Letter to Jeffy Big Dude

So, I wrote a letter to my brother in the MTC. After I wrote it, I realized it would be an easy blog entry, because it was practically a journal entry. I have so much to catch up on in this blog, I even have kept pictures to put on later. For now, here is the letter:

Hi Elder Glauser-

Your letters sure are entertaining. LASIK went well. I think I only got to seventy-five in German before it was over. (I was counting really slow as I was kind of distracted, but it helped me.) I think I checked out every movie at the library that wasn't rated R or stupid. (Dad begs to differ--Gilmore girls and the British Office.) I only have watched 4, I've got a lot to go but no more need. This morning, I woke up, groped around for my glassed, remembered, and turned to realize I COULD SEE THE CLOCK! It was AMAZING! 4:52! (I definitely spaced wearing those goggle things.) I have red spots on my eyes that worried me a bit. The doctor today said that they're called "eye hickeys" :) and they'll go away eventually. They're caused by the suction during the surgery.

I got so much done at work today. A day off does that to you, I guess. It helped that I decided to try to leave at 11. It turned out to be 11:30, but then I worked on my blackberry for another hour or so. Not that it'll be that interesting to you, but I talked to Tom, Teri, and Ashley T about training issues. I worked on an automated request form. I started redoing the stats. I did some scheduling for my team member. I had a good talk with Sister Hubbard, the Zone Leader's wife, about problems, training, and improvements. I worked on getting 2 landline phones and 2 blackberries fixed. I reported a problem service request. I made the meeting assignements, added to the reminders on the weekly refresher sheet, showed a team member how to do the weekly report, checked the computer classroom for items, searched for five unreturned films (and found one on the wrong floor), arranged for more postcards for selling, assigned morning south door rotations, put new usernames in new mailboxes that I made, and delegated a lot of other stuff.

That's just what I do in 4 and 1/2 hours. Now can you see why I stay late? There's always more to do. We have lost 13 full-time employee slots. We have more senior missionaries than ever, but they can't or won't always do the physical work, like shelving books and arranging the collection, or standing on their feet for eight hours. The non-physical stuff goes slower, such as computer stuff. Most hear the word "blackberry" and have a brain freeze! They say things like, "I don't know how to work a blueberry!" and I say, "you don't need to know how to work the blackberry. Just call me! It's just a fat phone!" We got them all emails last week. Training for that was fun. We'll see how many actually open emails we send. They don't read memos anyway. I've learned that every time I write one. If you read it to them, show them pictures and movies in a PowerPoint, and give them a handout, some sleep, some don't/won't listen, some forget, and some blatantly refuse to comply with changes. That's frustrating. Then there are the ones who just want to serve. Although we make a lot of changes and expect a lot that doesn't seem "glorious" the way door-to-door missionarywork does, they never complain. They get their work done. They help others. They are cheerful or quiet but happy. I love working with them and hope to be like them. Sister Neish--she hugs everyone, every day. She hugs about fifteen seconds longer than I'm comfortable with, but she always has faith that we can make anything work with the Lord's help. She always tells me I'm doing a great job, even when I'm not feeling like it. Wil also encourages me. He is a great friend and mentor. For some reason, we work amazingly well together--we are both dedicated workaholics who are on the same wavelength. That causes some problems sometimes when people sense that connection, because they become jealous or think I'm trying to take over or something. I'm learning a lot about patience, tact, problem-solving, humility, forgiveness, and crucial conversations.

Scott is great. He told me that he thought you were cool. I'm not sure what's going to happen with him. Our goals in life line up amazingly well. I guess dating is to figure out how you'll fit and if you think it's worth it to continue. Scott's a lot more laidback than I am. He says that we'll even each other out, but I worry about being the evil one in the partnership. He's about to graduate and we're getting ready for the Literature GRE. I have no idea how soon I'll go to grad school. Sometimes I want to get out of here NOW! Money, my good relationships with Dad, Grandpa, and Wil keep me here for the time being.

I took Kota running yesterday. She is funny. She looks at me like I'm crazy when I try to train her to stay by my side when I walk. It makes me sad to think that her favorite person is gone for 2 years and she may not know him when he returns.

So far, China's still in the plans. We were thinking Bangkok for next year and Estonia the year after, but recent occurrences make Tanya and I think that we may have to go for Estonia sooner. I love traveling!

I've included a note for that German elder. Thanks for that, it was fuN! Our cousin Bea Bieri (in Switzerland) got married. I saw her pics online at beaunrolf.ch.

I've done some good writing recently. Paul showed me around Google! I ate the food, took pics, and got on their scooters! Sica sat in the massage chair. Then Paul showed me this new tool on google where multiple people can edit a document simultaneously--perfect for writing a book!

I love doing Dad's invoices in the mornings. He is so funny. Every morning: "Mishk, do you ever get tired?" When we get to EPCO, he points to James on his desktop and says, "There's Jamesy-Wamesy-Pamesy!"

Well, I love you much and pray for you. Recently, I think the Atonement is the coolest good news of the Gospel. I hope both of our understandings of it increase, and that you can show people how much the Lord loves us!

Michelle