Transfer Day

Thursday sa 25 Septiembre

We left early this morning for Iloilo. We ran into two parades (walking people with different color T-shirts walking down a road with the blessing of the barangay fathers and holding up all traffic, for no apparent reason). We planned to be a little ahead of time. Instead, we were a few minutes after 9. Of course, nothing had started yet, but I hate being late.

It turns out that 25 new Elders arrived and 4 new Sisters. That was a large batch and they are certainly needed and welcomed. We met Elder Rasmussen. He is alive and well and doing a hundred. We met others too, but Rasmussen is a name I remember . . . unfortunately, no relation. He is fine Sister Rasmussen . . .

Elder and Sister Robinson, senior missionaries from Preston, Idaho, were the missionaries we were actually there to welcome. They are new PEB/Self Reliance missionaries. They are also welcome and we pray for their success in helping the Filapino people find success and happiness drawing closer to the Lord, who is mighty to save . . . The mighty to save statement regarding the Savior is a basic premise for the Self Reliance program. It is in their book . . .

We drove Robinsons around and helped them get their phone going and took them to give them a little more familiarity with Iloilo. Our own is not great, but we could show them the main arteries and some good places to get American groceries, and a little about horning in to traffic when it looks impossible. Sister Sessions found about 6 cans of tomato soup at the Atrium, so it was a successful trip all around.

We saw some of the missionaries to wrhom we have grown close, Elder Mondragon, Elder Latchumanan, Elder Shaffer and Sister Villiami. Sister Villiami is now companions with Sister Dotillios and they ought to be a powerhouse companionship.

Been hot and humid. It rains about every other day right now. Gets wet, then the sun cooks the water back into the atmosphere. Not as bad as March and April, but I do miss fall in Idaho.

Tomorrow we have interviews with President here in San Jose. We look forward to that.

Heading to Iloilo at 6:15 this morning. It was a pretty sky and a busy street. Getting tired of trikes . . .

Mission home beginning decorating . . . jussst a bit early for me.