Meetings with the Missionaries

   The first meeting with a smaller group of missionaries that we attended was the Train the Trainers meeting. It was on Thursday, July 10. It was a training meeting for the newly called trainers (thus the title). These elders and sisters have been called to train the new missionaries that come in the following week. It was a great experience for me to learn what the trainers are expected to do and about The First 12 Weeks workbook. It's a great program to help the new missionaries start with a solid foundation. The assignment as a trainer is the most important assignment a missionary can receive. Their training and example really makes a difference in how the new missionary adjusts and what kind of missionary he or she will be. I neglected to take a photo of the group--oops!

A few of the missionaries after the Train the Trainers meeting 
as President Mangum visits with them.

   We held our first MLC (Mission Leadership Council) on July 11. It was our second Friday in the mission. We sat down and the Assistants handed me the Agenda which had my remarks entitled Words of Wisdom from Sister Mangum. As if I wasn't already nervous now I was supposed to have my comments be "words of wisdom". I'm still trying to get "President" to change it to "Ramblings from Sister Mangum". I'm sure Sister Peterson's remarks were full of wisdom but I haven't got to that point yet. I really did love the meeting though. The missionaries that attend are the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders and they are an impressive group! When they sang it was amazing as well. The focus of this meeting was a talk by President Eyring called, "Rise to the Call". There were talks by two missionaries, and a lot of training during this meeting and a lunch break midway. I really learned a lot and I was impressed with the training from the Assistants as well as others. It's also great to be able to listen and watch President Mangum teach--he loves to teach and he's great at it. He's also great a getting the group to participate and counsel together.

MLC -- July 11, 2014

   On August 8 we held our second MLC and the day had a crazy start. We were getting ready to leave when we found out that one of the Assistants was ill. Bart and I had just finished discussing what we would do because the Assistants do a significant part of the training,  when I received a call that this sweet elder had just passed out. The elders live above the mission office so we ran up to check on him and it took a few minutes (it seemed even longer) to get him to respond. It was scary! One of the office elders carried him down to the car where the other assistant and the two office elders gave him a blessing and said a prayer before we headed to the ER. It was my first experience in a hospital in the Philippines. I have been in many hospitals with our daughter and other family members and this hospital was not quite what I was used to. The sheets didn't look clean (maybe they were just old and stained), the nurse didn't have gloves on when he took some blood, President had to go to the pharmacy to buy the IV tubing and fluid, etc.; but I have to say everyone was nice to the elder and to us. The Elder with us kept telling me that it was a lot nicer than most of the hospitals in the mission he had been in--that really didn't make me feel better! When we left, I looked at Bart and said "we can't get sick while we're here". He agreed.

   The MLC meeting's schedule had to be adjusted because of the Assistants not being there as well as a few other changes but when the "well" Assistant made it from the hospital (our sick elder had to stay overnight) he did a good job at the training and workshop. We prepared for this meeting by studying a talk by Elder Bednar entitled, "The Spirit of Revelation". Once again there were great talks and training and I really enjoyed listening to all of the comments from the MLC. This  wonderful group of leaders had great insights and it was a great council.

At the hospital after the Elder was feeling better.
We found out you're supposed to bring your own utensils to use to eat, pillow, sheets, change of clothes, 
and even clean water to drink. Very interesting!

MLC -- August 8, 2014

   On August 13 we held our first New Missionary Check-up. This is a meeting where we bring in the missionaries that have been here for about a month and talk with them and the trainers separately and together to evaluate how things are going in their adjustment and training. I went over the Adjusting to Missionary Life resources, the Assistants taught a workshop on preparing lessons and President counseled and taught the group. It was another great meeting and it was especially fun to see the group of missionaries that came in with the typhoon! These missionaries are doing really well.

New Missionary Check Up -- August 14, 2014

   On August 14 we had a District Leaders training that is held quarterly. I have to say I love hearing a group of missionaries sing. This group of elders sounded like a men's choir. It was another training meeting where I once again got to share my wisdom before the Assistants and President did some leadership training.

District Leaders Training -- August 15, 2014

   I attended the Lucena District 1 meeting. The training was done well and I got to practice with a couple of the elders. I learned a lot and really enjoyed the spirit that I felt. I'm still trying to learn to be a missionary.

In case you're wondering why I don't put the names by the photos--at the MTC we were counseled not to use names because of privacy laws.