This week from QC

Dear Elder and Sister,

I am sorry to write another “group” letter, but it’s just the way things are these days.  We finished our first 7-week training and our second MLC, so I think we’ve seen all the meetings and trainings except a mission tour, and that is scheduled for October.  So maybe things will slow down and I’ll have more time in the future.  Anyway, “Elder and Sister” it sounds natural since I’m trying to cure myself of saying, “You guys,” and always saying “Elders and Sisters”.

We have zone interviews every day this coming week, but no big meetings I have to speak at until Saturday when we have stake conference.  For almost nine years I avoided speaking in stake conference, except for the day Dad was called and they day he was released, when I had to bear a two minutes testimony.  Now I am assigned to speak for seven minutes and we have eight stakes and a district, so I am going to have to speak A LOT.

I had a breakthrough this week, though.  On Thursday morning I did a 20-minutes presentation/discussion for MLC that I had prepared for.  Then at the beginning of the afternoon 7-week training, the assistants turned to me and said, “We forgot to tell you, Sister Bertin does a 20-minute talk at these trainings!”  I panicked and asked, “What did she talk about?”  “The flame of faith, or something like that,” was the response. Fortunately, I had reread recently the talk Elder Anderson gave about the mission president and his wife keeping the “flame of faith” alive that missionaries can find people to accept the gospel.  And in that moment I had some other things come to my mind that I wanted to teach.  So I was able to speak without formal preparation for maybe ten minutes, and Dad is always good to cover for me and take any extra time.  But at least I didn’t refuse or pass out, which were definitely options!

We went out of our mission into Manila Monday to get our visas in a government office near a nice mall, so it was fun to go in there for a few minutes and grab some lunch and find a Pinkberry, our favorite dessert (next to fresh mangos and vanilla ice cream).  Tuesday we attended district meetings in church about an hour away – basically everything is at least an hour away—and were reminded again what great missionaries we have. I love watching them teach each other.  Wednesday Dad had meetings from outside our mission in the south (at the area offices) to the far reaches of the mission in the north.  The great news is he called two counselors this week to help him in the mission presidency, so they will help interview baptismal candidates in Tagalog and help in his work in the district.  R-E-L-I-E-F!  The good thing is that he is so tired at night, my snoring no longer bothers him!

Friday was exciting for us since we got a text at 2:53pm that Ransom Lund Hughes was born in Singapore.  So exciting!  We bought ice cream bars for the office staff to celebrate.  I hope Derrick sends you lots of photos, but I’ll put one on this letter, just in case.

Saturday we attended two baptisms in two different stakes.  The missionaries are always so honnored when Dad comes to their baptisms.  He spoke at the baptism of four young people, and the Spirit was so strong as he spoke directly to them and testified of our loving Heavenly Father, of Jesus Christ and of the Holy Ghost.  I hope they can always remember what they felt.

Today I had eight missionaries over for Sunday dinner at our home—in the past we’ve always fed them by zone in the mission office/chapel where we train. The sad thing was I can’t even make white rice (the favorite food of the Philippines!) The sisters came early and helped remedy the situation, but it still took an extra 45 minutes of adding water and cooking.  And it must not have turned out well because none of them wanted the leftovers, which is unusual for missionaries.  FILIPINOS KNOW RICE and love it, so I’d better figure out how to do it!  We made up for by forcefully stuffing them with cheescake for dessert.

There are lots of challenges, like blowing up (or out) the dishwasher, having our missionary phone numbers disappear from our phones, traffic (you can never tell for sure, so we always leave early—today we arrived at a branch for church one hour early!), and staying awake on the stand (and in SS and RS)  when you can’t understand what they’re saying in Tagalog.  But the miracles far outweigh the obstacles and we feel so blessed.

Much love, Mom

Philippinos eat a LOT of rice!

This is how our gardener mows the lawn!