We made it ONE YEAR. At about 7 last night we were driving through
crowded traffic in the dark, with motorcycles whizzing past without lights, and
Dad turned to me and asked, "Can you believe it's been one year since we
arrived?" I remembered that night
that we got to the mission home and visited with the Bertins, then he took us
to the mission office, pointing out a hospital ("You should die rather
than be admitted to that hospital!), the buses ("The buses are in charge
of the roads and they will not stop if you get in their way), and we thought,
"Are we on another planet?" We
still wonder that sometimes. And I
answered him, "In some ways it's gone fast, but mostly it feels like we've
been here ten years"!
We've had a great week. Tuesday the departing missionaries come to
the mission home for the day, have training and a special dinner and then
depart to the airport. One of the
blessings of this mission is that we don't have to take them to the airport in metro-Manila
traffic--the arranges shuttles to pick them up.
Last exit day they started showing up two hours early and the vans were
an hour late to pick them up. This time they earliest they were only 35 minutes
early and the shuttle vans were on time to pick them up. We lost eight wonderful missionaries, all
leaders, but we had a powerful testimony meeting and Stewart gave them
wonderful counsel.
The next morning, too bright and early, the
shuttle vans brought missionaries from the MTC at 6:30am! (I actually wish we could pick the groups up,
because the MTC sends them out way too early.)
We received seven missionaries, but one is a VISA waiter for Boise,
Idaho. The only elder to arrive and one
sister have been stuck in New Zealand for three months so they already have
some experience serving. We also have
three Filipina sisters and a sister from Sri Lanka who doesn't eat beef or pork
and said when she has to eat with members, she will be vegetarian!
We had Mission Leadership Council where
Stewart always lets me teach doctrine and he led a brilliant discussion that
included every missionary. Friday we
took a preparation day and went to Manila where we had Karada, a Japanese kind
of massage, to help my very stiff and sore neck. I thought I would scream, it was so painful
for me! Stewart went to sleep during
his--no pain at all. It was fun to get
away and got to a part of Manila with sidewalks and good restaurants. Saturday back to work with a dinner for the leaders
of the Novaliches stake, and every member of stake presidency and bishops came
and Stewart and the missionaries taught them about JIFFY (Jesus Invites
Friends, Find Yours), a program developed in the mission for getting members to
refer their friends. The leaders here
are just learning, but they are teachable and willing. The Philippines is a matriarchal society, so
Stewart tries to always get the wives to come, too.
Today Stewart traveled to many parts of the
mission for temple recommend interviews, applying for mission interviews,
baptismal interviews and to tell an American missionary that his brother was
dying (then he called again when he died tonight). His mom wants him to come home, and it makes
me appreciate Ralph and his faith in staying on his mission when my dad
died. And Stewart had a companion in
England who had both his parents die while he was on his mission. Every day the missionaries teach the plan of
salvation, and it is true!
I love Abinidi's testimony: "...the sting of death is swallowed up
in Christ. He is the light of the world,
yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life
which is endless, that there can be no more death."
Thank you for your prayers--they have
blessed us this week.
Love,
Mom
Photos:
Exiting missionaries
Tired departing sisters
Testimony meeting
New missionaries
Dinner at Novaliches stake
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