First Month

 

Greetings,

Oh how time flies!  We arrived at our place of work on June 7th, 2025.  It is now July 4th, 2025.  We have been here almost a complete month.  We did get off to a slow start as when we arrived as our current mission president was extremely busy getting ready to turn the reins of this mission over in two weeks, so we only met him once real briefly, a week after our arrival and a week before his departure.  We were attending a senior missionary luncheon and he stuck his had to say g-day.  This gave me an opportunity to approach him after and ask to speak with him.  I think what we discussed will bear fruit but we shall see.  Upon arriving at the luncheon were assigned by an office missionary our ward, Chicago 1st and zone, Wilmette.  He then began to assign us duties not aligned with our calling, thus the need to see the president.  I wrote a couple of letters regarding straightening out this Elder but never sent them.  I might attach them at some point as they fully describe the dilemma we found ourselves in. 

Our first Sunday here we had an emergency stake conference.  So it was over two weeks before we even were able to visit our ward and partake of the sacrament.  One thing that definitely came from the brief meeting with our departing president was that we could contact our new stake president and receive our marching orders from him (and not from the office missionary).  When we accidently bumped into the new stake president, we did just that.  A few days later the Stake President after prayer and counseling with his counselors he assigned us to three wards, Lake Shore 1 and 2 and the YSA wards.  All these wards desperately needed MLS missionaries for shepherding, retention and reactivation.  This new area is an average of 45 min drive one way into the city center of Chicago (we are hoping for a transfer to be closer to our area) and we are excited and somewhat overwhelmed.  But we jumped right in!  Unfortunately the office missionary continues to give us assignments but now we can temper his requests according to our schedules.  We still comply as we can with his request but...

Pictures:

This is a picture from our office window.  We look out upon the Foster Building (church).  That is our little car in the parking lot.  This building houses the Chicago 1st Ward and the Spanish Ward.  Because we live so close to it and can overlook it, we were given the responsibility of the keys.  It is a very large and older building but everything is automatic, i.e. lights, huge screen that separates the chapel and the cultural hall.  We now attend the Lake Shore 1st, Lake Shore 2nd and the YSA Wards.  I will show their 6 story building when I get picutures

We attended one Sacrament here and the YM/YW for the Spanish branch.   It was so fun.  They wanted us there and the Bishop's wife translated for us.  We all got a small framed picture of a lighthouse (the theme of the presentation).  I love this ward as they are so welcoming and it seems they have food every time they meet!  But with our new calling we are very busy on Sundays so may not attend the local wards.

This is the breezeway or the dungeon of our very old            but refurbished flat.  This is a very old brick building.  Four floors and a basement.  We live on the second floor.  This makes exiting a little difficult for Cathi's knees and our transporting our groceries into our flat.

One thing I find fascinating are all the really old and beautiful ornamented brick buildings.  Growing up in California, were we had earthquakes rather often, you never saw brick buildings, but here you actually have buildings 20  stories or more tall, made of brick!  And the old brick is very cool.  Alot of sandstone window frames, doorways.  Our building front door is round on the top so the door is round at the top.  

Cool! 

I have attached a front view of our apartment with yours truly.

This is our apartment.  Look at our front door!  Curved at the top!  That locked door leads to a mudroom which is also locked and contains our mailboxes.  It then leads to one flight of very old stairs.  I will include a picture when I can.  Our apartment is typical in our area.  Some of the other buildings include very elaborate sandstone ornamentation!  Beautiful!