Orchids & Conference in the Philippines

It has been steamy hot this week. While I sit working in the comfort of the air-conditioned office, I have been thinking of our 182 missionaries who live and work in the heat.  Most of them don’t have air conditioning in their apartments and if they do, it’s too expensive to use.  They carry water and hover under the shade of large, colorful umbrellas as they walk from home to home. They are dedicated to their service! On Thursday it was 99 degrees and we had no power from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.  Fortunately in the mission office and apartments we have a generator to keep our refrigerators cool and provide power for a few lights and fans. (but no power for air conditioning)  Relief came on Saturday with a beautiful, drenching rain that cooled us off and quenched our thirsty gardens.

One of the Bishops in our districts works many days each week cleaning our office and caring for our garden. 

the bare roots of the orchid are wrapped around the tree 

Even in the heat, he prefers to be in the garden where he trims and nurtures the wide variety of vegetation.  The orchids are particularly beautiful to me.  They grow all year round with bare roots, no soil!  When we have several days without rain, he painstakingly waters each plant as there is no sprinkler system. 

Jeepney - Missionaries are not allowed to ride on the top

General Conference is delayed for one week here in the Philippines because of the time difference.  The last two days, faithful members eagerly gathered to the air-cooled chapel next to the mission office to hear the words of the Prophet and Apostles.  It’s a full house and we sit very close together.  I first experienced this at an area-wide conference broadcast.  I said to the missionary squished next to my side, “This is a little awkward to me.  I don’t sit this close to my husband”.  He responded, “Welcome to the Philippines!  Have you traveled on a bus or Jeepney yet?”  - Sister Roberts

“Despite contention all around us, one’s home can become a heavenly place, where study, prayer, and faith can be merged with love”.  President Russell M. Nelson, General Conference, April 7, 2019

I want my home to be a Heavenly Place.

Sunday lunch between sessions in the Mission Home

I made a fruit salad for 40 people.