Dear Family and
Friends,
We have had a week without a major mission event and so have been working hard and fast at getting the rest of the foundation laid for the three year plan. President Dahle has this pouring out of him as fast as he can put it to paper. It's remarkable. He works from the cornerstones that the Area has given, then arranges the rest of the footings with precision. One overall goal is to really get the local leadership and the missionaries unified in the work. This is critical to retention and bringing back and keeping the less actives. It's also critical for the long term everything, since missionaries come and go and the ball is easy to drop amidst our constant changes. Families lost. This is not breaking news to anyone, I realize. It underscores the fact that the same concerns spread worldwide, but maybe at differing levels of intensity.
Another darling sister missionary applicant interview! Her nonmember brother will be supporting her. Do you feel the tenderness in that?
We also caught our breath by going on a drive down to the sea side! We haven't paused in these eight weeks to look at where we live. We are in the tuck and curve of Subic Bay just in from the South China Sea. The tide might have been out because we were able to walk on a dry sand bar way out into the water. There were three huge ships in the water to the right and a docking area straight across where container ships could be loaded. Between them, the inlet or outlet straight to China!
We have had a week without a major mission event and so have been working hard and fast at getting the rest of the foundation laid for the three year plan. President Dahle has this pouring out of him as fast as he can put it to paper. It's remarkable. He works from the cornerstones that the Area has given, then arranges the rest of the footings with precision. One overall goal is to really get the local leadership and the missionaries unified in the work. This is critical to retention and bringing back and keeping the less actives. It's also critical for the long term everything, since missionaries come and go and the ball is easy to drop amidst our constant changes. Families lost. This is not breaking news to anyone, I realize. It underscores the fact that the same concerns spread worldwide, but maybe at differing levels of intensity.
Another darling sister missionary applicant interview! Her nonmember brother will be supporting her. Do you feel the tenderness in that?
We also caught our breath by going on a drive down to the sea side! We haven't paused in these eight weeks to look at where we live. We are in the tuck and curve of Subic Bay just in from the South China Sea. The tide might have been out because we were able to walk on a dry sand bar way out into the water. There were three huge ships in the water to the right and a docking area straight across where container ships could be loaded. Between them, the inlet or outlet straight to China!
There were three fishermen sorting their nets, which they carried out into the shallow water, spreading it far between them as they went. Nets lowered, they made their way back to shore. We waited to see what would be their catch! A school of tuna? Nemo? A nice little shark? It looked mostly empty except for a sandal or three, and a picture frame (with good humor, one held it up and posed behind it). But not to be disappointed altogether! There was a ray and a squid! Creative, right?! They were on the small side...definitely not man eating. The captors carried both away without saying much, at least that we could understand. My best guess is they were served over rice within the hour. Fresh!
And I won't be wading gleefully out into the ocean anytime soon! :-/
We finished off our local culture expansion evening by eating at Texas Joes. :) YEEHAW!!
Early Wednesday we will race to Manilla to get our newest Senior Couple, Elder and Sister Winters, aka my sister and her husband!! We are overjoyed to have them! I will be doing high kicks and cart wheels if you want to have the truth of it! You can see why I struggle with the mature composure thing. :)
Signing off...
With much love,
President and Sister Dahle
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| Caribou in a cart! |
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| It's illegal to carry anything on top of a vehicle...except people! |
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| Mt. Pinatubo eruption ash flow to the sea |
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| Soy Sauce Heaven! Gives you a sense of it's "high" place here ;) |
