Greetings all. It’s Sunday evening and we’re back home after a fairly long day at the Visitors’ Center. The Center Director and his wife were speaking this evening at a multi-stake missionary fireside and consequently were not able to fill their normal 4pm – 9pm shift at the Center. When that happens, like today, the other senior couple splits the twelve-hour day with us. They are there from 9-11:30am, we come on shift from 11:30am to 5:30pm, and then they come back to finish out the night from 5:30pm to 9pm. That way each of us spend six hours at the Center and still get to our respective wards for church meetings.

As the afternoon wore on, getting onto 2:30pm or so, I was wondering why we hadn’t had any mainland Chinese tour buses. Just about that time, the first bus arrived. Within the next 75 minutes, eleven buses came with about 250 people. No more wondering. This was a day when we had almost as many Chinese visitors as all other visitors combined.

Coupled with that, the air conditioning in the Center isn’t working very well and we were never able to get the temperature in the Center below 79°. For much of the afternoon is was cooler outside than it was inside! Since we no longer have air conditioning at home (not since we had to move out of our previous apartment), we have been looking forward to the time at the Center. Tonight, we have a nice, cool breeze and the apartment is very comfortable.

Last Monday and Tuesday we were treated to some fabulous training by the Church’s Managing Director of Visitors’ Centers and Church History Sites. All together we had six hours of in-depth training on our mission objectives (to help people come closer to Jesus Christ) and to gaining evidence that our objective is being met. Visitors’ Centers play a very important role in the finding and conversion process. Br. Lusvardi gave us a lot of valuable insight to the whole process and what actions on our part are the most beneficial to our guests.

Because Elder and Sister Swinton (the Center Director and his wife) had family visiting this week, we gave up our Preparation Day last Wednesday and worked the afternoon shift at the Center so they could have that time with their family. Even though their family had arrived late Sunday, the visiting dignitaries from Salt Lake occupied the Directors’ time on Monday and Tuesday. They have been very gracious in working some shifts for us when Aunt Pam or Jared and Tania were visiting so we could spend time with them. The end result, however, is a very long week!

We’re now down to four and a half months left on our mission, and exactly 90 days to Christmas. Time flies on wings of lightning, to quote a popular Church hymn. We appreciated the short video from my brother Perry and sister-in-law Chris as they visited with mother yesterday. Perry and Chris are spending this week in Yellowstone. We’re a bit envious….

So, ’til next week!

Love,
father/father-in-law/brother/brother-in-law/son/uncle/grandfather/friend/missionary

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