You are probably all wondering why I didn`t write back this past Monday. Let me explain...
Last Saturday night Elder Chacaj and I got back from a long hard day because our baptism of Rosa fell through. We had been running around like crazy all day getting everything set up for her baptism. However, she ended up having to work late and couldn`t make it. We got back to our house that night, did our daily planning, and then I laid down on my bed to sleep! In the moment that I laid down our phone rang and I saw that it was one of the assistants to the mission president. I answered the phone and he told me that I had emergency changes and needed to pack my bags so that they could come get me the next day...I was in shock! I did not want to have to leave my favorite area and favorite companion up to now in the mission. I finally got to bed at 12:30 Saturday night after packing all my bags.
Sunday after church the assistants came to pick me up from the church house. All day I had been telling the ward members and our recent converts that I had emergency changes, but nobody believed me until they saw the AP`s drive up in their truck! The Assistants to the president dropped off Elder Ward (the ex-financial secretary of the mission office) who was to be the new companion of Elder Chacaj. They told me that I was going back to Managua with them, and that I was to be the new companion of Elder Miller, the new financial secretary of the mission. That`s when it hit me...whoa, I`m going to be working in the mission office..?! I also realized I was going to be living in the huge mission home with the assistants to the president, mission secretary, technology secretary, and other missionaries with special assignments. I was super confused about what my new responsibility was going to be and why the president had chosen ME to come to the office when I only have 7 months in the mission!
The next morning (Monday) all 3 of the companionships who work in the mission office had a meeting with President Monestel. The companionships were: Elder Payne & Elder Cabrera (AP`s), Elder Rose (General secretary) & Elder Escobar (technology guy), and Elder Miller (financial guy) and I. I was sitting next to my new companion, Elder Miller, in the metting. We then asked the president what my new responsibility was going to be in the office. He got a confused look on his face and then said, "I thought you guys already knew? Elder Parrish is the new companion of Elder Rose. Elder Rose is going to train Elder Parrish for the last two weeks of this transfer to become the new mission secretary. We all immediately felt dumb for not having known beforehand! So, Elder Escobar and I changed seats and I became the new companion of Elder Rose.
The past week has been VERY different! Being in the mission office is a big change. We see President Monestel pretty much every day. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, we are in the mission office from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. and then afterwards we go work in our areas from 4-9. Wednesdays we do our weekly planning and then go work in our areas the rest of the day. Saturday is Pday. (That`s why I`m writing you today!). Sundays we have church from 2-5, but we work in our area the rest of the day. My new area is called Hialeah.
So far I`ve really liked being in the office, even though it`s a lot different. We have to wake up a little early to study so that we can get to the office by 9. Elder Rose has been helping me learn the responsibilities of being the mission secretary, which are A LOT. It`s going to be hard to do it all by myself when Elder Rose leaves. Some of the basic things I am learning how to do are:
-Gather all of the baptismal records from all the zone leaders. Put all the information of each baptism into the computer and send the info to church headquarters in Salt Lake.
-Report weekly and monthly mission statistics (how many baptisms, how many lessons taught, etc.) to President Monestel, church headquarters, and other local leaders.
-Schedule flights for the missionaries who are returning home, and coming to the mission.
-Send flight itineraries to all the parents, bishops, and stake presidents of the missionaries who are returning home.
-Sit at the front desk of the mission office and answer incoming calls and help the people who come to the office with questions.
Those are the most basic things. along with whatever President Monestel tells me to do.
I really like my companion Elder Rose. He is from Iowa. He only has the rest of this transfer and then one more transfer to end his mission. He is really helpful and patient with me as I`m learning the secretary responsibilities. The guys in the mission home and mission office are AWESOME. I`m a little nervous about my new responsibility. It`s going to be a lot more pressure, but I know that with the help of the Lord I can do it!
We have been really busy this week, so I haven`t been able to take any new pictures of my new companion or the other office missionaries. But I will soon! I just attached some of the pictures I took in Granada before leaving!
My Pdays will be on Saturdays from now on :) Today for Pday President Monestel invited us to his house to celebrate the birthday of his wife! It was awesome. We got to play ping pong, foosball, and Pictionary. Afterwards we ate dinner, had cake, then broke a piñata that we bought for Sister Monestel! The other elders in the office have told me that we get to go do lots of fun things on pdays with the President and his family. It`s going to be fun to get to know President Monestel better and his family!
I love and miss you all very much! Until next Saturday!
Love, Elder Parrish
