Hope

This week we travelled to the remote town of Lagawe, high in the Cordillera mountains.  We used to travel through Lagawe once every 6 weeks on the way to Banaue, but we have only been there once in the last 21 months due to the strict protocols in Ifugao Province.  Our trip this week was to attend another humanitarian hand over, this time a new well and electric pump and water tanks to supply water to an elementary school in central Lagawe.  The new water system will provide water for washing, drinking and sanitation for 272 students and staff at the school. 

We were the first guests to arrive, so the teachers showed us around.  We walked into one of the empty classrooms.  There have not been face-to-face classes in the Philippines since March of 2020.  The floors were clean.  Teaching materials adorned the room, to help with reading, writing and arithmetic.  Stacks of completed modules were neatly piled at one end of the room.  Teachers have worked so hard to produce these modules that are sent to the students to complete at home, so that they can continue their schooling.  Desks were carefully placed in the classroom to allow for social distancing.  In one of the rooms, a pair of scissors had been neatly placed on the upper right hand corner of each desk.  

And then I felt it.  

HOPE.  

After this nightmare of the last 21 months, there was hope.  

Hope that the pandemic would soon end. 

Hope that the children would soon be able to return to those desks...  And they were preparing to welcome them back.

Because we were only 45 minutes from Banaue, we thought we would try to go there, to see if they were open.  It was always the tradition pre-pandemic to take missionaries to Banaue before they go home.  It is something they looked forward to.  Our last trip to Banaue was in January of 2020.  Many missionaries have gone home without the hoped-for excursion to this world-renowned heritage site.  We had Elder Torres with us, who was completing his mission. We would be dropping him off at home later that day, so it seemed fitting to try to take him there.  We were pleased to find that we were able to get in and see the terraces.  Things are beginning to open up, and the plan is to have it completely open to tourists by January!

In November, we were able to travel to Cebu for the Mission Leadership Seminar.  We didn't need travel passes or quarantine.  Just our vaccination cards.  And our hope increased that maybe life as we knew it would return again. 

Early in the morning of November 30, my dear Mother passed away into the next life.  She has been steadily declining over the last year.  Through the miracle of modern medicine, she was able to live for the last 20 years and watch her grandchildren grow and marry and have children of their own.  How she loved those precious little ones, and they loved her.  Wonderful memories were shared at her funeral service.  I am grateful for technology that allowed us to watch the service from here, and also allowed us to visit with my parents on video call nearly every week since we have been here.  I was able to visit with her at her birthday a few days before her passing.  We have hope, that through the Atonement of Christ, she is free from all the health problems she faced, and the difficulties of this mortal world.  She is with her loved ones that passed on before, and we will see her again.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a message of hope:

"Wherefore, whose believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God." Ether 12:4

True, lasting and sustaining Hope is centered in Jesus Christ.  It is because of him that I happily anticipate hugging Mom again, and have a lasting reassurance that all is in accordance to His divine plan.  This is the message our missionaries share with the world, and invite all to come unto Him.