Zone Interviews July, 2012

Cabuyao Zone...Front row, Elders Viloria, Visoria, Lacson and

Abendanio.  Middle row, Sisters Morton, Carmichael, Baladad,

Begontes, Me and Sister Wagner.  Back row, Elders Natividad,

Wagner, Burton, Lalo, Waga, Sasagi, Orro, President, Elders

Nance, Pablico and Diaz.

Marinduque Zone...Front row, Elder Estayo, Sister Ramos, 

Sister Marino andElder Meniano.  Back row, Elders Navarro, 

Diaz, Mendoza,Naeata, Alinsoot, Knight, and Sanchez.  Elder 

Rustia must be taking the picture!  They are a fun group!

This is our San Pablo Zone...Down is front is Elders Delos Santos

& Trapsi.  In the back, Elder Bandiola, Elder Shepherd, Elder 

Diaz, Sister Salon, Elder Eyre, Sister Pitman, Elder Navarro,

Sister Cayanan, Elder Miranda, Elder Edvalson, Sister Padua,

Elders Smith, Mendoza, and Cook.  We had their interviews in 

the Mission home.

This is our Mindoro Zone...Down in front is Elders Brown and 

Ayap,  In back is Elders Tamale, Galutera, Lucila, Revillo, 

Ignacio,Guba, Elder and Sister Campbell, Sisters Snow and 

Sagaysay, Elders Pascua, Maiz and Caling.  Mindoro was 

beautiful today!  However, for the boat ride back home the water 

was very choppy!

Elders Brown, Diaz, Ignacio and Navarro.  These elders all

came out to the mission at the same time and so they just wanted

to take a picture while they were together in Mindoro!

The Santa Cruz Zone...Front row, Elders Torculas, Bayla, Sisters

Maka and Pajarin, Me and Elder Rivera.  Back row, Elders

Cabacungan, Torres, Nerza, Mac Millen, Ocuaman, Sollano,

Navarro, Pratt, Nalesoni, Sister Gines, Elders Glenn, Gines, 

Cello, President and Elder Perez.

The Lucena Zone...Front row, Elders Clark, Bactad, Rosario, 

Nerza, Pascua, and Abad.  Middle row, Sisters Francis, Grow,

Calla, Gabonada, and Huni.  Back row, Elders Navarro, Cortez,

Diaz, De Guia,Viloria, Manzon, Kartchner, Johnson, Michaels, 

Dela Rosa, Howes and Calisaan.

Elder Clark and Elder Nerza showing off their strength! :-) Elder

Manzon is peaking through the middle and Elder Abad off to the

right.

Lipa Zone...Down in front, Elders Salisbury, Dait, Mayola, and

Tolintino. Middle row, Elders Dela Cruz, Tagulao, Inlayo, Seggay,

Sisters Folau, Donato, Orro, Me, Sisters Macariola, Wagner, and

Elder Wagner.  Back row, Elders Navarro, Alvaro Adams, Jones, 

President, Elders Thompson, Butler and Guyer.

Having "MacDo" for lunch with the Lipa Zone!

Batangas Zone...Down in front, Elders Surio, Silvosa, Pascua, 

Perez, Palavi and Tupou. Back row, Elders Eldridge, Biala, Hurst,

President, Sister Roque, Elder Ebuen, Sister Pacampara, Me, 

Sister & Elder Wagner,Elders De Leon, and Pesamino. 

 (A windy day!)

President's Assistants Elders Navarro and Diaz getting a picture 

of themselves in Batangas Zone interviews before the group shot!

Siniloan Zone...Elder & Sister Gines, Elders Illustrisimo, Capulac,

Figuration, Ah Wong, Libutti, Sisters Lamosa, Pruden, Agustin,

President, me, Elders Basco, Lalangan, Merriam, & Sister Buduan.

Interview Workshops

We have had some good teaching at these interviews...both from President and the AP's.  After the welcome, opening Hymn and opening prayer were done, President explained to them that this is a time set aside for them every three months to give an accounting for their stewardship.  He also encouraged them to prepare for the visit of our apostle, Elder David A. Bednar, who will be coming for a meeting with them this month.  The AP's then taught a workshop about resolving concerns of those you teach through "The Inspired Teaching Method", which is... 1. Ask an inspired question 2. Listen 3. Discern 4. Teach with the Spirit

They used Preach My Gospel and examples in the scriptures for learning.  Good questions will help you to understand interests, concerns or questions that others have.  They will open up and ask you questions when they don't understand or have concerns.  Listening to and focusing on those we teach will help us understand.  We must listen with love, clear our minds to hear & feel promptings.  We show by our body language whether we care and if we are listening.  Don't be afraid of silence.  Plan your lessons well, but clear your mind to allow the Spirit to drive your lesson, not your lesson plan.  Teach people not lessons.  They show a video clip from PMG DVD's about two missionaries teaching a lady named Jynx.  It was a good example of asking inspired questions, were very good listeners, were able to discern her desires and concerns, and began to teach her doctrine by the spirit.  Then, the zone leaders came up and demonstrated the inspired teaching method and then we all practice.  President added a lot to what the AP's taught and took things a little further. He also discussed concerns with white handbook, etc.

Birthday Dinner at Arabela's

This is the Happy Birthday dinner for Sister Packer & me!  Our

birthday in the same day and we both love Arabela's restaurant!

And, of course the AP's and office elders don't mind being invited!

From the left, Elders Cook and Delos Santos, Sister Packer, 

Elder Packer, Me, President, Elders Diaz and Navarro.

Elders Diaz, Navarro and Cook are showing how low the 

ceilings are in this restaurant!

Elder Delos Santos is holding up the Ceiling!

Seniors Fourth of July Party 2012

Elder Packer, Elder Campbell, Sister Packer, Sister Campbell, 

Me, President, Sister Howell and Elder Howell at the Howells

home.  She loves to decorate!  It was a fun meal of Hamburgers, 

watermelon, potato salad, baked beans, apple pie and homemade

ice cream!  It was a great time!

Here is our other table, Sister Walker, Sister Montague, Elder

Douglas, Sister Douglas, Sister Wagner, Elder Wagner and Elder

Packer standing nearby visiting.

I had to take a picture of this cute baby chick Sister Howell

created out of a boiled egg to decorate her potato salad!

Visiting Infanta Branch

President and I with Elders Merriam and Figeracion at the Infanta 

Branch in their area.  They are a good companionship...very 

positive and kind to each other! That's what we like to see!

This is the Baptismal font outside the meetinghouse.  You can see

I had Elder Packer stand in for this picture.  It must be a job 

getting the font cleaned up every time there is a baptism!

An interesting saying on the back of this truck we saw on our 

way!  "In God We Trust...Keep Distance".

Zone Leaders Council July 2012

Zone Leaders Council is about to start...from the left we have the
Assistants to the President, Elder Navarro and Elder Diaz, behind 
them and around the room we have Elders Basco, Libutti (hidden),
Guyer, Butler, Naeata, Caubalejo, Brown, Palavi (Front), Nance,
Orro, Eldridge (Front), Nalesoni, Glenn, Eyre, Knight (at piano)
and Bandiola.

This is just a different angle so I could get these four other elders
on the other side...Elders Yost, DeYoung, Pascua and Bactad.

It was so nice to have the APs help me with the dishes after
the Zone Leaders Council dinner.  They are each wearing one of 
my aprons!  Yes, they are so cute!  It keeps them from getting 
bleach water splashed on their dark pants!  I love these guys!

Getting ready for the big group picture, some wanted a quick shot

of them looking "tough"...or not?  Elders Basco, Bactad, Palavi, 

DeYoung, Pascua, Navarro, Diaz, Me, Naeata, Knight and

Nalesoni looking really tough! :-)

Zone Leaders Council, July 13, 2012.  Elders Caubalejo, 

Bandiola, Guyer, Orro, Basco, Palavi, Bactad, DeYoung, Butler,

Pascua, Navarro, Diaz, Glenn, President, Elder Naeata, Me, 

Elders Knight, Nalesoni, Nance, Eyre, Brown, Libutti, Eldridge,

and Yost.

Our New Couple, Elder & Sister Gines

Elder & Sister Gines are here!  They will be living in Lumban,

Which is in the Santa Cruz Zone.  However, Santa Cruz is in a 

Stake right next to the Siniloan Zone which is in a District.  They

will probably be working in one of the Branches in the Siniloan

District.  It will most likely be the Pakil Branch.  They will be

working with the missionaries in both the Siniloan and the 

Santa Cruz Zones and helping with there apartments.  Also, 

they will be helping with the missionaries & apartments in the

San Pablo Zone.  They seem really happy and enthusiastic about 

getting started on their work assignments and we are thrilled to 

have them!

Here we are with Elder & Sister Gines at the airport.  We are so 

happy they are here.  We have been looking forward to 

their coming!

Transfer Week June 2012

This is our missionaries going home this month...From the left,

Elder Dioso, Sister Billings, Sister Mathangi, President, Me, Sister

Escalona, Sister Guzman, Sister Tumaliuan and Elder Castor.

Our missionaries going home are gathered for a Family Home 

Evening/Testimony meeting.  In the front is Sister Mathangi, 

Sister Billings, Elder Dioso (leaning forward with a smile), Elder

Castillo & Elder Packer.  In the back, Elder Navarro and Elder

Cortez getting ready to show a "going home" video.  The three

sisters on the couch behind them on the left is Sisters Tumaliuan,

Guzman & Escalona, then Elder Diaz, Me and President.

The new batch of missionaries just arriving from the Manila MTC

by bus.  The APs are helping them come across the street to the

Mission home.

Here we are having breakfast with the new missionaries.Elders

Cook, Navarro and Diaz are at the table on the left.  All the

new missionaries are with Elder Cortez at the other table.  

Starting with the sisters, going around that table is Sister Begontes,

 Sister Calla, Elder Ocuaman, Elder Bandoy, Elder Cortez, Elder

Dela Rosa, Elder Caling and Elder Abad.

Just finishing a wonderful big lunch after a long morning of 

orientation for our new batch of missionaries! Starting at the left,

Rubi, Elder Bandoy, Elder Cortez, Elder Navarro, Elder 

Dela Rosa, Elder Caling, Elder Abad and Me.

Here we are with our new missionaries...President, Elder Caling, 

Sister Calla, Elder Ocuaman, Elder Bandoy, Sister Begontes, 

Elder Dela Rosa, Me and Elder Abad.

My talk for Transfer Day...

Relationships & Principles for Effective Companionships

    Relationships, more than anything else, contribute to the quality of our lives. Our relationships with Heavenly Father, with His son Jesus Christ and with the Holy Ghost are our most important relationships. These require daily exercise of faith and prayer. That is what will give us the confidence to know that God loves us or is interested in us.

     Our relationships with companions require similar effort. We must cultivate these by communicating and serving. (Making this effort will contribute greatly to having and maintaining good mental health.)
     You have the wonderful blessing of being taught through experience here on your mission to do what it takes to build good and strong relationships with your companions. This can help you in your eternal companionships. If you can learn to use faith and prayer along with communication and serving you will be given the strength and means to do what it takes to achieve the wonderful lasting relationships with those that matter most. Learn it here, Elders and Sisters.
     May I make a suggestion…?
Three Principles For Effective Companionship
1. COMPANIONS ARE MORE LIKELY TO LIKE YOU IF THEY FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES WHEN THEY ARE AROUND YOU.
· Express genuine respect, caring and consideration toward your companion.
· Compliment frequently; express appreciation regularly.
· Be quick to apologize.
· Recognize that effective communication begins with an attitude of genuine concern and desire to understand your companion.
· Regularly employ the power of empathy in your active listening to your companion.
· Ensure your companion knows you understand his/her comments before responding yourself.
· Accept that being an effective missionary means being the best companion you know how to be regardless of your companion’s attitude or behavior.

2. REACTING BADLY TO YOUR COMPANION’S ANNOYING BEHAVIOR DEFINES MOST COMPANIONSHIP PROBLEMS.
· Avoid harsh responses, withdrawal, or the silent treatment.
· Assume your companion is doing the best he/she can from his/her point of view.
· Be willing to regularly discuss the strengths as well as challenges in your relationship, including suggestions on how you can improve.
· Avoid being critical toward your companion.
· Criticism is the least effective and laziest of all techniques designed to effect change in others. It is also the most likely to backfire.
· Instead, employ requests for specific changes in behavior (rather than personality or attitude) and always include compliments for actions they are currently performing well.
· Say “Yes” whenever possible to your companion’s requests. If responding with a “No” to the other’s request, always include a legitimate alternative suggestion to which he/she is free to respond.
· If receiving criticism from your companion:
· Allow your companion to express his/her concerns completely. Ask sincere, clarifying questions. Paraphrase his/her concerns to show understanding.
· Find something to agree with in his/her stated concerns.
· Genuinely apologize for any wrongdoing while ignoring any exaggerations in his/her statement.
· Assert your own position regarding the issue non-defensively.
· Set the stage for negotiating.

3. YOUR HAPPINESS IN A COMPANIONSHIP IS PRIMARILY YOUR OWN RESPONSIBILITY
· Improve the quality of your own missionary life.
· Avoid anchoring your happiness in your companionship on fundamental changes in your companion’s attitude or way of doing things.
· Recognize that any change in a companionship must be precipitated by a change on your part first.
· Make yourself happy from other aspects of your missionary life.
· Maintain a ready and consistent sense of humor. Avoid taking yourself and your companion’s natural weaknesses too seriously.