Behold the Field Part 2

One year ago today, President Rahlf and I arrived in the Philippines Cauayan Mission.  Welcomed warmly by President and Sister Carlos, we were excited, nervous, and filled with joyful anticipation to begin serving with the missionaries here.  Over this past year as we've watched the planting, nurturing, and harvesting of the fields, we have seen those same labors willingly put forth by faithful young men and women of God as they strive to bring the light of the gospel to the souls of this beautiful land.

These are pictures from the last twelve months.  The captions are actually the lyrics to a song written by President Rahlf's missionary companion, Don Harrison, while they served together in Germany 37 years ago.  I wish you could hear the music that goes along with it, but hopefully you will feel the spirit of missionary work that takes place in fields all over this world.

Behold the Field

Behold the field...

It stands in the hands of God.

The harvest yield...

Joy to the sons of God!

Oh, ye that embark in the service of God,

See that ye serve Him

With your hand upon the iron rod.

Faith,

hope,

and charity,

With an eye single to His glory.

Behold the field...

Behold the field!

"For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle 

with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, 

but bringeth salvation to his soul…"

                                                                                                                                      D&C 4:4

Thank you, Philippines Cauayan Missionaries, for an unbelievable first year.

The Latest and Greatest June 18, 2014

Thirty days ago, our newest "batch" of missionaries arrived and became companions with missionaries chosen through much prayer and inspiration.  At the halfway point or so of their first transfer cycle, we gather the group together for a day of additional counsel, training, questions asked and questions answered, and some time to reconnect with each other.  We all enjoy this energizing day and leave at the end of it strengthened as the Lord's missionaries.  Here are Cauayan's Latest and Greatest--


The batch from May 21, 2014 and their trainers/companions:

The Philippine sun was especially hot this day, so we opted for inside pictures!
Sisters Matautia, Borja, Polson, Saragoza, Elders Zabala, DeDios, DeOcampo, Espino, Sisters Paniergo, Barney
Elders Wightman, Poulter, Brandon, Glassie, Espanto, Enuake, Kocherhans

Companionships:

Just some pics from the day:
Friends for life--

Hmm--looks like a fine impression of President Rahlf
except that Elder Brandon has a lot more hair!

Life is a joy--

Love these missionaries!

"…but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God."

                                                                                                   Alma 26:11

Sights in the Philippines "Behold the Field" Part 1

Behold the Field

In our part of the Lord's vineyard, we are surrounded by the continuous cycle of planting and harvesting.  We watch as fields are prepared and planted, watched over and harvested.
It is both a steadfast and ever changing, beautiful pattern of life.

Preparing and Planting

Maddela

Dupax

Cattaban

Burgos

Batad

Alcala

Bambang

Nurturing and Growing

Ilagan

Tumauini

Cabarroguis

The Harvest

Alinguigan

Alinguigan

Amalung

Alicia

Mabini

Fifty-three years ago, on June 5, 1961, the first missionaries assigned to preach the gospel in the Philippines arrived.  Elders Kent Lowe, Harry Murray, Raymond Goodson and Nestor Ledesma came from Hong Kong, where the mission home was located.  Before beginning their work, they held a sunrise service at the American War Memorial Cemetery in Fort Bonifacio, Manila.  For many years after, Filipino members commemorated June 5th with a sunrise service to honor the day that missionaries first arrived in their land.

The Philippines had been dedicated for missionary work in 1955 by President Joseph Fielding Smith, however, visa problems prevented missionaries from coming.  Consequently, in the early morning of April 28, 1961, Elder Gordon B. Hinckley rededicated the land in the presence of around 100 Latter-Day Saints.  They had come from Clark Air Force Base and gathered on the grounds of the American War Memorial Cemetery. "Amidst the rising sun and rows of grave markers, Elder Hinckley invoked the blessings upon 'the people of this land, that they shall be friendly and hospitable, and kind, and gracious to those who shall come here, and that many, yea Lord, we pray that there shall be many thousands who shall receive this message and be blessed thereby…'"

Like the fields of the countryside, the land of the Philippines had been prepared, and as seeds are planted and nurtured in the good soil, the hearts of the Filipino people were ready to receive the good news of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  

As missionaries, we live and breathe the law of the harvest in this beautiful land as we "behold the field" and joyfully labor among these "faithful, good, virtuous, and true" people of the Philippines.  How blessed we are to be here!