2/15/2013

   It is amazing how quickly time passes when you want to accomplish so many things - and don't get it done!  I am going to bed early tonight hoping tomorrow's twelve hour day won't be so tiring.  Think it will work?? 

   We left at 8:00 am for a devotional at the area office building.  Picked up Mahons and got there early.  Our area presidency, Elder Neil Anderson, Elder Rashband were in the area so they gathered all of the area workers together for a meeting.  You know what was great about the meeting?  I could understand 85% of the Spanish they spoke - didn't even need the translator headphones.  It took alot of concentration and focus (which I am not good at)  but I did it and was just so happy.  Pres. Anderson talked about us always having two voices that we can trust when all around us is going haywire.  Those are the voice of the spirit and the voice of the prophet.  That is comforting to know that no matter what happens in the world there are two sources of help and information that will never fail us.  Elder Rashband talked about being unified in our different jobs.  In the area office building they have many employees that work for the church in the Caribbean area.  There are facilities directors, CES directors, lawyers, car pool, auditing, public relations, etc.  Elder Anderson talked about not putting your testimony in danger by being offended by someone who is not living up to the standards you expect them to.  It was interesting because he said, "If you are losing your testimony because your boss is also a stake president and not living as you think he should, quit your job.  No job is worth losing your testimony but you must know that you will be offended.  It is up to you to let it go or let it destroy relationships and testimonies.  No one is perfect."

It was a short but very good meeting.  Still didn't get home until noon though.

   We had two Spanish classes this afternoon which both turned into gospel learning classes because they wanted to know what the devotional had been about.  We were supposed to be at the Dunfords at 6:00 for dinner but didn't get there until 6:30.  They had a Chinese New Years dinner the week before that we could not get to so they put some in the freezer for us.  We had a fun time with them.  They are from Georgia and are here doing public relations for the Church.  They had purchased an electronic bug killer that zaps bugs right out of the air.  Pretty impressive!