How did December get here so fast?

Here it is the 6th day of December and I am still in August.  Well....except it isn't hot, but my brain says that we have not been in Tennessee for 5 months; but my body says we have been here longer.  How could one body get so tired so fast?  But don't read into that the idea that we don't love what we are doing.....well, most days.  I will tell you about my last 2 weeks and then you will understand.
Have you ever had a job that was challenging to learn, but finally you think you are on top of it.....only to find out you really are not.  That is a humbling experience.

My responsibility involves setting up new apartments for missionaries (both senior and young ones), including utilities etc; paying the rent for those apartments (all 140 of them)  and the utilities; being sure the missionaries are funded each month (they get a whole $125/mo...sisters $135...try living on that!); paying all other misc. bills for the office.  Also I get to talk to the Elders/Sisters who have lost their debit cards (that hold their $125) or have ruined them by some really remarkable means; or explaining to those who are sure their account balance is wrong that really you can nickle and dime yourself into debt.  This month many of the missionaries have decided to play 'chinese fire drill' where they all run out of their apartments and decide they need a new one.  The other day in the period of 1 hour I had 3 missionary companionships call to say they have found a new apartment and would I hurry and make the arrangements.  Are you kidding me? No!  To be fair, the President has asked many of them to find new apartments for diverse reasons.
I am really not complaining......well, a little maybe.  But the last 2 weeks have been challenging.  Isn't that why we go on missions.....to be challenged?
Anyway, back to finding out that you really don't know your job.  When rents are to be paid there is a process I have have to go through to submit the order to pay.  I had a question about the procedure so I called Salt Lake and asked them......to obviously a person who thought they knew their job, but didn't.  Because of that information I didn't submit the order to pay when it was due.  Only 1 week later did I realize that the rents where not paid.  Now that was about November 25th....which would have been in time if the checks were written in Tennessee....however, they come from Salt Lake.
Now....there is a gospel doctrine that says if you repent of your sins the Savior's atonement will cover you.  Obviously that does not work quickly or does not cover dumb moves in paying the rent.  I have atoned for that sin for the last week.  140 telephone calls from landlords who did not receive their rent payment on the 1st.  The thing is, the rent is usually paid about 10 days early, so they are really expecting that check the week before the 1st.  When it doesn't come they are sure it is lost in the mail. I have developed a whole dialogue in explaining how sorry I am.....it is my fault not the churchs'......you can take my picture and throw darts at it is you please....but please forgive me.  Then I include MERRY CHRISTMAS ....just to remind them it is the season to forgive.  Other than that......things are great in Nashville.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at the Mission Home with the President and Sister Anderson, all the office staff (6 of us) 2 young missionaries who serve in the Young Singles Branch (who find it difficult to feed them....or most went home for Thanksgiving), and one other fellow.  All the senior missionaries brought side dishes to compliment the wonderful turkey Sister Andersen prepared.  This picture is everyone (but me) at the long table.

Elders Majzer, Peterson (who took his bridge for his front teeth out...just for fun because he came late and didn't eat with us) , Danielson (who came late), Pres & Sis Andersen, Elder Moore.  Love them all!

Sister Godfrey (the nicest woman in the world), the daughter of the Huntzingers, who are standing next to her, Joe Booker, The Dunns and Sister Crawford who they always seem to position in front of Darryl so she will look even shorter.

This is my plate of food.....doesn't it look good?  Notice the wonderful yams and apples in the upper left-hand side.....yummy!  Then there was a selection of many different pies.  We actually tasted a genuine minchmeat pie.   I prefer pumpkin.  

Which reminds me....I made some of my famous (notorious) lime jello with avocados and grapefruit salad a couple of weeks ago and took it into the office.  The seniors all really liked it.  The 2 young elders tasted it and.......as one put it......I won't be eating that again.  I guess it is a generational thing!

Today is Saturday so it is our day to play.  The Assistants are letting us use their truck again so we are driving to Clarksville TN to deliver ipads, then to Hendersonville (where the Oakridge Boys have their office.....just a note for interest) to deliver some packages, and to White House TN to deliver a rent check to a woman who couldn't wait.  I may have to include some flowers for her.  

Next week we have 2 zone conferences to go to.....one in Hopkinsville KY and another in Murfreesboro TN. We will have a General Authority from S.L. visiting (Elder Renlund) and he will also interview us.  Then about 2 weeks later we have another transfers day when we will be saying goodbye to some missionaries and saying welcome to some new ones.....including Joanne Hendrick's nephew (I think it is a nephew).  We are excited about that.  

And believe me.....on Demember 15th....I WILL BE PAYING THE RENT!

Love you all and wish you great success in your holiday plans.  Hurry up and get that Christmas tree up.....and don't forget the Nativity.  Be sure to go to Mormon.org and watch the wonderful videos on 

"He is the Gift".  There are a bunch of videos there.

Love you all!