17 January 2010

17 January 2010

Dear loved ones, I hope this finds you all well and happy. Time for another report, already.
Last Sunday evening we went over to the Russell’s, a couple a few years older than us from the Dallas 6th Ward who is becoming good friends. They invited us over for dessert and wanted us to play some music for them. We took our guitar, mandolin and recorder and played a few songs for them. We enjoyed the evening visiting with them, they are a great couple. He knows a lot about the financial market and it was interesting to listen to he and Jack talk about the global economy. He is not retired yet, had planned to be, but with this economy needs to wait a few more years. His wife was just called as a church service missionary and is serving as a consultant for the New Family Search program. It’s nice to know there is someone I could call personally if I have questions about that. It’s been a while since I’ve had time to do anything like that however.
We have a couple of new people that will be serving with us, who started this week. There is a young elder who is not able to serve a regular full time mission due to some physical handicaps. A couple of years ago he received an injury while wrestling. This has left him paralyzed and in a wheelchair. He is a great young man and eager to serve. He does many firesides around in this area and is a great motivational speaker for the youth – so I hear. We hope to be able to hear him give one of his presentations sometime. He will come in on Fridays and specifically make contact with new missionaries as they return home to Texas. He will give them information and training about doing job searches, career development etc. He will also help with the other things we do there. The other days he spreads his time out between the Bishop’s storehouse and other things in the Stake/area.
There is also another fellow who came in this week who volunteered and was called to be a church service missionary at the Center. He will come in several days a week and help out – Brother Lawlor. He will also help us in the Fort Worth area, which will be a great asset, it’s just not possible to keep up with everything when we are so busy helping people as they come into the Center.
The MacPhearsons will help the Phelps in the Dallas Stakes.
Tuesday was extremely busy! We had more than 30 people in the Center that day. Rather than working with people individually, we four full-time missionaries were working with two and even three people at a time. We all made it thru and every one seemed happy with the service they received.
I’ve decided that the only secure job around is one of helping people find jobs. There is plenty of work there!!
Jack continues to work with the businesses that call in to register on the new site. He has helped with a Valet parking business and a Consulting Firm. The fellow at the consulting firm knew Wayne Bunker of LV.
Jack also worked with another young man who was a returned missionary who served his mission in Las Vegas. He served with President Tate and knew Larry Burns, even though he was not in the Mission Pres-y at that time. Texas and Nevada must trade missionaries back and forth a bit. They send the Texans to Nevada and the Nevadans go to Texas. We must be a good mix!
Wednesday was not nearly as busy, thank goodness because it was the Phelps’ P-day. There was a young woman who came in who was abt 27. She is recently divorced and trying to get things straightened around and was needing help in her job search. Her father actually brought her in. He is actually a Ward Employment Specialist in his ward. I met with her and visited/interviewed with her. I think she was mostly needing help in looking at her past work experience and schooling and looking at herself from a positive view point, she had been beaten down quite a bit. I met with her for about 3 hours in the morning, she took a lunch break and then we visited for another 3 hours. Working on her resume and possible jobs to look for, how to interview etc. When she left she had a smile on her face and was feeling better about herself. I hope she can continue to feel good about herself.
Jack helped her father with some training as an Employment Specialist and introduced him to some of the many resources we have at the Center. He also took care of the phone and all the people who came in that day – single handed! He did great and was not even a bit phased by it.
When we got off that day we were more than a little tired so we decided to stop at Panda Express for dinner on the way back to our apartment. Jack typed up a note about the experience we had there ------

I took Sister Gaye out to Panda Garden last night. It was the big date
of the week after kind of a real busy push. We were sitting there talking
about family and such and the manager lady walks up and says, So you guys
like Texas... and then on from there. She said I have been inactive for 3
years but its time for me to bring my little daughter and come back. I saw
you guys and knew I needed to talk to you. Just a note, you’re in the
Service even when you think you’re not. What great experiences and a great
companion to share them with. –Jack

As you may or may not remember, we are not living with in the boundaries of the ward we go to. When we asked where she lived – we found out that she lives within the boundaries of the Dallas 6th Ward, which is where we are going also. Therefore we could share with her the details of the meeting times etc. We may need to make more contact with her so she feels comfortable returning. I guess that means more dinners at Panda Express!
We have been making a lot of calls and notifying people about the 2010 Census Jobs. Sister Phelps especially is doing a lot of this work. This past week we made arrangements to have the test taken on two different days at the Center. We have a conference room that works out very good for this purpose, it can fit about 15 people. We usually have about 5 people from our contacts and then 10 that come from outside sources as people call the local census office and set up a time to take the test. It has worked out well and it has been convenient for many. We also have some testing times set up for this week.
It brings in a lot of people that we wouldn’t normally see. They wait for about 15 minutes for the results of their test. Its interesting to visit with them, they often want to know about us and what we do. It’s not like we need more people in but of course we are happy to help any one. If they didn’t pass the test or want to retake it to get a better score we offer them a printed copy of the practice test or they can come in and use our computers and do the practice test on line if they don’t have a computer available to them. It’s a great job because it doesn’t affect your unemployment checks. This is one of the things jack took care of on Tuesday when I was visiting with that young woman.
We have had some activity with the new Development Specialist program this week. We had a conference call with the fellow in SLC about goals for this week, this will be a weekly call. Also yesterday we had a meeting at the Center with some of the Stake leaders that have been called and discussed the approach. Donna is really developing the program. I think it is just such an amazing opportunity to be involved here on the ground floor and see it all come about. The main idea is to make a ‘DI without walls,’ that can function anywhere in the world.
Probably not a big surprise but the official announcement of the new ldsjobs web site has been pushed back until March.
Jack has made contact with some people in the Weatherford Stake and we have been invited to give some presentations Sunday. We will do one at 11:00 with the Young Single Adult Branch and then one at 1:00 with the Weatherford ward. This is the new building that was just completed after their old building burned a couple of years ago. We had the Weatherford Ward scheduled first, then the YSA heard about it and wondered if we could do it for them too while we were out there.
Then this afternoon Jack got another call and the Azle Ward wants to join with the YSA in that presentation. Of course we are glad to have them there too. The Azle Ward actually meets in a different building in a different town but last week, Saturday night, there was a very hard freeze and the pipes in their building froze and burst and so they are having to do a lot of repairs and they go to the Weatherford building during that time.
Jack has worked very hard on getting a power point slide show together. I’m so glad he knows how to do this and is so good at it. We have been working on it quite a bit this week and are getting it fined tuned I believe. We will trade back and forth as we give it, each doing small segments.
Thursday evening we were invited to the Hurst Stake in Fort Worth to join them in their Auxiliary Training Mtg. We were invited to sit on the stand during the opening segment. The Stake Employment Specialist (who grew up in Zions) had 5 minutes to give a little over view and then he introduced us and we each had just a minute or 2 to introduce ourselves and give a little something about the Center and what our role is.
THEN that’s when it happened. We left the building and we were on the frontage road just getting ready to get back on the freeway when our truck just quit! It was raining, dark and it took us a moment to think about who we could call and what we should do. Fortunately we have 24 hour towing insurance so we called them, they lined up a tow truck and found the nearest dealership to take the it to. We called Brother Russell, who lives about 30 miles from where we were and he graciously came and picked us up. We were so grateful!
The next day our manager, Julie, got after us for not calling her, but she even lives further out and is sooo very busy. Nice to know we have people to call thought. Jack got us lined up for a rent a car the next day – the fellow came to the Center and picked him up, so we are in driving business again. There were 17 diesel trucks ahead of ours so we are not expecting to hear back before Tuesday about what is the problem. We are hopeful it is not anything too major, but regardless, we’ll just deal with it.
Saturday evening the Morell’s had invited us out to their home in Plano for dinner and music. This was such an enjoyable evening. You appreciate the time just being in a home with good people. They served us a steak dinner that was just delicious and then Charlie played his harpsichord and I played the recorder. (Thanks Jill for sending me some of my music.) We had so much fun, what a treat to play with a harpsichord. I just think, what are the chances of ending up in a place with a harpsichord builder/player and he works in the same office as you do? The chances are very slim!! I’m grateful for this blessing and opportunity. We both agreed to continue doing this on a fairly regular basis. Jack agrees too so it’s a good match.
After we had played for a while then Jack and I played some guitar/mandolin/recorder tunes for he and his wife. Another enjoyable relaxing evening with good people.
I must admit that I contacted the sister missionaries in the Dallas 6th Ward and told them that our time is becoming quite limited with this new year and could they help us with making contacts in the Dallas 6th Ward people on the missionary list. They were more than happy to do so. So now we have only abt 8 people to contact and visit rather than 25. There are only so many hours in the day.
We had a ward conference in our ward today, it was very good. It is good to hear the truths of the gospel taught the same but through different personalities.
Oh that reminds me, yesterday a couple was baptized and confirmed today. I believe I mentioned them a couple of weeks ago. The man had come into the Center and Jack had helped him in his job search, so we were so happy for him.
We are so grateful to be serving here. We are glad that we trusted in the Lord to send us to the right place for us, depending on the need. We are becoming more comfortable with our responsibilities each day at the Center and we are glad that now with the New Year we are able to go out and meet the good people in their Stakes and Wards and support them in what they are trying to accomplish.
Our hearts goes out to so many people looking for work but what a wonderful church we belong to that has the revelation to have the programs, literally up and going before the need arises. People are so grateful for any help that they receive.
I wonder though Darrell, what are we going to do with all these construction workers that are out of a work?
I apologize for not being a better proof reader, if I make it this far I feel like I’ve done good, I hope it makes sense and that you can transcribe thru all the errors.
Love each of you so much. We pray the Lord will continue to bless you. We have truly enjoyed being a part of your lives, so many on a regular basis. We miss being able to help out in our families but we pray that the Lord will make up the difference and keep you in his watchful care.
Our Love,
Grandpa & Grandma, Dad & Mom, son & daughter, brother & sister, aunt & uncle, Elder & Sister, friend,
Jack & Gaye