March 12

Making the Institute Building into a resource center has come to an absolute stalemate.  CES Auckland is waiting with, I think, the hope that if they stall long enough nothing will happen and this whole idea will go away.  Welfare Auckland is just waiting to see what is expected of them. Everyone else wants a piece of the ERC building or the institute building.  Rumors are floating everywhere.

Today we watched Elder Wakolo, our Area Seventy, decided something needed to be done, so he asks to have a conference call with Auckland Welfare, Facilities Management, and CES. Bless Elder Wakolo's heart; he was masterful at starting the conversation--Elder Hamula wants a resource center for YSAs started and it is time for us to make it happen--and then summing it all up. In the middle some tough questions were ask.  The first one from Welfare asked if the computers for PEF could be put the back of our classroom and the question was directed to me. Easy answer. Absolutely not. We use every inch of that classroom three nights and one morning a week.  I could hear a sigh of relief from CES Auckland. It was determined that the move would be made quickly--by next Monday. This is Fiji so that means within the month. CES agreed to pay for the internet, Welfare would send computers, desks, etc for the Jacksons, FM would get us desks, etc, and Welfare and CES would share the supplies cost.  When asked if CES was going to provide Scott and me with a computer a "yes with conditions" was given.  Which means they will stall awhile longer.

Sometimes I think it is hard for Elder Wakolo to wear two hats; Service Center Manager which is taking care of the temporal side of the Church here and a paid position, and Area Authority which is ecclesiastical, but wearing both hats really worked here.

We are thankful for his leadership.