Utah Salt Lake City East Mission

Hi all,

Utah Salt Lake City Mission Map

I am officially in a new mission now! The Utah Salt Lake City East Mission.  This Friday we met our new mission president and his wife, President and Sister Eberhardt. He and his wife took our district out to lunch after district meeting before weekly planning.  He also came to our apartments on Saturday to meet us again.  He is really nice.

This week is kinda weird in the field.  Today is actually not p-day :( we just get to do emails.  P-day is going to be the 4th of July, and it will be an all day p-day. So super fun! If we ever make it until Thursday because that is a long time to go without a p-day, and as a missionary I love the schedule.

At this time I am going to explain how to deal with missionaries.  Because there things here that I wished the members knew, and so I will let all the missionaries at home benefit from my experience:)

1. I know it is a pain, but dinner needs to be at 5.  We start work just before noon and the English missionaries go out even earlier. In five hours, you are dying and need food. We have to be in by 9, so if dinner is at 6 then we will only get two hours after dinner to teach lessons during the prime time when families are home.

2. Offer to feed them when other dinners cancel. We don't want or need a four course meal, but when dinner cancels, we don't have money to buy food for dinner at the store or otherwise.  So we just go without food, and this happened three times this week to us :(  I would love even a smoothie for dinner.

3. If it is 100 degrees give them a ride. (P.S. I am so tan right now from all of this walking in the sun.  Yes, mom, I am wearing sunscreen)

4. Offer to drive them places, even if they have a car, because they probably don't have enough miles to do everything. And we don't have a car, and no one can ever take us to the store and stuff on Mondays.  Or if the missionaries there have to go to the mission office or get to go to the temple, they will definitely not have miles for that.

5. Make it very clear at dinner that they do not have to eat everything that you have made. And let them pick their own portion size.  

6. And last, about "visa-waiters," I now give a commandment to everyone--Thou shalt treat the visa waiters better than the other missionaries, because being a visa waiter sucks. A mission is hard enough, and then you have to try and figure out why the Lord is keeping you from your assigned mission. Once people in wards, other missionaries, and even a small degree the President hear that you are a visa-waiter, they don’t care to get to know you. I try not to tell anyone, but somehow it always comes out from my companion or someone else. 

Here are a few things visa-waiters do not want to hear:

--"You are going to be so prepared when you get to Argentina!" -What? So like the 6 weeks in the MTC wasn't enough for me? I really needed 6 months of preparation? Thanks.

--"Oh well, this is where the Lord needs you right now." No duh!

--"So when do you think you are going to leave?" For another time, I DO NOT KNOW! It would be nice if I did.
--"You are so lucky to have two missions!" Yes, but it is hard.
--"As soon as you really learn to love the people and the area, you'll be out of here right away". Like I don't already love the people and the area! I hate that one. That one stinks. 

Here are a few things “visa-waiters” want to hear:

--”We are so glad you get to spend time in our ward.”

--”So, tell me about where you are from or about your family ... or any question that shows you care who they are.”

Long story short; being a visa waiter is hard.  I really do love serving in Salt Lake, but my heart is always torn and can’t shake the feeling that I need to be in Argentina.  The uncertainty about my departure date is stressful. So, to everyone going on a mission, be prepared to wait.  I don’t think I was mentally prepared.  You can end up being like me spending 6 months of your mission as a Visa-Waiter/Junior-Companion. (Oh ya, Ashlyn’s trainer was in the MTC with me.  She was down the hall.  She is awesome!)  So everyone is under obligation to be nice to the visa waiters because they are treated like aliens in their missions.

7. So that is all I can think of for now.  Everyone already knows to go out with the missionaries, and refer them to your friends.  

The area is doing well.  I work in the Granite ward of the Granite Park Stake. I walk up and down 3300 South all day long.  The Burger King with the 50 cent ice cream cones is my best friend.  It is so weird how close I am to Camron and to so many other people I know, but it is going well. I am excited for the 4th and for the work this week.  Pray I can find those I’m supposed to find and say what I need to say and do what I need to do.  

Sorry if this sounded negative, mom.  You can make it sound happier for others if you want.

xoxo,

Hermana Chloe

First time in a laundry mat :)