Wednesday the 24th I ran across a quote by Elder Dallin H. Oaks which I want to remember -- and which I've summarized here: "To have a testimony is to know and feel. To be converted is to do and become." Today Elder Budge, who is still the vehicle coordinator, had to deal with two missionary Corollas who were the victims of parking lot scrapes: one caused by the elder, another by hit-and-run. I shadowed Elder Budge around with the accident reporting, assessment of the damage, the report to Salt Lake, and a mild chastisement of the elders. Then we finally sold the 2004 Ford Club Wagon that had been used for transporting the missionaries from the airport to the mission home. A Sister Kimball and her son came with the check, and once again I watched Elder Budge throughout the whole transaction. (He will be leaving November 5, and at this point we don't know of a replacement office couple: so I may be doing it.) Finally, I boxed up 200 VHS videos so that Elder Wong could take them to the Los Angeles Deseret Industries next week. (It's out of our area, so our resident part-time missionary has to do it.) Meanwhile, Signe spent the whole day with Sister Peters learning all of the Financial.

Thursdaywas more of the same, except that in the evening all of us office staff, plus President Watrous and his wife, met at the Harbor Blvd. Outback to have a farewell party for Sister Peters. (She flies back to Canada on Monday, her 18 months at an end.) She knows more about all of the office procedures and details than anyone else, so Signe is rightfully nervous. At the party we met the Gibsons, who had been the Housing Coordinators earlier. He told me he is available for housing questions at any time. (They also live locally.)

Friday I learned a lot more from Elder Lee, our Korean office elder. He is quite intelligent. Our weekly staff meeting with the president lasted for 90 minutes, partly because of Sister Peters' leaving and partly because we had more to discuss than usual. After work Signe and I went straight to the Redbox at Albertson's so that we could relax in the evening with "Australia," a fine movie with three of my favorite pieces of music: Bach's "Sheep May Safely Graze," "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," and Elgar's "Nimrod." A movie of epic proportions, it lasted for 165 minutes. It was dedicated to the aboriginal tribes of Australia.
On our way home Signe and I noted that we have yet to fill our gas tank since we arrived two weeks ago. The last time we filled up was in Baker on June 12! And we have a third of the tank yet to use!