Manna

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When the children of Israel journeyed in the desert, they had no food, and wondered what they would eat.  They cried unto Moses.  The Lord rained down bread from heaven for them.  For 40 years, the children of Israel ate manna, the bread which the Lord gave them to eat.  It saved them from starvation, and they knew that it came from the Lord. (Exodus 16)

For months we have watched the mission shrink a bit more each cycle, as more missionaries completed their missions and returned home, and we had none to replace them.  This week we received 16 new missionaries, whose homes are in the Cauayan Mission boundaries.  As we began our orientation on Wednesday, our hearts were full.  President Craig told them they we had prayed them here.  As I pondered what I would say to them, I thought of Moses and the children of Israel.  These fine young missionaries were our "Manna".  They are a gift to us from the Lord.  They will save us from starvation. Just as the manna in the time of the Israelites was not what they expected, these are not the missionaries we were expecting, but they are willing and ready to serve.  It was truly a "Great Day in the Kingdom!" as our former Stake President would say.


They are resilient.  They were all originally assigned to other missions throughout the world.  But they are eager to serve here, even if they will serve within hours of their homes. 

They are courageous.  They are going out to serve without the training they expected to receive.  All have done their mission training through Online MTC.  One Sister had not completed hers, and another had not even started yet!  But we have assigned to them loving Trainers who will watch over them and help them. Many have not been to the temple.  We know they will be wonderful missionaries all the same.  This is reminiscent of the early 80's when President Craig served here.  The Filipino missionaries would arrive in the mission without MTC training or having been to the temple, as there was no MTC or temple in the Philippines.  (I have volunteered to go to the temple with them when we can travel there...here's hoping!)

They are faithful.  They know it is not where you serve that counts, but how you serve.

We and the Warrens and the Becks and the Assistants spent the week getting these missionaries and their companions to their areas.  We are so ready for busses to be an option for the missionaries again.  We clicked over 1,000 kms on our van this past week (the average highway speed here is 45-50 km/hr, so that is about 20 hours in the car).




I know that our loving Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ love us and are aware of us.  They know what we need, and they also know when we need it.  They continue to watch over us.  We are all in His hands.

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