Sunday, April 14, 2013

Mission Office Couples



Elder & Sister Roberts: back right
Elder & Sister Prince: next to Mom
The mission office has  replaced the four elders that labored there with two couples. Elder and Sister Roberts are on the main floor and Elder and Sister Prince are down stairs. Elder and Sister Roberts are from northern Utah and he is the mission accountant and Sister Roberts is the mission secretary. After they had been out a few months Sister Roberts had a stroke and they returned home for treatment and recuperation. The thing that is remarkable about them is that even though Sister Roberts was not 100%, they returned to finish out their mission and they both do a remarkable job for the mission. Elder Roberts has a good background in accounting and he has taken the bull by the horns and has made order out of chaos.

   Before the two couples came into the office, elders were called with little or no understanding of the mission finances, and in a sense thrown to the wolves after a short training period. The mission accountants that we knew before Elder Roberts were amazing in handling their tremendous task. In looking at all the problems that came their way some things were neglected and some knowledge was lost in the transfers of accountants. The other problem was the elders called were the cream of the crop and so the mission lost hard working, baptizing missionaries.

   It is interesting to see the change that has come to the organization and new ideas on how to fulfill the paper work and financial records since an experienced person has come on board  The other thing that has made a big difference is that the two couples are in the office much longer than the four elders. The four elders were going to district meetings weekly so Monday being preparation day and Tuesday being district meetings were essentially shot as far as work days were concerned. Add in zone meetings and their regular teaching and finding assignments in the evenings, the office work suffered some what.

   Elder Roberts at times takes no guff when it comes to locals trying to take advantage of the church. He has enough background to know when someone is trying to play him for a sucker and has enough moxie to let the others know that they can't count on the church for being the one with the deep pockets.

   Sister Roberts is just fantastic. She still uses a cane and has her rough days, but she is a trooper and some days stays on task when she would rather be home. She handles all the new missionaries, transfers, and puts out a mission newsletter to keep us all up to date. Through Sister Roberts we know where the missionaries are each transfer. She also sends out  the referrals when the mission receives them and keeps track of the contacts that are made to the missionaries. She also arranges for visa appointments, drivers licenses and medical appointments that go along with the visas.

   Elder and Sister Prince are from Midway, Utah. He was a dentist and they are both trying to learn their assignments, but because of their desire and energy they are getting the hang of their responsibilities. Sister Prince is in charge of the phones and the vehicles used in the mission. Each elder tried to put his stamp on the phone system and she is now trying to put some good comprehensive order to all of the system. She is tireless as she runs up and down stairs keeping everyone informed and doing all the paper work. Sister Prince handles all the materials sent to the missionaries when there is a zone conference and also organizes the new missionary arrivals and the activities with her husband.

   Think of getting 23 new missionaries from the airport to the church in downtown Paris without losing anyone and taking care of lunch for everyone that came to instruct the new missionaries and the newbies. The new missionaries are housed in a hotel in Paris and then after breakfast, they take all 23 through the metro to a place of interest so they can see something in Paris and have time to catch up on their journals.  Then its back to the chapel for more meetings and interviews. Now imagine the next group that comes through is not 23 but 40 new missionaries. I would tie a rope around each group to make sure I didn't lose anyone.

   Elder Prince is in charge of apartments, appliances, and furniture. He is in the process of photographing all the apartments and the furnishings. This is especially hard since we are in the fast and furious time of new missionaries and new apartments. Joanne helps a great deal as she takes pictures in each apartment we visit. He is in charge of all legal documents coming from apartment owners and the church. This is a frustrating task since neither side of the legal process is always on time. He is in charge of getting the electricity in the name of the mission and also following a law in France of having each gas or electric heater inspected each year.

   The tasks he has are so foreign from being a dentist and his French is not expanding like he would like, so his frustration level is peaking, but he handles it all very well. He is on top of all the new things that come to him that he often surprises the President when he has already accomplished something before being asked.

   Two things have happened because of these two couples; one is that some permanent stability has been brought to the office with some experience that was needed, and two; the four missionaries that were some of the best and hardest workers are out in the field contacting, teaching, baptizing, and reactivating.

   Congrats to a dedicated staff that take a great deal of pressure off the President and his wife, and for the professional way they accomplish this important work for the Lord.

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