Then we went into the Relief Society room for a "Bread and Honey-Butter Social."
They had several kinds of bread, honey-butter, jams, juices and milk. We then socialized for a little while with our trainers, mission presidency and all of our friends that we trained with.
Finally, we adjourned back into the chapel to get our assignments. We have spent the last two weeks in training not knowing which "zone" we would be assigned to. Everyone was nervous and anxious to see where they would spend the next year to year and a half. They then had us stand up when they called our names, told us our assignment, and introduced us to our zone leaders.
JoAnn:
"I thought I was prepared to accept any number of assignments and be perfectly happy. When they announced that we were going to be in International, my first thought was, "Oh no! But I didn't learn French well in our last mission - I will have to start all over again." However, an amazing transformation took place during the next 10 minutes. My mind was flooded with all the wonderful advantages and blessings that were and would come because of this choice for us.
This was exactly where Arnold wanted to serve, and with his French he will be such an asset.
Arnold and I will be serving in the same zone. Some of the couples were split up, each working in a different place.
Even though my French is less than perfect, most of the patrons who come to the International section of the Library speak English and are just looking for ancestors from different parts of the world. Our records preservation mission in France taught me how to read French records, which will offset my non-ability to speak French..
We will be working in the Family History Library (the closest zone to our apartment). We will be close enough that we can go home for lunch every day - thus saving us money and the worry of bringing a lunch to keep cold and have to warm up. We had eaten out for lunch each day during training and, I am sure, gained weight. They say that this is a 20-pound mission, and this assignment will help us avoid that but being able to go home and eat healthy.
We will be working right in the Family History Library. We will be right there to do our own research (we are allowed half a day a week to do our own research) with all their facilities at our fingertips.
We will be working in the International Collection. My "brick wall" is in German research. Arnold and I both have Danish ancestry that we have put on the back burner as we did not know how to do Danish research. Not only will we have access to all of those records, but we also will be able to use the professional genealogists that are on staff in International - expert help at no charge!
We will be working with patrons and enjoying that association. Many of the zones are in the background and only see other missionaries that they are working with.
We will be working where we will be available to meet with family and friends that want to visit us while we are on our mission.
And most important of all, I truly felt that this was where Heavenly Father wanted us to work. What more did I need?"
We then met briefly with our zone leaders, Elder and Sister Palmer, for some instructions about what to expect next week.
Everyone then adjourned and we all went to the Salt Lake Temple to do an endowment session. What a wonderful ending to a wonderful day.
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