97th Post Monday June 13 - Sunday June 19, 2011

Monday already and another busy week.  I signed two apartment leases and visited a third apartment complex today - I was out most of the day with those issues.  Leona and I went over the apartment spreadsheet to make sure she was ready to make the rent payments.  Not so many missionaries in today, not sure why.  We made some treats for the missionaries that came in the office - did not take long for the treats to disappear.  We went over to the Stringfellows for FHE.  We watched a DVD by Cleon Skousen about the signs of the 2nd coming especially what will happen in the Holy Land.  Very interesting.  We enjoy our time with the senior sisters and the Stringfellows.
Tuesday I made a quick trip up to Conroe to deliver a rent check to Forrest Creek - just like last month!  Turns out we have a few apartment complexes that are owned by the same company and when we moved apartments at Forest Creek the computer some how got the wrong address.  Anyway we got that resolved - we hope.  I spent the rest of the day cleaning up both my paper and electronic files - our replacements the Bowcutts arrive tomorrow.
We had 6 elders over for dinner this evening, Elders Galbraith, Scoresby, Anderson (Vern Rice's grandson), Sleet, Angilau, and Webb.  All good elders and it is such a blessing to serve with them.  It was another hot hot day.
Wednesday, Elder and Sister Bowcutt arrived safely to the mission last night and they were in the office ready to go to work this morning.  They pulled their 5th wheel trailer from their home in Monroe, Utah.  We started right out reviewing how apartments are set up, leased, provided with utilities, tracked, etc.  We also went over how to set up the pictures for the transfer and picture boards.  Elder Bowcutt picks up things really quickly as he knows how to get around in the computer very well.  Sister Bowcutt and Leona spent the day training and going over finances, setting up new vendors and all the other responsibilities that she will have.  We are so glad they are here and ready to go.  Their son is the bishop in the ward we attend here in Houston, the Olde Oaks Ward.
Thursday Elder Bowcutt and I went to WalMart to get apartment cleaning supplies, and ran some other errands.  We visited an apartment to get the lease renewal process moving.  I reviewed lots of tasks around apartments and documentation again today.  Another wonderful day to be a missionary.
Friday we stopped by Cypress Lake Apartments (where we live) to sign a church lease for our apartment.  When Leona and I move out the senior sisters will move into our two bedroom apartment.  The Church will "sign" the lease and the sisters will reimburse the church for the rent.  They no longer need their 3 bedroom apartment.  It was nice that their apartment and ours both had leases come due June 30.  Leona and I and the Bowcutts went with Elder Stringfellow to pick up four new mission cars at the Ford dealer up I-45.  On the way back Leona took a little side trip (she got turned around) going the wrong direction.  I seen her and tried to get her attention but to no avail.  Because of traffic I could not follow her.  I just hoped she would not drive to far before she realized where she was.  She did make it back to the office after her tour of the I-45 frontage road.  I was so glad she got back (she did not have her cell phone).  Never a dull moment when you are a senior missionary.  I went over to the store and got some ice cream treats for Sister Donkin as it was here birthday today.  After their district meeting they all came back to the office and we sang and had ice cream.  One of the elders that went home several months ago sent Sister Donkin flowers - I'm not sure she knew how to take all that.
Saturday we fixed some chicken in the crock pot and Leona went into the office for a while.  The lady who cleans the mission home and mission office is from Tonga.  She wanted to do a luau for the Hansens before they go home (July 1), so we combined that with the senior missionary dinner.  It was great.  All the senior missionaries, the Hansens and their son and family and the cleaning ladies family (over 30 people from her family) were all that the TC Jester church building.  It was a fun evening.  The Tongans sang and danced and just had a wonderful time entertaining us.  We took lots of pictures and ate lots of good food.  This will probably be the last time we will see some of the seniors.  We have come to love and enjoy our service with them so much.  What a blessing to be a full time missionary.
Sunday and we are thankful for a day of rest.  The Sacrament meeting talks were very good.  Leona slipped back to the mission office during RS to get a letter typed in "Spanish" for the new mission president.  She said that she needed peace and quiet to get it done and knew that it would not be that way tomorrow with P-day for the young missionaries and more training with the Bowcutts.  The Young Women had made Father Day treats for all the dads in the ward.  They were leis made of candy wrapped in plastic wrap and pieces of ribbon tied between each piece.  They were quite decorative, the girls had done a good job and the dads appreciated their hard work.

Love,
Mom and Dad