KEEP HAVING FUN

Photos coming ...

WELL! Repairs and renovations can be stressful BUT also a bit amusing! Improvisation and creativity are the game!

The Joseph Smith Memorial Building (where we usually occupy office space) needs some serious repairs to the electrical and plumbing systems. All systems were OFF beginning the week after the 4^th of July. Full time missionaries were moved to the North Office building Thursday, 2^nd July. What an adventure! We now cross one of the busiest intersections in downtown Salt Lake as we walk uphill to work and downhill to our apartment. Yes, there are stairs, but I’d rather walk up or down the hill than deal with 47 steps. We love being able to walk most places we need to go (except church – we are assigned to attend a Spanish speaking Ward that is about 20 minutes south.

 

Tuesday, 30 June the random construction workers that had been meandering along our hallways and threading through our 3^rd story office spaces all month suddenly became a seriously, coherently noisy crew.

They hammered, drilled, and sawed to remove the lower half of some large windows, replaced that with vented plywood, and after hauling in large black tube and tub looking bits of this, that, and other things, they initially walked away leaving gaping, gigantic holes showing circles of blue sky pouring in fresh air – seriously! We began joking about the new ventilation system!

Elder Ames strolling along past the window noticed a noisy field trip of mid-teens passing across campus and, when some looked upward, couldn’t resist sticking his hand out and waving – much to their giggling delight. Someone suggested we should take turns sticking our heads out the holes if only someone below might take our photos. Elder Ames volunteered BUT it was time for lunch and we all decided to save such silliness for after we ate.

And did I mention that our main cafeteria is also closed 6 weeks for renovations! The elevators to the restaurant at the 26^th floor feel like riding a hay wagon enough that I feel nauseous so we pack a lunch or walk home most days instead. We often like our simple, plain food better than the menus available and seating in all areas is somewhat limited.

We returned to work on on June 30^th to see construction workers had returned and been busy while we were gone. Sigh! Such disappointment! They put together those black pieces of this, that, and other things to make – WHAT? What are those things? What are they doing? I told the sister nearest the holes that it appeared a giant alien was now sleeping along the partition between her desk and the hall walk space.

We worked the remainder of the week with the crews preparing for closure. We learned they were constructing and installing A/C systems. It was ventilation – since all power and water will be off these AC units will be powered independently so that despite triple digit temperatures the repair crews can continue their work. A snapshot of the exterior shows many windows in various stages of the process.

We had missed our chance to be truly silly but have no fear. That did not stop a creative missionary from taking snapshots of us and using AI to stick our heads through the holes. We have quite a bit of fun among the missionaries in our zone, even while actually doing some data transfer.

Our main work stations have 2 monitors and Elder Ames and I have stand up desks. We can stand or we can lower them when we want or need to sit. However, equipment was not moved to the NOB with full time missionaries. Service missionaries are working from home or having a 2-week break, and a few shortened their missions a few weeks and went home. The rest of us are working during this change from laptops and one monitor. Hallways at the NOB are fairly narrow and some areas feel almost like a storeroom.

AC there is quite cold so some missionaries wear winter coats or sweaters. And we all adapt as best each of us is able. I stand the majority of each day because most chairs press awkwardly on my right thigh and cause pain that can be avoided be simply standing. So Elder Ames brought my stand-up desk from home.

He also noticed a stack of empty binders along one hallway, and realized they could be used increase his productivity by elevating his laptop, which he perched on a small inexpensive stool we keep in our apartment. Some others created similar arrangements, and a few brought in their own versions of possible arrangements.

My father often told us, “If it’s not fun don’t do it – and if you’ve gotta do it, make it fun.” Some suggest our work is a bit tedious. We find it exciting to download, compare, standardize, collate and help publish the data necessary for you (and everyone else) to build and extend your family trees. And many times it seems there are angels guiding our work. 

We see and feel miracles every day – YES! EVERY DAY!

Keep having fun!