We continue to be busy. Each day and each week seems to 'fly' by. Elder Hawley has had a cold for the past two weeks and is ready to get well. It began as a head cold but progressed rapidly into his lungs and has been a bad version. He still is coughing often and has no energy, even after resting. This bug has been going around the mission and of course we know where he picked it up--from the happy missionaries shaking hands with everyone everywhere.
The work is progressing. Many newly baptized members. It is interesting to note who is joining the Church in the London area. President Patch reviewed the past year's baptism records and about 1/2 of the people baptized in 2009 were not born in England. Of the other 1/2, about 20% have names not of English origin. This says that those joining the Church are those who are looking for something to fill their lives and are open to receiving messages of the Spirit. They come to London to seek work, education, or improved living conditions. Many people from the eastern bloc of countries, formerly under communism, are in England because the economy of their nations is so poor and opportunities almost non-existent. Humility is often a product of circumstances and need. Those who are so very comfortable in their situation rarely seek anything other than what they have--as they are satisfied in their condition and cease to seek for truth. This is a problem for everyone, regardless of circumstances. We should never cease to seek for truth and to add what we find to the truth we already possess. If we live according to the truth we possess, we will be open to find truth through the Holy Ghost as He will "teach us the truth of all things." It is when we are too "comfortable", that often we become stagnant and unteachable and closed to true ideas.
We are awaiting a Book of Mormon shipment. We get a monthly shipment of over 20 cases shipped from Church Distribution is Salt Lake City by DHL air freight. But this last shipment went in error to the England London South Mission in Lingfield, rather than to us in London. But getting DHL to admit the error and bring the books to London has been a problem. This is the second Book of Mormon order that was shipped to the ELSM; then it cost us about $450 to move them 60 miles to London from Lingfield. So we have a pallet of 22 cases (40 books per case) in England, but not in London where we can use them. Hopefully, this gets sorted out this next week.
Transfers are this next Wednesday. Sister Hawley has everything under control and all the changes made in the computer system to allow proper addresses, phone numbers for each of the 114 missionaries, and Elder Hawley has all of the changes for the payments to missionaries for their travel in their new locations worked out and money transferred to their JPMC card accounts. This MOVES or set of transfers within the mission will involve over 26 companionships. We will also go back to having only 2 APs in the office.
Each missionary uses a JPMC card, a special credit card, for all his or her transactions. Elder Hawley oversees putting 145 BPS for elders and 155 BPS (that is British Pound Sterling) for sisters in each account each month and also the advance payments to cover travel during the transfer period. Travel in each proselyting area varies, but may be up to 175 BPS [British pounds Sterling] per month for subway and bus passes in London. There are 43 areas that get travel advancements. Sister Hawley moves all of the pictures, names, positions & locations in the computer when new assignments are made, and this allows all of the other necessities to append to that placement in the computer, such as addresses, phone numbers, and payments. From these changes, phone lists and organizational rosters are made. We have been busy getting this all set up and screened for accuracy before we finalize these "moves" in the computer system.
Interestingly, this computer system is an online system and ties into the Church missionary system worldwide. We access it by password and work in this system every day. We can even work from our flat as the system is online. It is called iMOS, for Internet Mission Operating System, and was developed by the Church specifically for missions and missionary operations worldwide. The online version of this program began last June and we have been involved in working through some of the bugs and problems of this new system, and also giving input for some upgrades and improvements. It is good, but not perfect and could be improved more, but it does make our work easier and more efficient. For example, once Elder Hawley has preset information entered into the system, he can pay the monthly rent for some 60 flats in about 10 key strokes. The presets take the time, but once set up the system works quite well. Sister Hawley has the ability to add money into the JPMC accounts (or take away), to make reimbursements for travel expences and other special expenditures that some missionaries need beyond their basic monthly allowance of 145 or 155 pounds. It also has a module for travel and Sister Hawley makes most of the travel arrangements coming to and going from the mission online. She is becoming a travel agent of sorts, interfacing with Church travel and parents for soon-to-be-released missionaries, and to coordinate travel if family is coming to pick up a son or daughter. Much of that communication with families is done by email and some by regular post. It is a perfect fit for Sister Hawley's skills and inclinations.
We are using SKYPE now for telephone calls to the US. For about $4 per month we can call any number in the USA with unlimited access. Of course Skyping by computer to families through the internet is great, it just takes coordination to be online at the same time. However, now we can call anytime. The bad news is no one can call us unless they set up a similar telephone account with Skype on their end
We are doing fine, actually quite well, expect for Elder H's hacking and coughing. It did get up to 56 degrees this week so it is warming up. Sister Hawley did not wear an overcoat all week long and no gloves or scarf either. We are soon half way through our mission and are looking forward to warmer weather and perhaps seeing some more of the sights of the London area, with our next trip this Friday with the Harbrecht's to see Cambridge.
Love to all, Elder and Sister Hawley
So interesting to read your post. It makes alot more sense now that we're working in the mission office here in Recife. We're working with the same IMOS doing some of the same work, although the president simply has us assisting the Elders who are the Secretary's. While your weather is just starting to warm up, we're in eternal summer here, they say Recife has 2 seasons, hot and hot with rain. Our apartment and the office is cool tho, we're grateful! Elder and Sis. Ivey
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