February 21, 2016

It has been 7 weeks since we have got our call. Time is flying by as we prepare. We have done a lot but still have a lot more to do. Here is a few things we have done.

We called the MTC to begin Spanish tutoring sessions. They offer a pre-missionary tutoring for Senior Missionaries. We had an orientation soon after we signed up. We were introduced to some on-line training materials and told that tutors would be contacting us shortly. So we began to use the training material in our daily Spanish study. We have been diligent in our study, spending 3-4 hours a day studying the language. Unfortunately, the tutors did not call for over 4 weeks. There are two tutors, one teaches learning techniques and the other teaches the language. We now have a techniques tutor and Michelle has the language tutor. I still have not gotten a language tutor, although the rumor is that one is assigned. Our Spanish is improving, but it is not coming back as fast as I had hoped.

We have had to get new passports, new driver's licences, new debit cards, and new credit cards. We have also had to get certified birth certificates, letters from our local police department saying we are good citizens without police records and letters from our Doctors saying we are healthy. These have all had to be authenticated by the Lieutenant. Governor (UT) or the Secretary of State (CA). We have had shots, Doctors, eye exams, dentist treatments and bought a lot of white shirts and socks. We have had to change our mailing addresses and email addresses to dozens of accounts. We are going through all of our stuff, throwing away a lot, taking more to DI boxing the rest. We have had to set up a transfer account with a bank in Managua in order to transfer money from our home account to the bank in the mission. I can see why a lot of Senior missionaries don't want to leave home.

We are going to rent our home to a young couple, Ryan and Erika Chalk. They are both returned missionaries, students and newly married. We feel very good about them taking care of our home. We have set up a separate bank account with Becky having a power of attorney to the account.

We still have some more shopping to do, sort and pack up things and a few more doctors appointments. I am sure glad we had 31/2 months to prepare.