A SHOT IN THE ARM

This week we have been quite busy.  We have been on two trips to the east end of the mission, once to the southeast and another to the northeast, getting apartments ready for new missionaries this coming Wednesday.  We have also been looking for three new apartments for the increase in missionaries we will get in November.  And in the midst of this Eileen conducted an immunization clinic for three dozen missionaries.  Some missionaries got as many as four shots.

Eileen has struggled to get the missionaries their shots. She has been challenged by the wide area over which the missionaries live and our medical provider’s unwillingness to give the shots unless we could have at least 30 individuals receiving shots in one location.  To have three dozen missionaries get shots, by the time you count their companions, it means almost half the mission’s missionaries are involved.  In the end it all worked out quite well; even for me (Russell) who got one of the flu shots.

Finding new apartments for the missionaries is interesting. We look by both having the young missionaries search in their teaching areas and by our looking on the internet and Facebook.  For quite a while we had been looking for an apartment near the office in which we could not only house two young elders but could also handle several more on a temporary basis.  We found one near us when we were looking last July for the senior missionaries but due to timing it did not work out.  I had since thought that the location would be ideal for the young elders but every time we returned to inquire we were just told nothing was for rent, only for sale. The other day when we were out trying to find a new way back to the office, the road (dirt path) we were driving on brought us out near these same apartments.  I commented to Eileen that maybe we should go and look again.  Once again, we were told “no units for rent – only for sale.” Eileen decided to call one of the phone numbers listed on one of the for-sale signs and the person on the other end said that they only wanted to sell, but that they would think about renting and if interested call us back.  After not hearing anything for a couple days I wrote a follow-up text message.  Yesterday to our surprise, at 7:30 am on Saturday morning, Eileen got a call back. We met with the landlord two hours later.  Things went so well that she took us up on our offer to show her our mission office one block away.  It truly was an answer to prayer.

This afternoon I spent a couple hours with the Tayuman Ward missionary leader out visiting inactive members of the church. I told them the Lord loved them and that we as their ward members missed not seeing them at church.  One man was suffering from advanced stage cancer.  I offered to pick him up for church next week in my car and take him back home after sacrament meeting.  We’ll see if he takes me up on my offer.

This Elder is 6'4" tall.   He hit his head on the doorway of an internet cafe. He was wondering if he could super glue his head. I (Eileen) gave him a resounding NO!

Elder Ivins and Elder Rivera have to leave Infanta at 6a.m. to get to District Meeting at 8:30.  They made this chicken adobe for their district before they left in the morning. That is true dedication.

Zone Siniloan - I have been so impressed at the unity and love they have for each other.

This district called themselves "District Awesome"

This District called themselves "District Game."  Unfortunately I couldn't hear what they were saying and asked them if they really wanted to call themselves District Lame?  The other district thought that was hilarious. I wasn't making a joke, I really thought that is what they wanted to be called. They said they are District Game because they are game for anything.

The Siniloan Zone leaders on a trike taking home their wardrobe Russell brought for them. It saved us one more trip that day.

A family moving on a jeepney. We see all sorts of stuff being hauled on a jeepney.

Immunization clinic starting - we had 35 missionaries receive a total of 67  shots.

The sisters anxiously awaiting their shots

Russell checked the records one last additional time. I trusted him to do it because he is so detailed oriented.

Many of the Filipino missionaries were extremely anxious as they don't receive shots growing up. Sister Wilson's father is a physician and she actually asked for another shot.

We had the missionaries lined up and several senior missionaries moving them from station to station.

All of the senior missionaries got a flu shot. Even though we got our flu shots in the U.S. it is a different strain here and is necessary to receive. Even President Elder got a shot.

Christmas decorations in President and Sister Alder's neighbourhood.

Last week was a typhoon, this week it has been very hot but beautiful. Here is a sunset from the road near the Alder's home

View as you are rounding the mountain going to Siniloan. The lake seen here is huge and covers most of the southern part of our mission. 

I (Eileen) liked this all pink jeepney

There are many beachside "resorts" in Infanta. The Pacific Ocean is seen here

Boats like these travel to neighbouring islands

They are working on the road in many spots, we figured if a trike could make it, so could we.

Children returning home from school

It is truly beautiful on the Marikina Highway. It really isn't a highway, but the views are spectacular

The trikes go way up the mountain from Infanta. The hills are steep. It is amazing to see them climb the hills. We saw many school children being dropped off after school by a trike driver.

Many animals were on the side of the road on the Markina Highway, but I was surprised to see this pig within a few feet of our car.

This bridge was washed out several years ago. They have been trying to rebuild it.  This is a better version of the bridge than a few weeks ago when we were there.

Workers are trying to rebuild  the bridge. The bridge is that little stretch of dirt between one side of the cliff and the other

This waterfall was right near the "bridge." I would assume it was the probable cause of the bridge being washed away

A CRAZY WEEK AT THE HOSPITAL

This past week I (Eileen) have really put my nursing skills to the test. Monday morning one of our missionaries who had been in the ER the Friday before was still complaining of a bad headache and fatigue. Since all of the Tylenol I had previously given him were gone, he asked if he could take Ibuprofen. I had the sneaking suspicion that he might have Dengue and told him to avoid Ibuprofen. Dengue can affect platelet counts and all Dengue patients are advised to stay away from any NSAIDS to avoid bleeding.

Tuesday morning this Elder’s Zone Leader texted me and said the elder was sick with fever, pain and was also throwing up. Russell and I drove immediately to his apartment to check him out. Last Friday when we took this Elder and his companion to the ER they were both seen and diagnosed with food poisoning. When we returned to the ER on Tuesday, I explained to the ER nurse the elder’s previous visit to the ER and noted his current symptoms which included significant pain behind the eyes (which is a symptom of Dengue). When she told me that he needed to see an ophthalmologist for his eyes I was persistent in saying that I thought he had Dengue.  Sure enough, he was tested, and his lab values indicated he had the disease.  

This Elder was in the ER for 9 hours. During that time, I visited with his Zone Leader who was accompanying him. This is the third hospital visit I have had with this particular Zone Leader and we are getting to know each other quite well.  At one point during the day a lady was rushed into the ER in full cardiac arrest. The staff worked on her just a few feet from us.  We watched the horrified family see their mother and grandmother die. The patient had fallen and hit her head. Her death was totally unexpected. Having just lost both parents, I had tender feelings towards this family.  I kept feeling like I should go talk to them, but hesitated due to the language barrier and also wondering if it would be out of place in a hospital ER. There were several family members at the hospital. One in particular was a woman about the age of my daughters, who I was particularly drawn to. I finally summoned the courage and went to talk with her and offered my condolences. She opened up and we talked for quite a while. I asked her if she believed there was a life after death. She said, “Oh yes” and then explained that her mother-in-law who had just passed away, was quite religious. As we finished our conversation, she gave me a huge hug and offered thanks for the visit. I was grateful for the promptings I received that day both to  bring the elder to the hospital and to speak with this family.

It seems like we have done this before. Once again in the ER.

The elder with Dengue was admitted to the hospital. Russell and I visited each day to check on his status. At one point another missionary who was staying with the elder pulled off his shoe and showed me a rash on the bottom of his foot. It didn’t look good. I took him to the doctor at the hospital clinic. He was diagnosed with Leptospirosis and was put on some pretty strong antibiotics. The good news is that as of today (Sunday), both missionaries have improved significantly and are out doing missionary work.

All missionaries are covered by health insurance while on their mission. I have struggled to figure out how to deal with all the paperwork associated with the Church’s insurance provider here in the Philippines. This past week we had two employees from Maxicare (Aetna’s affiliate in the Philippines) come and explain the process for obtaining medical care within our mission. I appreciated their presentation and hope it will make things a little smoother with medical issues as we go forward.

This was the group involved with the meeting from Maxicare. The two Filipinos in the middle are from Maxicare. They brought us some nice gifts. In return we invited them to join us for a Mexican lunch. President Alder shared a gift with them - A Book of Mormon and committed them to read it. 

Friday, we went and did apartment checks again, this time in Cainta and Taytay.  We have now seen all the apartments/houses within the mission.  The night before the checks, a typhoon hit our area and there was a lot of flooding as we drove to the different apartments. We never look at the forecast as it is always hot, and rains intermittently throughout almost every day. Thursday night we were picking up KFC to bring to the elders at the hospital when a torrential deluge of rain came. Russell dropped me off at the hospital door, so I didn’t have to walk in the rain.  Five seconds in that rain would soak you head to toe.  I guess we were in the middle of the typhoon without even realizing it.  We heard afterward that the area got six inches of rain that day.

I hope our efforts are making a difference to the missionaries in our mission. We love them and want them to be both safe and healthy. My nephew  is serving his mission in Brazil.  He has been quite ill lately. This week as I worked with the missionaries I was thinking about him. As I called the elder's parents in the U.S. to update them on the elder's heath, I was wishing that someone could have done that for my sister regarding her son.

This home was right outside an apartment we were going to rent for the sisters. I was pretty uneasy when we drove up to the front of the apartment.

The apartment actually was better than ours in many ways. They actually have an oven and a real stove here.

Would this dining room table actually be in a missionary apartment?  I guess it will be. Here Russell is negotiating the lease.

Any medical people have any ideas other than the diagnosed leptospirosis?

Apartment stuff ready to be delivered by Russell.

These sisters got the only 10 out of 10 that I have ever given on apartment inspection 

The desks are old, but the apartment was really neat

This was the parking spot while we were inspecting an apartment. We will have some adapting to do when we return to the states.

BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN

While I know that just one week ago at this time I (Russell) was sleeping in my bed at home in Centerville, having spent the last week participating with family on funeral matters, it seems a world away from me now.  The transition to full-time missionary service is a difficult one to bounce in and out of.  My recent experience has helped me start to understand the Savior’s direction to one of his disciples in Mathew 8:21-22.

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Elder Evan A. Schmutz, a Seventy and President of the Philippines Area, conducted the first General Authority tour of our mission.  On Wednesday we had the privilege of being in an all-day meeting he conducted with the eastern half of the mission’s missionaries. 

Friday was an interesting day.  I needed to visit several missionaries’ apartments in Pasig to deliver items and do apartment inspections.  Pasig is on the western end of our mission, bordering Quezon City (north) and Makati (west), part of the greater-Manila metropolitan area.  In an effort to beat the morning traffic heading into Manila we left at 6:30 AM.  After spending two hours to get to our first appointment which was only 14 km away, we learned that to beat traffic maybe 5:00 AM would have worked better.  Driving in Pasig and Taguig (south of Pasig) are probably our least favorite part of this mission experience.  After completing our scheduled visits we were heading back toward our apartment when Eileen got a call about two sick elders.  We ended up taking both of them to the hospital that evening. Fortunately, they didn't have to be admitted but did get IV fluids and medications to help their symptoms.  The doctor’s diagnosis was food poisoning but I have my doubts about that (just an accountant’s view as one who has had food poisoning a few too many times).  By the time I had taken everyone home that night it was almost 11:00 PM. 

One little aspect of the night’s events was in regard to who would stay with the two elders overnight should they be admitted.  It was suggested to me by the Assistants to the President that the other two missionaries in the same house cancel their evening's appointments and that I should take them to the hospital also (you have to have a personal escort in the hospital with you if you stay overnight).  For some reason it did not feel right to me to make the elders cancel their teaching appointments so I just made an additional trip to their apartment after the appointments to take them to the hospital and meet up with Eileen and the two sick elders.  As soon as the elders got in the car they were excitedly telling me about what a fantastic evening they had just had.  They both taught investigators and gained new ones to teach.  At that point I realized that I had been inspired to not have them cancel their appointments.  I was almost surprised that despite my otherwise stress filled non-spiritual day’s activities that the Spirit could still influence me to make a right decision.  It was a another gentle reminder to me that God is in the details of our lives and that he can use servants of questionable quality (me) to help accomplish His work. 

Today Eileen played the piano sacrament meeting.  The person who regularly does it led the music today and is leaving on a mission to Korea in a month.  My guess is that this works into a more permanent calling for Eileen.

Three zones with President and Sister Schmutz

The seniors are supposed to go first in the serving line

The missionaries always enjoy the lunch part of zone conference

Sister Rose does an excellent job of catering the meals for our conferences

President Alder and sister missionary having a few laughs

Elder and Sister Schmutz greeted each missionary

Elder and Sister Schmutz with Eileen. Russell was out buying things for missionary apartments

Two sick missionary companions in hospital

I haven't seen one of these suction canisters in a long time

Some IV meds and fluids perked these missionaries  (used with their permission). The other two missionaries came just in case they needed to stay overnight with the sick elders. 

When it seemed like the challenges wouldn't slow down my daughter sent me this quote by Elder Holland

FUNERAL FOR TWO

Last Tuesday we flew home to attend the funeral for Eileen’s mother and father.  It was one long day.  We got up at 2:30 am and then arrived in SLC about 30 hours later.  We spent Wednesday and most of Thursday working with Cindy and Chris cleaning out the apartment at Jamestown. A family dinner and viewing were held on Friday and then the funeral on Saturday.  Attached below is a talk that we prepared for the funeral on the Plan of Salvation.  Unfortunately, the funeral had already run an hour-and-a-half by the time it was Eileen’s turn on the program to speak.  As Dad had asked the bishop to keep the funeral to an hour, Eileen just bore her testimony regarding the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

During the prayer dedicating the graves, I (Russell) was holding Conner.  When he noticed that others were bowing their heads in prayer, he folded his arms and waited quietly until he said “amen” with the others.  It made me think of how well Conner had been taught by his parents, how we had taught Jessica, and how Eileen had been taught as a child by her parents about prayer and other gospel subjects.  The effects of what Mom and Dad have taught their children will have a positive effect on their posterity for generations to come. 

I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to meet with my children, their spouses and my grandchildren during these last few days. I am pleased to see the efforts which my children are making to teach their children as they were taught in our home about the Church and Gospel of Jesus Christ.  My hope and prayers are that all of my posterity will have that opportunity.  The spiritual and temporal blessings of the gospel and obedience to the Lord’s commandments become more and more apparent to me as time goes by.

Last week before we left, Sister Alder commented that she hoped that after being home enjoying hot showers that we would still want to return. Although we both enjoyed some parts of being home for a few days, we are anxious to get back to the Philippines and our missionary duties.  

Eileen's talk is listed below. It was prepared to present at the funeral, but was never given.

Dad and Mom celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary last March.  At the conclusion of the two-day get-together with their children, we sat around a dining table at Jamestown and shared some very tender feelings. Each of us knew that we would likely not all be together again in this life.  At that time Dad said, “We (referring to he and Elsie) must have done something right in the pre-earth life to warrant being blessed with eight faithful children.”

In Dad’s mind there was no question regarding where we came from prior to our life on earth; nor was there any about why we are here on earth, or where we will go following this life.  Dad knew and wanted each of his children to know also.  Mom and Dad raised us having daily family prayer and scripture study, weekly Family Home Evening and Church attendance.  Our home life seemed centered around practicing various aspects of the Church and Gospel of Jesus Christ. Mom in particular embraced church sponsored programs such as taking in Native American children into our home, and accumulating and living off of our food storage. Our most famous family vacation entailed visiting Church historical sites back east. I still remember the feelings I felt as we visited Liberty Jail, the Sacred Grove and the pageant in Palmyra.  Even after we were adults they were still seeking to help our testimonies grow by taking us on trips to the Holy Land and Central America, where we visited places and learned about things found in the Bible and Book of Mormon. They wanted each of their children and grandchildren to have a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Dad and Mom both knew that life here on earth was part of God’s plan; that they were here to learn, grow and be tested and they taught us about this plan. Before this mortal life we lived with God as his spirit children, without physical bodies. We chose to follow the Father’s plan which provided us the opportunity to come here to gain a body, make choices, develop faith, and accept responsibility for our actions.  Sin and death are part of mortality.  The Father sent His Son, Jesus Christ to provide a way to overcome sin and death. He did this through an act called the Atonement. Hence, through the Savior’s atoning sacrifice we can repent of our sins and someday live with God and with our families forever.

My parents each knew that experiencing mortal challenges were part of the plan.  Each of them had their own unique challenges. Mom bore the primary challenge of raising eight children, and as one of those children I know that we were far from little angels all the time.  Later in life mom struggled with memory and dementia issues.  Her challenges in recent years were a trial for her but she hung in there to the end being positive and expressing love for her husband, her posterity and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Dad’s life was not an easy one.  He grew up without a father following his father’s death when he was seven years old.  He experienced World War Two firsthand as a young man in the Merchant Marines.  He worked hard to get a college education, marry, raise a large family and support them through his labor.  And more recently he has struggled with the infirmities of old age. [The Cannon Curse (which is actually a Richards family trait) to live a long and miserable (health-wise) life.]

However, Dad was still learning late in life. Many of us witnessed him grow, rendering loving care to Elsie who struggled with her own challenges of an aged mortal body.  For decades Mom had taken care of him with his varying health challenges, watching over him doing her best to keep him healthy.  Now it was his turn to look after her, and he did so admirably.

Dad and Mom never worried about where they were going to following this life.  In fact, recently Dad remarked to me about how happy he was going to be to progress from “this to bliss.” Dad’s only displeasure regarding his future passing seemed to be about his not being able to schedule when it would happen.  On several occasions I remember him commenting about how he was looking forward to seeing his parents again, and his older brother whom he had never met in this life. He also remarked frequently how he and Mom would pass on close together. They were together in life and together in passing on to the next life. 

Just a few days before Mom’s passing, my daughter Heather spent some time caring for her. Mom asked Heather whose daughter she was. When she told Mom she was the daughter of Eileen and Russell, Mom said “aren’t they gone somewhere?”  Heather told Mom that we would be coming in on Tuesday evening. Mom paused and then said, “I am not sure I can wait until Tuesday.”  There was no doubt in Mom’s mind that there was an afterlife and she was looking forward to it, even telling Chris the day before she died that she wanted to put on lipstick so that she would look good for Max.

As Dad and Mom’s posterity we have been blessed to have the scriptures in our homes.  They taught us out of them.  Within them we find the word of God given through His prophets.  In the Bible we find the age-old question posed in Job 14:14, “If a man die, shall he live again?” And Job’s testimony answering the question, “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.” (Job 19:25-26)

The prophet Lehi taught his posterity just prior to his death the [source] of this resurrection.  He said, “Wherefore, . . . there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.” (2 Nephi 2:8)

When Dad and Mom are resurrected, they won’t be burdened by the frail bodies they recently laid down, but as the prophet Amulek tells us, “The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame . . Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but everything shall be restored to its perfect frame . . .” (Alma 11:43-44) 

Regarding this resurrection, the prophet Joseph Smith has told us, “The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy, . . . (D&C 93:33).  Indeed, men are that they might have joy. (2 Nephi 2:25). Our Father-in-Heaven wants us to be truly happy and has provided us with a way to be so eternally.

During Church General Conference last April, President Russell M. Nelson mentioned the recent passing of his daughter.  This tender event and his visit earlier this year to Paradise, California where devastating forest fire consumed the town, prompted him to, “speak today with those of you who may ask when approaching the end of your mortal life, ‘Where is my family?’ In that coming day when you will complete your mortal probation and enter the spirit world, you will be brought face-to-face with that heart-wrenching question: ‘Where is my family?’

“Jesus Christ teaches the way back to our eternal home. He understands our Heavenly Father’s plan of eternal progression better than any of us. After all, He is the keystone of it all. He is our Redeemer, our Healer, and our Savior.

“Ever since Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden, Jesus the Christ has offered His mighty arm to help all who choose to follow Him. Repeatedly, scriptures record that despite all kinds of sins from all kinds of people, His arms are outstretched still.

“The spirit in each of us naturally yearns for family love to last forever. Love songs perpetuate a false hope that love is all you need if you want to be together forever. And some erroneously believe that the Resurrection of Jesus Christ provides a promise that all people will be with their loved ones after death.

“In truth, the Savior Himself has made it abundantly clear that while His Resurrection assures that every person who ever lived will indeed be resurrected and live forever, much more is required if we want to have the high privilege of exaltation. Salvation is an individual matter, but exaltation is a family matter.

“So, what is required for a family to be exalted forever? We qualify for that privilege by making covenants with God, keeping those covenants, and receiving essential ordinances.”(General Conf. April 2019)

Dad and Mom clearly have done all that they could do for their own exaltation.  They have made and kept those covenants with God.  But our exaltation with Mom and Dad is, as President Nelson stated, “a family matter.”  They have done all they could do to have us with them in the eternities.  They have taught us by their words and examples. For their children they have taken us to church, loved each other and taught us in our home; for their children and grandchildren they have demonstrated their dedication to God through serving a mission and years of serving in the temple; and for all their posterity they have written and distributed to us their life histories and testimonies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  

The question before each of us now is, will we do our part to be with our parents, grandparents and great grandparents, to be exalted with Max and Elsie after we have finished our work on earth?  I hope that we may each follow their example and live worthy of being together again as an eternal family someday. 

Dad in 1926 as a young boy

Dad in the military

Mom with her younger sister Joyce

Mom as a young adult

Mom and Dad dating-Dad was very proud of the fact that was still wearing this plaid shirt 60 years later

Mom and Dad as a young couple

Dad was in the Provo Temple Presidency

Mom and Dad at their 50th anniversary party

Mom and Dad on their 60th anniversary

We have served missions with the Lindsays, it was so nice of them to come visit

At the viewing

Side by side at the cemetery

Dad was given military donors

Flag draped casket

Eileen and our oldest granddaughter

Cannon posterity after funeral luncheon