Wendy's Frosty's

The other day Sister Roberts found a recipe to make Wendy’s Frostys at home.  We purchased the ingredients, whipped them up, and put them in the freezer.  It froze ‘rock solid’ which it wasn’t supposed to do, but when we let it thaw out a little, it was delicious.

The mission home and offices are being painted.  They are working on the exterior only right now, but next week will probably start working on the interior.  They promise us that the paint is order-less and that we will not have to move anything; they will do all the work.   They have also told us that they will do other maintenance and repair items on the buildings.  I think they do this for new Mission Presidents, prior to their arrival.  President and Sister Hiatt will conclude their missions in June.  I am sure the transition process will be interesting.

We are finally able to find time to do Missionary Apartment Inspections.  We make surprise visits, fill out an inspection sheet and score them on several points of cleanliness and order.  We also make sure that they have emergency funds and a fully supplied 72-hour emergency kit.  Unfortunately, the emergency preparation items are frequently where they lose points on their score.  The emergency packs have some basic food items, like canned meat, crackers, and candy bars.  They tend to eat these without replenishing the 72 hours kits and we have to deduct points because of this.  It has a financial consequence for them as well because if they get a failing score (too many deductions), I withhold some of their support money.  Most of the apartments have the shower and toilet combined in a single room.  (They call it the “CR”, or Comfort Room).  Good water flow is also frequently a problem.  The Mission supplies them with a 3-stage water filtration system, but sometimes the missionaries are slow to replace the filters as they should.

While we were out doing inspections we stopped at a grocery store we had not seen before.  We were surprised to find a big block of REAL pepper-jack cheese.  We cut it up and surprised the other senior couples with it.  What a treat!!   Wow, real cheese and crackers for a Sunday evening treat.  

We also found time for a little ‘Five Crowns’ on Saturday evening.

We love the Missionaries!  They are always so excited to come into the Mission Office to see what things we have for them.  This is where they get mail, proselytizing materials, small apartment furnishings and copies of the latest Liahona.  They also turn in expense reimbursement requests and baptism and confirmation records so that Sister Roberts can enter them into the church records.  Sometimes, they want to hang around a little too long and we have to encourage them to get out and go to work. - Elder Roberts

Arrivals & Departures

Every six weeks we have what we refer to as “arrivals and departures”.  This cycle we sent home eleven missionaries and welcomed sixteen more.  The departing missionaries come to the mission office the day before they leave.  They spend a few hours moving from one orientation station to the next, where they receive flight itineraries, have luggage weighed, get results from their TB x-rays, turn in their support cards, obtain enough funds to get them home and have an exit interview with the President.

 Delicious! Or as we say in the Philippines, "sobrang masarap!"

This is followed by a dinner in the President’s home, watching a video made from a collection of their photos and a testimony meeting.  After staying the night in a hotel, they have a last mission meal of the Mission President's wife's yummy ‘Decadent French Toast’.

We leave to take them to the airport at 7:45 a.m. and the new missionaries are scheduled to arrive a few minutes later.

The new missionaries have their group picture taken, and then have a meeting where they each stand and introduce themselves. After introducing myself, I ran next-door to the mission office and sent off a quick email to the parents with photos attached, to let them know that their children have safely arrived. The New Arrivals are then interviewed by the President and rotate from station to station receiving LOTS of instructions.  I’m sure their brain goes on overload trying to process everything from how to fill out a Baptism and Confirmation form, to using water filters and spraying for bugs once a month.  After being assigned a companion, they quickly gather their things and head out to begin their labors.

Yesterday afternoon, I was invited to speak to a group of Young Women at their ‘New Beginnings’ program.  I am so glad that they understand English! 

Top row, far left -  Vilma, the Amazing YW President, Chef & 'Couple's Night' party planner & hostess!

In the evening we attended a “Couples Night” in the Cauayan 2^nd Branch.  The Young Women’s President; a tiny, energetic, powerhouse woman was in charge.  She enlisted the help of the young men and women in the branch and spent four days decorating the cultural hall with hundreds, maybe thousands of hearts, flowers, and balloons.  The plastic chairs had white slipcovers and pink cloths covered the tables.  After a few dances and having a ‘couples’ picture taken, we were seated and served our dinner by the Young Women.  They also brought us beautiful glass goblets and filled them with ice and sparkling grape cider.  We were treated royally!

The man on the left was the winner with 19 tiny ponytails!

Elder Roberts and I participated in a contest to see which wife could put the most little ponytails in her husband’s hair.  Yes! – You guessed it, we lost!

Today after Sacrament Meeting, The Branch President asked Elder Roberts if I could teach Primary and of course, he said yes.  So there I was, with no preparation and one young woman to help me, I taught seven children ranging in age of 10 years to 3 years. They especially like singing, 'If You Chance to Meet a Frown'. - Sister Roberts 

Shaboshaboo

Last week we got new chairs for the Mission Office.  So nice!  My old chair did not have good lumbar support and it would gradually sink while I was sitting in it.  The sinking was so subtle that I wouldn’t notice it until I would suddenly realize that my armpits were just about level with the top of the desk.  Unfortunately, one of the five new chairs only had one arm on it.  We made fun of it until Sister K; wanting to say something positive about it; said: “that just makes it easy to get in and out of”.  Well, guess who got that chair!

I never would have thought that I could get so well acquainted with the security guard for the parking lot at the local hospital, but I’m sure we would now recognize each other anywhere.  Sister Roberts and I have made so many trips to that overcrowded parking lot.  I found out he is a member of the church and so I think he gives us ‘preferred’ service.  He even let me park in the space reserved for Doctors.  I only hope he doesn’t get in trouble for it.

We have been more than a week now without rain, which I think is unusual for the Philippines.  The local missionaries tell us that our mission is the warmest of all the missions.  Thank goodness we have air conditioning in the mission office.  The days can get very warm and muggy.

Sister Roberts and I spoke in church today.  The members in our Nagulian Branch, who are willing to stand and give a talk for Sacrament Meeting, probably have to speak  6- 8 times a year.  We continue to encourage the members to minister to those who are less active to see if they can swell their ranks.  In some ways, it’s a wonder that anyone comes.  Most are so poor; it’s a challenge just to pay the transportation to get there.  Tricycles (Trycee) are the primary way for those who do not have their own car or motorcycle to make a local trip.  One little woman walks to church each Sunday and is as faithful as they come.  Even though she does not have a long way to walk, she moves so slowly that I’m sure she has to start 40 minutes before the meeting starts.  She is so sweet and tells everyone that the missionaries are her boyfriends.  She could be a poster child for ‘Enduring to the End’!

Sister Roberts is getting more comfortable with the ‘Trycee’ mode of transportation.  She has even made an unaccompanied round trip to the Hospital.  I think the drivers see her coming a mile away however, because she gives them 20 pesos per ride instead of the customary 12 pesos.  What a big tipper!

When purchasing gas for our vehicle, I learned that the phrase ‘Filler up’ does not translate.  They look at me with a bewildered stare until I say “Full Tank”.  (BTW, there is no such thing as ‘self-service’ here)  I also have trouble getting used to the custom that we do not clear our own tables at a fast food restaurant.  You just walk away, otherwise, you are depriving someone of their employment duties.

Quail Eggs for Shaboshaboo

Sisters Cabaraban and Palaganas

Tonight (Sunday) we had dinner with one of the members of the Cauayan Branch, Vilma, who has a little restaurant on Don Jose Street, not far from the Mission Office, called ‘The Side Grille’.  She served us Shaboshaboo, which is an assortment of meat, fish, vegetables, and noodles thrown in a boiling broth for a few minutes.  It was delicious!  She was throwing the dinner party for a Sister Missionary who is going home on Wednesday.  She asked everyone there to say something nice about the Missionary, which we were happy to do. - Elder Roberts

Shots; Outdoor Baptism; Motorcycle Ride

It has been a busy week attending three-zone conferences.  I organized the caterers and Elder Roberts had to hire a nurse, order medicine and all the supplies for 47 native missionaries to get there immunizations.  Some of the missionaries were nervous about getting shots, a few tears were shed. I took photos of the missionaries and posted them on Facebook for their proud mothers to see.

Missionaries showing off the personalized contact cards that they made.

"You will just feel a little poke"

Always plenty of delicious food!

The highlight of our week was attending the Baptism of a beautiful 19-year old young woman in Naguilian late yesterday afternoon. She was dressed in a white baptism suit and her long dark hair pulled back in a ponytail. She was beaming with joy as members came to greet her before the meeting started. After her baptism, she told a story of a girl who dreamed of being a child of God:  “The girl was raised in an imperfect family, a family that is broken; not literally but a broken family emotionally and spiritually.  Because of so much pain and affliction within her heart.... she came to the point of thinking to end her life.  This girl was really shattered into pieces like a broken glass…she humbled herself and prayed to the Almighty Father…and God answered her prayers” he sent the missionaries …” and the girl was lifted by the love of God…She holds on to the promise of God and to the love and sacrifices of Jesus Christ and decided to be baptized…. And the girl in the story is standing in front of you right now."   We in the congregation were touched as she expressed the deeply personal feelings of her tender heart. (you can read her entire handwritten talk below)

After the meeting, there was a young girl, who looked to be 12-years old sitting on a motorcycle in the church parking lot.  I said to her, “Do you know how to drive that thing?”

She replied, “Yes I do!”

I then asked her how old she was.  She replied, “I’m 15 and I can take you for a ride”.  And she did!  Elder Roberts and I love our little ‘Naguilian Branch Family'.

. 

After church today, we attempted to visit seven families and were happy to find four of them at home.  We trekked down narrow roads and steep dirt paths to find them. 

 We passed by several skinny barking dogs, chickens of all sizes, a few cats and some goats. I told the people we visited, that I came all the way from Arizona to tell them that God loved them and invite them to come to church.  We met one cute little boy with curlier hair than mine. 

 One family had a huge albino boa constrictor in a cage in their backyard. 

At one home, a young girl was the only member of her family.  We visited with her on her front porch. I asked her to read to us some words from President Uchtdorf’s last conference talk.  She had tears in her eyes as she read out loud, “God knows you. You are His child.  He loves you!”  It was a rewarding experience for Elder Roberts and me.

It’s back to a long day in the office tomorrow.  Missionary life can be very hard, but Very Rewarding!

 Testimony

“Totoo ang Simbahan!” - Sister Roberts