Called to Serve Him...: One Year

Dearest Family and Friends,

It's so amazing that this year has passed! I hardly know what to say about it, for fear of characterizing it in the wrong way, or rather, not characterizing it in the right way. Maybe to be simple and concise...What An Amazing Year!!!

We have learned some life lessons at a higher level, because our need has been so great. One that stands out as I write today, is the power of united prayer. Through the years, Dennis and I have generally ended the day with couple prayer, and since the children flew the coop we have more often added a morning couple prayer. This has been standard business and has done our family and marriage a world of good over the years. Here, we have discovered a greater power behind it that we hadn't realized before, and we have come to rely on it heavily. I think it's wrong to call it magic, but you get the drift.

Happy Anniversary to us!

We have learned another heightened lesson about the grand design in all of this and the incredible potential for good embodied in the youth of the church. Gratitude for their preparedness and willingness to serve. Praises to mothers and fathers who are striving to raise their children in happy, gospel homes, where the Book of Mormon is regularly read, and teaching hard work as a prized commodity, because it is. Missions and life evermore are made better by these. Mountains will be moved. We see so clearly that missions are also an MTC for life. I think I am paraphrasing Sister Hinckley when I say that what you are doing today is preparing you for what you will need to do tomorrow. Corrections/clarifications welcomed. :)

Lest we appear all wise and having arrived at some wondrous place, let it be known that we are striving, knocking our shins and tripping over self made stumbling blocks regularly. I don't think it's possible to arrive! Do you?

If you haven't added us on your weather app I will give the news that it is the rainy season! And how! Torrents off and on all day long! And we try to tell the missionaries not to walk through standing water!! Ha! Just how big are those clouds that can hold this much wet? The loudest frogs in the world have returned to singing in and around our newly refilled pond out back. Sounds like a herd of newly weaned yearlings taken down an octave! The highest heat is gone and all of the green is back! Loving it!

Serenaders

The machinery of mission life is revving back up to high gear after a tiny bit slower month, unless you count four hospitalizations (President Dahle has joined the elite club of those who have seen a freshly removed appendix!), and all the other surprises that come our way! :-) Almost always joyous surprises! Looking forward to mission president interviews again right after Mission Leadership Council tomorrow and the transfer on Monday - Wednesday. Any day spent with missionaries is a good day!

Olongapo East Zone

Calapacuan

Follow up training for June 3 transfer.

I won't let this letter end without kudos to our not-even-close-to-over-the-hill Senior Couples. We would sink so fast without them! They are making a difference at every turn. We love them with all of our hearts, and so do our young missionaries! For any of their family members who may be seeing this, thank you for your sacrifice!