Cabuyao Zone...Front row, Sister Padua, Sister Morton, Sister
Baladad, Sister Carmichael, Me, President, Sister Wagner &
Elder Wagner. Back row...Elder Natividad, Elder Navarro (AP),
Elder Rosario, Elder Revillo, Elder Nance, Elder Lalo,
Elder Castillo, Elder Diaz (AP), Elder Solliano, Elder Sasagi,
Elder Cortez (AP), Elder Waga, Elder Pablico,
Elder Delos Santos and Elder Orro.
San Pablo Zone...Front row, Sisters Cayanan, Donato, Pitman,
Guzman, Sagaysay, Me, President, Elder Packer, Sister Packer,
Sisters Montague & Walker. Back row, Elders Eyre, Navarro,
Diaz, Cook, Yelle, Diosa, Shepherd, Cortez, Miranda, Bandiola,
Smith, Trapsi & Edvalson.
Santa Cruz Zone...Front row, Elder Torres, Elder Rivera, Elder
Abendanio, Sister Maka, Sister Pajarin, Me, President, Sister
Packer, Elder Packer, Elder Sembrano, and Elder Visoria. Back
row, Elders Sasagi, Nerza, Revillo, Torculas, Bayla, Navarro,
Diaz, Cortez, Adams, Cello, Mac Millen, Pratt, Maiz, Waga
and Edvalson. (Elders Sasagi, Revillo, Waga and Edvalson
are not in this zone!)
Siniloan Zone...Front row, Elder Surio, Sister Buduan,
Sister Pruden, Me President, Sister Packer, Elder Packer,
Sister Yoro and Sister Lamosa. Back row, Elder Lalangan,
Elders Hansen, Eldridge, Navarro, Diaz, Cortez, Pacuman &
Illustrisimo.
Lucena Zone...Front row, Elders Silvosa, Alinsoot & Navarro.
Middle row, Sister Francis, Sister Mathangi, President, Me,
Sister Douglas, Elder Douglas & Sister Gabonada. Back row,
Elders Viloria, Bactad, Galutera, De Guia, Michaels, Viloria,
Glenn, Calisaan, Cortez, Johnson, Navarro, Manson, Diaz,
Howes & Sister Huni
Lopez Zone...Front row, Elders Perez, Garnica, Shepherdson,
and Collado. Middle row, Sister Nabus, Sister Villiasis, Presdent,
Me, Sister Douglas, Elder Douglas and Elder Pascua. Back row,
Elders Leavitt, Caubulejo, Yost, Kleinlein, Cortez, Nalesoni, Diaz,
De Young, Navarro and Najorda.
Marinduque Zone...Front row, Sister Ramos, Sister Escalona,
President, Me, Sister Douglas, Elder Douglas, and Elder Estayo.
Back row, Elders Sanchez, Burton, Cortez, Mendoza, Naeata,
Rustia, Diaz, Knight, Navarro and Meniano.
Batangas Zone...Front row, Sister Roque, Sister Pacampara,
Elder Clark, President, Me, Sister Wagner and Elder Wagner.
Back row, Elders Diaz, Biala, Navarro, Basco, Ebuen, Perez,
Libutti, Pesamino, De Leon, Cortez, Tupou, Kartchner,
Palavi, and Hurst.
Lipa Zone...Front row, Elder Enlayo, Elder Capacungan, Sister
Agustin, Sister Macariola, President, Me, Sister Wagner and
Elder Wagner. Back row, Elders Dela Cruz, Alvaro, Tolintino,
Butler, Guyer, and Diaz, Sister Tumaliuan, Elder Navarro, Sister
Morino, Elder Thompson, Sister Folau, Sister Billings, Elders
Cortez, Jones, Salisbury, Mayola and Dait.
Mindoro Zone...Front row, Elder Ignacio, Elder Tagulao, Elder
Campbell, Sister Campbell, President, Me, Sister Snow, and
Sister Grow. Back row, Elders Guba, Lacson, Brown, Diaz,
Tamale, Ah Wong, Cortez, Navarro, Pascua, Lucila,
Pascua and Ayap.
Sister Pruden and Sister Yoro with a happy pose!
Elder Packer is our financial secretary, so he's in charge of the
reimbursements for the missionaries who had medical needs or
apartment needs and they had to use their own support. They
bring their receipts and he pays them back. He looks like he is
having a lot of fun...but his job is not always fun! From the left,
Sister Escalona, Sister Ramos, Elder Meniano, Elder Knight,
Elder Packer down in front holding up the money, Elder Perez,
Elder Abendanio and Elder Collado.
Sister Francis, Elder Navarro and Elder De Guia.
Elders Viloria, Viloria, Collado, Manzon, Calisaan,
Seggay, Galutera, and Navarro.
Sister Huni, Me and Sister Gabonada.
Elders Leavitt, Tagulao and Kleinlein in the front. Elders Navarro,
Bactad, Michaels and Shepherdson in the back.
Sister Douglas with Sister Mathangi.
Elder Shepherdson
Sister Packer and Elder Silvosa
Elder Burton. This face he pulled made him kind of look like
he had a black eye, but he didn't!
The Conference was another spiritual lift for us all. At each Zone Conference (there are three) a different missionary was assigned to give a talk on Repentance. Sister Augutin spoke the first day. She talked about different meanings of CTR (Choose the Right, Current Temple Recommend, etc.). She concluded with Commit To Repent and that in order to truly repent, we must be Committed to Change, remember that it Takes Time to heal, and use the Redeeming power of the Savior to Repent.
Elder Yelle was the speaker on another day and he emphasized that Repentance is very personal and Jesus Christ is the way. He quoted John 3:16-17 "...God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. And Matthew 1:21"...Jesus (will) save His people from their sins." We need a broken heart and a contrite spirit. He also quoted Alma 13:13 "...humble yourselves before God, and bring forth fruit meet for repentance. He quoted President Monson as saying, "Faith must replace doubt." We need faith to repent.
Elder Coubalejo was the third speaker. "Let us repent...that we provoke not the Lord"...He quoted Nephi, “Nevertheless,
notwithstanding the great goodness of God my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man
that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth
because of mine iniquities.” (2 Nephi 4:15) and also in verses 18 & 19, "I
am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so
easily beset me. And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my
sins.” He mentioned that we in like manner suffer the effects of sin and named three of them. 1. self shame 2. Confidence and faith degrade 3. We are not at peace. We can follow Nephi's example and have a broken heart and a contrite spirit which is required to truly repent. One of the greatest lessons a missionary could
bring with him as he goes home is the ability to repent. He ended his talk with the scripture in Alma 13:37 “And
now, my brethren, seeing we know these things, and they are true, let us
repent, and harden not our hearts, that we provoke not the Lord our God to pull
down his wrath upon us ... but let us enter into the rest of God”
All three were wonderful talks.
My talk centered around the Scripture found in (Mark 10:21, 22) When the rich man said he had been righteous from his youth. The Savior told him. “One thing thou lackest: go thy way and sell whatsoever thou hast, and give it to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.” I asked the missionaries, "How much extra “stuff” have you brought on your mission? What of your possessions are you willing to give up in order to grasp the Iron Rod and become a true disciple of Jesus Christ? ”Whatsoever thou hast” is what the Lord requires." Some of the things I named were, a mild rebellious streak, an inclination to bend the rules, homesickness, ego or competitiveness, selfishness or a bit of laziness? Some may even have fear...fear of completely trusting in the Lord and His promises. I asked, "Are any of these things holding you back from being a true disciple?
In President Gordon B. Hinckley's words, “You are His chosen servant; you have been ordained to something holy and wonderful. You cannot live in the world and partake of the ways of the world. You must be above all of that.”
A wise Mission President once said, “If you are not doing what the Lord would have you do, you cannot believe in yourself. You cannot feel worthy to receive Gods help & guidance. You cannot have faith to pull down the blessings of heaven into your life…not because you don’t believe in God; rather because you cannot believe in yourself.” You need his help and guidance and the blessings of heaven in your life. As you let go of all the "stuff", "whatsoever thou hast", your faith will increase & you will learn to believe in yourself.
I told the story of Joseph F. Smith and his going on a mission at the age of 15. He was, in his words, "very much oppressed" on his mission. He lacked confidence and could hardly look a man in the face. During that time, he had a dream wherein he experience bathing and feeling "clean" and confident as he envisioned himself on the other side of the veil and met his family, including the prophet, Joseph Smith. He awoke from that dream and felt he was a man "every whit". He could face any person and any problem with confidence. He said, "That vision, that manifestation and witness that I enjoyed at that time has made me what I am, if I am anything that is good, or clean, or upright before the Lord, if there is anything good in me. That has helped me out in every trial and through every difficulty” He received the strength that comes from a clear conscience. I told the missionaries that they can be good, clean and upright before the Lord. Your mission can give you the courage to face anyone or any situation. Your mission can be your vision, manifestation or witness that will help you in every trial and through every difficulty.
The Prophet Isaiah said, “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; “Learn to do well; … “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;” (Isaiah 1:16–18).
In modern revelation the Lord has said: “Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord” (D&C 133:5).
Also, in D&C 4:2, we read “Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all of your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.” President Peterson has said that many will serve with all of their might and strength and neglect giving their minds and their hearts. Letting go of some of the “stuff” you are holding on to can help you do that. If you don’t give your mind and your heart while serving your mission, you will find that you will be ineffective and counter productive. You will forgo personal development that happens on a mission. You will forgo the light, knowledge, strength, intelligence and all the virtues that come as you serve with your mind and your heart.
The first three verses in 1 Corinthians 13 say it well…
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” (That sounds like…ineffective or counter productive.)
“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.” (Even with great capacities, gifts and talents…if all we are thinking about is just to get through our time here with our strengths and not with our hearts…we are nothing…we are not changed)
“And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned and have not charity, It profiteth me nothing.” (Even if you give all of your time, means, and your life…if your heart is not right, you will not profit by it. Good will be done, but the good that you do will do you no good unless your heart is right…unless you have charity)
It is not just about adapting your behavior to conform to the rules of the mission and to the commandments of God. If your heart is not right, you will not profit from it. The purpose and central blessing of life is to change...Change to become more like Jesus Christ.
The Lord can change your nature if you give yourself to Him and His work. “He cannot work on what he does not have, and He cannot have you, unless you give yourself to him.”
President Peterson presented and talked about the Philippine San Pablo Mission Vision as follows...
Philippines San Pablo Mission
Our Vision
(Moses
1:39)
· “Qualify for the work”
(D&C 4; 59:1)
o
Be “Eye-Single”-White Handbook/Mission
Rules
o
Know the doctrine:
Doctrine
of Christ/Our Purpose, Chapter 3 of Preach My Gospel
· Become a Great
Teacher, “a teacher come from God” (John 3:2)
o
8 Fundamental Lessons
o
Daily personal and
companionship study of Preach my Gospel and planning for those we teach
o
Open and use the scriptures
in every lesson
o
Use inspired teaching
method:
Ask
inspired questions, listen, discern & teach by the Spirit.
· Teach 25 or more
lessons per week/Enduring to the end conversions/ helping them receive temple
ordinances
· 12 Week Training
Program
o
The first three
months—Laying a firm foundation
· Each missionary return
home fully converted to keep their covenants and continue to apply the Atonement
in their life
He quoted Proverbs 29:18, "Where there is no vision, the people perish..." He talked about qualifying for the work by knowing and living the doctrine. If we did that, we wouldn't need any rules. He also challenged them to have courage and not pass by the "Big" homes as they go to find people to teach. The gospel is for all of God's children. He quoted 3 Nephi 18:32 "...ye shall not cast him out...unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will...repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them". That is why we must talk to everyone! Moses 1:39 read, "For behold, this is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." To be a true vision it must align itself to God's vision. The Lord's purpose is to Save Families! That is the purpose of the creation, of the Priesthood and of the Atonement. That is the work that we are about. We want to qualify for the work, become great teachers and become fully converted to keep our covenants and apply the Atonement in our lives as we help others do the same.
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