Closing and Cleaning Apartments

 Week of February 3 - 9

After Staff Meeting Elder Connell, who is a part time Service Missionary, talked with us.  He has been helping Sister Davis with Finances, but she doesn't really need his help anymore, so he asked if he could help us.  YES, PLEASE!!!!  He is really good with computer things and knows a lot about contracts and stuff.  He made a contract landlord list for all the apartments that is going to be really helpful.  He's gone through and put all the leases into the computer, that was supposed to be done a year ago. We think we will ask him next week to take over handling all the emails, which consist of leases and insurance.  He really is an answer to our prayers.  We needed to go to Walmart and buy some supplies that Sisters have asked us for and then we went over to the Storage Unit.  We packed up a few things to take with us for tomorrow's trip to Springfield.

Tuesday, we left early and drove up to Springfield, about a 2-hour drive.  We finished packing up the kitchen and were ready when the missionaries showed up at 11:00 to help pack up the trailer.  The apartment is on the 3rd floor, so we were so happy for their help.  As they were packing up the trailer, Dan and I went behind them and vacuumed each room.  We finished that and then drove over to another apartment in Springfield.  It is in pretty bad shape and we weren't really feeling very good about the area or the apartment, so we decided not to leave the extra furniture there we had packed up from the other place.  We might have to go back and set it up, but I think we will talk to President first.

Wednesday, it was raining and we just stayed in the office and got caught up on a few things. Thursday, there was a Mission Wide Zoom Meeting. When we have these, President always asks the missionaries to be in Mission Attire, not to be in your cars and to have cameras on so he can see you.  We really wanted to do some work up in Fairview Heights, but didn't want to wait till it was over at 11:00 to go.  So, we left early and drove over to the church in Fairview Heights went inside and watched the Zoom meeting from there.  It was wonderful.  February is Faith Filled February. He had 4 missionaries talk about Faith and share some experiences they have had with growing their faith. Such a sweet Spirit.  Afterwards we drove over to our initial apartment complex to clean the sister's old apartment that had Bedbugs. They sprayed it 4 times and it felt okay to move back in.  There are 2 Elders that live in that same complex, so we asked them to help bring up some beds and a desk.  Third floor again.  They were so cute and happy to help.  They saw a chess game on the kitchen table, and I told them if they wanted it they could have it.  You would have thought I gave them $100.  I told them that anything they saw in the apartment that they wanted they could have.  Wow, they thought it was Christmas again.  They loaded up with some papers and markers and games.  Not really sure what all they took.  Then one of the missionaries went into the bedroom closet and saw the clothes that were left.  He called his companion in and said, "you should take this dress.  I think you would look good in it."  Haha. I had to put my foot down with that one. No cross dressing, SORRY!  They laughed and joked with us later about it.  While we were in Fairview Heights, we went over to Sister Ball and Sister Garners apartment.  They had called a few days ago and said they had lots of BIG spiders in their apartment.  Could they get the apartment sprayed?  We called the Landlord but she said they had just sprayed the outside a few days ago and wouldn't spry inside.  So we went and bought some Sider Traps and set them in the apartment. Hopefully that will do the job.  On the way home we stopped by the appliance repair guy's store and dropped off a washer and dryer from Springfield.  

Friday, we got a slow start and needed to do some grocery shopping before we went into the office.  So it was about 10:30 before getting there.  Dan got a call from the washer and dryer place and our units were ready. So he went and picked them up and I worked in the office.  We left early to get to a 4:00 Session at the Temple.  We haven't been to the Temple since we moved over to Missouri and we only live about 10 minutes away.  

Saturday, we cleaned our own apartment, and did some dinner prep.  President and Sister McKay and Elder and Sister Jones were coming over for dinner.  We watched Oklahoma and enjoyed a quiet day.  Everyone came for dinner and after dinner we played, How Well Do You Know Your Spouse?  It was pretty fun, and we all laughed a lot.  The McKay's are so easy to be around and we all had a great time. 

After everyone left and we cleaned up and just sat down to relax, we got a phone call from sone Sisters in Mattoon.  Their apartment was flooded.  It was getting late and it's a 2 1/2-hour drive.  We asked if they would be okay for the night, and they said of course.  So, Sunday morning we were on the phone with the Landlord, and she had maintenance go over and look at the problem.  The maintenance guy said it wasn't anything to worry about and left.  The sisters called later and didn't think anyone had even come over.  They said they would be okay for another night.  Bless their hearts.

Sunday, I woke up with a sore throat and went back to sleep.