Study and Learn and Help. 17 June 2016

Much of my shift today I spent studying various topics that are required for full competence at the consultant desk.  Some of the topics I had previously researched, but I had not taken notes.  Retracing my steps was probably not a bad thing--just somewhat annoying, especially when I could not find some of the books that I found earlier in the week.  Eventually I looked them up in the catalog, and located them on the shelves. I feel a little more prepared for leading the study group on Tuesday.  I decided I need to find out if the list I was given was designed to make one search, or if a "cheat sheet" could be developed to make it easier for new missionaries coming in.  I hope that our study group will be allowed to develop that.

It was fun to observe one of the missionaries share with another the online resource "If I Can, You Can:  decipher German Records" which during my first week I had shared with a third missionary.  When we help each other find resources, the work goes smoother.

I was able to help a guest today with finding an immigration date, although even if the passenger on the list is her the list does not provide the name of the village she came from, so the information was less-effective.  However, I was able to point out to the guest that her grandmother had to have at some point used her middle name, since that was the name appearing on an aunt's marriage record.

With another guest I asked a more experienced missionary for help when we could not find records going back any farther in the catalog than what the guest had already researched.  He pulled up meyersgaz.org, and I observed how he used it--which was one of the items on my list of things to learn!

I talked with my dear friend in Star Valley, Wyoming, the wife of one of the missionaries who taught me 42 years ago, about my plan to bring my sweetheart up for the Open House of the Star Valley Temple.  I need to get approval to leave the mission boundaries, but I do not think that will be a huge problem since we can make the trip in one day up and back.  I will just use my Preparation Day, so it will not impact my zone negatively.  I will be very happy for it to work out.