THE QUEZON QUIBBLER: More Miracles

Dear Hermana Hughes,

We were surprised you were moved for your last six weeks in the mission, but it sounds like you are already being effective. WHERE were you moved to? Can you tell us the name of your area? Or did you stay in the same place? pLeASE send me a photo of your companion!

Dad did a lot of emergency transfers this week. One disobedient missionary needed to be moved and it was a domino effect in the mission. We have some very faithful missionaries, and so many are working hard and doing well. Sister Santillas, who had thyroid cancer and her thyroid removed, radiation, etc., has been waiting almost six months to have a graft of her vocal cords. Of course we have been praying for her, and she is very obedient and an effective missionary, so she is prepared for a miracle. We thought the miracle was that the best ENT in the Philippines agreed to do the surgery.

She was sick with a cold on the day it was scheduled, so it was postponed six days. The second day she came to see me and said she didn't feel like she needed the surgery, that her voice was getting better on it's own. She reminded me of the blessing Elder Bowen, the area president, gave her that she would be completely healed. I was surprised, but agreed that her voice is getting louder, and of course we honored the personal revelation she received and cancelled the surgery.

Saturday Mark and Abby were locked out of the mission home, so on their way back from a temple/shopping trip in Manila they were to meet me at a chapel where I was driving myself* to a baptism. They arrived before me and it happened to be Sister Santillas's baptism so Mark was able to talk with her and listen to her voice and he agreed that she didn't need the surgery. It was a miracle that he met her and that she had her decision confirmed by an outstanding ENT surgeon. She was so happy! And also happy that her 62-year-old investigator and his wife were married and baptized with their four endowed children there to support them. Mark and Abby stayed for the wedding/baptism even though they were uncomfortable in shorts and t-shirts. And I was called on to speak since Dad couldn't be there.

Everywhere he went, Filipinos were blown away that Mark could speak Tagalog so well! They joined us for the senior couple activity at the American Military Cemetery in Manila and then Derrick joined us for lunch with the seniors at the historic Manila Hotel. It was so fun to have them all there and then drive back to the mission home through Manila's Chinatown (we got lost) and have time to visit and talk together. Derrick stayed for the evening, solved all our technology problems, and then headed back to Manila to avoid morning traffic.

Mark and Abby came to the lunch we had with the MLC and Dad had him speak at the beginning of the meeting and his remarks really brought the Spirit. Abby had a real Filipino experience shopping at the wet market and visiting Mark's converts in very small, humble Filipino homes.

Dad had extra meetings, responsibilities and some emergencies come up with missionaries, so he didn't get to spend as much time with the Merkleys as me, but we enjoyed having them here and hearing about their adventures. They left last night and now it's back to work! We started another round of zone conferences today and the missionaries were incredibly reverent, the workshops by the mission leaders well prepared and everything went well. Now, if that can just last for another four days (eight zones)!

I continue to be amazed at the little miracles around me. And the big ones. Like me speaking four times this week and each time being given what to say. Sometimes the preparation was several hours and once four minutes, but the Lord made it sufficient. And Dad closed zone conference today with a great talk on faith in Jesus Christ that he hadn't even prepared. The Lord is so very kind to us!

And Laurie told me the thing she had learned on her mission was this: "For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded"

Isaiah 50:7 I think I got a glimpse of this help and I'm so thankful.

Love,

Mom

*I drove MYSELF to the baptism and to S&R to do shopping in very bad traffic. Lots of left turns and once crossing four lanes of traffic in less than one block. It was crazy and I was blessed--it was like the Red Sea parting!