Preparing To Go To Thailand

About a year Sister Roberts was asked to help in contacting the Self-Reliance Services Missionaries in Asia. Elder and Sister Powell who had been the Contact Couple were headed home and with the transition to a new Area Manager and Sister Roberts having time, that became a natural for her. We thoroughly enjoyed our weekly chats with her. When we were asked to be the new Communication Couple we were told that we only needed to check in with each Self-Reliance Missionaries once a month. But the three of us decided we definitely needed to talk more often than that. Our day started with one of those Skype calls with Sister Roberts. She keeps us laughing and gives great advice for our calling.

We also had a Asia Area Operation Meeting today, which really means the Perpetual Education Fund Specialists, Managers for those countries, and the Missionaries. The numbers seemed down a lot for the meeting today. Chad, our Area Manager, and Steve, the new Operations Manager, were in Tokyo for training. There were several other managers and some missionaries that did not make it to this meeting. This was Marco's last Area Operation Meeting before he moves to a new department. It gave him a chance to say goodbye to everyone and for all of us to give him a hard time about leaving.

We are in the wrap up phase of getting ready to go to Thailand on Saturday. Our Bangkok stop solidified a lot today when Elder Khanakham told us that he would pick us up at the airport. The original plan was for us to meet him at the hotel, but he moved some of his plans around to pick us up. He is such a great and loving man, who is truly Christlike in many ways.

Today was an unusual day as far as rain. Most days it rains only once and then it is done. This afternoon we had a real hard rainstorm come through while we were at the office. Then this evening after our dinner it started to rain again. We have still been very fortunate to not have the rain spoil our morning walk.

We have been watching a building be remodeled down the street from our apartment during the last two or three months and have posted pictures a couple of times. Now they have a sign up letting us know that it is a Guest House. A Guest House is basically an inexpensive hotel with a shared bathroom.