Zone Conference Week!

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I love Zone Conference week!  It's a lot of work getting ready, and a bit stressful getting prepared, but it is so good to see every missionary in person and see how they are doing, and see their smiling faces and feel of their spirit.  It is rejuvenating to be all together and encourage one another.

Ilagan Zone Conference

Cauayan Zone Conference

Santiago Zone Conference
Zone Conference is an opportunity to train the missionaries and also teach doctrinal truths that will strengthen their testimonies as they serve.  President Craig and I train, and also the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders, and we had a couple messages from Senior Couples as well.  Caterers come and feed us an excellent lunch each day. 





It is also a time for the missionaries to feel the strength of having all of the missionaries together, visiting with and encouraging one another. 









The man in the middle is the husband of our caterer in Santiago, and we found out that he also served in the Baguio Mission when President Craig served there in the 80's!
This time around, we started something new, celebrating the birthdays of each missionary that will have a birthday before the next Zone Conference.  There were more this time, as we needed to catch up on any birthdays since we arrived in July.  We sang Happy Birthday had birthday cake for everyone.





Today we were finally able to get to church in Naguilian. There is a small branch there, with wonderful people.  There is something about little branches.  Everyone is needed.  Things might not be as polished as you would find in a big ward, but they give their all.  It is a great place to be able to use and develop your talents.  It made me remember attending church in the little Drumheller Branch so many years ago.  I was so blessed by people who loved and served the Lord.  I have many lifetime friends who have blessed my life from that little branch. 




After sacrament meeting we headed north to Tumauini to see some missionaries there.  This really is a beautiful part of the Philippines.  I enjoy seeing the beautiful landscapes, and watching them change as the crops grow and are harvested.  The rice that was being planted when we arrived is now getting close to being harvested.  The corn is harvested, and the stalks are yellow.  They dry the rice and corn at the side of the road.  Soon they will plant again.  It is a constantly revolving circle of planting and harvesting.



 They stir the corn as it dries to ensure it all dries

This carabao has the most interesting horns!
That is just like us,  planting, harvesting, planting, harvesting.  We are cultivating the ground as we teach and train, planting seeds as we find new people who have been prepared to hear the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Then we fertilize and care for the crop--we offer continued love and support as we teach and prepare them for baptism and membership in the Church.  And then is the harvest, as we see lives changed and improved.  We see the light in their eyes as they turn their lives to Jesus Christ and learn to be His disciples.  The field is indeed "white, and ready to harvest", and we are grateful to be part of it.

This knowledge is what helps as we are far away from home, and missing activities with our family.  We love each of them, and are so grateful for opportunities to see them and visit with them on FaceTime.

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