5 September 2015

September already !!!

Today, I am going to write a little about the Shemitah. You may not have heard of the Shemitah but in one week on September 13, 2015, it will be the ending of the Shemitah Year.  This is a Hebrew word and references biblical times where the Lord commanded all Israel to remember the Sabbath year.  They had their Sabbath day once a week, 1 day out of 7,  as we do. But they also had a Sabbath year. The 7th year was to be a year of blessing and renewal.  No crops were to be planted or harvested and all debts and obligations were forgiven at the end of the Shemitah.  In other words, all accounts to be wiped clean - a cleansing in essence and of course a symbol of the coming Atonement of the Savior.  It was a year of blessing to the Israelites if they were righteous but if wickedness prevailed, it could be a year of judgement.  The timing of the Shemitah is based upon the Hebrew calendar, not ours.  The Shemitah ends on the month of Elul and the day is the 29th or the last day of the month of Elul.  That day on our calendar this year is September 13.
So, what does this mean for us?  You decide, but it is quite interesting to note that the largest stock market crash in history happened on Elul 29 in 2008.  The largest crash before that happened on Elul 29 in 2001.  Going back in time it is fascinating to see how many things have occurred on, about, or during the Shemitah year.

A view of the city of Jerusalem from the BYU Center.  This is
from our trip to Israel in 2007.  See the Muslim Dome of the Rock
in the left center.  That is the old temple site.

As we consider the ending of the Shemitah year in 2015, We need to ponder on how the Lord looks upon this nation, the Land of Promise, the United States.  We have become virtually a "lawless" nation overnight; 52 million unborn infants have been murdered (the most innocent and defenseless of all); and we now know the unspeakable truth of what is being done with those little bodies in many instances; government is corrupt from top to bottom; the family is being destroyed and the nation believes that money is the resolution of all problems.  Perhaps the greatest concern of all is that America has turned it's back upon God's covenant people, not only the land of Israel but are we not His covenant people as well?   How can God stay the judgement that is to come?

The wailing wall at the base of the temple site.  Also from
our trip to Israel in 2007.

(For those who want to know more, read The Mystery of the Shemitah by Jonathan Cahn a Jewish Rabbi who is now a "born again" Christian.  Or go to YouTube and search for his name and the Shemitah and you will find two dozen videos of his speeches and interviews.  He also wrote "The Harbinger" (or the warnings) which Isaiah 9:10  prophecy's about Israel in ancient days but is manifesting again now in America.  Nephi includes this scripture in the Book of Mormon in 2 Nephi 19:8.   Also, the Shemitah is tied to much more than just the stock market. It has affected wars; the rise and fall of nations; plagues, and could even manifest in natural disasters and terrorist attacks) .

So what does this mean for us.   It is time for us to take a hard look at our own lives and make our lives right with God.  Isaiah 's call to Israel to repent is also our call to repentance.  May we listen and make our hearts broken and our spirits contrite, then we will not follow defiant Israels road to destruction.
I pray that the Lord will bless those who prepare themselves in every way for that which is coming.

Office Elders for leftovers.

In the land of coconut, there is no sweetened flaked
coconut so Sister Hoopes made her own.  She bought
coconut at the market and had them grind it and then she
 sugared and dried it.

Cookies with the new coconut and a pineapple cake for
Zone Training on Friday. One of the ZL's said to me
"I hope I get another piece of pineapple cake before I go home"
That is in December.

A picture of 4 Sisters as we arrived in Daet yesterday.  Notice
the face in the mirror.

Sister Reeder is always taking pictures of the missionaries.

The Daet Zone.

The week went by really fast as we had a huge day on Monday with 6 English tests completed that day.  Both of us were involved all day long with preparation and actual testing.  We did two more on Tuesday.  We now have a manageable number left before they all go home on September 23.










The other notable event was traveling to Daet on Friday with President and Sister Reeder for a Zone Training meeting and interviews.  President and Sister Reeder met with all the missionaries for their regular interviews and we participated in the Zone Training.  It is always a fun day to be around the missionaries! Also fun to be with President and Sister Reeder.


That is enough for this week!

29 August 2015

Here we go again!  We had a fun week which means we weren't too busy but we had things to do and were able to travel around a little bit which was a nice change.

District leaders in Pasacao.  Why am I always standing
on lower ground when around these tall Elders?

These Elders are wearing their sweat rags around their necks.  When I saw them, I asked if they were cold.  That is a real joke because the only time anyone is cold here is if you are sitting in an air conditioned room that is set way low.  Usually, it is very hot and humid and we are now in the rainy season with Monsoon rains that are hitting frequently.

Furniture/wood products factory next to the church in Pasacao.
Owned by members who we visited this past week.

This is our past week in a nut shell:  English tests and travel to Ragay and Pasacao along with Piano lessons and all the other incidentals like washing dishes; washing and ironing clothes; shopping; food preparation; cleaning apartment......And our daily scripture reading.  We will finish the Book of Mormon today for the second time this year.  It is another way of tracking our time.  In one year, we will read the Book of Mormon 3 times.  We have been doing this faithfully since we went to Germany.  It is a good thing to do and has really been a blessing to us.

This boy is polishing some small pieces of wood that they use in making belts.  They actually are quite nice.

This a family enterprise with aunts, uncles, dad, grandmother, and so forth.
All members.  

This sister was baptized last week and the District Leader
asked her to come and speak to the district.  I think it was
good although we couldn't understand anything.

We attended the Ragay District meeting on Thursday.  This city is almost to the Northern end of our mission.  There is one city with missionaries further north than Ragay.  It is a beautiful area, very tropical and very near the coast although we did not see the coast from where we were.  There are 4 Elders in this picture who work in Ragay and the other 2 work in the city further north, Del Gallego.  We always do some training on MLS, English studying, apartment cleaning, filter changing, etc.

This picture is here for fun.  This is a tricie load of pigs.  This is pretty common although we have seen a few small trucks that carry pigs and cattle.  This is always fun to see as it is so different for us.

The week is now past and we are preparing for a busy week next week.  We do 6 English tests on Monday.  That means that Sister Hoopes and I will both be involved all day long.  We will normally work with each one to ascertain their level of expertise and then try to spend some time with them helping them get ready for the test.  One test I did last week took 2.5 hours as the Elder needed a lot of help.  If they are ready and we can move quickly, we can do each one in a little over an hour.  We hope that happens on Monday and that all the equipment (internet) works well.  I will start with each one doing some practice tests and helping them and then they will move on to Sister Hoopes for the final test.

Later in the week, we will go to Daet with President and Sister Reeder to a Zone Training and then on Saturday back to Iriga for District Conference.  We also have our Stake Conference this next weekend and the Stake President has asked our ward choir to sing on Sunday so we are now starting practice again.

NO REST FOR THE WICKED OR IS IT WEARY????

Bis naechste Woche! (Until next week)  I feel like I should say something in a different language.

23 August 2015

Hi again.  Busy or slow, the weeks just seem to fly by.  I am writing this week on Sunday afternoon and it will be short as there isn't a lot to report.

We are reading from Ether in the Book of Mormon right now and will finish the entire book again in another week.  Those of you who desire can join with us in reading it again starting in September.  We will complete it again at the end of the year.  As usual, I have been greatly impressed with the messages contained in this marvelous revelation from God.  I was especially touched by 2nd Ether where Moroni talks about "this land of Promise".  I will add some short phrases beginning at verse 9:  "and now, we can behold the decrees of God concerning this land; that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them. ....  For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off. ... And this cometh unto you, O yes Gentiles, that ye may know the decrees of God - that ye may repent and not continue in your iniquities. ... Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity and from all other nations under heaven if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ."

How can the judgements of God not be coming upon us given the terrible wickedness which is upon the face of our country?  Truly, these are perilous times and those who are watching and prepared will be saved at the last day.  We are interested to see what happens between now and September 13 the end of the Jewish month of Elul.

The Elder on the right is from Henderson, NV.  His parents
are both Filippino and met in Provo at BYU.  He was born
there.  He is a happy and pleasant young man.  Plays the
piano and always has a smile on his face.

We started our week with a trip to Bato in the Iriga district to attend church on Sunday.  This is a small branch but has a very nice church building.  Everywhere we go we are welcomed and viewed, I think, as some kind of special visitor.  We truly are not but they treat us like royalty and we love being out among them.  I always try to get some pictures of the missionaries when we are around them and this time is no different.  One of the Elders in Bato is quite new and is from Henderson, Nevada.  I am including a picture of him and his companion for the sake of his parents.





\

Mom and Dad were baptized a month ago.  They have
5 boys.  He is a "Jeepney" driver.

The sisters day out.  You can see what they did.

Monday was a fun day for the "girls".  Sister Reeder planned a time with the 2 Senior Sisters and herself.  You can see from the pictures what they were doing.  I, on the other hand, stayed home and washed dishes, ironed my shirts and did an English test with one of the Elders close by.  The Brothers were actually invited to the Reeders mid afternoon to have lunch all together.  We always have fun getting together.

These Elders cooked main dishes of Filippino food.  This
plus two pots of rice was dinner.  Oh, we also had
birthday cake.

The rest of the week was all rolled together with birthdays, baking cake and cupcakes, dinner with friends and visiting Iriga for a District Priesthood training on Saturday. Yours truly was the main attraction again at this priesthood training.  I think we are finally starting to turn the corner on some of the issues regarding membership records.  I was so pleased with one of the clerks and branch presidents who have started using the forms to capture the information on two Aaronic Priesthood boys receiving the priesthood.  That is a big step and will go along way to resolving the issues.  I used them as an example of what they all need to be doing.

Birthday Elders on Wednesday.  Both the same day.

All the Elders who came to dinner on Wednesday.

Our friends over for dinner on Friday night.  The Gamil's.

Today, we were in Pamplona which is a small branch north of Naga about a half hour.  We were so warmly received again by everyone.  The branch president asked when we were going to move our memberships to their branch.  We didn't really have any  official business there today but went to visit and support them.  We love being with them and are always anxious to help them any way that we can.  Sometimes, just being there makes a difference, I think.





















We ended the week on a high note with the Gamils coming for dinner Friday night.

The trip to Iriga for training on Saturday.

The visit to Pamplona Branch to attend church and visit friends today.






We go into next week with a large day of English tests on Monday and then a regular week for the rest of the week.  We are doing well.  Still getting over colds and other little things but the Lord has been good to us.  We are learning a lot and doing great.

Until next week.

16 August 2015

It's seems Incredible But it's true....

A new Elder who just arrived from New Mexico.  This
picture is for his family which follows this blog.

Another week come and gone! To quote Jacob from the Book of Mormon..".I, Kathlene began to be old.....by saying that the time passed away with us, and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream, we being a lonesome and and solemn people, wanderers, cast out..."

Wait a minute, it's time to wake up.   We're only lonesome when we think about the time we are missing with our grandchildren.  Their lives are the ones passing away without us, for this reason we do look forward to our return home in 10 months from today.

Otherwise, we are busy little beavers with no time to be lonesome.  We had 18 missionaries leave this week and 14 new ones come in.

Going home!  18 of them.

We taught our Life Skills class on Tuesday and did new missionary orientation on Wednesday.

Another picture of the missionaries going home.

2 girls stirring cookie dough with their Mother's supervision.

We made cookies with the Bishops wife and girls on Thursday and did CES piano lessons on Friday.  We gave piano lessons on Saturday morning and went to a baptism that didn't happen.  Who has time to dream their life away on a mission.

Lots of help!

Completed project.

I'm also studying up on Dengue, we have another missionary in dem Krankenhaus, (oops, wrong mission) as this is a very bad year for the disease, and possible staph infections for a couple of us missionaries.

Due to our outstanding performance at Ward Conference last week, we have been invited to Sing at Stake Conference in September.  Oh NO!!! I just realized that our  lead soloist, Elder Legler, may be transfered by then.  I hope he doesn't go too far away.

Well, I'm writing this "while HE is sleeping, dreaming HIS life away!" ("HE" was up all night coughing - Jon's comment) So, maybe our life is passing away, as if it were a dream.

So dear readers, have a good week, and maybe we'll be awake next week.  "And I make an end of my writing upon this "blog"... and to the reader I bid farewell, hoping that many of my brethren may read my words.  Brethren, adieu
Sister Hoopes

Thought for today.

"The good works that really matter require the help of heaven.  And the help of heaven requires working past the point of fatigue so far that only the meek and lowly will keep going long enough.  The Lord doesn't put us through this test just to give us a grade; He does it because the process will change us."

Elder Henry B. Eyring

Naga District meeting on Friday.  Pineapple cake today.
No cookies.

8 August 2015

Hi again.  The past week has just flown by and we are just getting ready for the 6th week transfer rush. Next week is when transfers take place but it also means things will be very busy for us as we will be preparing for and teaching the Workshop on Tuesday for all those going home and then helping with the new missionaries coming in on Wednesday.  It is always a fun time for us.  We enjoy being around these young men and women.  Our time is now being counted in 6 week increments as it seems like we go from one Transfer to the next.

Going through Tigaon on Friday

Our past week was much more of the same.  Piano lessons; one last English test; Zone Training in Goa; District training in Iriga and then YW Fireside again in Iriga.  

The traffic to and from Goa on Friday was really bad and a difficult drive.  We heard there was a Fiesta in one of the towns (Tigaon) and that really added to the difficulty.  I was finding myself getting so angry at the way the cars and motorcycles pass.  At any given point there would be a car passing me on the left and a motorcycle on the right or the other way around and this is a small 2 lane highway.  And due to the traffic, there was no place in front of me so the only option when a car comes from the other direction is to push me over or force me to fall back.  I found myself getting so upset with this type of driving I realized that I am not going to be able to change the people but I can change myself.  When we got home that evening, we were reading our daily scriptures from the Book of Mormon in 3rd Nephi where the Savior teaches the Beatitudes  and verse 11 hit me really hard.  It reads, "And blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute..."  Actually all the verses touched me but especially this verse as I knew the Lord was talking to me and I came to realize that it is my pride that is the issue.  So many issues in our lives, when boiled down, really are related to pride and our inability to give up our egos.  My challenge for the rest of my mission is to find a way to accept all people; to learn to love them regardless of the circumstances we are in; to forget myself and my own needs and wants and allow others to be who they are without criticism and judgement.  A big challenge for me.

We heard through President Flores that a member in the area does Reflexology and he asked if we were interested.  We were so he brought the man by on Wednesday night.  He is a blind man who is married and has 2 children. This is how he makes his living.  He was trained in Manila with government help because of his disability.  We were told that he goes to a place in downtown Naga where the government provides him a place to work and he is there every night from 6 until 11 pm where he does the Reflexology.  We had an interesting evening with him.  He did both of us (I got a full muscle massage in addition) in about 2.5 hours and charged us 450 pesos. That is just over $10.  Of course, we paid him more than that but it was very cheap for a good service.

This is  a "seat belt" on a motorcycle.  He is strapped to his Mom.

I started this blog post on Saturday but it is now Monday as I finish this writing as we got so busy on Saturday and Sunday.  We left about 11 am on Saturday for Iriga to help with a District Primary training meeting.  We got home about 4;30 and went to a baptism at the church next door and then there was a Relief Socity activity and then ward Choir practicing for Ward Conference.

Sunday was Ward Conference here in our home ward in Naga and we were very involved in helping the choir.  We sang 2 songs on Sunday and it turned out really nice.  One of the office Elders sang a solo and he has a beautiful Tenor voice.  It was a very special day.  Sunday afternoon, we left with President and Sister Reeder for Iriga again.  Sisters Reeder, Hoopes and Watson were asked to speak at a Young Women's Fireside.  It was a nice meeting.

Elder Legler sang the solo.  He is from Gilbert, AZ.

From the Primary Training on Saturday afternoon.  This was
the breakout session for Primary music people.

This is Sister Hoopes addressing the YW on Sunday for their
Fireside.  It was on the YW Values.

A couple of weeks ago, we showed a picture of a rice farm
ready to be planted.  This is the same plot but the new rice
has been planted.  It is all done by hand.

We are grateful to have some time today to recover as we start with the big transfer week tomorrow with the Workshop which we teach to the missionaries going home.

Hope all is well.  Until next week.

1 August 2015

This week was extremely busy as we held a zone conference, gathering all 6 zones and 160 missionaries together over a 2 day period of time.   We had to bring all missionaries in to offer them the opportunity to have a flu shot.

To make this a more productive event, Sister Reeder asked us Senior missionaries to do workshops throughout the two days as we worked the missionaries through their OPPORTUNITY to have a flu shot.

Elder Hoopes had the OPPORTUNITY to teach the missionaries about the proper way and the necessity of changing their waters filters correctly, a necessary but boring task.  He also got to ENCOURAGE then to clean and de-clutter their apartments inside and out.  He also got to refresh their minds as to appropriate haircuts, sideburns, and attire.  By the end of 16 sessions he was absolutely bored stiff, not to mention that he came down with a terrible cold on day one.

I, on the other hand, had a great time.  I was to encourage them in their English skills and help prepare them for an English Proficency rating exam that they are all encouraged to take before they go home.  We have mentioned that in past blogs.  It is like pulling teeth to get some of the missionaries to even speak in English.

But during my 16 sessions we had a great time.  They were laughing and talking and making so much noise that I thought we were going to get in trouble!  I used a practice test that is on line and then they had to  act these things out.  So, mostly it went really well.  So many of the missionaries come to take the test without doing their English workbooks that they are given in the MTC, I have great hopes of getting all of these missionaries going home at high proficiency levels.  I think this was a great start.  It was especially good because they had so much fun and the native English Speakers can be a great help to the other missionaries.

Elder and Sister Watson showed the missionaries how to use Family History in their missionary work.  I would have liked to attend their workshop but as you can guess conducting our own 8 sessions was more than enough for a day.

After our Friday workshop we had to rush down to the CES building to our piano class. We were done for.

I had two piano lessons this morning and Jon has been down all day trying to get over his cold. Taking full advantage of the  fact that he is sick, I am doing the blog.  Actually this is my first post on this mission so I guess it is about time.

Other fun things that happened this week include, working with a Sister Missionary who has Dengue fever.  That has been interesting.  She has been really sick and her platelet count went down to 20 which was very low.  Sister Reeder and I were trying to get her to take our magic vitamin c potion but she didn't want to do it and wouldn't most of the time.  They finally had to hospitalize her and give her IV's.   I finally went to the hospital again and took more Vitamin C, made her companion take it and told her that I would bring the Meet the Mormon DVD over so they would watch it, but I wasn't going to bring it to her unless she would take the vitamin C.   She promised and I brought the DVD to her, (actually , I was trying to keep them from dying of boredom rather than Dengue fever).  Actually her platelets went from 45 to 121 overnight and she got to go home the next day. She got to come to the second day of Zone conference and was one happy missionary.

When we down loaded the picture we didn't remember that there was a nurse in the room.  Then we realize, hey that's me! Always the nurse where ever I go!



We offered all our missionaries a swig of our vitamin c potion and especially encouraged the ones taking the shots to drink it.  It's pretty sour and you should have seen some of the faces.  I, of course didn't see too much because Sister Reeder was doing the health workshop while a nurse gave the shots.  Other than our sick sister, no one was compelled drink it.  And she still had a choice, (I think I have the only copy of Meet the Mormons in the Philippines and for missionaries who can't watch movies, DID SHE REALLY HAVE A CHOICE???)

Oh well, other than a missionary with a possible staph infection, or impetigo skin rash, it's been a pretty quiet week.  For those parents out there, I am posting pictures of all of our zones.  It may be like finding a needle in a haystack, but maybe you can see your son or daughter.  Have fun, and we'll see what our next week brings.

Daet Zone

Goa Zone

Hey where did these two clowns come from???  Never trust a missionary with your camera!

Canaman Zone

Iriga Zone

Naga Zone

Pamploma Zone

25 July 2015

I am actually writing this on Sunday evening even though I put the title/date as of yesterday.

In our Life Skills Workshop which we teach to the Missionaries who are going home, we ask the question:  "What did you learn on your mission"?  It is surprising that few can or will answer the question until we give them some examples.  Some simple examples might be the following:  I learned how to budget my money; I learned how to manage my time;  I learned how to have faith in Jesus Christ; and I learned how to feel the spirit.   Once we give the examples, then we start to get some really good answers.  The point of the exercise is to help them see the value of their mission not just in people they have converted and helped bring into the gospel but also in the things that they have learned themselves that will be a blessing to them for the rest of their lives.  The value in this discussion is helping them to see that the mission they have completed honorably has been a training ground for the rest of their lives.  When they couple the things they have learned with the gifts and talents that God has given them, they are ready to learn how to partner with the Lord in creating the rest of their lives.

Sadly there are some who don't understand these principles and subsequently miss out on the great things that God has in store for them.  We recently read of a new program from the church for returning missionaries.  It is called "My Plan" and will be an online training tool available to all missionaries.  You can go online and learn of the whole program if you have interest.  I just want to quote here a statement from Steven Peterson, President of the South Weber Utah Stake, who has been involved in piloting this program.  He said, "too often we say of returned missionaries, Oh, he'll be back to normal soon.  If normal is what they were like before, I hope that they are never normal again.  If you forget what you learned on your mission , what was the point? The fact is that the mission is the MTC for the rest of your life.  The mission shouldn't stand out as a unique opportunity. It just prepares us for everything else we have to do."

These words are going into our next Life Skills Workshop because they are so powerful.  If we could only realize that God has given us talents and opportunities to learn and grow and that if we will take his hand, he will help us become what we want and what he knows we can be.



I am just going to post a few pictures from the week and a little bit about some people we met and that will be it for this week.

We were driving to Pili for church last Sunday and saw this beautiful terraced rice field and so we stopped on our way home to take some pictures.

It is hard to see how beautiful this was from these pictures but we thought it was so great to see.

The old man leaning on the truck is the owner.  They also
gave us some Coconuts.  The one in hand has been cut
open and we drank the water from it.  Very healthy and good!

Kathlene got out of the car to take the pictues and there were some people there who she started talking to.  It turned out to be the owner of the land and his family.  The rice field has just recently been prepared for planting which was to take place the following Thursday.  We had a really nice time visiting with him.  He spoke very good English as he had worked for the government in Agriculture prior to retiring a few years ago.  He was pleased that we thought his farm was beautiful.

Missionaries from the Pili District who we trained on Thursday in District meeting.

We had some English tests on Monday and invited these Sisters and Elders to join us for lunch.  The American Elder on the right in the back worked in the office for the last 6 months and we knew him very well.  Both he and his companion are going home in 2 weeks.