Communication - VOIP?

[April 17, 2015] Friday

Communications...

Since I'd already planned to take the day off, we just continued our mission preparations today. President Jensen had recommended some VOIP services to enable us to make "landline" calls, so we went to Best Buy to get some information.

The worker there was very knowledgeable, and pointed out a couple of different ways we could go. We decided to get the MagicJack device, which plugs into our computer USB port. We also got an old style handset phone, which plugs into the MagicJack. We took it home and hooked it up, and now have VOIP!

Instead of communicating the VOIP number, we also decided to hook it up to my Google Voice number. That way, we can give out one number that can be connected to whatever number we need. That gives us quite a bit of flexibility. We don't know, yet, if we'll get cell phones in Bolivia to use in communicating there, or if that will connect to Google Voice, but we'll figure it out.

I also started looking at a laptop to take with us, so I can track finances, edit this blog (I know, I can do it from my iPad, but it's quite a bit more difficult there, even with a USB keyboard.) I thought long and hard about an Apple MacBook Air, but reports are that Excel doesn't work as well on a Mac, and I'm pretty stuck with Excel. I've tried Google Sheets, and I don't have time right now to convert everything and figure out what works and what doesn't. The collaboration features are nice, but I don't really collaborate much when I'm working on my spreadsheets, so that will wait. So, I'll probabaly get a Windows 7 ultrabook - for $50, you can downgrade from Windows 8.1, and since Windows 10 isn't quite out yet, I figure I'll stick with something tried and true for a while.

We also asked about international voltage converters. The guy at Best Buy pointed out that the iPad chargers we already have are ready for 220V, they only need a different adapter, which slips right onto the wall charger. Pretty slick. We can charge any USB chargeable device with this charger, and won't need a bunch of different converters and adapters. President Jensen indicated that they have converters in the hospedaje, so we're hoping that we're good to go on the communications front.

The Flood - Not Noah's

[April 16, 2015] Thursday

We had planned to drive to California today to visit Molly's mother, but Molly was not feeling well last night, so we figured we'd better go see the doctor down in American Fork. He ordered a course of antibiotics, and we talked about the best approach if she started getting a UTI once we're in Bolivia. I think we settled on a good plan, but by the time we got through there, we decided not to go to California.

For our visa application, we needed two copies of our marriage certificate, so we figured we'd get that while we were in Utah County. We stopped at the Vital Records office there on 500 East in American Fork. While we were waiting, we saw that they also offered vaccinations for international travel. We had set up an appointment for vaccinations on May 6th up in Salt Lake, but we figured if we could get them now, it would just speed things up, so we did.

Yellow Fever was the most important one - it requires a special certification. We also got vaccinations for Shingles, Hepatitis A&B, and took the oral vaccination for Typhoid home to take once Molly completes her course of antibiotics. After we finish that one, we'll only need vaccinations for Pneumococcal Pneumonia and Meningiococcal Meningitis, which we should be able to get at the doctor's office.

We also needed a statement from the American Fork Police with any police record on file for us. We called to see what time they closed, and we were able to get there 5 minutes before closure. Fortunately we don't have anything untoward, so it was just a statement to that effect, which only took five minutes to produce.

So, to this point, Thursday was a very productive day.

We went home, invited Emily to come have dinner with us and Sam and Sawyer, and were happily engaged in lively conversation when Sam heard something down the hall from the kitchen. By the time we got there to investigate, there was water flooding from the ceiling light fixture. Gushing, flooding, pouring, etc. It was massive. We started grabbing buckets, but they were overwhelmed immediately.

I thought the water had to be coming from the neighbors upstairs, but no one was home to alert. We called the HOA maintenance guy, and he said he was on his way, but gave us no other clues as to what the source could be. By now, there was an inch of water in the hall, soaking into all the bedrooms and bathrooms. Fortunately there was a drain in the floor in the bigger bathroom, which helped keep the water from getting into the living room.

By now, I was at wits end, so I called 911 to have the Fire Department come and shut off the water to the building. Emily was in hog heaven communicating with neighbors, directing the fire truck to our apartment, etc. By the time the maintenance guy got there, the water had stopped. He looked around and showed us where the turn-off for our condo was, and then turned the water back on to the building. So, our neighbors have had a great introduction to the Lyons!

By now, the 1-800-FLOODED guys showed up (Molly had called them while I was dealing with the Fire Department), and they started removing wet carpet pad, excess water, etc. They repaired the leak in the hot water line between our hot water heater and the master bathroom. We had to move everything out of the bedrooms into the living room and kitchen to start drying the carpet.

In the meantime, I called our insurance company to get a claim started, and they arranged to have us stay in a motel (where we are at this moment, in fact.)

So, a very exciting Thursday. We got a lot done as far as mission preparations, and were very thankful we hadn't gone to California. I also realized how much information I need to provide Sam in an easily reachable spot with insurance and other homeowner details. A blessing in disguise?

Tender Mercies - and Clothes!

[April 15, 2015] Wednesday

I experienced a miracle today. I have always had a difficult time buying clothes for myself. In fact I don't ever buy clothes for myself without Charlie, or a daughter, or my mother helping me.

Well I knew that Charlie didn't really have the time it would take to help me buy mission clothes. I asked Becky to go with me, and she was going to, but we had a huge snow storm and the roads were bad near her home and she wasn't feeling well. So I said a prayer and set out with determination to accomplish my task.

Becky had given me some store ideas, so with that information I went to Fashion Place Mall particularly to go to Christopher and Banks. There were a couple of other stores before Christopher and Banks that I wanted to check out. Right away I knew they didn't have what I wanted (too short and too trendy, but cute).

When I walked into Christopher and Banks something happened, I just started picking things off the rack like I knew what I wanted (which I didn't). The sales girl saw I was serious and offered to get me a dressing room started. It was amazing! The clothes were cute, comfortable, fit well, they coordinate with what I already have in my closet and with each other and I got it all for 40% off. I did it all in about 90 minutes. All my mission clothes purchased!

I know I didn't go alone. I know Heavenly Father loves us and wants to help us and will help us when we ask Him. He will even go with us to buy clothes.

President and Sister Jensen - Mission President Called

[April 14, 2015] Tuesday

We received a call from President and Sister Jensen tonight. They are the Temple President and Matron. Their stateside home is just on the other side of the Mt. Timpanogos Temple, so they were nearly our neighbors. President Jensen was very interested to hear that I had served in Bolivia previously. He had been called as the Mission President for the Bolivia La Paz Mission back in 1972, but was reassigned to the Cali Columbia Mission. President Allred, who was my first mission president replaced him.

They welcomed us warmly, and indicated that they were looking forward to meeting us in Cochabamba in June. They expressed how much they enjoyed working in the Temple in Cochabamba, and how much we would enjoy it as well.

They gave us some preliminary information, all of which sounded wonderful to us. We'll be living in the hospedaje (lodging) on the Temple grounds. The apartments have refrigerators and stoves, furnishings, and internet access. They are going to send us a list of suggestions, things to bring, and things to leave home in a couple of days.

It merely increased our excitement to hear from them.  They gave us some good ideas about setting things up to be able to communicate with family back home, so I'll be looking into a VOIP service here in the next few days. I'm working to get Mom and Dad Lyon set up with Skype so we can keep in touch with them, as well as our children. We've talked with Seth and Shalana and their family a couple of times already on Skype, so we think we're getting it figured out.

Telling the Ward

[April 11, 2015] Saturday

Charlie had tried calling Bishop Merrill to let him know that we received our call, but was never able to reach him. We had some business in Utah County so we decided to see if he was home. He was home with their 8 children while his wife was out of town for a few days. He is always so welcoming and sweet to us and the children love Charlie and me from Primary and Young Women's.

After visiting awhile we told him our news that we had received our call. He called all of the children to gather round. He told them how Brother and Sister Lyon have been in the ward for 25 years and that we had sold our  home to go on missions, and we were there to  tell them where we will be serving. It was so sweet to tell them, they are like family to us. The kids hugged us multiple times. We love the Merrills.

The Bishop asked if we would announce our mission call in Sacrament Meeting the next day to our ward family.  He also asked us to speak in our American Fork 12th Ward on June 14th. Of course we will be happy to do both.

[April 12, 2015] Sunday

We arrived to church early and shook hands with dear friends. Someone would ask "have you got your call yet?" So we'd tell them while someone else was listening. The news kind of trickled around before the meeting started. You know how things get around in a ward family. Brother Brand was conducting that day. Before the meeting he let us know that he would give us time  to announce our call.

I'm sure I was grinning from ear to ear as Charlie told them where we will serve. He also told that is where he served his mission 40 years ago and how he loves the Bolivian people. I am so touched that we can serve in Bolivia. I have heard Charlie talk about his mission and the dear people he grew to love so dearly there. I love them already.

The Call

[April 9, 2015]

I got home about 4:00, and Molly was really excited to open the call. We debated whether we should get all the kids in a Skype call to do it, but decided (after about 10 milliseconds) that we'd rather just open it.

We opened it, and read, "You are called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, assigned to the Cochabamba Bolivia Temple as a temple missionary. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of twenty three months."

Here are the calls:

Needless to say, we are humbled and excited at the same time.

We couldn't start informing the family, because we had to take Sawyer to his soccer practice, but on the way home, we called Mary (Molly's mother), and let her know. She was excited as well, and happy for us. She and Wilber, Molly's father, served a mission shortly after Molly and I got married, and were wonderful missionaries.

We then called my mother and father and let them know. Mom knew why we had called as soon as she heard our voices.

We were close to Emily's house, so we called her to let her know we were headed her direction and wanted to stop by. We visited with her sweet housemate, Jenni, until Emily showed up, and we told her.

When we got home, Sam and Sawyer were there, so we told them, and then we contacted the rest of the kids - Becky and her family, and Matt and his family in person, Stacy over the phone, Holly and Jeff and their family and Seth and Shalana and their family over Skype. We figure we're going to get familiar with Skype over the next two years.

So, just to fill in a bit of the back story, as to why this means so much to me.

I served my mission as a young man in Bolivia, and spent ten months of that mission in a small town called Punata, in a valley 30 miles from Cochabamba. The members in all of Bolivia were excited for the day that a temple would be built in Bolivia, but none of them imagined it would be so close. The missionaries, and most of the members imagined it would be in La Paz.

I returned home in 1975, and in 1995, a temple was announced for Bolivia, to be built in Cochabamba. I was so excited for what that would mean for all the members in Bolivia. It was completed and dedicated in 2000.

Last year, I was called to work as a temple ordinance worker in the Mt. Timpanogos temple in American Fork. While working there, I have had many experiences that have strengthened my testimony of Jesus Christ, of His Atonement, and of the saving power of the covenants we make there and the ordinances performed. I have been able to assist so many sweet people in making those covenants, and have felt of the joy they experience as they help their ancestors make those covenants as well. As I have been blessed to assist in Temple ordinances, I have felt powerful spirits, testimony, and approval of the work done there.

Through experiences there, I felt more and more strongly each week that it was time for Molly and I to take on the next phase of our life, and offer our time and means to the great work of bringing people to Christ. As I worked in the Temple, I felt that being able to help the humble, sweet people of Bolivia in these ordinances and covenants would be bringing the work I did 40 years ago full circle. The love I felt for those people has been a constant through my life - I so deeply desire that they can have these blessings with their families, and feel humbled and blessed to be called to do that.

Special Mail

[April 9, 2015]

Today my grandson Sawyer and I went to the mail box at our new condo in West Valley. I reached in and pulled out a big white envelope. I wasn't expecting our call for another couple of weeks or so. When I saw the return address The Office of The First Presidency, I couldn't believe it, then I saw that it was addressed to Elder Charles R. Lyon and Sister Molly M. Lyon. It took my breath away and I started to cry. Sawyer was concerned and made sure I was OK. I wanted to shout but I texted Charlie instead. He texted back "I'm on my way home"