This past week has easily got to have been the craziest week of my entire mission.... So starting on Saturday of last week (not this most recent one, but the one before), we pick up our Mission President and his wife from the airport in the morning. He had to go to the States quickly in order to get surgery on his shoulder. After his surgery he's told its a good thing he did because it was worse than they expected. After that, for that day and Sunday we would spend our entire days working on transfers. Which was really an incredible experience, and I've been beginning to see why and where I was placed throughout my mission. Also, our President is truly and inspired man and hearing him pray is like listening to a man truly talk with God. Which is what we all do when we pray, but listening to him pray is particularly special. So we do transfers and while doing so we are hit with different scenarios:
1) the basic transfer considerations (Will they get along? How will they work? Who would be good for them? Who are our leaders? Etc)
2) What if we get quarantined?.... So we need leaders to be well spread out to look after the mission (especially since we cover all of New South Wales) and make sure they're all on task
3) Are new missionaries able to come in Australia? While we were in that room we heard about a mandatory 2 week self isolation period for all those who fly into Australia... Which would mean that our new missionaries would have to be alone for 2 weeks.... Then we get word that they're coming a week later... Different news kept coming in so we had to create scenarios for if we get new missionaries and if we don't get them...
So because of that, the process was much longer and was more than any other transfer experience ever hahaha! It was still good though. Everyone kept the mood light while we got work done. President and Sister Runia were cracking jokes and it was great to be around them even though things were not going as planned. There was a point where Sister Runia and I were laughing so hard our stomachs hurt. The kind of laughter that you just can't stop and makes it worse when you look at each other. All the while our President was on a phone call with someone else and was super confused on what was going on. Definitely a highlight of my mission hahaha!
Fortunately, we finish transfers in time and get the word out. We would later get word that the new missionaries would be reassigned to their home countries. Then Monday, we picked up my new companion since my old companion was finishing up his mission - Elder McKeon. My new companion is Elder Ritchie from Mesa, AZ! We never knew each other but it'll be good to have someone from the mission so close by, after its all said and done. I'm excited to be with him!
1) the basic transfer considerations (Will they get along? How will they work? Who would be good for them? Who are our leaders? Etc)
2) What if we get quarantined?.... So we need leaders to be well spread out to look after the mission (especially since we cover all of New South Wales) and make sure they're all on task
3) Are new missionaries able to come in Australia? While we were in that room we heard about a mandatory 2 week self isolation period for all those who fly into Australia... Which would mean that our new missionaries would have to be alone for 2 weeks.... Then we get word that they're coming a week later... Different news kept coming in so we had to create scenarios for if we get new missionaries and if we don't get them...
So because of that, the process was much longer and was more than any other transfer experience ever hahaha! It was still good though. Everyone kept the mood light while we got work done. President and Sister Runia were cracking jokes and it was great to be around them even though things were not going as planned. There was a point where Sister Runia and I were laughing so hard our stomachs hurt. The kind of laughter that you just can't stop and makes it worse when you look at each other. All the while our President was on a phone call with someone else and was super confused on what was going on. Definitely a highlight of my mission hahaha!
Fortunately, we finish transfers in time and get the word out. We would later get word that the new missionaries would be reassigned to their home countries. Then Monday, we picked up my new companion since my old companion was finishing up his mission - Elder McKeon. My new companion is Elder Ritchie from Mesa, AZ! We never knew each other but it'll be good to have someone from the mission so close by, after its all said and done. I'm excited to be with him!
Tuesday, we do the leavers activities with those leaving on Wednesday. But to start that day we get word that President wants to move an entire zone out of their areas out of precaution of the Coronavirus... So we worked on those new assignments on who goes where and how will they still work the city and what there temporary assignments will be. So another mini transfer. So that was a bit crazy and tricky. Then we enjoyed leavers activities!
Later that day we got swamped with questions and concerns as we also worked on the mission all having the proper 14-day emergency supplies and the remainder of those assignments for the City Missionaries (the ones now living outside of their zone) and working on other stuff. So I end up going to bed at 3am... then start the next day at 4am... This whole week we got so little sleep it's not even funny... Ok maybe a bit funny hahaha But anyways we drove the leavers to the airport and say one of the hardest goodbyes. It was really special group that left. My companion and I came to know over the past 6 months of my mission and grew very close too. Then the rest of the group filled with those that I flew into Australia with on day 1 and who have become my best friends. It was hard, but as soon as they were gone President said "let's go!" In a cheery attitude because he knows that goodbyes are hard and we could spend all day being sad, but there was work to do.
So we get back and transfer days are always hectic for Assistants. We go through the office and help the senior couple missionaries working the mission's administration needs, answer Missionary questions, run errands for our President and do it all again a couple hundred times. Then run the airport again that night for 2 more missionaries.
This week we'd gone to the airport 4 times....
We had some trouble missionaries keep us and President up till 12am. It ended up being a little miracle for one of the trouble ones because it set him straight and committed him to the right path.
A couple days ago we were told that Australia is shutting down state borders (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, ACT, etc.) With government officials leaving Canberra, President pulls out missionaries from there too. So another mini transfer on where to put them and how they will work for the time being.
We spend a day preparing and setting up for the mission wide video conference. We organized and reorganized area assignments and cars and loving arrangements.
It's been crazy... So others tell me that I look so tired... I feel tired... But it's great to feel this way and be able to help in this capacity. I've also become grateful for the areas that I've served in. Throughout my mission, I've served in 5 of the 6 massive zones that we have. Leadership in most of the them so I know not only my areas but the other areas in the zone as well. Because of this I've been pretty useful hahaha because I know the areas for the most part. My companion now is also really great, but he's really only served in 2 zones, primarily in one... So he really doesn't know any of the other zones, so it falls on me to make decisions and give info. It's been crazy and hectic but I've enjoyed doing it. Tedious and frustrating at times, but I'm grateful I get to contribute in this capacity on this scale. Definitely an experience not many get to have. So I'm grateful.
We'll see what lies ahead for us this week. There are chances we could come home and that would be the end of my time as a missionary. Or we could stay and get quarantined. Not quite sure and maybe we'll find out today. All I know is that God has a plan and whatever happens I'll be ok with it. Until then, "what eer Thou Art, act well thy part" (from a talk that my best friend sent me - https://speeches.byuh.edu/devotional/what-eer-thou-art-act-well-thy-part).
We'll see what lies ahead for us this week. There are chances we could come home and that would be the end of my time as a missionary. Or we could stay and get quarantined. Not quite sure and maybe we'll find out today. All I know is that God has a plan and whatever happens I'll be ok with it. Until then, "what eer Thou Art, act well thy part" (from a talk that my best friend sent me - https://speeches.byuh.edu/devotional/what-eer-thou-art-act-well-thy-part).
We cannot predict what will happen in the future, but it is possible for us to predict what WE will be like in the future. So whatever we're given and whatever we choose to do, do it well. I love you all, and have a great week!
Elder Escamilla
에스카미야 장로
Australia Sydney Mission
호주 시드니 선교부
Elder Escamilla
에스카미야 장로
Australia Sydney Mission
호주 시드니 선교부
