Craigs in Cauayan

Cebu is a remarkably beautiful island in the south-central part of the Philippines.  We were privileged to visit Cebu for our Mission Leadership Seminar.  Twice a year, the Area Presidency gathers all the Mission Leaders from the 23 missions in the Philippines Area for three or four days of training.  We gathered to Lapu-Lapu City and sat at the feet of four especial witnesses of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  One of the greatest things about being a member of the Church is the opportunity meet some of the most amazing people who teach, train and love you because of your shared brotherhood in the Church. Where else will the CEO of a major corporation or a surgeon choose to spend an hour answering questions of a 20-year-old student, just to help and guide him?  I felt like an old mule at the Kentucky Derby: I felt I did not really belong there with these great leaders, but it sure was fun to be there.  It was not just being with four General Authorities and th...

This was a week we have been looking forward to with dread and anticipation.  And the good news is that we survived!  It was transfer week.  But this transfer week was like no other since we arrived in the mission, because we welcomed 31 new missionaries! We have known for a couple of months that we would be getting a lot of missionaries at the beginning of May.  Once a missionary accepts their call, their name and information appears in IMOS for us to see.  It allows us to prepare for their arrival and it also gives us an opportunity to see their picture and learn a little about them before they arrive.  We also are able to plan for the transfer, knowing how many Sisters and how many Elders will be arriving.  Ideally the same number would arrive as are leaving, but I do not think that has ever happened here.  Since March we have watched the May list get larger and larger, finally settling at 31.  31!?  What on earth would we do?  W...