The Time is Far Spent...

18 months ago it felt like we had all the time in the world - and then some. Now, as time runs out, it feels like we need to rush to wrap things up and put things in order for those taking over when we are gone. The Weatherstons will be on their own in the office (with some part time help) for about a month until Elder and Sister Christensen arrive. The Christensens will also be helping in the office but Sister Christensen will be doing double duty as Mission Nurse. We hope they are caught up on their sleep. We are trying to do as much advance work as we can on the next couple of transfers to help with the transition.

Well, this week was Sister Maughan's birthday and Elerie wanted to do something special for her. He was so excited he could hardly contain himself when he brought the printed tarpaulin and cake to the office Monday morning and waited for Sister Maughan to arrive. Surprise!

Elerie also recorded a birthday message and his testimony on a DVD to give to her . As the custom here is for the person with the birthday to take food to others and since Elerie brought the office pizza on his birthday, Sister Maughn invited Elerie with Wilma and other family members to McDonalds for lunch. Those of us in the office also joined the party. It was a big enough group that McDos opened the party room for us.

Wilma, Elerie, Lavender, Orange with the birthday girl.

This was the first time any of Elerie's family had been to McDonalds. Of course the two cute nieces, Orange and Lavender, had Happy Meals - and here the children pick out the toy they want with the meal. Their excitement hit about 12 on the Richter Scale. Watching them was the best of all.

Four of the Mandaue Elders also came by and joined the party.

Elders Caña, Murphy, Javelo, Pacaña

Elerie's Aunt Trinidad was with us too. She was the first member of the church in Lilo-an.

The combined Consolacion and Danao Zone Conference was on Tusesday where Sister Maughan was surprised with yet another cake.

Consolacion and Danao Zones

To end the week we drove to Danao Saturday for a baptism. Four were baptised, two taught by Sister Loreto and Sister Cook and two taught by Elder Ular and Elder Eustice. We were told that there are six or seven more on track for baptism next week. Great things are happening in the Cebu East Mission!

Thought for the Week

"Time is clearly not our natural dimension. Thus it is that we are never really at home in time. Alternately, we find ourselves wishing to hasten the passage of time or to hold back the dawn. We can do neither, of course, but whereas the fish is at home in water, we are clearly not at home in time--because we belong to eternity."
Elder Neal A. Maxwell