My mom received this email from my brother. when I read the last paragraph, I am completely at a loss for words. He actually had to ask the church for permission to visit family. He is only working three days a week, for crying out loud. This is the one I wrote about last spring, when they were on a mission to Arizona. Not too big a loss, since he has only come to see us three times in the last six years. I swear he and I live on different planets.


Hi,



Well, it finally happened! After Church last Sunday, the Stake President met with us and called us on a mission! That’s right. We will be the managing Couple Missionary for the Regional Bishop’s Storehouse in ********. It is a Church service mission and will be for 1 ½ or 2 years, depending on our situation after a year. It begins about the 1st of December and we, of course, will be living at home and essentially working part-time at the storehouse during the week. We have weekends free, and most Mondays and Fridays, although there is one Monday a month we have to meet the delivery truck and there can be emergency orders to fill on Friday (or maybe at any time, if it is indeed an emergency). We will be responsible for the entire operation, the other service missionaries (couples and singles, young and old) who work there, and all of the volunteers, as well as the maintenance of the entire building. We went down today and spent a few hours with the current managers We are responsible for its entire operation, deliveries, filling and placing orders, purchases, and for facilities issues for the entire complex. The complex there includes the storehouse, cannery, employment center, and family services—though we don’t do anything with the operation of these other offices and their equipment, we do take care of replacing burned out lights, repairing copy machines, computers, calling the plumber, electrician, or whoever for whatever needs fixing, as well as maintaining the complex and scheduling painting, etc.



Well, the Church has done it again. I never cease to be amazed at the fact that for as long as I live they seem to be able to come up with something different every time. Some of the things we will be doing are similar to what we did in the mission office in Albuquerque, but most will be a learning experience for both of us. We’ve been back from our mission for six months now, and our greatest frustration is that we recognize and feel such a great need for strong active members on the Navajo reservation, and so many strong members here. If there were only a way to give some of us and add to some of them to make it more balanced. It has been six months since we left the mission field, and up until last Sunday did not have any callings except home and visiting teaching. But we can’t say anymore that we have nothing to do. We will be challenged with this calling and think it will be fun and exciting.



We did ask about being able to leave to visit family and were told that we can do that, but we should have someone fill in for us and get substitutes, if possible. So, we think we can still keep some of the commitments we have made, but will not likely be taking any other long trips for the next 18-24 months.



Love

Wow. Just... wow. How can anyone be that excited about being taken advantage of?

He must feel needed and I guess that feels good.