"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)