Ingat and Kumusta Departures and Arrivals May 21, 3014

These six week cycles are going faster and faster.  All of a sudden, it's time for departures and arrivals and we say good-bye to missionaries we've come to know and hello to ones we will get to know.  We are blessed in both, but it's lots easier to say hello than good-bye!  Remembering all those families on the other end of this journey makes it all well and good.  Tender thanks to them for sharing their sons and daughters and brothers and sisters in such a great cause.

So, "ingat" for now to:

Elder Robertson looking over pictures from the last two years

Sister Daelo getting travel instructions from Sister Honeycutt

Sister Diola and a final hug from companion, Sister Miller

Longtime friends, Sister Seprioto with Sister Quitolo of Cabattuan Branch

Who knew that Elder Marshall plays beautifully?

Elder Ardon, Sister Daelo, Sister Seprioto, Elder Oldem and Sister Gardoce
weighing and rearranging luggage

The Before Photo
Back Row:  Elder Phippen, Elder Marshall, Elder Roberston, Elder Badol, Elder Ardon, Elder Oldem
Front Row:  Sister Seprioto, Sister Gardoce, Sister Daelo, Sister Diola

 Let the cutting begin!
We're glad to keep a tiny
piece of our missionaries
for a memory quilt.

And After!

We give each missionary
a Departure Book with 
memories from their
missionary service.

The next morning, it's a breakfast
of President Rahlf's famous 
French Toast. 

And we have a new record holder--Elder Robertson with 10 pieces!

Leaving words of advice to our new missionaries...

One final picture in front of the mission home
Elder Oldem, Elder Badol, Elder Ardon, Elder Phippen, Elder Roberston, Elder Marshall
Sister Gardoce, Sister Daelo, Sister Diola, Sister Seprioto

 

God be with you 'til we meet again--
We love and honor these wonderful missionaries!
Ingat, Po

"…to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places"
                                                                                                                                        Mosiah 18:9

Advice and counsel to our newest missionaries from our departing ones:

"Seek for the Spirit"     
Elder Oldem

"Put aside pride, always give service--most especially to your companion.  Enjoy your mission life--balance it.  Righteous fun is best!"     
Sister Gardoce

"Be worthy and enjoy the companionship of the Holy Ghost.  Every day is a day of change."
Sister Diola

"Don't worry, be happy!"     
Elder Robertson

"Charity will never fail us.  The Lord teaches us to adjust ourselves the way He wants us to live."  
Sister Daelo

"Find joy in the journey every day."     
Elder Phippen

"Serve with your ALL and see miracles happen."
Elder Ardon

"Real men don't know how to cry.  But real missionaries know how to cry for others!"
Elder Badol

"Show your example.  Be the light of others.  3 Nephi 15:9"
Sister Seprioto

"Turn that frown upside down."
Elder Marshall


And then, with the landing of the plane from Manila, we joyously welcome our long-awaited newest missionaries!  

President Rahlf greets Elder De Dios

Elder De Ocampo, Sister Borja and Sister Saragoza

Elder Enuake 

Elder Glassie

Just a little cat-nap before meeting new companions

Elder Enuake still has energy though!

Elder Glassie and Trainer/Companion Elder Zabala 

Elder DeOcampo with first companion and trainer Elder Wightman

May 21, 2014
Newest missionaries in the great Cauayan Mission!
Elder De Ocampo, Elder Padilla, Elder Enuake, Elder Glassie, Elder Espanto, President and Sister Rahlf
 Sister Paniergo, Sister Saragoza, Sister Borja and Elder De Dios

KUMUSTA!

"And ye shall go forth in the power of my Spirit, preaching my gospel, two by two, in my name, lifting up your voices as with the sound of a trump, declaring my word like unto angels of God."

                                                                                                                                                                            Doctrine and Covenants 42:6

21 Day Missionaries

On May 1st,   we held our second orientation meeting with our newest missionaries and their trainers.  There's so much information on arrival day, that we save some of the training for three weeks later, after they have had time to begin their missionary service in the field.  We look forward to this day as a chance to continue teaching and encouraging, and a time for our new missionaries to catch their breath and reconnect with their batch mates.  We spend the morning in training and then have a great lunch together before heading back out to their areas of service.  This is one great group of missionaries!

April 9th Missionaries and Trainers

Trainer Sister Breinholt and Sister Elivera

Trainer Sister Lamac and Sister Koncurat

Trainer Elder Rumbaoa and Elder Baclea-an

Trainer Sister Manukailea and Sister Mu'amoholeva

Elder Monilla and Trainer Elder Heumann

Trainer Elder Corcuera and Elder Lee

The Lord's Missionaries in Cauayan!

More sights from the Philippines Getting from Here to There

This post is a continuation of the "Sights in the Philippines" series.  But it's also a shout-out to 

Cub Pack 952 from Liberty Ward, Cincinnati North Stake.  They've been following the blog and learning about the Philippines.  I thought these boys would like to see all the different kinds of transportation we have here.   Hopefully, families and friends will also enjoy seeing the ways our missionaries travel from place to place.  I didn't post any pictures of cars or trucks, which are certainly here.  But  when there are kuligligs, triceys, jeepneys and horse carts, cars and trucks are just boring!

The Tricycle--or Tricey is the most common way to travel if you don't have a long way to go.  These are motorcycles with a side car and third wheel.  They are a lot of fun to ride in--unless you are really tall!  They are used as taxis and for private use as well.

Sisters coming home after teaching.

These are children coming home from school. 

Trycees are also used to move products, like these baskets above, or the pig below.

 

Lots of families use motorcycles--like these members from Burgos.

It's easy to see which triceys and motorcycles belong to members of the Church!

Jeepneys are also used for public transportation.  You can ride inside, or as you see, on top. 

(Missionaries can only ride inside, parents!)

Returning to their area after District Meeting

This jeepney is a school bus for the moment--these are all student

Kuligligs are used for transportation and to work in the fields.

Tumauini

Almaguer

Aritao

                            

Carabao are ridden and used to transport goods, as well as used to work on the farm.

This is Boris and his rider--from Victoria

on the National Highway between Tumanuini and Ilagan

Horse carts in Tuguegarao

Lots of bikes--

After the Family Day Celebration Parade in Alicia

And of course, the buses, which are very busy and travel the length of the country.  Missionaries used to get on a bus after they arrived in Manila and took an 8-10 hours bus ride to Cauayan.  About a year ago, flights started coming into Cauayan three times a week, so that long, long bus ride was no longer necessary.

Our October Arrivals ended up taking a bus too, as their flight was canceled to Cauayan and they were flown to Tuguegarao instead.  At least it's only a 3 hour ride!

We see all of these every day on the National Highway (and boring cars and trucks), along with chickens, goats, dogs, and cows.  But that's another post--

"…the servants of the Lord shall go forth"

                                                                          Jacob 6:2