Zone Conference

On Monday we attended Zone Conference but our camera did not so we will have to paint a verbal picture. Missionaries from two adjoining zones were in attendance, Lilo-an Zone and Consolacion Zone - around 50 all together.  We heard from President and Sister Tanner and the Assistants to the President in the morning, had lunch together and then in the afternoon the Elders met with President Tanner and the Sisters with Sister Tanner for additional instruction. We can't cover all that was said but one thing President Tanner talked about was the 'smoke screens' that are the good things we do that can keep us from doing what is most important, especially when done to excess. 

This is Art Sabatin and his son Kyle.  Art is a local church member who is a plumber. He brought Kyle with him last Saturday to look at fixing our crooked bathroom sink. It hadn't been installed properly and sat at an angle. It turns out that by raising the sink a bit and placing new mounting bolts in the cement wall (all our walls are cement, inside & out)  it now sits straight and level. They did a really nice job with it and now water doesn't collect on the back of the sink. Salamat kaio.

After

Then on Saturday evening there was another baptism at the Mission Home. It was scheduled to take place at the church but the church's water tank had developed a leak and there wasn't enough water available to fill the font.  So we  helped shuttle members and missionaries to the Mission Home where there just happens to be a small pool. Lourdes Olmedo was taught by Sister Herdegen and Sister Cook and baptized by Elder Head.

Lourdes Olmedo sitting between Sister Herdegen and Sister Cook.

Sister Olmedo and Elder Head

Somehow it all worked out and turned into a wonderful evening.

Early Sunday morning Elder McNett drove to the city of Danao which is about 30 minutes north of where we live. He met the bishop of one of the wards there and drove with him and his first counselor to the village of Cahumayan where a small branch meets under the direction of the Danao ward. It is a strong and growing branch in a rural area in the mountains about a 40 minute drive west of Danao. The area is absolutely beautiful. The building the branch meets in is the humblest I have ever seen. The strength of the members is a living testimony of their faith. It was an unforgettable experience.

Cahumayan Branch