Missionary Apartments - from "Outer Darkness - to Celestial Level"

I am the Housing Coordinator for the Puerto Rico San Juan Mission. I close apartments, open new ones, move missionaries and help Elders and Sisters move from "Outer Darkness" cleaning level to a "Celestial Clean".  It has been hard work, but I love it. We are making progress. I am proud of the areas of improvement - although there is always room for more. The missionaries have stepped up and I must say... to those of you have have sons and daughters... please teach them to clean and tidy up after themselves.  And if you already have... I say thank you thank you thank you!

Here are some of the best BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES!

These little critters love messes!

My son, Austin who served a mission to Chile, helped me suggest a good standard for the mission. He said, "Mom, have the missionaries clean for 60 minutes on their P-Day - nothing more, nothing less." So we implemented that idea and they have really taken to it. Work is not overwhelming if you know there is an "end" to it. Right? So we have them clean first thing on P-Day for 60 minutes and then be done! 

I have suggested a few things daily... one is making their bed which takes them less than 2 minutes to do. One new elder said something that made me laugh so hard. He said "Sister Young, do you remember the movie, Holes?" I said, "Yes, I loved that movie." He said, "Well, you remind me of the warden on that movie - but you are nice and I have to write home and tell my mom that I am finally making my bed in the morning!"

Yep, that is me! Okay so I am grateful, so grateful that my mother taught me homemaking skills! My sisters can vouch for me that the work never did end though. We would clean with the promise of a "trip out to get ice cream or a shopping spree at the mall" but those would never happen after cleaning. I can't blame my Mom because she probably ran out of energy and was too pooped to take us anywhere. I can see that now. Cleaning takes a lot out of you. But, nonetheless, I am grateful for MOM
and all that she taught me!

I decided about a year ago to write a book to honor her. This was a book to capture her "life's work" and everything she taught me. Mom was such an inspiration because she had Multiple Sclerosis and yet she managed her house so well. I finished the book right before I left on my mission.  Just this month, my publisher finished my order.
It is just a small little booklet, but it is full of all those good things MOM taught me.
Here is a little paragraph from the front of the book:

"Due to the fact that her energy level was cut in half

(on the good days), she had to find better solutions and

better shortcuts to run a busy household. It was through

prayer and pleading with her Heavenly Father that she

claims her inspirations came. As I attempt to share some

of her ideas and “gifts” of thought from divine revelation, I

hope you will put these truths to the test. She shared them

openly with others. In fact, she shared them with anyone

who would listen, who would willingly be her “captive”

audience. She believed that God not only gave them to her

as a rescue, but he also gave these ideas to the world."

Mom's book:

It was her birthday this month. I think it is a great gift to her to offer it to the world this year. No profit is necessary for me, I just want to get her ideas out there. So if you want one, it will be just for the shipping and to cover the cost of printing. ($3.00 + $6.99). You can email me if you are interested: youngsmission@gmail.com.

I do hope you don't have nightmares from these little "before" pictures. I know I have had a few from being in scary apartments. However, I can smile knowing things are getting better, much better.