Dear Ones,

While you were sleeping we became the interim Country Directors of the Philippines.  Our boss, Benson Misalucha, has taken another position in Seminaries and Institutes and is moving to Baguio for health purposes.  He will be greatly missed.  In the meantime, Elder Webb and I (mostly Elder Webb) have been asked to fill in until the new Country Director can move into the position. That is scheduled to be August depending on a number of things. We heard he may have another 2 months of training in SLC after that. We feel we are doing double time as we try to schedule our work as well as attend all the meetings of the Country Director plus about approving projects submitted by other missionaries.  Again we know that the Lord will make a way for us to get the things done he needs to have done.  It will make the time go very fast.  Elder Webb is doing a great job.  To him it feels like he is back in the saddle.

We were asked to take this assignment by the Director of Temporal Affairs (DTA), the head of the temporal side of the office here in the  Area Office, Daniel de Almeida.  He is an extraordinary man; a Brazilian from Uruguay.  His assignment seems to be one of cleaning up different Area's; literally.  I was looking for furniture for one of our Partners. There are several large storage areas packed to the gills.  One we happened to look in had furniture.  We saw several office chairs on top of other things.  We inquired about the furniture and made a request before I left for SLC for the birth of Kathryn’s baby.  While I was gone the DTA had the contents of that storage room auctioned off.  We got our chairs for MDH and it did not take the months that are often a part of business here in the Philippines.

Elder Benson Misalucha second from left, front row.  

Speaking of SLC, as I mentioned, I was so fortunate to be given permission to return for the birth of Kathryn's baby.   I was a little nervous because I was granted permission to attend the wonderful wedding of Elizabeth in February so I was holding my breath.  Never fear, I was given permission along with a blessing for Kathryn from the Area Presidency and the Missionary Committee in SLC.  It's nice not to feel guilty for doing what you want.