Urdaneta Mission: December 2015 Batch Orientation Meeting!

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

December 2015 Batch Orientation Meeting!

After a good night's sleep and a sumptuous breakfast provided by the full-time missionaries, the new missionaries were brought to the Mission Home again for their orientation meeting. There, the office staff each orientated the missionaries to different aspects of the mission about items such as finances, supplies and many more. After a long meeting and lunch with their trainers, it was finally time for them to meet their trainers, who would be with them for the next 12 weeks at least.

It was coincidentally Sister Soe's Birthday so President and Sister Deyro surprised her with a cake!

Missionaries with their trainers!

Sister Piutau and Sister Adalid

Elder Bontoyan and Elder Ah Hong

Elder Dahle and Elder Cañete

Elder Parohinog and Elder Capate

Elder Barranco and Elder Brown

Elder Murillo and Elder Hillman

Sister Juaniza and Sister Soe

Sister Latorre and Sister Fivas

Elder Gambao and Elder Lumanog

Elder Diaz and Elder Makabenta

Sister Miller and Sister Ruyeras

Sister Blanco and Sister Montenegro

Elder Alagon and Elder Shettell

Elder Budge and Elder Rivera

Elder Quevedo and Elder Morris

Elder Corton and Elder Panzo

Sister Gadea and Sister Obtingga

Sister Standage and Sister Agustin

Elder Tumanuvao and Elder Orlanda

After meeting their trainers, the missionaries headed back to their areas to begin their proselyting.

* Please share this blog with other parents so that they can be updated on news and happenings as well.

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Message from the President

The Miracle of 12 Weeks

As soon as missionaries are in-field they start the First 12 Weeks training program. Their magnificently inspired trainers teach them about the rudiments of the work of the Lord, introduce the mission culture, and refine their teaching skills. The training in being exactly obedient goes on continuously until the end of the mission term. All of them would learn what Elder Sta Maria summarized:

“I observed as we continue trying to become exactly obedient, we felt that God is reaching out and helping us to find people to teach and our prayer was answered right away and especially this area became more fruitful than I ever expected. I felt like when we are doing our best everyday He also do his best to help us in doing His work. Now I realize the importance of being exactly obedient. It’s not just for safety nor restrictions but it’s also the way for God to bless us.”

Mission life is bumpy life. Many ups and downs. Many highs and lows. Jubilee (of baptisms) and misery (of being punted). This is exactly what missionary life ought to be – compressed life experiences in 24 months or 18 months. What is important is you did your best! Sister Piutau related this account:

“Although the sun burns, and we walk for miles, by the time the sun sets, there's nothing that satisfies me more than knowing that we've tried our 100% best.”

On their last 2 transfers, every elder and sister that I know who has set his/her mind to baptizing a family or one more before going home indeed baptized some more. How is it possible that on the last months of their mission they can do this? They intensely exercised their faith to find, faith to teach, and faith to baptize. They actually did what Helaman described,

“…wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.”

The wonderful thing about it is that you don’t have to wait until your last 2 transfers to baptize. Imagine that every transfer cycle is your last. Every area is your last. And you will do your utmost best as if your time is running out. See the miracle unfold!

Weekly baptism is a reality! Those who have done this will testify of it. These are the joyful, joy-filled, joyous missionaries! Indeed, we retain the recent converts and nourish the less active members but our main purpose will always be to teach repentance and baptize converts.

I believe that when we work relentlessly every day as if it is our last transfer, we will find, teach, baptize and confirm those whom the Lord has prepared for us. Witness the miracle of the last 12 weeks every transfer cycle!