Gosh, I just did some pics. Yea for me. But I must tell you about yesterday and today.

We went to the office at our usual 8am. Had a meeting with the office staff and our Pres. He is a very soft spoken man. You have to really listen to hear him. But what a wonderful, inspired man he is.

He had told us about a young man who was going to come into our mission. He had been in the Boise, Idaho mission and had his knee torn apart like Adrian did skiing. He was playing ball with other Elders and torn the ACL, MCL, cartlidge off the bone, just the whole 9 yards. Was sent home to Derby, Kansas to have surgery and rehabilitate. Six months later the Boise mission did not want him back. So the Stake Pres called to see if he could just come to our mission and see if it would work out for him. He actually lived in our mission in Derby and so his parents brought him to Independence a week ago last Sunday and a week from the next Monday, Dad and I took him back to Derby!

He was put with a companionship who actually lived with another set of Elders, so now there are 5 Elders in the apartment. And it must have been a, well you know what I mean, a week from hell. At a baptism on Sunday, the Bishop had to take him out because he was so inappropriate. Phone calls flying all over, emails sent home and a mother calling the mission office to see what was going on with her son. (Not the new elder's mom) So Monday morning saw the threesome of elders plus the other two they lived with, driving down from Kearny to have interviews with the pres. Each was interviewed individually and when the new Elder went in, he had his interview and came out steaming. Pres. had told him he was going home. He ripped his coat off and flew out the door. Other elders are in hot pursuit and pres. comes out and gets Doug and they go outside. Said elder is running down the street with others running behind. Dad and pres. jump in a car and follow. Dad goes up to the kid and tells him to "grow up", and other elders are trying to talk to him. Dad and pres. come back and wait to see what is going to happen. Next thing we hear is that the police have the kid cuffed. Someone saw all these five kids in white shirts and some in suits running down the street and calls the police. Someone gets his mom on the phone and she is able to calm him down. Turns out he is ADHD + something else but quit taking meds at 16 because he didn't need them! Finally said elder and the other big guy come in and go back to pres's office. Then they leave again and pres. comes to Dad and asks him to take the kid back to Derby.

We head home and get toothbrushes and clean clothes and come back and wait for 5 elders to arrive. The five rode around with him and took him a couple of places to see things. He gets in our car and we follow the four to their place in Kearny, 30 miles NE to get his stuff. Finally in the car about 6 and we get some burgers at Sonic and head home. The GPS says it is 236 miles away.

Needless to say, I am a bit nervous. This is a big kid and an out-of-control kid. And I saw him spin out of control. He is sitting behind me and I don't want to let him out of the car for fear he will run. I don't want to stop at a rest stop thinking he might not want to get back in the car, and I don't really like him sitting behind me because I wonder if he might try and put his hands around my neck. Dad didn't want him in the front seat for fear he might grab the steering wheel. He had already talked to Dad during the week about when he would be able to drive. Well, NEVER was the answer. Yes, we were just a little nervous. But all went well. We didn't get out of the car at all, we didn't stop until we were in his driveway and we just tried to make it a pleasant ride. Talked to him about his family, high school, etc. Pres. told us not to talk about the mission. But he was very well behaved and quiet, with no incidents to report.

Got him home at 10pm and took him in and met his mom. Pretty normal mom, but a very troubled kid. My heart ached for mom. He has some real problems.

So we got a room in Derby and spent the night. Got back to the office today and went in about 1:30 and had loads of papers on our desks. You just never know what is going to happen in a day around here. Dad is getting phone calls all day. Even took one in the bathroom today. Kids with questions, locking keys in car, do I need to change my oil, etc.

ALL IS WELL