Terry and Janet

Terry and Janet

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Mission Baggage... I Mean Luggage!

I am going to give you a peek behind the scenes
of some of the grueling aspects
of mission life...

We call it Mission Baggage!

 And that's what it really is... the headaches of the bags.

Missionaries come with some major luggage
And each bag weighs about a ton. 
(some a little more ~ some a little less)
When the new missionaries arrive and are being trained... 
someone has to go get their luggage
at the hotel and take it to the chapel or institute 
where they are meeting their new companions.

Since I am the man (wo- man) with the van 
and our missionaries are not aloud to drive here in Peru...
and the President is training the missionaries...
I get to take my guardian angels..  Elder Cook and Elder Richards,
 they take off their guardian angel hats 
and turn into the baggage handlers for the day...
These two wear many hats on the mission.
They will have a great resumé when they return home.
The Personal Secretary means that you do absolutely everything and anything 
 that anyone can think of that needs to get done
and the Finacial Secretary means that you are the companion to 
the one that does all these crazy things...  so you do them too!
And I am the driver to the crazies!

 It takes much more space than a big van for all the luggage.
We have to call taxis that just transport suitcases and no people.
 After loading all the luggage (with style for the photo)
the Elders are dripping with perspiration...
and tired of hearing me tell them to use their legs
not their backs.
 They hop in on top of the luggage...
usually filled to the brim with the bags
 but this time there were only twelve arriving...
it left them lots of room to breathe.

Thank goodness they have some relief help when we arrive.
Elder Castillo and Elder Mieles 
stepped in..
not to help with the bags
but to get in the photo.
Not really - they helped unload
 They unloaded it quickly and then waited to hear the 
pitter patter of missionary feet 
coming to take all their stuff.

The moral of this blogpost is...
Missionaries... Please leave your extra baggage at home...
It will wear you down...
(any kind of extra baggage)