The Pittsburgh Exchange Experience

We just returned from a wonderful visit with our cousins, Rod & Cathy Green, in the Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Mission. A month ago they were transferred to their mission office, having had no previous office training. We wanted to go visit them and share information and techniques that are unique to a mission office. We obtained permission from both Mission Presidents and were able to make the 5 hour drive to Pittsburgh last Thursday. It was great to see our close cousins again. We were able to spend two days with them in the office. We were able to share pointers with each other. They taught us some good things, and we taught them some. The visit was a revelation to us that there are many ways to do things that can make the process run more smoothly.

Sister Green is the Correspondence Secretary, but also handles the proselyting supplies. Sister Servoss does the secretary part, and then does a lot of cooking for missionary functions. Elder Green in the Fleet Coordinator and takes care of over 60 vehicles. He also manages the cell phone usage. Elder Servoss is the Financial Secretary, manages the apartment and utility payments, and manages the phones. We had a mutually beneficial time of sharing. We were also able to spend time meeting some of the missionaries.

Saturday and Sunday there were the Pittsburgh Stake Conference meetings that we attended. It was nice meeting many of the saints. We also visited four of the Wards in the Stake. We missed seeing a friend of ours from Utah, Keith Webb, who is the Institute Director in Pittsburgh. Kae taught him in Cub Scouts many years ago.

We walked through some of the buildings of the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt). It was very interesting to be on a college campus that is a little scattered through the commercial area of the Oakland suburb of Pittsburgh. We had a wonderful time and were blessed with mostly dry, cold weather during the time away.

Last night we heard a great talk from a young man, who is from the Wheeling, WV Ward that the Greens had spent the last year serving in. Wes has read the Book of Mormon 4 times in 4 weeks and since then has read it 10 more times. His talk was about the wonders of the book and how he learns something new each time he reads it. We would like to invite each of you to read the Book of Mormon through before July this year. You will be very enlightened and blessed as you do. It is all true and we are so happy to be able to serve.