WILL GOOD COME FROM AN ACCIDENT?

I (Eileen) experienced some of the frustrations that young missionaries feel with going to a doctor this past week. As I mentioned in our previous blog you can't make appointments with physicians here in the Philippines. Last week I was diagnosed with an ear infection and was told that I should return to visit with an ENT physician on Monday. I went to the clinic during the hours that the ENT should have been there, only to be told that the doctor wouldn't be in that day. Try again on Wednesday. The doctor also wasn't in on Wednesday. Fortunately I was able to see another doctor at another clinic. I was told that I shouldn't swim for 2 weeks. I have thoroughly enjoyed using the swimming pool at our complex early in the morning or late in the evening.  Since the weather has been rainy, I am the only one in the pool. I figure I am wet anyhow, so it doesn't matter if it is rainy. It has been a great way to exercise. I am looking forward to feeling better so I can swim again.

Sometimes with missionaries it is determined that their health problems are more than can be handled in the mission field. We have had two missionaries return home for medical reasons during the time we have been here. A missionary that we are very fond of was advised this past week to have surgery. He has been told that he would need to return home for 4-6 weeks if he chooses to have this surgery. He is doing his best to avoid needing to return home. We can see the determination of some of these missionaries as they want so badly to serve the Lord that they will endure pain rather than leave the mission field. Sister Bills who arrived just a few weeks ago has also struggled with her health.  Elder Bills has been a real trooper in doing double duty serving long days in the office trying to keep up with the necessary work. We have been praying for the health of all the missionaries but especially those with specific challenges, hoping that they can feel better and continue their mission.

It has been determined that there are some apartments within our mission that are greatly in need of some improvements. Russell, Elder Mulet and I went out to see some of those apartments this week. It is interesting how four Elders can live in a cramped apartment with water leaking all over the floor and not complain. Some sisters were upset that their apartment is too big to clean. There are many missionaries who would love to have some room to actually hang their clothes.  Some Elders haven't had a fridge for over a month. One set of missionaries were told they had to really do a deep cleaning of their apartment by President Alder.  Four missionaries worked 2 days straight and moved out dozens of bags of garbage out of their apartment. From a health perspective, I can understand why some of the missionaries get sick, based on their living conditions. Russell is working as fast as he can to remedy some of these problems. I am very impressed when I see missionaries who make the best of their situations. I asked one set of missionaries who had NO extra room in their apartment how they exercise. There was about a 2 foot strip of floor in the kitchen that was empty. The elder told me that is where he does his pushups to stay in shape. These particular elders have been tasked with finding another apartment ASAP.

Thursday I went to the Zone Conference for the Taguig/Pasig missionaries. I have been asked to present health topics at each Zone Conference. I went with President and Sister Alder while Elder Steed drove. He is one of the APs. We  traveled 19 km in 2 hours 20 minutes. The return took 45 minutes. During the conference I thought we were in the middle of a cyclone. Rain was battering the roof of the chapel and I could see the trees outside whipping around. I was rather distracted and entranced at the same time by the weather. One Filipino missionary calmly stood up and closed the curtains in the chapel so we couldn't see what was going on outside. There was a beautiful spirit of calm and refuge from the storm outside. Some takeaways from Zone Conference: 1) President Alder taught about how our relationship with our companion is like a triangle with the two companions at the bottom of the triangle and the Savior at the top. As we become unified as a companionship and strive to get closer to the Savior our purposes will be one. 2) Begin with the end in mind (by President Nelson), what kind of missionary do we want to look back and say that we were?  Work on that right now, rather than waiting until the end of the mission to accomplish your goals. 3) Do not procrastinate the day of your obedience. If you are not obeying the rules, change now!  4) If someone isn't progressing it might be fun to hang out with them, however could your time be better spent moving on to someone that needs to hear the gospel? 5)  Are we being a good example in all we do?  As we drive (only senior missionaries), do we get impatient?  Are we kind to others we interact with?  Are we good tenants for the apartments we rent?  6) Invite, invite, invite-nobody will ever join the church if they are not invited. President Alder again challenged the missionaries to make invitations on their way home. Out of 40 missionaries, 156 invitations were extended. It was a spiritual feast for the day. Many missionaries approached me during lunchtime with health issues. I am getting to know them, and I believe they are feeling comfortable approaching me. Russell spent the day delivering rent checks to other parts of the mission and checking up on the apartment for another senior couple who will be coming on Tuesday. Not only is their apartment ready (they went home for medical reasons), he said it is truly beautiful.  The Relief Society sisters were cleaning it this week in preparation for the Gordons arrival.

Friday, Elder Wacolo from the Area Presidency came by the office to visit. He spent most of the day with President and Sister Alder at their home.  Elder Wacolo and his wife are from Fiji and previously were mission presidents in Arkansas. We had a few interactions with them in the missionary department as we tried to help them get some senior missionaries assigned to their mission.

I had an interesting experience this past week which I hope will morph into a bigger and better experience.  We have a sister missionary who has had some bad foot problems. I wasn't able to find a podiatrist to send her to, so I sent her to see an orthopedist. She ended up seeing someone different than who I sent her to, and she was rather excited as this doctor said his wife was a member of our church and he was happy to treat her.  He scheduled  her to have a steroid shot the next day at a nearby hospital. Friday, the weather was horrible and the sisters traveled far to reach the hospital he was going to meet them  at. He never showed up. Later they were able to make contact with him using my cell phone and he offered to have them come to his home. Not only did his anaesthesiologist wife feed the sisters dinner, but the sisters were able to give him a message after he treated the missionary free of charge.  Later I texted him to thank him. It turned out in the bad weather on Friday he was in a motorcycle accident and tore his ACL.  That is why he had the sisters meet him at his home. I had a strong feeling that evening that Russell and I should get to know this doctor and his wife better. I assumed it was to get some insight into medical care in the Philippines. This morning I checked with the doctor to see how his knee was doing. He said he was going to the hospital to get checked right after he went to the local ward for church.  I was excited as I thought perhaps having this sister see this particular doctor was really a blessing in disguise.  Perhaps he can be a resource for our missionaries, and also learn more about our church in the process.

Life is good here. Some things are  hard, but many things are very good. This morning in church the sister that prayed expressed thanks for the senior missionaries that were serving. In our four missions I think that is the first time I have ever heard someone particularly pray for the senior missionaries. It was the first time that we had attended this ward, and we were met with many handshakes, smiles and warm greetings. Many told us that they hoped that we would return. We are technically within this ward's boundaries, but we don't know as of yet where President Alder will assign us to go.

Sister Gibson and Sister Bills going down the travelator to get to parking.

Selling fresh corn on a very rainy day

The Elders all have this workout plan in their apartments. I guess it is how to get fit without a gym.

I never thought I would see Russell parking in front of a no parking sign. We were desperate for a place to leave the car. He parked so close to the wall he had to get out of the car from the passenger side. 

I am wondering why there was a rule listed that you can't burn things in your room. That seems a little obvious.

Ummm, there was more than a little garbage in this one apartment

Elder Wilde and Elder Carrion-the front of their apartment was very overrun with huge weeds. They cut the weeds down with scissors and took shoots off the the tree to plant in front of their house.

These pigs are double decker in the back of this truck. There is a passenger bus right next to the truck. The pigs were fighting and squealing so loud we could hear them inside our car.  

Elder Keller is actually on the phone with a sister who is upset. He has been an office missionary for 7 months. I think he is happy to be getting out. 

Elder Mulet and Elder Keller during their last day in the office. 

Russell determined that we would have a celebration for President and Sister Alder for their 40th anniversary.

There were many "trikes" lined up at the church today. I especially like the  one with the umbrella and the angel Moroni on the back.

The video below is of some Elders memorising a verse from the Doctrine & Covenants to music