"Shall we not go forth in so great a cause?"

October 23, 2013

29 new missionaries enter the Philippines Cauayan Mission!

--with just a few twists and turns along the way

The flights in and out of Cauayan had been cancelled for October 23, due to work on the radar system in Manila.  We only receive one flight each on Monday, Wednesday and Friday to the Cauayan airport,  so we had to look for other alternatives to bring our new missionaries to the field.   We had them flown to Tuguegarao, a city about 2 1/2 hours to the north, and chartered a bus to transport them back to the mission home and Transfer Meeting.  We would have box lunches prepared, President Rahlf would hold individual interviews on the bus during the trip back, and we would arrive in time for freshening up, a quick snack and maybe a 20 minute power nap.  It would work out fine.

Unless the plane out of Manila was delayed, say, three hours.

That would make things interesting. 

But not impossible!

We learned that even when you need to resort to Plan H, 

when everyone is working together for the work of the Lord, it all falls into place.

 A huge thank-you to our Senior Couples and all of the missionaries involved in the Transfer for their willingness to go the extra mile and help out wherever it was needed.

And especially to our newest missionaries who demonstrated patience and good humor 

despite their total exhaustion.

It was a Welcome to remember!

President Rahlf and Brother Pete watching and listening for the plane.
Which did not come for another 2 hours!

Our Elders that traveled with us to help with orientation got a little hungry waiting and waiting.
Luckily, Brother Pete was there with the box lunches he had prepared for all of us.

They made it!  We gathered luggage and headed for our chartered bus.

We pose for a group picture right before going in to the chapel for the Transfer meeting.
When the new missionaries come in, all of the waiting missionaries stand and sing "Called toServe."
 Tonight they sang with genuine enthusiasm after the long, long wait.

 It is a joyous meeting, as our new missionaries are introduced to their first companion, 

and their mission in the Philippines is finally beginning!

So despite the adventures in arriving, we say,

"Brethren (and Sisters), shall we not go on in so great a cause?  Go forward and not backward.  Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory!  Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad."

Doctrine and Covenants 128:22 

(more pictures to come next week)

Bittersweet in Cauayan

October  saw 16 of our fine missionaries completing their time of service in the field and returning home.  They come in to the mission home with worn out shoes and collars, bags that have made room for some souvenirs, and hearts and minds overflowing with memories.

It is a bittersweet time.

It's hard to see them go.  But it's time for the next amazing experiences of their lives
 and we send them off with many hopes for all that lies ahead, 
blessed by all that they have just accomplished and leave behind.

First to go on October 11th was Senior Couple Elder and Sister Kiholm
It's hard to think of the mission without them--and we are deeply
grateful for their love and service.

On the morning of the 22nd, the Elders and Sisters begin to come in.
There's luggage to weigh, interviews with the President, and the departure
fireside for one last time to share their testimonies in the mission field.

Elder Magalog, Elder Reher, Elder Ardon (photo-bombing--we keep him for a long time still)
Elder Dixon, Elder Nielsen, Elder James, Elder Robinson
  

Elder James and Elder Dixon
The weighing and rearranging of the luggage

Homeward Bound--
with one last tradition to complete. . .
Front Row:  Elders Jimenez, Ballentos, Oyardo, Magalog, Sisters Ramos, Larsen and Klein
Back Row:  Elders Dixon, Nielsen, Reher, Proctor, James, Robinson and Allen

. . .the cutting of the ties
Elder Allen and Elder Robinson

Elder Proctor 

Elder James

and material from a skirt. . .

Sister Larsen 

Sister Klein 

Sister Ramos
 

So we will always have a piece of them to remember!
(the material from the ties and skirts will be made into a quilted wall hanging)

 

Elder Reher, Elder Dixon and Elder Nielson getting ready for the trip to Manila
(They haven't seen their suit jackets for two years)

One last picture with President Rahlf
Sister Larsen, Sister Klein, Sister Ramos

On the Friday before departures, we learned that the flight to Manila on the 23rd had been cancelled.
So just as these missionaries came into Cauayan on a bus 18 months or 2 years ago,
they returned to Manila and their connecting flights home the same way.
A 10-12 hour bus ride gives you lots of time to reminisce!

We watched while they loaded their luggage and climbed on the bus and waved good-bye.
Bittersweet.


God be with you 'til we meet again

"Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands."
Doctrine and Covenenants 121:9

Becoming the Lord's Missionaries

Becoming is such a great word. . . it is a word filled with potential and promise.

And progress.  For, becoming the Lord's Missionaries is a work in progress 

and one that we are grateful to share.

Three weeks into their missions, our new missionaries and their trainer/companions 

come in to Cauayan for additional training, assurance,

and a chance to reconnect with their batch-mates 

and MTC districts.

It's feasting on the words of Christ and friendship in one great day.

It's learning to become. . .

 New missionaries Sister Wellayan, Sister Brown, Sister Nicoll and Sister Hurst

New missionaries Elder Iuli and Elder Lavelua

Trainer Elder Opalda

New Sister missionaries Brown, Hurst, Barney, Warr, Kirchhoefer and Nicoll

Trainer Elder Makiling and new missionary Elder Thorpe

Trainer Elder Hawlader and new missionary Elder Lavelua

The fabulous creator of our feast
 Sister Rachel Uy and her adorable daughter

Missionaries from the Manila MTC 
Elder Zabalda, Elder Franzuela, Elder Delos Reyes, Elder Pawin, Sister Lamac, Sister Della Torre,
 Elder Mabini, Sister Lasay, Elder Padol, Elder Espino

September's New Missionaries
Front Row: Sisters Matautia, Wellayan, Guttenbeil, Crystal, Kirchhoefer, Della Torre, Lamac, Lasay,
Elders Delos Reyes, Franzuela, Zabala, Mabini, Padol, Sisters Nicoll and Hurst
Back Row:  Elder Espino, Sisters Karavanua, Molisi, Brown, Warr, Barney;
Elders Wengreen, PawinThorpe, Lavauela, Iuli, Evitt, and Sister Hirst 

New missionaries and their Trainer Companions

Elder Makiling, Elder Opalda, Sister Berghout, Elder Wengreen, Elder Thorpe
Sister Della Torre,  Elder Espino, Elder Mortensen
Elder Bangal, Elder Ardon, Elder Evitt

Sister Molisi, Sister Carbaquil, Sister Funaki, Sister Ilagan, Sister Perlas, Sister Kirchhoefer

New Missionaries Sister Kirchhoefer and Sister Warr

Elder Saba, Elder Bangal, and Elder Zabala

Sister Crystal, Sister Sumagpao, Sister Nicoll, Sister Gutenbeil, Sister Bureeti
Sister Hurst, Elder Zabala, Elder Saba

Sister Vea, Sister Gutenbeil, Sister Funaki

Sister Brown, Sister Hurst, Elder Mabini, Sister Alicando

Trainer Sister Carbaquil and new missionary Sister Molisi

"I'll go where you want me to go, dear Lord,

Over mountain, or plain, or sea.

I'll say what you want me to say, dear Lord,

I'll be what you want me to be."

Zone Conferences Part 3-- More Pictures!

These are the rest of the pictures from the Zone Conferences held September 24 and 25. 

Enjoy the missionaries and their smiles--

we do every day!

Sister Carr, Sister Howlett, Sister Obnias, Sister Barril

Elder Thorpe and Elder Wengreen

Elder Ardon, Elder Makiling Elder James,  Elder Oyardo,  Elder Oldem

Sister Janda, Sister Ramos
Sister Davis, Sister Tulikihihifo

Sister Meinzer and Sister Busboom

Sister Tebwaruarki, Sister Nawere, Elder Stephenson, Sister Nambengu

Elder Rocamada

Elder Delos Reyes, Elder Mortensen, Elder Poulter, Elder Juzgaya

Elder Berends, Elder Bahr, Elder Robertson

Sister Vea and Sister Seprioto

Sister Vaisagote
Sister Seprioto, Elder Sarcauga , Elder Taer, Elder Defacto,
 Sister Della Torre, Sister Berghout, 
Elder Dela Vega

Elder Young and Elder Woodruff

Elder Masacayan and Elder Togia Soi

Elder Sogari, Elder Masacayan,  Elder Tuiloma, Elder Togia Soi

Elder Taer and team playing Jeopardy

Elder Johnstun looking for answers

Birthday celebrants for the last quarter

Elder Badol , Elder Maagad, Elder Cabaltica

President and Sister Rahlf, Elder Garcia and Elder Taer

Elder Hawlader, Elder Findlay, Elder De Guzman

Elder Evitt and Elder Lavelua

Elder Williams and Elder Dionisio

Sisters!
Broqueza, Clyde, Bates, Suaybaguio, Acoba, Mamea, Hafen, Molisi, Carbaquil,
Warr, Maddock, Morales and Flory

Elder Sison, Elder Thayn, Elder Ranada, Elder Odom, Elder Amoi

Elder Linnell showing his new skills

New Assistant Elder Bluth after his first Zone Conference

"And now continue your journey.  Assemble yourselves upon the land of Zion (rhymes with Cauayan);
and hold a meeting and rejoice together, and offer a sacrament (like a mission) unto the Most High."
Doctrine and Covenants 62:4