JUST ANOTHER WEEK

Recently I (Russell) was reading a letter written to the friends and family of of a senior missionary couple we have known for several years and served with in Europe.  The sister is a mission nurse and the elder is in charge of missionary housing in the U.S.  The elder is in many ways a lot like me, just ten years older.  As I read about the things he was doing, I could readily identify with his daily tasks.  But I also started to ask myself if anyone else could relate; or would it just sound mundane?  Contemplating this, I looked at the last email I wrote our mission president and his wife.  I was asking for their opinion on whether we should start equipping each apartment with toilet seats and bed frames!  No, not all have those.  In fact, probably a third to half do not, and many of the young missionaries don’t care.  The two experiences reminded me that very few people are going to be able to relate to or appreciate most of what I do here.

This past week five young missionaries went home and 14 arrived, mostly sisters.  One of the new sister missionaries is the friend of our oldest granddaughter.  To accommodate the increase in sister missionaries, I opened up two new apartments.  One is in Taguig and the other in the complex where we live.  While furnished with the same things, the apartments themselves are on opposite ends of the “niceness” scale.  Decent apartments in Taguig are very hard to find, while the apartment in our complex (which we got a great deal on) is a corner unit that Eileen would have chosen over ours if it had been available seven months ago.  What has surprised me is that the sisters in each apartment (all from SE Asia) were equally appreciative and happy with their new apartments.  It was a reminder to me that I should be more appreciative of my accommodations.  

On Tuesday we attended the temple with the outgoing missionaries.  The air-conditioning was functioning well and the temperature was probably in the mid-60’s.  Between this and going to two hospitals with a young missionary on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, Eileen has become sick with a bad cough and respiratory issues.  She saw a doctor yesterday who put her on an antibiotic and told her to stay home for awhile (no, she does not have Coronavirus).  Thursday and Friday I spent driving alone to locations in the eastern part of the mission, delivering a washing machine and renting a new apartment.

The apartment we signed up on Friday is in Pakil, at the far southeast end of our mission.  Good housing is very hard to find in Pakil as there is little in the way of new construction.  The former zone leaders found this place several months ago when we had to vacate another apartment because it’s bathroom/sewer facilities were not functioning or repairable, and the elders were using public restrooms to meet their daily needs.  The apartment could easily accommodate four missionaries and was large by local standards.  However, the owner was asking an unreasonably high a price and we eventually found another apartment.  At zone conference a couple weeks ago, I had the thought that I should ask the elders if that apartment was still up for rent.  They said it was and I had the impression that we should try and secure it even though we did not have an immediate need other than to upgrade where the zone leaders are currently staying (not a great place).  We were able to negotiate a price less than half of the original asking amount; to which  President Alder said to get it and we will discuss later how best to use it.  It turns out that the Pakil Branch had approximately 180 people attend church last week and they are considering splitting the branch.  If they do, it would be great to have a place where we could put sister missionaries.  

Grace said the closing prayer is stake conference yesterday.  I felt like a proud parent!

Russell and Eileen at the Manila temple

Its not a very good photo because this motorcyclist was moving fast, but that is a dog on the back of his motorcycle.

The guards are always very polite to us and salute when we come in and out. They know our name, our unit, and our license plate number by memory. It is kind of freaky considering how many units are in our complex.

Departing missionaries with one last temple visit before going home.

This little girl was going to be sealed to her family.

Russell training the new missionaries

Sister Torkonoo and Eileen. This sister is a very close friend with our oldest granddaughter.