Settling In

We are beginning to settle in to the general "hang" of our assignment. We were able to find and visit three apartments yesterday morning, switched out a leaking water bottle (the missionaries are to have one 5 gallon jug of water per companionship), and promised to obtain a replacement fan for another apartment.  We can only visit until about 11 on Tue-Thurs because that's when the missionaries leave, so after lunch we went shopping and purchased 3 fans, 3 water jugs, and 20 pocket knives! Pocket knives are hard to find here, and necessary in their 72-hour kits to open cans, cut gauze, etc. So, we had been told to buy all we found.Unbeknownst to us, the Hiatts also found a good supply, and bought 16! However, we have 48 apartments which mostly have four missionaries in them, so that's two 72-hour kits per apartment, and  hardly any have pocket knives.  So, I'm sure we'll use them.

Today we spoke to the handyman and paid a down-payment for bars and screens on our apartment windows, as well as one other couple's.  This is supplied by the mission and is considered necessary by our MP's wife. However, one of the couples chose not to add theirs. We are on the 17th floor, but our common area is open to all and we have a big and a small window on that side.  I say open to all, which is true, but there is security at the entry gate and they have to know who you are and why you're coming in, though I don't know how foolproof that is.

Just a little commentary on missionary life here:

• One elder, to his roommate's complete delight, had been bitten on the eye by a cockroach, which apparently causes immense swelling.  I didn't even know they bit!  
• One apartment, which we are seeking to replace, has been flooded, so they came in and raised the floors about one foot. They did not, however, replace the floors under the cabinets, they just raised the cabinets.  So when you open the bottom cabinet door, you see down into a foot-deep cavity---which is full of cockroaches and other ilk, hopefully, dead, but I'm not sure.
• One apartment is keeping their food (ALL food), books, scriptures, pamphlets, etc., in the refrigerator because otherwise the mice eat EVERYTHING.
• This is not just missionary, but I have never seen so many starving and mangy dogs and cats as I have seen here, some you cannot believe are still walking.
• I had a woman knock on my car window while we were stopped in traffic yesterday and ask for money to feed her baby, which she was holding, and it had sores on it's face. It may have been a con but I do not have it in me to refuse.  However, I don't understand the money well and I gave her two of the biggest coins I had--I think equivalent to about a quarter.
• American missionaries can buy most American food here, but couldn't afford it unless Mom and Dad are sending extra support.  One box of wheat bran I bought was $7.
• I woke up Sunday morning with an itch on my face.  When I looked in the mirror I had a patch of bumps about 1 1/4" in diameter. It has stopped itching, but the bumps and the redness are still there.  We haven't been aware of any bugs in our apartment.

But, the highlight of today was the RS trip to the temple.  It's about 20 minutes away from the office, and Sister Theler and I rode with the RS pres., a woman whose husband works for the foreign service and is here for another year of a two-year stay.  One of their perks is a driver, who drove us to the temple.  The temple is very small; seating for only 24, and only four places to pass through. Apparently you get there and pick up a ticket, and hope you can get in within two or three hours.  This morning we were lucky, and got right in to the ten o'clock session. Left my camera at the office, but Sister Theler got pictures, so will share them when I get them.

Our best news is that our Ooma is now up and running, and phone calls are easy and great! The only problem is that we are fourteen hours ahead of MDT, so in the evening, we should probably wait until our 9 pm to call anyone, and we're going to bed then, or call at our six or seven, which is okay, but we have lots to do to get out the door in the mornings. Saturdays or Sundays may work the best.  We hear Skype is unreliable, and Google Facetime better, but apparently both parties must be on Apple products.