Sunday, March 2, 2014

"God be with you 'til we meet again…" Returning Missionaries--February 26, 2014

Tuesday, February 25th:  The Mission office and home are busy today as our missionaries that have completed their service begin the process of departure.  Personal interviews, luggage weighing, last run to Chic Boy, counsel for the future, testimonies at the fireside, goodbyes, dinner and the clipping ceremony.  It's hard to truly comprehend that these 18 or 24 months of missionary service are completed.  We are so pleased to honor these wonderful servants of the Lord!
Companions Sister Daelo and homeward-bound Sister Manguil
'til we meet again. . .
Companions Elder Ranada and Elder Daniels
These three missionaries all served in Cabatuan Branch with our wonderful Sister Rosie
Sister Vaisagote, Sister Rosie Quitola, Sister Mamea and Sister Khushi
Maybe just a little too much weight in the luggage!
Elder Salvador and Elder Dionisio
Ready for the "trunky meeting"
when President and Sister Rahlf share counsel and advice about what lies ahead

Sister Manguil, Sister Khushi, Sister Vaisagote, Sister Mamea

Elder Dionsio, Elder Samar, Elder Salvador and Elder Daniels

The fabulous Elder and Sister Mills
This devoted senior couple will complete their missionary service in mid-March

Before
Let the traditional clipping begin!
along with advice from each of our departing missionaries
"Be happy always in your mission--Heavenly Father is always there!"
"Smile always, think positive, just enjoy the work!"
"Serve with love and enjoy every moment!"
"Put 100% trust in the Lord and all will go well--forget yourself and go to work!"
"Be patient with yourself.  You are becoming . . ."
"Love is a fruit that is always in season. (Mother Teresa)"
"Just remember your purpose and always trust in the Lord"
"Give your best to this work and the Lord will help you do the rest"
"Just love the people and speak the language of the Spirit and everything will work out"
"Bloom where you are planted.  Love the people you teach and listen to them--they have a story to tell!"

We're keeping the pieces we've cut to be made into a quilt--
it's going to be a fine work of art and memories!


Wednesday Morning, February 26
The truck is loaded and there's time for one last picture at the Mission Office and Home

Good and faithful servants!
God be with you "til we meet again. . .

Sister Mamea, Sister Vaisagote, Sister Manguil, Sister Khushi, Elder Dionisio
Elder Daniels, Elder Salvador, and Elder Samar


The Lord bless thee, and keep thee
The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee
The Lord life up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

Numbers 6: 24-26

Monday, February 24, 2014

Juniors, Seniors, and Valentine's Day

Valentine's Week was another full one here in the mission.  We are in the middle of having our quarterly interviews--one of our favorite times because we get to visit with each missionary one on one.  It takes us six days to complete them all.  But in the middle of this particular week, we also got to have the newest missionaries and their companions come in for additional counsel, training and lunch!  This is a wonderful day, when the missionaries have the chance to see their MTC friends along with the rest of the group they came with.  Here's our freshest "batch" (that's what they call their group) and their trainers.


JUNIORS


Back Row:  Elders Delaney, Lawrence, Johnstun, Young
Sisters Tioti, Sumagpao, Fanugao, Alicando and Ilagan
Front Row:  Elders Belaro, Seiuli, Bautista, Poulter
Sisters Nosler, Simram, Quijano, Meinzer, Tenepere, Spencer, Akau, Saiot, and Vi 





SENIORS
On Friday morning, Valentine's Day, we welcomed our newest senior couple to the mission.  We are delighted to have Elder and Sister Shorter, from Lynchburg, Virginia serving with us.  They will be taking over the responsibility of Housing for the mission, as well as member support for the Victoria Branch.  We are so grateful to have them here!

Fresh from the plane!
Elder and Sister Shorter with President and Sister Rahlf
(In the background you can see from left to right--
Elder Mills, Sister Campbell, Elder Honeycutt and Sister Mills)



and VALENTINE"S DAY
Valentine's Day is a fun holiday here.  There are heart decorations and flowers and candy everywhere.  We were greeted at the grocery store with a big heart stuck on our badges and a mini Toblerone candy bar!  That's my kind of greeting! 


Elder and Sister Campbell with the balloons and flowers Valentine he got for her--
just look at the smile on Sister Campbell!

 
We hosted a Valentine dinner and social for the Stake and District Presidents and their wives. For one of our activities, we gave each couple a card and had them write a short line about how or where they met.  We then put the cards in a basket and drew them out one at a time, trying to guess who had written it.  The couple then had to tell their love story.  It was a sweet (and entertaining) way to get to know each other.

Back row:  President & Sister Tumaliuan--Santiago North Stake; 
President & Sister Tajon--Bambang District; President & Sister Villar--Solano District; 
President Dellona--Cauayan District; 
President Marco--Alicia District; President Rahlf; 
President Busania--Santiago South Stake; President & Sister Caliguran--Ilagan Stake
Front row: President & Sister Agustin--Roxas District; Sister Dellonia; 
Sister Marco; Sister Rahlf; Sister Busania


It was a wonderful week, filled with old friends and new friends, older missionaries and younger ones, and most of all, love all around.  How blessed we are by these eternal friendships and associations!


"And that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory. . ."
D&C 130:2

Monday, February 17, 2014

Sights in the Mission


I've been promising to create a post about the many sights around our mission so that our families and friends can see what our missionaries see every day.  I'll do this in a few different posts over the next several days.  It is hard to capture the absolute beauty of this land, but I hope these photographs will give you an idea.  Enjoy!

Countryside
Our mission is blessed to have both country and city.  The biggest cities in our mission are Tuguegarao, Santiago, Cauayan, Ilagan, and Solano.  Once you drive out of the city, you are in some truly beautiful countryside filled with coconut and banana trees, rice paddies and corn fields, and stunning jungle mountain terrain.  
Cabagan,
Tuguegarao South Zone

Between Maddela and Cabarruguis
 Santiago South Zone

Ramon
Santiago North Zone
Benito Soliven
Ilagan Zone

Outside Ilagan
Ilagan Zone

Burgos Zone

Cabarruguis
Santiago South Zone

Solano Zone


Diffun
Santiago South Zone


Bananas on the tree across the street from the mission home
Cauayan Zone


Coconuts
Cauayan Zone

Gamu
Burgos Zone

Lamut, Bagabag
Solano Zone

Ilagan Zone

Tuguegarao South Zone

Burgos Zone

Banaue
Solano Zone

Bambang
Bambang Zone

Cattaban
Burgos Zone
Victoria
Cauayan Zone

Aurora
Roxas Zone




Dupax
Bambang Zone

between Santiago and Solano


San Mariano
 Ilagan Zone

Jones Bridge
Alicia Zone

Diffun
Santiago South Zone
Tuguegarao North Zone
Maddela
Santiago South Zone


"Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart; Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul."