For Father's Day we drove to one of the far reaches of our mission, Panghulo, which is out on Manila Bay in a part of our mission that will soon be Quezon City Mission. The church is beautiful and very clean and the people greeted us warmly. The congregation is small and the missionary work is coming slowly, but the elders had a baptism last week, the first in several months in this area. Dad wanted to attend to support them and also to thank their hard-working bishop, who's been a great support to the missionaries. Elder Pangan is 26, and when he left on his mission, the only member in his large family. Since he began serving, he referred his family to the missionaries and his mom, sisters and some cousins have been baptized and he has hopes for his father to also join. Elder Salas's parents both died, and he went at age 10 to live his his aunt and her family, who are all members. He said he's wanted to serve since he was 15, "to share his beliefs with everyone."
We held one-zone-at-a-time zone conferences and interviews with four zones this week. The first three days were especially hard because those are the zones that are leaving the mission. It was especially difficult for Stewart as he interviewed them and a few of the missionaries pleaded with tears to stay in this mission. There will be some adjustments, but most of them will be going. I see a glimpse of how Heavenly Father must feel when we accept an assignment that we don't really want, but serve willingly where ever we are called--He must feel very proud of us. To one of the missionaries who was moaning about leaving I wanted to say, "Ten burpees for you!"--I'm sure Sarah and Rocky's children will never whine or complain!
The reason I have burpees on my mind is that I taught about "Lock Your Heart" in zone conference. Some missionaries--especially Filipinos--come on their mission hoping to find their eternal companion. (We had an area seventy admit to that in stake conference lately and Dad was looking at the missionaries in the congregation shaking his finger, "No!") I try to explain the difference between tattling and reporting to the mission president when your companion is flirting, texting, etc., but it's a hard thing for them. I also got assigned to teach about body odor, as Americans smell pretty strong to the Filipinos--especially if they don't shower and wash their clothes every day. In researching I found that East Asians (of whom many Filipinos as descended) have a gene the prohibits exuding body odor, so we foreigners smell extra strong!
As I've thought about Father's Day this year, I am very thankful that Dad has been such a great provider and protector for our family. I have a lot of regrets about my parenting, and see things I could have/should have done differently, but I will never regret giving it my full-time efforts. I'm so thankful now that I could be home with my children and that I was never pressured--even when we were very poor--to help contribute to our family income. He recognized and appreciated my contribution as a stay-at-home mother and I will always be very thankful for that support.
It's been a tough week for Stewart, doing zone conferences and interviews, recovering from a head cold, deciding who goes to QC mission, dealing with drama from sister missionaries and a lot of sickness in the mission. But I love him for being willing to fulfill this calling and to do what's required of him. As always, we appreciate your prayers and love. And thanks for your extra efforts and work (and support of those who worked) this week at the Korea convention. We know these can be VERY stressful events.
Love,
Mom
The missionary next to me is Elder Salas, and the one next to Stewart is Elder Pangan, with their 14-year-old convert in the middle.
Eating lunch--five Polynesian sisters in this zone!
This is a zone that stays. Except the sisters on both ends of the front row.
Sister Sommerfeldt, our mission nurse who is being reassigned to QC Mission, and is not very happy about it, unfortunately. She will probably love it when she meets the new mission president and his wife.
View toward bay in Mark's old area.
Beautiful Primary children singing to their fathers.
I'm always surprised how much rice this slender missionaries eat!
Sister Ogden and Sister Nelson are so much help in the office and with the missionaries--Sister Ogden guards the homemade cookies to make sure no one takes two.
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