August 8, 2011

I was able to finalize the last two of my original seven missionary recommendations from Vanuatu today. I am embarrassed that it took this long but it is amazing how slow communications are. I was also able to discuss senior sister missionary assignments with the Area Offices, learn about how to request financial aid through the general missionary fund, send instructions to a district president on key things to remember while setting apart a Branch President, and see quite a few missionaries come through the office. Each p-day there are quite a few elders who stop by the office to check for sail mail and otherwise transact some business with Elder or Sister Barfuss. Since Sister Klingler had “fired up” her Bosch mixer, she was cooking up a storm, much to the delight of the missionaries stopping by. She had four of the missionaries at the mission home singing songs as one of the elders played the piano. The piano is still somewhat out of tune but after two tunings since we got here, we are optimistic it will end up with a very beautiful sound. Jan says it has a great tough. It is a Kawai studio model. I met with the Assistants to rework our plans for a transfer in mid-September when we get 7 new missionaries. Then at 7pm Elder Ketywan came to the house to be set apart for his mission. The assistants joined us as I spoke with Elder Ketywan about the importance of the call. The three of us stood in the circle as I set him apart to serve in the California, San Jose Mission. He leaves tomorrow afternoon for LA and then on to the Provo MTC. I thought that my mission call to leave little Kalispell Montana in 1973 and go to Paris France was culture shock. I’m pretty sure that leaving Port Vila Vanuatu to go to San Jose California in 2011 will be an even greater culture shock. He seems ready and very excited to go. I am optimistic that he will do well. His English is really very good and he relates very well to the assistants. We ended the event with my teaching Elder Ketywan the fine art of Chocolate Chip Cookie dunking. The assistants have mastered it already and they gladly helped in the demonstration step of the training model. The assistants and I went back to the office afterwards and worked out a few more details for the September 12th transfer. I think we are back on track.