Siniloan & Santa Cruz Zone Interviews July, 2011

This is the Siniloan Zone.  The air conditioning was out today!

  It was very hot an muggy.  I was so glad I had brought my hand

 fan that day.  This was our third Zone Interviews and workshop.  

Again, we are sure enjoying getting to know our missionaries.  

The are so happy to be serving!  It make us happy too!

This is the Santa Cruz Zone.  I love these missionaries, too! 

Ramzies

Mango shakes at Ramzie's are the best!

                                                      Missionaries love to eat good food!

President trying to see what he is eating.

San Pablo & Lipa Zone Interviews July, 2011

This was the first of ten Zones that we come to have interviews with...the San Pablo Zone.  We had three Zones this week, three Zones next week and four the next.  The is a wonderful opportunity to get out and meet all the Elders and Sisters individually.  We first meet together with their whole Zone.  The Zone leader takes charge of the meeting, welcoming all, opening hymn, prayer and turns some time over to President Peterson (George) for some remarks.  He talked about our call and how it came about...and about how thankful he was for the past President and his wife and the good they did.  He encourage them to write a thank-you letter to them.  He explained how important it was to have faith in the office and the keys that were given him instead of the person holding the office.  Many good things have been happening in this mission and he told them that we hope to keep it going to a higher level.  There was  a sweet spirit there as he spoke.  He then left the room with one of the missionaries to start the interviews.  I was given some time to give some "words of wisdom."  I talked about qualifying for the spirit through principles of righteousness.  The emphasis was on the scripture D&C 121:34-46.  That we should not seek for the honors of men or to satisfy our own vain ambitions...to put our faith in Christ instead of in our own skills & knowledge.  After a quick break the AP's then gave a workshop on seeking for the attributes of Christ...diligence, temperance, patience, humility & pure love.  They showed a short video of President Monson..."Never let the problem to be solved be more important than those you love."  They ended with the thought that they should strive to understand those they teach, so they can love them.  Words won't be powerful unless they feel our love.  When we finished, and George finished the interviews we all went to lunch (about 20 of us) for $30 at a place called Ramzies.  The best mango shakes you could imagine!

This was our second area we went for interviews...Lipa Zone.  

We are having a wonderful time meeting all of the missionaries!

They are all so kind and welcoming to us!

With the AP's (Assistants to President)

  There has rarely been a day go by without some rain!!

Here is President with his assistant's, Elder Fonbuena and 

Elder Jerusalem, buying the famous Buko Pie at Collette's.  

It is a delicious coconut pie made from layers of fresh, young 

coconut.  It is so good served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice 

cream.  Yum...Masarap (delicious)!

                                   

Our first Baptism to attend in the Philippines!

Aren't these children beautiful?  We became fast friends!

Our first baptism to attend in the Philippines was a sweet, humbling
experience.  As you can see, there are three that got that got
baptized that day. (Saturday, July 2, 2011) The girl next to me 
is 21 years old.  I don't know if you can see, but she has a very 
severe cleft palette condition.  The worst I have ever seen.  
However, she was so happy and stood up to the pulpit and bore 
a sweet testimony about how much finding the church has 
changed her life.  She said she was involved with many bad 
things, treated her family poorly and was extremely unhappy.  
That has all changed since she has converted to the gospel...new 
friends, happy at home, etc.  It was so impressive to me.  The 
other two girls took the lessons from these two missionaries, 
also.  Their parents were not active, but happy to have their 
girls baptized.  Hopefully that will help them to come back.  
Yes, Elder Butler is one very tall missionary...6' 7"!  His 
companion, Elder Libatique is standing next to him...very small 
compared to him.  He is a native and speaks very good English
...very bright young man.  Don't you love the children gathered 
over by President Peterson and me? 

We finally got here!  This is a picture in front of our beautiful home with this great sign that was made for our welcoming!  Pictured with us is President and Sister Anderson, the former San Pablo Mission President and his wife.  They picked us up at the hotel in Manila after our training there and drove us to San Pablo (the mission home is actually in Alaminos).  They showed us around the home and the mission office next door, gave a little more training, fed us a nice philippine lunch made by Ruby, the house help, and they got on their way back to Manila to head back to their home in Utah the next day.  We love Ruby already.  She is a sweetheart and her good husband is our night guard for the home.  He is also the Bishop of the Alaminos Ward at the church next door to us.  We got to visit with the two AP's and the two office Elders last night...wonderful missionaries!  They took us to the supermarket today to get a few things.  Ruby fixed us some of George's favorite Philippine dishes...Chicken Adobo, rice, pansit, and lots of stir-fried vegetables!  Oh...and cut up mango for desert.  Good Stuff!  We will try to get our skipe set up tomorrow so we can visit with family this Sunday!  Love you all!

Our last bit of training with Area Authorities!  Great times!  

Again this is the group of Philippines Mission Presidents and their 

wives.  We all did what we could to love and encourage each 

other.  We are all forever great friends!