Craigs in Cauayan

Mango season is beginning, and I have been looking forward to this for the last 10 months, when I discovered that they are seasonal here.  I had anticipated eating mango every day for the next three years when I arrived, so you can imagine my dismay to find out that doesn't happen up here in the "Wild West".  Technically, I guess we are on the East side of the island, but I can't think of an "E" word to go with East that will work.  The only "E" words that are similar to "wild" in the dictionary are "empty", "extroverted", "enraged", or "eager", so I still say I live in the "Wild West".  Anyways, the mangos are divine, and I am eating as many as I can while they are here.  I wish I could bring a mango tree back to Canada when I come home, but unfortunately, I think it would die in my Alberta garden. The highlight of the week was learning that our smartphone delivery had been expedited...

Having served in the same area as a young missionary and now as a Mission President it is easy to see some of the differences and similarities between the two experiences. As a young missionary your main focus and purpose is to teach the Gospel to individuals and families.  Your focus is people, not where you serve or what language you speak.  All these years later, the greatest memories of my young mission involve people and feelings.  Great joy comes from helping people be happier and find greater meaning in their lives.  When you see a family stronger or someone finding peace in their life, you feel true joy.  That is a tender and meaningful feeling. As a Mission President your focus is still on people, but different people. My focus now is upon my young missionaries, not people being taught.  It is said that you never know how good a Mission President was until you see how many of his missionaries' children and grandchildren are sealed in the tem...

This has been a strange two and a half weeks.  We are usually on the go every day, hardly getting a chance to rest.  But all is different these days.  The Enhanced Community Quarantine began on the 18th of March, and is still ongoing.  We were looking forward to it being over on April 14, but there is now talk that it could go to the end of the month. This means that there is no public transportation of any kind, and there is a curfew every day from 8pm to 5am.   Everyone is supposed to stay at home, unless they need to buy food or medicine.  All stores, except grocery stores, banks, and pharmacies are closed.  There are a few fast food places open, but only for take-out and drive thru.  The roadside fruit/vegetable stands are open.  We are required to wear masks when in stores.  In a country where many rely on the money they make that day to buy food, this is a very difficult situation. There are checkpoints as you enter all...