August 5th - 24th 2025

2 Zone Conferences down (Tarlac Zone & Mabalcat Zones AND SanFernando & Angeles Zones) with 2 to go this week!  We love being with the missionaries and the young mission leaders do a great job training and teaching.  Our transfer theme is "Maintain the Momentum"! 

I sat down in the chair to get my flu shot after zone conference.  The nurse told me it was her very first time giving a true shot, not just for practice at school.  She then looked at the vaccine and said - "Wow, I 've never seen one that looks like this."  Not very comforting.  But all is well and I am now vaccinated for the flu.

Just look at this room filled with Young Single Adults from 2 stakes in our mission. (Camiling & Mabalacat Stakes)  We were able to speak to them at their YSA conference.  We spoke about the wonderful opportunity to serve missions.  Imagine if ALL of them end up serving missions - what a powerful force for good.

We finally had a Monday, Pday, where it wasn't raining.  Yahoo!  We were able to get out and hike Mt. Arayat with 4 Elders who live close to that mountain. (Elder Resuma, Elder Brower, Elder Delapo & Elder Hardy)  It is such a beautiful hike.  Every time we do it I am amazed at the miracle of this beautiful place that we get to live for 3 years.  

We also had a miracle - when we got to White Rock, a stopping place on our hike up, I opened my phone and we were able to connect via Zoom and witness the blessing of sweet Emery Jane.  Oh my heart.  We are so blessed.  What a beautiful memory.  Sitting on a mountain side,on a beautiful day in the sunshine and listening via technology to a blessing that was happening on the other side of the world was pure joy and a memory that I will cherish.

Meet Elder Lawther & his companion Elder Gaco.  Elder Gaco's father passed away on Thursday.  Oh my heart, that is always so hard and sad to have a missionary lose a parent while serving.  This is the 5th missionary that has lost a mother or father while we have been serving.  After zone conference on Friday we went directly to Elder Gaco's apartment to hear about his father & comfort him & really to mourn with him.  It was tender for us all.

A month or so ago Elder Gaco had shared with me a photo from about 10 years ago.  It was a picture of his family when they were sealed in the Cebu temple.  He comes from a family of 6 boys. 

Our Elder Gaco is the little boy right in the middle.  Isn't this photo touching?  Elder Gaco shared memories of studying the gospel, namely the scriptures with his father in preparation for serving his mission.  Tender memories for him now.

Please don't share the following with anyone as I wouldn't want it ever to get back to him - As we visited, Elder Gaco showed us pictures of the home that his family lives in.  There home does not have electricity.  They cook on a wood stove, or fire.  In the past Elder Gaco communicated with his family only when his uncle can visit their home with a cell phone.  He comes from humble circumstances.  It is humbling to witness such faithfulness in our missionaries as they continue to serve even during challenging times.  We love this fine missionary, Elder Gaco!

I haven't posted many food pictures - but here are a couple (mostly for Jacob).  We ate at a Japanese Restaurant for dinner.  I ate the cabbage & kimchi, but those caramelized fish things were disgusting.  Michael had ramen and edamame & I had a poke bowl. It's a bonus that we qualify for a senior discount!

A missionary asked me the other day - who is your favorite apostle?  I really don't know that I have a favorite because they are all so inspiring, but I would have to say that Pres. Nelson has had the greatest impact on me the past few years.  I know that he speaks for Jesus Christ and is leading and guiding  this church as we prepare for the Savior to return to the earth.  As we act on his invitations we can receive the promised blessings that President Nelson is also very good at promising us.  "We thank thee oh God for a prophet to guide us in these latter-days." 

2 more awesome zone conferences last week!  Camiling & Santa Ignacia Zones and then Paniqui & Tarlac North Zones.  We love being with missionaries at zone conferences.  Just look at all of those awesome missionaries.

Rainy days!

It is always a choice experience to attend baptisms, especially when there are 5 of them from one area!!

Frogs for sale.  Anyone interested?

I thought I would share one of the many miracles that are happening in our mission daily!  Elder Tipace & Elder Casi serving in Bacalor Branch.  Enjoy their message.  Thank you for your continued prayers and faith in behalf of our mission and missionaries.  Seek & expect miracles.

Elder Sevese has been reassigned to the Papua New Guinea Lae Mission.  What a blessing it will be for him to be able to teach in his native language of tok pisin (I always thought it was called pigeon...). We are so grateful for the opportunity and blessing we have had to meet and serve with Elder Sevese for the past 9 weeks.  He comes from such humble circumstances.  Some day maybe we can all visit Papua New Guinea and visit the missionaries that we have served with.  We are wishing him the very best in his new assignment.

To celebrate Sister Robert's birthday we went to one of our favorite restaurants - Altrove.  This time we decided to try their pasta that they swirl around in and then serve from giant parmesan cheese wheel!  Quite exciting for all of us seniors!

We found a place called Josephina's.  What a beautiful setting in our mission!

 Because the Urdaneta Temple will be closed the last 2 weeks of August, we took our departing missionaries to the temple on Thursday.  What a choice experience it is to be in the House of the Lord with these special missionaries

We will be so sad to say goodby to this special couple - the Smiths.  They are serving as our mission health advisors.  What incredible stories they both share with us and with our missionaries.  They have been such a blessing in 100s of tiny ways and it has all added up to an incredible mission experience.  They shared their testimonies at our past 4 zone conferences.  We love these special friends that we have made here in the Philippines.

Here is a recent message from Elder Smith:  This week, we were privileged to bear our testimonies to the wonderful missionaries. This special blessing was given to us because we are now in our last scheduled mission zone conferences and all departing missionaries get an opportunity to share their personal beliefs and knowledge of our God, His Beloved Son Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost and the restored Gospel and Doctrine of The Lord. This was a real treasured experience because we acknowledge that great trust was placed upon us to speak to a collective gathering of the young disciples of  the Lord. I have always been fearful that what I share may hurt someone beliefs or impact their faith and testimony. Because missions are special in the Lords work, and  missionary meetings are always full of the spirit of the Lord, it allows us to remember the why, when, and how we came unto Him, and the Holy Ghost confirmed the reality of all things we share in our testimony if we let him. We praise the Lord for allowing us to have some very special experiences while we have been here in the Philippines.

Elder Tukana from Fiji.  What a faithful missionary he has been.  He has touched our hearts in many ways - He was older when he decided to serve (he is now 26 years old).  He is from divorced parents.  He lost his beloved uncle while he was serving here in our mission.  He is inspirign.   He will return to BYU to finish a master program.  Look for him in Provo.

Sister Manuel.  Oh my heart.  There is a story that goes along with each of our missionaries.  Stories of hard work, challenging situations, troubles at home, stories of forgiveness and love.

Sister Ramos.  The one thing she really wanted to do was learn to ride a bike while she served - and she did it!  Thankfully she was able to serve before we got rid of most of the bikes in our mission!  I have some fabulous video of riding with her out in San Clemente!  What happy memories of her riding that bike.  She met Bonnie Cordon before coming on a mission.  Bonnie told her that she 

should prepare to be a leader of women here in the Philippines.  Later when in the MTC, Sister Ramos received her Patriarchal Blessing - in that blessing were the exact words that Bonnie has told her. 

 When I mentioned to her about what a great missionary she is - she shared that 

my words confirmed that message as well.  How sweet is that?

Elder Evelyn from Enterprise Utah.  He has been such a great missionary! He has served faithfully in every assignment that he has received. We hope to visit him down in his beautiful home town.

One of our service missionaries - Elder Laño, has completed his service.  Here we are with the Service Mission Advisors, the Dela Cruz.

Lunch with the fabulous 5.  With a small group of departing missionaries we were able to treat them with a visit to Kuya J restaurant in the SM (SuperMall).

Camiling Missionary Choir at the YSA choir event.  Himig na Pananampalataya - Hymns of Faith.  We love to see and be with the young adults and youth.  The rising generation is inspiring to us, especially here in the Philippines.  The church is in good hands as these youth demonstrate faith, sacrifice and service.

Sacrament meeting in the Bamban Branch.  The 3 pictures of rice fields were taken from the 2nd floor of the chapel - where sacrament meeting is held.  (I actually took the photos to send to Benjamin after talking to him on the phone.)  As we met with this struggling branch, sang hymns, partook of the sacrament, listened to talks, sang more hymns, and prayed, my heart was touched and my testimony was strengthened.  Worshipping with fellow saints, no matter how few (where 2 or 3 are gathered in His Name - there He will be) gives us renewed strength and insight into the love of our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ.  We sang, Where Can I Turn for Peace and I Stand All Amazed - just remembering those hymns now brings a lump to my throat.  We are so blessed.  It's the gospel that everyone needs.  It's the gospel that I need.  The doctrine works miracles.  I have seen that in myself as we have served.  The promised blessings are real.  It is a privilege to serve

One last story,  Joshua, John & Gian were all baptized Saturday in Vargas. 3 young men - future missionaries (remember what I said about the youth in the Philippines?). The touching part of the story is that the 3 young men that baptized them, are all recent converts themselves.  They love the gospel and have brought their friends to it.  Awesome!  (Sister Umacob, Sister Legaspi, Elder Idell and Elder Escalante).