Elder Ardern Visits PCM

Our mission was blessed by a recent visit from Elder Ian Ardern of the Seventy who is serving as 2nd Counselor in our Area Presidency. He came to Cauayan for a Cluster Meeting for priesthood leaders throughout our mission. While he was here he graciously spent an afternoon with some of our mission zone and district leaders. He is truly a master teacher and we were all filled with the spirit and new ideas. He empowered our leaders to stretch and grow as they focused on their callings.

 We held our special leadership meeting with Elder Ardern in the Mission Home

 This is blurry but it shows Elder Ardern in action. He is a vibrant, dynamic teacher.

 All those who could make it were richly blessed.

 The spirit was strong as we sat at his feet and learned from him.

 What a wonderful opportunity this was for our great leaders.

                                                  Elder Ardern with our leaders

On Sunday morning President Carlos and I accompanied him to Pena Blanca in Tuguegarao South Stake, where he dedicated their beautiful new chapel. It was a very special experience. Before he said the dedicatory prayer he asked the congregation to look around the chapel. He said, "Right now this chapel belongs to you--the members of Pena Blanca Ward," but as soon as the prayer is over and you open your eyes you will see a chapel and a building that belongs to the Lord. The prayer was truly inspiring and then we all opened our eyes and could feel the difference. It was a very spiritual experience and one that I will never forget.

 Elder Ardern was showing the local priesthood leaders a picture of a chapel in Vanuatu when he served as a Mission President in Figi. It was a thatched roof with poles, no walls and coconut tree trunks for the benches.

 Elder Adern with each half of the congregation.

 The bishop took us on a tour of the building. This is the clerk's office.

 The bishop's office.

 The library--it was so organized and beautiful.

The lobby. This was the first time I've seen couches in a church lobby here in the Philippines. One sister grabbed my hand and whispered in my ear, "It's just like the temple!"