The birth of Odessa topped any news we may have this week. We're so thankful things went well and she is home and loved by so many family members and that Julie is recuperating well. We just can't get enough photos of this baby!
For our week, we traveled to four different stake centers for Stewart to interview missionaries. We thought we would go out and celebrate when we finished Thursday evening, but by the time we got home with traffic and dropping off missionaries who needed rides, we just went right to bed, exhausted. Fortunately, we felt better the next morning in time for vaccinations, sixth week training of seventeen missionaries and office meetings and then more meetings for Stewart as he is finishing the transfer. Well--he thought he was. Last night an elder came down with chicken pox who was supposed to train, so all four missionaries are quarantined in the apartment now.
While we have challenging situations (a Pakistani sister who hates all things Filipino and expresses it freely), we have some really great missionaries. One companionship we brought down Thursday night from Baliwag spent the night with some other sisters in preparation for early morning vaccines. They immediately went right out to work (remember, I went right to bed!) and Sister Estimada worked with a Sri Lankan sister who kept asking, "Can we go back to the apartment?" Sister Estimada responded, "Not until 9:30--we have work to do!" and they taught three lessons and got three new investigators. We're thankful she is training another Filipina sister to take her place in the mission.
I was skeptical when Stewart put an American who just finished his training and could speak ZERO Tagalog with another American/Filipino who cannot stop talking and assigned them to be the apartment elders until we get out new apartment couple next month. They are extremely happy and effective together and love driving in traffic. Elder Bjornn (pictured on the couch) was sick with a fever and LBMs in the photo below, and is resting before going back out to work. They had 19 appointments set up for Saturday. I asked him how he would do that when he was sick and he replied, "I just will!" Some missionaries report if they have a slight headache and ask if they can stay home, and others I never know they're sick unless I happen to see them.
GOOD NEWS: Stewart got notice that a nurse and her husband have been assigned to the mission! They were due to come May 29 but he asked if they would come sooner and they are happy to come as soon as their visas are approved, so now they're scheduled for March 16. They are approaching 80 so I'm not sure how the driving and technology will go, but we are thankful to have them.
HOUSE CALL OF THE WEEK: Elder Skinner, the AMA, came to zone interviews in SJDM and examined two elders with groin issues (for which I am very thankful) and our hernia, chicken pox and other concerned missionaries.
VISIT OF THE WEEK: Ray Goodsen, the founder of the Rise and Rebuild Foundation, that built over 2000 houses after the 2013 typhoon and feeds 13,000 school children/day, is here for the groundbreaking of Urdenta Temple. He is one of four original missionaries brought here by Elder Gordon B Hinckley in 1961 and returned to preside over the Manila Mission when he was 30. At 80 years old, he is a living legend in the Philippines and has done so much good for the people here and for the Church.
We can't all make that much difference, but we can all "go about doing good' in our lives in little ways that often make more of a difference than we realize.
Love,
Mom
Photos
Valenzuala zone interviews --one of the districts
Odessa
Sixth week training - trainers and trainees
Stewart and Ray Goodsen
#1 chicken pox patient - finally ready to work!
Successful companionship -- the matching ties are a symbol of unity. We even saw a district presidency with them at district conference once!
Elder Bjornn and Elder Villanueva
Missionaries in the van coming back from Baliwag. Sister Estimada is in pink. Stewart had the elders recite all the 42 doctrinal points from PMG on the way home.
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