Wednesday, October 01, 2014

         It was a nice change to be a participant in a session today.  The patrons were few in number for the 12:00 session which created a space for a willing worker to step in and I really enjoyed it! 

         Plan B for getting our temporary residency renewed was to travel to the Immigration Office today immediately after our shift in the temple.  I walked into our building at 2:00 p.m. and the Elders assigned to take us downtown were already there and waiting.  So we left immediately on our “venture.”  Both Elders were from Utah and we met another companion who was from Arizona.  These Elders work from the mission office helping all the missionaries with travel arrangements, visas, passports, immigration issues like ours, taking missionaries to the airport at 4:00 a.m. and retrieving newcomers, banking and money issues, etc.  They drive an extended cab pick-up truck with real seatbelts that work and air conditioning!  It’s a good thing since we were gone for three hours!  Since they had transportation, they were answering frequent calls on a cell phone from other missionaries wanting them to stop here, to help someone there, and rearrange schedules.  It makes one wonder how missionaries used to survive without cell phones. 

         The husband of the lady in the office who oversees these missionaries had asked her husband to meet us and the Elders at the Immigration Office with our paperwork and receipts.  Well, he was in an accident on his motor cycle en route about 1:30 and couldn’t deliver the papers.  So the missionaries arranged to meet him at the accident site to pick them up.  Meanwhile, a cleaning lady had locked herself out of their building and needed them to get her a key.  Since there were delays, one Elder had to switch with another so he could keep an appointment, the Mission President called with questions about travel arrangements for a couple of missionaries, we had to drive over to their stake center and lock up after a big missionary meeting today, etc., etc.  We eventually met up with the poor man in the accident along the side of the road and retrieved the paperwork.  He was banged up but okay, although he was still there an hour and a half after the accident.  All in all it took us nearly two hours to arrive at our destination which Glade can walk to in 20 minutes!  At least the office wasn’t crowded and we were only there for about 40 minutes.  We were gone for almost three hours total, but—mission accomplished—we are legal, safe, and paid for!

         Love to all, and Good Night!   

Just a couple of pictures inside the Immigration Office.  

Our Missionary Driver

The little makeshift cubicles where we renewed our temporary residency.