Still More Christmas Zone Conference Photos

I hope that you can see how our Zone Conference was jam packed with wonderful things. Our training focused on Rescuing the One! Our missionaries will be working hand in hand with their branch/ward  leaders to re-teach and invite back those less actives. What we've found is that they often just need a nudge. We've also found that most of them have neighbors, friends and relatives who aren't members but who are interested. The work is going great. Our missionaries are the BEST!
 Lunch is a great way to top off a great zone conference!

 Roxas zoned did a great rendition of Rudolf the Rednose Reindeer!

 Roxas has some great moves in their dance!

The grand finale of Roxas performance! Wow!

Elder Katoa, one of our assistants is such a good sport. Here he helped out the senior missionaries with their skit.

More Zone Conference Photos

Each zone prepared a skit or song.The elders of Cauayan zone did this hilarious dance. They made costumes out of rice bags. So clever!

The Sisters loved their personalized Christmas stockings, chocked full of goodies! It was fun to spoil them a little!

 The Cabatuan sisters showing some of the fun things they got in the gift exchange and in their stockings.

 Elder Ziegler and Elder Ballentos are new companions and happy to get their stockings.

Elder Daluman leads Tuguegarao zone in a beautiful Christmas Carol.

 It was fun to watch Elder Daluman direct, he has quite a flair for directing!

 Sister Fort and Sister Martinez did the most glorious rendition of Silent Night. They both have such lovely, light voices. This was a real treat!

 The Elders of Tuguegarao did the Haka. Wow it was sure fun to watch those white boys get down and ugly. They were led by Elder Brown from Samoa!

These are such loyal, and hardworking, fun and loveable missionaries! We just adore every one of them.

Our senior couples jump right in and help wherever we need them. Here Elder Russell and Elder Breese are helping out at the serving table.

Here is a close up look at the darling stockings my friend was able to get us. Each one was different. It was fun to match the stocking to the personality of the missionary.

Nueva Vizcaya Zone sings a beautiful filipino Christmas Song with our Aussie, Elder Rostedt accompanying them on a guitar. Notice Sister George's authentic Pakistanian costume. She asked if she could wear it to the party. The fabric and fine details were really amazing.

More Christmas Zone Conference Shots

For some reason blogspot freezes up and I can't add more photos. When that happens I know I need to just start a new posting.

 Mealtime is a great time to visit and get to know each other better. Elder Breese enjoys visiting with the young elders.

 The Russells dine with elders and sisters from Alicia Zone.

 Our beautiful sister missionaries have fun reconnecting with past companions and getting to know new sisters.

Each zone was asked to do a skit or song. Alicia started off with a great skit that was funny and touching.

 Our senior missionaries did the 12 Days of Christmas Cauayan Style with a little help from some of our missionaries.

 12 Missionaries, 11 Carabaos, 10 Calligligs, 9 Halo Halos, 8 Crazy Trycie drivers, 7 shrimp a swimming, 6 tinikling dnacers, 5 big fat pigs, for jeepneys honking, 3 big balut, 2 coconuts and a myah bird in one papaya tree!

 The sister missionaries from Cauayan Zone learned a native Indian dance thanks to Sister Dhikao serving here from India.

The elders in Cauayan Zone kept us in stitches with their great dance complete with costumes.

Finally our Christmas Zone Conference Post

I have had a month of computer internet problems. I've lost track of how many workers have come into the Mission Home to try to fix it. Finally I'm back up. What does that mean? It means I am way behind on my Christmas Posts. The week of Christmas found us hosting 3 zone conferences here in Cauayan. We split our mission into thirds and each day we had 2 or 3 zones come in for a full day of training, dining, playing and worshipping. (That means we had between 50 and 65 missionaries here each day.)

Here's our schedule
10-12 Training (Off to the Rescue) The Philippines Area Presidency Vision for 2012
12-1 Started with a blessing of the food in a courtyard off the chapel where it snowed on all the missionaries! Then we had a Christmas banquet with lasagna, garlic bread, salad and chocolate cream pie.
1-3 Christmas Party
3-4 Christmas Devotional

We made many lasting memories. We especially thank our senior couples who assisted us with all the little details!

 Cauayan missionaries decided to turn Elder Meru into a Christmas Tree!

 The tables were set, the signs up, the tree decorated and a beautiful stocking was filled for each missionary.

Thanks to our dear friend Merry Ballweber we got a unique and gorgeous stocking for each missionary. Merry owns a company to buys products for Fred Meyers and other large chains. She got her manufacturers in China to donate their samples to us! Each of the senior couples contributed a gift for each missionary. (Sister Russell crocheted each a bookmark, Sister Shaner made each missionary a beautiful pillow case, Sister Breese got a handkerchief for each one--everyone always carries these around to wipe of their sweat on hot days, President and I purchased a DVD Church History for each missionary and we added a lot of goodies. We had asked each parent to send a special Christmas letter to us, which we included in their stocking. Other friends from home sent their testimonies and so we put those in the stockings as well. Many of the filipinos weren't aware of our American tradition of hanging stockings on the fireplace in hopes that Santa would fill them. They simply couldn't believe that the could keep these stockings forever.

 Each missionary brought in a gift for our gift exchange and the packages were placed under the tree. Our Assistants came up with a fun story/game for the gift exchange. Each day they surprised us with something different.

 Who says it doesn't snow in the Philippines. (I brought some instant snow with us and Elder Shaner mixed it up and then handed it up to Donnie [our wonderful FM guy] on the roof.) When the missionaries gathered in the courtyard for the blessing on our banquet, it started to snow!

We were dreaming of a white Christmas full of people entering the waters of baptism. That came true with lots scheduled around the holidays. But I have to admit when I saw it snowing I got all teared up, thinking about the fun Christmas' we've had back home.

Everyone enjoyed the Italian Feast. There was plenty of lasagna, salad and chocolate cream pie for all!

Visiting Primaries

On Sundays if we don't have a conference to attend, we head out in a different direction and visit random branches or wards. I usually visit the Young Women or the Primary organizations. I have to admit that I gravitate to the primaries where I love to spend a little time with the children. They usually ask me to help out with some songs or a story. I love it!

On this day we visited Gamu in their new building. The children were excited to be in their very own primary room. They had about 25 children with only a few chairs, so we're hoping they can quickly get the equipment they need to function properly.



The Primary President was super enthusiastic and the children enjoyed their day in Primary. Because of a lack of chairs, many of the children had to sit on a mat in the back of the room. (Gamu, Burgos District)

On this Sunday I visited an Ilagan Ward. The children were so well behaved (something that is pretty rare). We had so much fun singing songs together. I taught them a few of my favorite primary songs and they sang a fwe of their favorites to me.

Cauayan Missionaries Go Caroling

The missionaries assigned to Cauayan City borrowed Sister Shaner's sparkly Santa hats and went out caroling. They visited members of the church, less active members and their investigators. Here in the Philippines lots of people go caroling but at the end of their song they all put their hands out waiting for a little monetary donation. Our missionaries said they surprised people by just singing to them without asking for any little payback.

Elder Cajumban, Sister Certicio, Elder Cledera, Elder Katoa, Sister Bigay and Elder Crowley

We love having these fantastic missionaries serve close to the Mission Home and we're so happy when they stop by and let us know what they are doing!

Two Miracles: Bananas and Carabaos

Today I'd like to share  two simple miracles that happened recently here in our mission. It is just proof to me that God does know us and does create miracles when we need his help--sometimes using strange elements. These miracles revolved around bananas and carabao (the work animal here).



The Banana Miracle


We have a North American elder who texted me to say he was having bad case of lbm (loose bowel movements). So I told him what medicine to purchase and instructions for taking it. Two days later he texted back to say it was still there. So I contacted our area medical authority in Manila and he suggested the elder stop eating regular food for a couple of days and just eat bananas and rice. Well there was 4 days left until he would get any more money and he was broke except for his trycie fair. He had rice and sardines in his apartment and planned on eating that until more money was deposited into his account. So that morning he said his prayers and asked Heavenly Father to help him be obedient to my suggestions. He asked that somehow he could figure out how to get some bananas. Well he and his companion worked all day and evening and no one offered him a banana. They worked right up until 9:30 when it was time to head home. That last investigator said good night. The missionaries walked down the lane to try to catch a trycie when the investiagor, a woman, yelled, "Elder would you like some bananas?" And she handed them a bunch of bananas. Some people say that must have been a coincidence. That missionary believes it was a little miracle. Guess what? In two days his lbm was gone!



The Carabao Miracle

Two elders were teaching a family and the father was very hard headed and not very interested. They had taught him to pray and asked him to pray on several occassions, but he always declined saying he didn't much believe in prayer. So the elders had prayed that morning that they would know how to touch his heart and help him progress (something that's not possible if investigators don't pray). Later that day they went to their house for their appointment. The father greeted them and said the they couldn't have a lesson because his carabao was missing. He was a rice farmer and his most prized possession was his carabao. They use them like tractors here. Carabaos live to be around 25 years old and do all the heavy work. So instead of leaving, the elders asked if they could help him look for it. They searched everywhere for about an hour and determined that the carabao was nowhere to be found. One elder suggested they go inside and say a prayer. The man reluctantly agreed. The elders asked him to pray. He gave the most simplest prayer. He said, "Heavenly Father, help me find my carabao. In the name of Jesus, Amen." The elders went with the man outside and the first place they looked was under a tree (where they had previously looked). There was the carabao laying in th shade. Some people might say that was just a coincidence but those missionaries believe it was a miracle to teach that father the value of prayer. When the father saw the carabao he couldn't believe his eyes and he started to weep.

Every Monday our missionaries write an LTP to President Carlos (Letter to the President) they are filled with similar little miracles. He sometimes calls me over to read them and I always am amazed at our many touching and inspiring little miracles are happening right here before our very eyes!

Santa's Elves

We have a dear friend in the US that sent us some money to use to buy clothing for some of our missionaries. We have a number who came with  only one or two pairs of pants. So President and the assistants purchased material and enclosed enough cash for the elders to have a pair of pants tailored. In early December they headed out in various directions to deliver the surprise gifts. All in all that gift provided for 20 missionaries.

Sister Shaner brought some glittery Santa hats with her and let these three borrow them for their surprise deliveries!

More Saying Goodbye to a very Special Batch

We will never forget these amazing missionaries!

Look at these amazing departing missionaries! (Front row: Sister Laguitan, Elder Hardman, Elder Bangal, Sister Baladjay. Back row: Elder Castillo, Elder Dahlin, Elder Riner, Elder Ward, Elder Hale, Elder Cantos and Sister Webre)

Members of Roxas Zone modeled their zone t-shirts in honor of Elder Cantos and Elder Dahlin who were leaving from their zone.

Elder Schmidt wears a gift from Elder Hardman our only departing missionary from Magna, Utah.

Missionaries came to the departing fireside. They left with a strengthened testimony as they listened to the great testimonies and words of advice from those were heading home.

Elder Castillo (tallest missionaries) says goodbye to some of his great mission friends.

These faithful Saints came to say goodbye to Sister Webre. She has fans throughout the mission who could feel her love for them.

Sister Laguitan (in the center) has so many friends in the mission. She is such a thoughtful friend. I was always taking uniquely wrapped gifts to her former companions. It seems like yesterday that Sister Laguitan arrived in the mission!

 All departing missionaries enjoyed our traditional Rudiyaki Chicken dinner, which is President's secret recipe!

Cherry and Blueberry Cobbler for dessert--yummy!

President Uy, Sister Uy and their three darling children came to the bus station to see off Elder Bangal, Elder Hale and Sister Webre--as all three missionaries had served in Cauayan.

 Elder Ward, Elder Hale and Elder Hardman were settling in for their all night bus ride to Manila. These buses are known running the air conditioner on full blast and so everyone usually freezes.

Elder Cantos and Elder Castillo had mixed feelings about leaving the mission and returning home. They were excited and sad.

Elder Hardman on the left is wearing the tie that Sister Dahlin made for their batch. Elder Riner changed his tie for the bus ride to Manila.