Craig is an official Tour Guide

This week Craig started giving tours!  Seniors give the tours on Tuesdays since that is the Sisters’ P day.  I am waiting until this coming Tuesday to give tours.  Memorizing is not my strong point and there are several pages to memorize.  In the meantime, Craig tries to give a tour every day we work.

Two of my three costumes finally came.  I was not there when the box was delivered.  We had gone to eat in Old Town after our shift and when we got back, it was there.  It had been opened and all of the young Sisters had already come in to look at them.  I think the seamstresses must buy bolts of material and keep making dresses until the bolt is gone.  The dress I got was exactly like several others.  But the skirt and blouse are new material and the Sisters all commented how much they like them.  My third costume will come next week, along with dresses of 3 new Sisters that are coming from the MTC.  I think the last dress of mine that is coming is new material, too.  I haven’t seen anyone else wearing it.  The Sisters will borrow dresses from each other for a little variety.  We each have 3 costumes and work 6 days a week.

The young Sisters work 6 hours at the Battalion and the rest of the day in their wards/branches.  They were assigned to the Mormon Battalion in their call, like we were, and are busy and work hard.  There are a total 27 of them at the moment.  Four of them are on “full pross” (full proselyting) for 2 transfers so they can have that experience.  Almost all of them are able to do that.  Six are leaving to go home this coming week.  It is hard to remember all of their names, but we work with 4 companionships at the Battalion at a time, and working with them makes it easier to remember their names.

Craig has a lot of responsibilities when opening or closing.  One of the things he does when opening is salting the gold panning table with fool’s gold.  The kids LOVE panning for gold.  Adults do, too!  I have just a few responsibilities when opening and closing, and I run the front desk during the shift.  I decide if tours are getting too full and if people need to go in and watch a documentary while waiting for the next tour.  I assign the Sisters where to stand to welcome guests (at the front door or by the statue at the end of the building) and make sure they get their meal breaks.  I also keep track of the Sisters at all times.  We don’t want anything to happen to them!  They like to do tours in pairs, but sometimes it gets too busy for that.  A lot of school and community groups come through.  People who run these groups really like how well run the Battalion is and how interesting and fun it is.  One lady who runs tours for adults tells them they have to watch the documentary about the Battalion before the tour, and makes sure they do.  She loves it.

Look what Laurel made for us!  This quote is from the Preach My Gospel manual.  We had it printed at Costco and it is hanging on the wall in our living room now.  I love it.  Laurel does such good work! (Please ignore the reflection of our living room in the glass.  The polka dots are from a pillow on the couch.  Sorry!)

 We enjoy working at the temple grounds, talking to people who come to see it and walk around.  We found out the San Diego temple is very famous in China!  Everyone who comes to see it takes lots of pictures of it and must show them to everyone they know when they get back.  Sometimes couples that get married other places around here will often come and take wedding photos at the temple grounds!  Who knows, maybe someday those pictures will spark some questions. 

Our friends the Nemrows from Chino Hills came to visit us on Friday, our P day.  They drove 2 hours to get here.  We had such a fun time with them, catching up and showing them our apartment and going to lunch.  They spent about 2 hours with us, and then drove back.  Their return trip probably took more than 2 hours since they were bound to hit Friday rush hour traffic.  Those are good friends!

Our schedules will change this week.  We will be working longer shifts at the Battalion and only one day at the temple.  OK. Just tell us when to be where.  We do what we are asked.