are here to accomplish.
Elder Taggart has been sick this week with a cold/flu....no fever, just
coughing and nasal congestion. He is a workhorse and doesn't let it slow
him down much. So onto our next transfer tomorrow.....13 new
missionaries in and 10 leaving. I know this drill.....I can do hard
things.
Love,
Sister Taggart
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