"You Can Now Say You Shook My Hand"

So I don't have that much time to write today so I will try to make it fast - like a Jamaican sprinter. These are probably the biggest two things occurring right now: First, many of you know how much I love my apartment! Who doesn't love the refreshing smell of black mold in the morning as you shower and hit your head on the ceiling? Well it turns out we will be moving out of here. We don't know when, but it will be soon. It turns out I have had a mold related infection for 7 weeks, which has caused a few sick days and some other “unnatural” symptoms. We have ward members and a senior couple, the Jueskches, working diligently to get us out of here. The mission office and President Packard are on board and momentum is building!  We looked at a few apartments and it looks like we will move into a loft apartment in a downtown area! We would live right above a retail store. The mission office and the Jueskches are finalizing the deal. Problem is, Judy is a feisty one! Last time the Elders tried to move, they did everything we did,except work with the mission office and let the Mission President know. The Elders told Judy they were moving and she immediately called the Mission President in tears and the Mission President, (not President Packard at the time), called them and told them they had to stay. We haven’t broken the news to Judy - it will be tough. It's not natural though, feeling like you're being held hostage in the basement of an old Jewish lady. It happens. When it comes down to it, it doesn’t matter where we live, whether it’s nice or a little run down. Just as long as we can feel the spirit.

Second big thing is we had a special Mission Conference this week! Elder M.Russell Ballard of the Twelve, Elder Christens of the Seventy, and Brother Eyring, an Area Authority, (President Eyring’s son), came and talked to the Massachusetts, Boston Mission! It was awesome to be able to hear them speak. What was unfortunate

though is the meeting was held in Weston and you could only go if you lived no more than 1 1/2 hours away - we barley missed the cut off - so we watched it televised. Elder Ballard made it clear to only come if we lived in the limits. President Packard stressed it too. I realized I would get more revelation and inspiration from the meeting if I stayed and watched it televised than if I went and disobeyed a simple rule given by an apostle! I knew watching it televised would be more meaningful and I would be able to receive answers to help us progress in the work out here. And that's exactly what happened. Yes, it would have been great to shake his hand, but it felt good knowing I had been obedient and I knew the Lord had blessed me for it. The magnitude of that compared to a handshake was incomparable. Elder Ballard though was funny at the beginning. He told all the missionaries who were watching it televised to stand up. So we stood up. Elder

Ballard made Elder Christens and Brother Eyring stand up. Then Elder Ballard told us to shake hands with him and the other two via the broadcast. He said something along the lines of, "There, you can now say you shook my hand." It was a great meeting. Well, more work ahead!

Until Next time! 

Elder Tait