t’s still the rainy season and it will continue on until October. Our feet are starting to web!
After skipping a month of apartments checks because new microwave ovens and washing machines were being delivered to each one. We finally decided it was crunch time and we only had 2 days to get it done. Grandpa plotted out the course and we were on our way. Did we tell you the only rules on the road appear to be “do not hit one another”?? We are convinced NO ONE has ever had any driver’s training.....One hundred, ten million people on the road and no-one knows how to drive.
This time we let the missionaries know in advance we were coming and WAH-LAH....cleaner than ever!! They were thrilled to get the KFC certificates and qualify for Celestial P-day. (We usually give them the benefit of the doubt). President Koster asked us if we would be in charge of Celestial P-day this time and we were excited to meet at the chapel above our office in the gym and host 32 missionaries with sparkling apartments. We sang songs, played games, (I know how to play scrabble now), scrapbooking, and had pizza delivered. Easy-Peasy. We went 1 1/2 hours over the time but that was okay. We enjoyed visiting with them so much!!
On July 24th, we celebrated Pioneer Day with the Area Family Home Evening group. Grandpa and I were in charge with another couple. Everyone was asked to bring pioneer food and we found a little bakery called Purple Oven that makes yummy apple crisp. We all enjoyed it. We showed a video that we made to tell a little about ourselves and our family. It turned out great, even music played in the background. Then, the other couple showed theirs. We then had a Pioneer Trivia game that really turned out to be a lot of fun. We will try to forward the video on to you—It made us realize what a extra-ordinary, wonderful little family we have. We could hardly hold back the tears. Everyone commented about the cute grandchildren. I knew it all along! Haha!
We made it through the biggest transfer ever in our mission. 27 arrivals, and 17 departures. Four decided to extend and be trainers for the extra new missionaries. Seven of those were visa waiters from the US. It went pretty smooth but it took months of planning and preparation. Headquarters in Salt Lake City changed the GVM (global-visa-management) computer program, the process we use to request local and foreign flights. There were a few glitches. Time Zone and early release departure dates, of which I was the first to discover! I have learned a lot!! Especially the right people to contact. It was high anxiety for a couple of weeks. Now, the busy work really begins. Notifications to parents, Priesthood holders and Missionaries. Hundreds of letters about arrivals, next transfer, new assignments, trunky letters and updates. We have been going in on Saturdays just to keep up. And now, we start all over for the next transfer on Sept. 19th!!!
The biggest challenge we had, or have, is two Senior couples decided they need to return home early due to health issues. One couple was only about six weeks early from their departure date. The other couple has only been here for a few months. They wore me out with all their special requests for flights, hotels, ground travel, visa and passport processing. Then of course you are working with Filipinos at the Travel Office in a different language. All at once during transfers!! Yikes!
We are really short on Senior Couple Missionaries and now we only have one couple left on the whole island of Mindoro. We desperately need more couples to serve here. Know anyone??
We just received 27 sharp, bright, Americans and are very excited. (President Hinckley’s great grandson, Elder Soulier, and a missionary from Rexburg, Elder Ingram). We had to find more housing and re-open some areas. We did our PAUWI workshop and an orientation for the new missionaries. Then we shuffle them everywhere, all at the same time including sending them to and from the island of Mindoro by plane or van in a ferry. It is crazy busy. But very rewarding when it all comes together. Little tender mercies all over the place!!! And sometimes found in their luggage. Haha!!
As you all get ready to start school, I am reminded of the lyrics in a song that we recently sang at our last office meeting. It is the 4th verse in the song titled “The Time is Far Spent”. Hymnal pg. 266. It keeps rehearsing over and over in my mind:
Be fixed in your purpose, for Satan will try you;
The weight of your calling he perfectly knows.
Your path may be thorny, but Jesus is nigh you;
His arm is sufficient, tho demons oppose.
His arm is sufficient, tho demons oppose.
I hope you have on the whole armor of God. And that you will ask for a Father’s Blessing before your classes start. It will help you to be brave and stand up for what is right. Teach each other about the standards in For the Strength of Youth booklet, one at a time. We promise you that if you will do this, your lives will be blessed with the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Your faith and testimony will grow and you will enjoy increasing happiness. You have nothing to loose and everything to gain. Even eternal life.
Hugs and kisses to you all!
After skipping a month of apartments checks because new microwave ovens and washing machines were being delivered to each one. We finally decided it was crunch time and we only had 2 days to get it done. Grandpa plotted out the course and we were on our way. Did we tell you the only rules on the road appear to be “do not hit one another”?? We are convinced NO ONE has ever had any driver’s training.....One hundred, ten million people on the road and no-one knows how to drive.
This time we let the missionaries know in advance we were coming and WAH-LAH....cleaner than ever!! They were thrilled to get the KFC certificates and qualify for Celestial P-day. (We usually give them the benefit of the doubt). President Koster asked us if we would be in charge of Celestial P-day this time and we were excited to meet at the chapel above our office in the gym and host 32 missionaries with sparkling apartments. We sang songs, played games, (I know how to play scrabble now), scrapbooking, and had pizza delivered. Easy-Peasy. We went 1 1/2 hours over the time but that was okay. We enjoyed visiting with them so much!!
On July 24th, we celebrated Pioneer Day with the Area Family Home Evening group. Grandpa and I were in charge with another couple. Everyone was asked to bring pioneer food and we found a little bakery called Purple Oven that makes yummy apple crisp. We all enjoyed it. We showed a video that we made to tell a little about ourselves and our family. It turned out great, even music played in the background. Then, the other couple showed theirs. We then had a Pioneer Trivia game that really turned out to be a lot of fun. We will try to forward the video on to you—It made us realize what a extra-ordinary, wonderful little family we have. We could hardly hold back the tears. Everyone commented about the cute grandchildren. I knew it all along! Haha!
We made it through the biggest transfer ever in our mission. 27 arrivals, and 17 departures. Four decided to extend and be trainers for the extra new missionaries. Seven of those were visa waiters from the US. It went pretty smooth but it took months of planning and preparation. Headquarters in Salt Lake City changed the GVM (global-visa-management) computer program, the process we use to request local and foreign flights. There were a few glitches. Time Zone and early release departure dates, of which I was the first to discover! I have learned a lot!! Especially the right people to contact. It was high anxiety for a couple of weeks. Now, the busy work really begins. Notifications to parents, Priesthood holders and Missionaries. Hundreds of letters about arrivals, next transfer, new assignments, trunky letters and updates. We have been going in on Saturdays just to keep up. And now, we start all over for the next transfer on Sept. 19th!!!
The biggest challenge we had, or have, is two Senior couples decided they need to return home early due to health issues. One couple was only about six weeks early from their departure date. The other couple has only been here for a few months. They wore me out with all their special requests for flights, hotels, ground travel, visa and passport processing. Then of course you are working with Filipinos at the Travel Office in a different language. All at once during transfers!! Yikes!
We are really short on Senior Couple Missionaries and now we only have one couple left on the whole island of Mindoro. We desperately need more couples to serve here. Know anyone??
We just received 27 sharp, bright, Americans and are very excited. (President Hinckley’s great grandson, Elder Soulier, and a missionary from Rexburg, Elder Ingram). We had to find more housing and re-open some areas. We did our PAUWI workshop and an orientation for the new missionaries. Then we shuffle them everywhere, all at the same time including sending them to and from the island of Mindoro by plane or van in a ferry. It is crazy busy. But very rewarding when it all comes together. Little tender mercies all over the place!!! And sometimes found in their luggage. Haha!!
As you all get ready to start school, I am reminded of the lyrics in a song that we recently sang at our last office meeting. It is the 4th verse in the song titled “The Time is Far Spent”. Hymnal pg. 266. It keeps rehearsing over and over in my mind:
Be fixed in your purpose, for Satan will try you;
The weight of your calling he perfectly knows.
Your path may be thorny, but Jesus is nigh you;
His arm is sufficient, tho demons oppose.
His arm is sufficient, tho demons oppose.
I hope you have on the whole armor of God. And that you will ask for a Father’s Blessing before your classes start. It will help you to be brave and stand up for what is right. Teach each other about the standards in For the Strength of Youth booklet, one at a time. We promise you that if you will do this, your lives will be blessed with the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Your faith and testimony will grow and you will enjoy increasing happiness. You have nothing to loose and everything to gain. Even eternal life.
Hugs and kisses to you all!
One of Mom's Favorites!
Apartment Checks
Picture from a bike ride. Lots of Greenery!
This is a light rain!
When you build the road, there is no reason to move the poles. Notice how the white line comes in close also. CRAZY!
Departing Missionaries
The Church foyer before church.
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