Half Way

      
Trainers/Trainees - Cabanautuan Side

       

Trainer/Trainees - Tarlac Side

Every six weeks our newest missionaries and their training companions come in half way through their 12 week training program.  I think they like it most because they get to see members from their batch.  I don't blame them!  

During this meeting the Assistants ask them to talk through some of the experiences they've had.  They also get to introduce each other.  This always makes my heart sing because without exception, there is a great deal of caring and consideration going on.  You can only imagine the first timer landing in a new mission.  Being able to trust your companion to help you maneuver through this new experience is paramount.

I trained about being happy.  I even decided to debut my singing talents with a rendition of "Happiness Is" from Charlie Brown.  It was fun to hear some of the things that make our missionaries happy.  My belief and testimony is that we came on our missions to have joy but being realistic, we know that all experiences won't create joy.  So we talk about Come What May and Love it - a talk given by Elder Joseph B Wirthlin.  

President helps them realize their role as a missionary is to "become".  They talk about how you can't learn it all at once.  The Savior learned little by little, grace to grace.  If they do their best, He will make up the rest.  

It was another great day in the mission!

Very Special Dinner Guests

We were honored to host a meal for special guests.  Last Saturday we dined with several of our church general authorities.  Elder Dallin H. Oaks and his wife Kristen, President Ian S. Ardern and his wife Paula and Elder Remegio E. Meim and Sis. Meim - our Area Seventy. The Naegle's also dined with us and assisted us in our preparations.  The authorities came to our mission as part of the area tour.  They and other church officials were here for area training and review.  We were fortunate to have the Oaks and Ardern's spend the night with us at the mission home.

On Sunday morning we all departed for speaking assignments in different stakes of the mission. Elder Oaks has become a special friend.  This is the second time he has stayed at our home (previously he visited us in Naperville).  He also set President Clark apart as Mission President.  It was a delight to meet his wife and to refresh our friendship with the Ardern's and Meim's.
        

Visitors From Afar

Elder and Sister Hobbs received two wonderful visitors last week - two of their daughters. One daughter, Angela Halliday lived in Chicagoland when we were there.  It was so great to see them all.  We were grateful they came to our home for dinner.  Welcome!

Mission Leadership Committee/District Leadership Committee Unite!

Every other month instead of just our MLC gathering we add the District leaders (DLC). There were some changes in our leadership since some were moved to become trainers. We  hold two separate meetings on two separate days since the area is so far away from one another.  The main training was on Teaching Timeouts with a major focus on the Book of Mormon.  We had three breakout sessions.  I love being with our Sister Training Leaders.  These are a few pictures of each of the groups. 

Cabanautuan

  

               CABANAUTUAN MLC/DLC 

Tarlac 

The Tarlac group had an interesting meal. It's called a Boodle Fight.  In urban dictionary it says, "boodle fight is a military style of eating where long tables are prepared and food are on top of banana leaves.  Ulam and rice ready to eat with your bare hands. Jugs of water are prepared on the side to wash hands before "eating combat".  As soon as the prayer was over, the boodle fight began. This was very civil and our missionaries LOVED it!  As luck would have it, President Garcia was kind enough it get the "seniors" plates and silverware.

  

                  

   

   

Hmmmm...I wonder who was in charge of the camera.  These two Assistants actually keep us very organized and attend to tasks large and small.

   

TARLAC MLC/DLC - 01 OCT 2014

Our Newest 2nd Batch - October 6, 2014

Here are our newest missionaries and their trainers!

 

Trainer - Elder Lytle with Elder Obligation

 

Trainer - Sister Knudsen with  Sister Lopez

Elder Thacker with Trainer - Elder Potestad

Sister Nielsen trains a short-term missionary

 Elder Reyes with Trainer - Elder Eggett

 Elder Bundy with Trainer - Elder Ditan

 Elder Burton with Trainer - Elder Adorza

 Elder Johnson with Trainer - Elder Bausing

 Elder Webster with Trainer - Elder Sorilla

 Trainer - Elder Cash with Elder Faasavalu

 Trainer - Elder Antoni with Elder Tuifelasai

 Trainer - Elder Armatage with Elder Taylor

 Elder Yap with Trainer - Elder Johnson

 Trainer Elder Delante and Elder Brown

 Trainer - Sis. Dalley with Sister Guerrero

 Sister Resture with Trainer - Sis. Batican

 Missionaries ready to take the long Jeepney ride home.

 New and not so new missionaries!

A Welcome Addition!

 We received 15 new Sisters and Elders!   There is an excitement as the vans round the corner and come into the parking lot.  We rush outside to welcome our newest missionaries.  Anticipation, excitement and exhaustion are the looks we see.  There are three new sisters and twelve new elders.  We promised them every meal will not look like the meal below.  We love welcoming them to our home for a proper introduction. Sister Lopez spoils us with a lovely meal and tips on how to how to clean and prepare fruits and vegetables. We try to keep them awake to let them know a thing or two about the mission.

President with our outgoing Assistant - Elder Tsunoda and our incoming Assistant - Elder Coquia sing the Mission Song - "Where the Finest Serve." Our missionaries learn very quickly how important music is.

The following day our trainees come to meet their trainers.  These are our seasoned missionaries who will help our newest learn the language and the ropes of a mission life in the Angeles Philippines Mission.  We are off to a great start with the Batch of September 2014!