The Interviews

We went to the MTC for training. We met the missionaries. We had zone conferences. We survived the Sisters' Breakfast and the 24th of July Parade. What next? Interviews. Being in charge of a mission, Bruce and I have the responsibility to make sure that each and every one of our missionaries is healthy, happy and working hard.

My job is the healthy part. Every day I get phone calls from a dozen or so of the young adults, as they tell me what ails them. So far, I've had stuffy noses, colds, flu, one apendectomy, kidney stones, twisted knees, a week-long hospitalization for a staff infection, wisdom teeth removed, a concussion, a permenant retainer that fell out, cavities, backaches, a bike accident (he went over the front of the handlebars, but no broken bones, thankfully!) seizures, acne, homesickness, ingrown toenails, bunions and crohn's disease to name a few. We've had to send five missionaries home to have medical treatment. Two were just released from their missionary service with a heartfelt thank you for the time served, and best wishes. One will complete his mission by living at home and working every day in the mission area there. Two will have surgery and/or treatment and return to Utah to complete their missionary service when they have healed. For the rest of them, I have to find the right doctors to send them to, monitor their treatment and medications, or just give them some sympathy and TLC, tell them to take two asprin and call me in the morning. I've decided that raising only seven children was a piece of cake!

Elder Hirst in the hospital.

Just came out of surgery and he's a bit confused.

Bruce's job is the happy and working hard part. The way that he finds out if every missionary is happy and working hard is to interview them. One at a time. For about 15 minutes each. Times 200 missionaries. So, for eleven days, we schedule them to come for interviews. They come about 20 at a time. A few come early, and get their interviews before the rest arrive. A few stay late, and have their interviews after the others have gone. But most of them come for a four hour time block, where, while individuals are being interviewed by President Winn, the rest of them are receiving training and studying together.

President Winn with Elder Lybbert, who just had the last interview he will have before his mission is finished and he goes back home.

I got to do my part of the training first every day. I decided that my training should begin with warm cinnamon rolls and a glass of milk. Something about the best way to a man's heart being through his stomach.....I followed that with lessons on how to lead music, including learning where the downbeat is in a song, and telling the difference between songs that are written in 3/4 time and songs that are written in 4/4 time. It was pretty fun. The missionaries were very good students, listened and were cooperative in trying new things. We continued with the theme of music, and played "Name that Tune" with questions from the Preach My Gospel book for the next hour. My students were very good sports, as they learned that when they play games with me I change the rules midstream, give out points indiscriminately, mix up the teams randomly and cheat. It makes for exciting learning and total chaos. But we all had a great time, and there is a slight possibility that somebody learned something, or at least thought of something in a new way. I ended my training with fresh baked peanut butter cookies, because my mother always taught me that if you start something well and end it well, people will forgive you for what happens in the middle.

Elder Campbell and Elder Nelson, who are the assistants to the president (AP's for short) did the next part of the training, where they actually had the missionaries working and studying together.

After eleven straight days of this process, all of our missionaries had had an individual interview. We will start that again in September, and then repeat it quarterly for the next three years. Whew!

In other news, my parents came down from Boise for a visit, so we got to drive to Provo one evening and join with them and my brother, Patrick and his family, Jolene and Rob, Kristi and David, Alixa and Jenna, and a couple of Holderness cousins for dinner. It was a pretty fun time! I forgot to bring my camera, so all of the pictures are on Kristi's camera, which I don't have, and you'll just have to imagine the good time we're having while my dad sent poor little Jaden (age 3) off into the elephant grass by the restaurant to look for elephants. Some things never change, like my dad's grin when he is up to mischief.

Thursday, I had to take Alixa and Jenna Bug to the airport because Jarom was just missing them too much. It was a sad good-bye. We're so glad they came out to visit, it was really fun having them here! We brought out the bathroom scale to make sure that Alixa's suitcase wasn't over 50 pounds. Jenna Bug was happy to sit on the scale and find out that she wasn't over 50 pounds either!



Jolene and Kristi and their boyfriends came up for dinner on Saturday night. Kristi gave Bruce a haircut and arranged my flowers for me. We sure do love living close enough to them that they can drop by for dinner! Sunday, we went to April and JJ's ward because they were blessing their new little baby boy, Cooper. So we got to see lots of the Newbry family, which was fun. Karen only has big girls now. Mindy's twins have grown and are just adorable. Kenny and Katie drove down, and Katie is plenty ready to have her baby, even though he isn't due for another four weeks. I look at April and wonder how she handles four little ones with such ease, and try to remember what it was like. I'm just glad that I did that when I was young and had a lot more energy than I do now!

If anyone else wants an interview...or a cinnamon roll or a peanut butter cookie, just let me know and I'll get you on the schedule for September. But make sure you can get everything you want to say said in 15 minutes or less. And if you don't feel well between now and then, just give me a call.....