Mission update!

For those of you who have been on board with me since my mission as a Worldwide Support Missionary for FamilySearch began.... for those of you who have listened to me complain and even cry about how very hard this mission is.... for those of you who love and support me anyway, I just want to say that I am so, so happy that I have "hung in there" and tried to keep a stiff upper lip! I have to admit that it has been VERY hard! After I completed my training, and had taken my final CYP (check your performance test) which I passed, I was terrified at the thought of taking live phone calls and trying to answer patron's questions and guide them through different processes on FamilySearch. You see, I would guess that 99% of the people serving in this mission have had extensive background experience using FamilySearch. Me??? NONE!   I was able to pass all the training because for the most part it is technical computer training....learning how to use all the different computer programs used to work in this mission. But because of my lack of experience in FamilySearch, even though I had completed the training I was so unqualified!  After my final test, I asked my TA (Teacher Assistant) if it was possible for me to just "stay in emails" where I could work slowly, searching for answers to patron's questions and asking for help from my mission Skype group until I learned the FamilySearch program much better. He became pretty upset  with me and told me that he didn't think that was possible and that I had two options. I could either quit... (after all, this is a volunteer mission,) or I could start the training all over again! (But what good would that do? I had already passed all the training!) He told me to think about it and let them know what I decided!  I shed many, many tears after this conversation! After several hours I had decided that I would just have to quit. Then the phone rang and it was my Family History Support Trainer.   She told me that my TA had called her. Then the flood of tears started all over again!  She listened patiently to all my whoas and then in a soft voice pleaded with me... "Sister Hatch, please do not quit!  WE NEED YOU!  Of course we will let you stay in emails until you are comfortable enough to move on to phone calls! Don't let discouragement get the best of you! We will help you every step of the way! We do not allow our missionaries to fail!"  What a blessing and a comfort she was to me and I so appreciated her enouraging words because I really did not want to quit!   I was just so overwhelmed!   Of course, I agreed to continue on!  Later that week, I was assigned a "Mentor".... Sister McNamara from Iowa!  Although I have never actually met her, how I love this sweet, sweet patient Sister!  She has been a God-send!!  I have been working with her for the past 2 weeks and have learned so much!  She gently leads me through the process, councils me and patiently teaches me the FamilySearch program!  I love working with her and consider her a "tender mercy" in my life!  Each new day that I work with her brings a new and exciting learning experience into my missionary service!  I find myself anxiously waiting for our time together the next day!  And so... I just want to say that "I LOVE my mission and I LOVE Sister McNamara!" I am beginning to believe that someday I may actually be knowledgeable enough to take live phone calls, although I still consider that to be WAY FAR AWAY in the future! There is SO MUCH TO LEARN but I know that this is a very important work and Heavenly Father will bless and help me!