You know how I've been hoping for a nurse? We were finally assigned a young Pakistani sister missionary as a "junior nurse" in June, but we knew that wouldn't work for some of the elders' situations. One of our couples who returned home to Canada recruited a nurse for us who is 76 years old, but we didn't really think she would be assigned here because of her husband's health problems and the difficulty of getting around in our mission, which is like the Wild West, but we were pleased when they were assigned and will arrive next month.
Last September Stewart reached out to our stake president to see if he could find a nurse in our stake who would be willing to come--but he couldn't find anyone. Then, recently, he told Stewart he'd found a couple who could serve, and this week the missionary department called and told Stewart the Stoddards had requested to come to our mission, but the missionary department couldn't recommend that because we'll already have two nurses. Stewart persuaded them that they should still be assigned to our mission! He promised we will train both older nurses and share one with the neighboring Quezon City Mission, who are also getting one sixty of our missionaries on July 1. The apostle assigned them here so now we are getting THREE NURSES and Stewart will be like Solomon, deciding which one to give away.
When the Area Medical doctor called me Tuesday morning to say, "You really need a nurse!" I told him, "I may be getting three nurses!" and he replied, "You're not allowed that!"
Unfortunately he went on to tell me that Elder Donan, a 20-year-old Filipino zone leader, has thyroid cancer and it looks, from the ultra scan, like he will lose his entire thyroid. He'll get a biopsy next week to confirm, but that is also the assessment of the ENT who saw the scan and examined Elder Donan. Stewart saw him two days later and he was sad and worried. Fortunately, Stewart is really good at pointing out the good in every situation: the cancer, which has been in your body a long time, was found on your mission, so the Church will pay for the surgery; you'll be in the best hospital with one of the foremost ENT's in Asia, both sisters he operated on in the past are doing well, this is the most curable kind of cancer you can get, etc. etc.
In other health news, Elder Donan's companion fractured his foot and we miraculously had the very orthopedic boot he needed in a closet at the mission home! We had complaints of flu, colds, cuts, lbms, headaches, dizziness, coughs, abdominal pain, fevers, hemorrhoids and a bee sting this week. My favorite text came Saturday morning from a sister from Fiji:
Sister: Good morning po! Sister Cole, what are the signs of cancer?
S Cole: What's the matter? Are you thinking you have cancer?
Sister: Yes! my abdomen hurts so badly and also my back muscle hurts.
Sister Cole went through all her symptoms and we determined it wasn't appendicitis and later in the day she checked with her to see how she was doing and she answered that she was feeling fine and was out working. Cancer cured!
We had a visit from Sister Gonzales who completed her mission last May, returned to Sydney, Australia, and then came back for the sealing of one of the families she taught--it was fun to talk with her and later she sent us the photo of the sealing--such a blessing to see this family in white, twice!
Stewart released two missionaries from the Baliwag district who both served in Cavite -- one at the MTC and one at the mission home. We happened to see the new MTC president's wife and I begged her to keep the new missionaries at MTC for an hour longer on arrival day and SHE AGREED! So now they'll come at 8am instead of 6:30-7:00am.
On Valentines Day we said goodbye to a great senior couple who has done so much good in the Baliwag District. They (well, Elder West) requested to stay for two years instead of the normal 18-months and Sister West was SO happy to finally be going home. They've been very instrumental in Baliwag meeting the requirements to become a stake later this year.
Friday we met with the mission leadership council. We have such great mission leaders--they really set the tone in their obedience and example as they lead the missionaries. Saturday Stewart had an extra long meeting with his assistants, discussing the mission split and what should happen, and then took them out for lunch, which he very seldom does and they LOVE being with him. Last night we went to Novaliches stake conference, hoping to sit on the back row with Sister Cole since the stake president didn't ever invite us to come, but when they spotted Stewart, we had to sit on the stand and speak. Well, Stewart spoke and I bore my testimony. I'm SO thankful the wife always speaks first, because whatever time I don't take (this time I may have gone 90 seconds), the mission president takes the rest.
Stewart felt we should go to a ward nearby instead of our own ward today. He wanted to see a recent convert he'd taught receive the Melchizedek priesthood. In addition, we were surprised to see one of our former missionaries who requested to return home early to help his mom--he was there with his new family. Although he's made some mistakes, I wanted reassure him what President Packer taught:
Our physical bodies, when harmed, are able to repair themselves, sometimes with the help of a physician. If the damage is extensive, however, often a scar will remain as a reminder of the injury. With our spiritual bodies it is another matter. Our spirits are damaged when we make mistakes and commit sins. But unlike the case of our mortal bodies, when the repentance process is complete, no scars remain because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The promise is: “Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more” (D&C 58:42).
It's such a privilege to be alive and to have this time to repent and to forgive. Stewart taught the stake about never becoming offended and being like little children--easy to forgive. He paid a moving tribute to his children for always being quick to forgive him when he made mistakes.
We love you,
Mom
Goodbye to the Wests -- we'll really miss them!
Mission leadership council
Sister (in middle) released at MTC
Elder Tobias and his family
Sister Gonzales with family at Manila Temple
From my morning walk -- lots of roosters in our subdivision and all over metro Manila. Often you can't hear the missionaries on the phone because of all the crowing.
Elder (in middle) released at mission home
Sister Gonzales visits the mission home
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