Going Forward

     When we arrived in SLC on Thursday, June 2nd, I thought we might look like the Beverly Hillbillies coming to town.  If we had  been coming from North Carolina or Maine or England like our new neighbor, we would have brought only what we could fit in a suitcase.  But, since we live only two and a half hours north of here and we have a pick up we kept adding to our stack...First, all of our family history boxes (well, I had boxes, Larry had a book of remembrance and a folder).  Then bedding, some food storage, clothes, a couple of appliances that would cost a bit to buy new, etc.  The more we brought the less we would have to buy to get started in our new apartment.  Larry was going to put a rocking chair on top and put me into it long before we got done adding to the pile.
     So we arrived, moved in and started life as missionaries in the Family and Church History Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
     There were about 35 in the group coming in with us the first of June.  Because the training zone is running at half-staff (lack of missionaries) they divided our group into two segments.  Our portion received our zone assignments immediately and we followed Elder and Sister Harwood over to the Family History Library to tour our new area.
     The other half of the group headed into two weeks of intense training in genealogy methods and sources.  At the end of their training we all had what they call a "Go Forth" day.  On this day, usually, the new group gets their zone assignments, we all go to the temple and eat dinner together and then go forth wherever they have sent us.
     Because we were assigned first we had two weeks of training in our zone and then went to the other training classes.  We were hoping that we wouldn't forget all that we had already learned....age shrinks your capability to recall as much I am afraid.  Maybe recalling things learned is just slower after 50.  At any rate, it is not as easy to learn, remember, recall, perform, learn more, etc...
     After our genealogy training we really were ready to "go forth"  and we needed a large amount of faith that we could remember and do what was needed.  We are assigned to the Digital Preservation Zone.  Interesting enough our zone leader, Elder Harwood, was born and raised in Grace, Idaho, too.  We know some people in common but he is a bit older than Larry.
     The only thing I remember from that first tour of the zone was that we went from one area to another by way of back elevators and hallways I never dreamed existed after my few trips to the FHL.  On B1 clear in the back between some rolling shelving and a wall were three copibook scanners set up on two long tables.  There were two people intent on their work, one of which was Sister Escabado, who has become a favorite friend.  The lighting was dim...very dim....almost dark because of the machines.  And, they said, this is where you are going to be working.  I looked at that small dungeon-like cubby hole and thought, "I am going to need all the faith I have to spend the next two years here..."
    We began to learn that day.  And it was so interesting that by the end of that day I was hooked.  By the end of the next day I had caught the spirit of the goals of our zone:  to make all of the books accessible on-line for anyone who wanted to search through them.  For free. What a huge undertaking!
     We've learned how to scan using the copibook machines and the form feeders and how to audit the books that have been scanned looking for mistakes like bent pages, missing pages and misfed pages.  When they are fixed we put the scans into a file that goes to Orem.  I'm not sure what Orem does but basically they make the pages nice and neat and get them ready to go on-line. 
     So we work with books.  Those who know me know how much I love books.  I love the smell of books, the feel of the pages, the look of the type.  I love the covers, the bindings, the words... The only thing I don't like is that we go through each book so quickly we don't get to read them!
     And what about Elder Thomas (aka Larry) you ask?  Do you know how much he likes to work in an office?  Almost as much as he loves to work in tractors.  One of his favorite places to shop is the office supply stores.  He loves pens and pencils.  He loves putting things in order.  He likes to work on computers after he learns how.  And he likes being needed, appreciated, and feeling like he is accomplishing something.
     We are truly having the time of our lives.
     Remind me to tell you about how I caught the vision of what we are doing on the second day of our "going forth with faith."