Emergency Preparedness Zone Conference

 


This has been quite the week! There have been some long days. Monday was a day of trying to plow through all of the work that we knew we needed to get done before diving into everything that we needed to get done for zone conferences. On Tuesday, after a whole day of meetings, we were able to help the missionaries teach some people from Angola. Afterwards, we attended a baptism at the church. Wednesday was a marathon of getting things put together for the zone conference. We worked well into the evening to get things identified and set aside to get loaded into the MAV (Mission Assault Vehicle) in preparation for the big day. Thursday was "D-day" so to speak. 

We arrived at the stake center early enough that we had to wait for someone who had the key to open the building. With 4 zones we knew that we were going to have more than 100 missionaries. However, there was a wild-card. That is that they always invite any youth who is mission age to come to the conference. We usually have about a half-dozen show up. Since this was in August, which is the month that everyone in Spain seems to be on vacation, no one was in school or working. That meant that they could come and participate. We ended up with about 130 people show up. We weren't prepared for those kinds of numbers from a food standpoint. Lunch was going to be a simple thing of potato salad (german, of course) and hot dogs. There just wasn't nearly enough, so Hermana Heckmann had the sisters run to the store and get bunch of tuna, mayo, and bread to make tuna sandwiches. Because there was a certain level of panic, we made WAY too much. So, we had the food covered.

That brought us to the activity that we were in charge of, and which was causing the most stress, which was putting together the 72-hour kits for the missionaries. There were several separate things that needed to be done. First was an overview of how important emergency preparedness is. The Rees couple was in charge of that. We had a workshop of some hands-on principles which was given by the Fishers. They were perfect for this as she is our mission nurse, and he had some very practical experience as a young missionary. He had worked through a major earthquake in Latin America where there was significant loss of life, and he and the other missionaries helped with rescue efforts. Our part was to help the missionaries assemble the kits. There was significant logistics involved with that one. The minute the conference was over, the Heckmanns and the APs needed to catch a train to Valencia for that conference the next day. I went with them so that I could get the president's car back to the Office, and then rode the metro back to the stake center so that I could drive Brenda back to our piso. While I was gone, she was busy contending with cleaning up the aftermath of the whole thing. Through it all, we survived with significant help from above I am sure. We were mostly dead that night.

It wasn't all sprinting and worrying though. It was President Heckmann's birthday. So, I needed to make sure and make him a giant birthday balloon crown! He was a very good sport to wear it throughout the meal and allow the missionaries to take pictures. He even told someone to make sure and take my crown back to the office. The missionaries LOVED it. 

Friday was catch-up day unloading the MAV, and getting the office put back together. Yesterday, we had to drive to Terrassa to drop off a new mattress for a sister who is having back problems. After we got back home, we then had to take the Metro to Hospitalet to drop off a vacuum to some sisters, and to help them set off a bug bomb to deal with a bed bug problem. Today, the Day of Rest needed to be a DAY OF REST! We did have a couple of sisters over for dinner though. My Sweetheart has more energy than the Energizer Bunny!

I guess the bottom line, after going though a week like this, is that the Lord helps us through. I don't believe for one second that we got through all of that on our own. I know that He blessed us like he did the People of Alma with strength to bear our burdens with ease. The missionaries are amazing, and being around so many all at once was ultimately a joy (even though we weren't sure we were going to survive at the time). He is in His work, and it is a blessing to be able to be involved with it.

This coming week will be starting off with a bang as we are picking up a brand new couple at the Airport first thing in the morning. Here we go!

We love you all billions.

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