Transfer Day

With only 3 hours of sleep we pressed forward towards a new and exciting day - Transfer Day!

The first ones to arrive at the Molino Stake Center were the new missionaries from the Manila MTC. They had breakfast and interviews with President Tye.

Here are four of the twelve missionaries from the Manila MTC.
(The Provo MTC'ers are still asleep at the hotel.)

 

By lunchtime we had all the new missionaries and their trainers at the church. I arranged for a caterer to take care of our lunch and I was very careful to order a meal that would be pleasing to all the new taste buds. We had an assortment of American and Filipino dishes - like Fettuccine Alfredo, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Pork Hammonado, Osso Bucco, and Leche Flan with Peaches. But when I checked on the food minutes before serving I was surprised to find that the menu was not what I ordered. With everyone very hungry and waiting only for a prayer to start our lunch, I could do nothing but serve what had been prepared. I asked the caterer NOT to tell anyone what they were eating.

Even though we were served beef tongue, pork livers, and stuffed fish, the whole meal was actually very good. I have learned a very important thing so far in this calling and it is that nothing ever happens by accident. Perhaps the change in menu was to make someone who was homesick for home feel better. Or maybe I was being taught that the missionaries are adults and are more than willing to take on this new adventure in their lives. A taste of the culture of where they will be serving the Lord for the next 18-24 months was a great way to welcome them to this beautiful country - the Philippines.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After lunch we had the New Missionary Orientation . . .

. . . and then it was time to hand out new pillows and take a picture with each of our 24 new missionaries. These missionaries will always be known as the FIRST missionaries called to the Philippines, Cavite Mission. Someone in this group was the first person to be called as a missionary to this mission. That would be a truly unique opportunity - to be one of the 58 'first' called to new missions in 2013.

So get ready for a long line up of the new Missionaries that will always be known as UNANG - the First.