Sunday we drove about 1.5 hours to a resettlement area, Pandi, where the government has built 6000 tiny homes and moved squatters and very people living in shacks in Manila out to the province. The missionaries persuaded Dad to come to their once/month sacrament meeting (one-hour only) —in hopes that it can become a branch and eventually have a building to meet in. We arrived at 2pm and they informed us the meeting actually begins at 3 so we helped set up the little desks under a pavilion at an elementary school in the town center. Pictured below are the three priesthood holders who were there over an hour early to help set up.
The people were very humble, and most knew little English. Unlike most Filipino meetings, they began arriving 30 min early and most were seated before the meeting began. It was very reverent, especially during the sacrament, in spite of many children (one trike arrived with about 12 children!) and all the noises from being outside. We even had a dog in attendance. Dad told them he felt like he was in Kirtland or Nauvoo, being in a place where the church is just beginning. The meeting was presided over by a counselor from the ward about one hour away, who was very serious about staying on time and handed one of the speakers a “stop now” note while he was talking!
This week we had an SRT and dinner at the mission home for four missionaries completing their missions Tuesday night and welcomed eleven early Wednesday morning Almost all are Filipino, which is great for how soon they will be effective teaching the gospel. I’ve already lost a bet with Stewart on the Pakistani sister—I didn’t think she would last with her new Filipina companion for even 48 hours but she has! Stewart also held New Leader Training and had CCM with all the stake presidents and we met with our mission leadership council.
It was a relatively quiet week on the nursing front, except for Friday night when an elder had some kidney stone issues. He went a the hospital ER about 8pm and by 3am there were still no rooms available to admit him, but I finally went to sleep when I knew he was in a taxi headed to another hospital--Sister Cole stayed at the first hospital with them and got them in the taxi. He is doing well and was released Sunday morning. We’ve been so blessed with every serious health issue we’ve face since Sister Billadeau left.
I feel like these letters are so repetitive. We do the same things over and over. Writing these letters is “payback” for the times I complained to all the missionaries from our family about not writing more and being told “we do the same thing every day!” Which is true. Sometimes we go to bed so exhausted we can't even think how we will do it again the next day. But by morning we usually have a fresh view and enough energy to go again. Although 1:30am Monday morning as I write this, this scripture is actually really helpful and Dad tells the missionaries all the time to go to bed on time! "...retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated."
Love,
Mom
PHOTOS:
Dad teaching new trainers
Pavillion before meeting--so many people came early!
Rice paddies between Pandi and Tabong
Sister Cole teaching Self Reliance Training
Priests early to set up sacrament
Exit day after testimony meeting
New missionaries
Celebrating Dennis's birthday
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