Just when we thought our week couldn't get busier -- we had to do two zones/day in interviews because we are loosing the week of the MP Seminar -- Dad got an email from a member of the Area Presidency informing him the Elder Carl B Cook of the Presidency of the Seventy wanted to spend a couple of ours in our mission and could we please arrange for a two-zone conference at our closest chapel to Manila on Wednesday 10-12 and then invite him to lunch at the mission home. So we changed our interviews for that day and invited the MLC to come (so hopefully his message will get to all the missionaries) and planned lunch at a nearby restaurant since going to the mission home would take another 60-90 minutes travel.
Traffic was especially bad that morning and we were afraid he would arrive before us, but fortunately the Lord parted the Red Sea and when we arrived the missionaries were sitting in the chapel quietly studying 45 minutes before he was due to arrive. Stewart let them have a break and walk around a little when he received a text they'd be 20-30 min late, but fortunately they were back in their seats and studying again when they drove up exactly on time. Like the five foolish virgins, I was in the CR when they came, but it worked out okay. Elder and Sister Pangan, an area authority from Davao City, came with Elder and Sister Cook, and they were all so kind. Stewart invited the missionaries to come up row-by-row to shake their hands and tell them their name and where they were from. Then the meeting began and the missionary we'd chosen to say the opening prayer turned out to be from Elder Pangan's ward! Dad had me bear my testimony and then he did, then Sister and Elder Pangan, then Sister Cook, then we moved off the stand and Elder Cook taught for 90 minutes using a whiteboard and participation from the missionaries. He solicited questions from them and answered the ones he wanted to and taught the doctrine of Christ in a powerful way that our missionaries really benefitted from. He taught about how we all need to move from the natural man to become saints and be willing to give up our will to do His will. And how faith, repentance, baptism (sacrament), gift of the Holy Ghost and "enjoying" to the end are what enables us to make the shift to become saints and be fully converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We were so proud of the missionaries! Stewart warned them before not to ask any stupid questions (we remember Dan telling us about a missionary asking Elder Scott, "What was the other spindle on the Liahona for?) and they didn't--they asked great questions. After the meeting we went in the cultural hall for a quick photo, then Elder Cook turned around and complimented the missionaries for being so reverent and receptive and said that "he would be watching them" and expressed his love. We walked out breathing a sigh of relief and then headed to the Chinese restaurant. I felt the Cooks were a little concerned about the food there, but we assured them it was the best restaurant in our mission -- the next best is McDonalds, but we didn't tell them that. Our stake president and his wife had the food ordered when we arrived so the lunch went smoothly and they relaxed when they realized it probably wouldn't make them sick. We could tell they were exhausted and jet lagged, but they were so gracious to visit with us. They left immediately after with the Pangans and we celebrated with our stake president and wife by having a strange mango dessert. Stressful day for us, but so great for the missionaries to learn from him. We hope they appreciate Elder and Sister Cook's willing sacrifice of their time. At first we thought he was probably sent by the missionary department to check up on us, but he was so loving and genuine that by the end of the lunch we felt like he just really enjoys being with missionaries and teaching them--he told them it's "like recess for me!".
The next day was our 41st anniversary which we celebrated by getting up extra early to travel to the farthest zones in our mission and then to Malolos and then to check out some missionary apartments and finally arrive home exhausted and starving and eat delicious leftovers and fall asleep.
Friday after meetings we went to the Manila Institute of Religion where Stewart was speaking at a devotional. Then I noticed the program said, "President and Sister Hughes"! No one informed me that I was speaking, but I bore my testimony and then Stewart proceeded to teach for over 90 minutes about learning by diligence and obedience throughout your life, but especially now while you're young. There were only about 50 people at the beginning when I spoke, but at the end there were over 180! He also did a question and answer session where he taught doctrine so clearly and powerfully that even I was amazed.
I received an email from a zone leader in our mission who is a twin. On an MTC exchange he met a sister missionary in our mission (from another zone) and they talked and he found she was from the same area where his twin brother is serving in Naga Mission. She gave him the address of her non-member mother who was not pleased when she decided to serve a mission and won't answer any of her letters or communicate with her at all. She is companions with American sisters who receive letters, packages and weekly emails, but she has never heard from anyone in her family. The email contained a photo of his twin and a companion who are teaching her mom the gospel and an explanation that she is receptive to the gospel. Sister Saballegue is the only member in her family, but maybe not for long -- her mom has a baptism date in January! There are so many miracles in this work.
Stewart had a stressful day in Manila traffic Saturday due to an American missionary not being allowed to return from his mission because of a mistake in his paper work, and another American whose grandfather died and he had to communicate the news to him. I had a wonderful prep day and I hope he gets one tomorrow--he really deserves it! We welcomed Sam back to the mission home Saturday night and enjoyed him today and will be sad to see him go in a couple of hours. But he's off to Bali, so it's good for him!
Much love,
Mom
Photos
Sunday dinner photo by Sam
Lunch with Elder and Sister Carl B. Cook, Elder and Sister Pangan
Sister Saballegue's mom with missionaries in Naga mission
Teaching at Manila Institute
Riding home from Manila Institute with back seats full of returned missionaries from our mission
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