November 23, 2014 - Sunday

We made it to the Philippines!  We arrived late last night after some 8,000 air travel miles and 28 hours of actual travel miles... A trip I won't mid taking one more time!

We traveled on some huge aircraft that held 320 passengers.  There were 4 classes of passenger travel and we sat on the very back row of the economy class!  It was probably the most challenging for me to sit for such long periods of time!  We never did see the sun set until we arrived in Manila.  That was interesting!

So, it is now official, Sister Lasher and Elder Lasher are full time missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  We had many very interesting conversations just from people seeing our name badges.  

We had several former missionaries come right up to us and engaged in some wonderful dialog.  We also had several folks who talked to us who had great admiration for the missionary efforts of the Church.  

My appreciation goes out to all the missionaries, who may never quite understand the impact they have had on people, who have impressed these kinds of people.  They were very complimentary about all the missionaries they have seen in their travels throughout the world.  It is such a privilege to be a part of this great world-wide work!

Mom and I had a comfortable room last night.  We had representatives from Church Travel meet us at the Manila Airport and took us to our room.  We got to the room just a little before 11pm and we were tired.  But it was really only about 8am in the morning Rigby time!  We have an adjustment period for sure!  

We meet for our Church meetings this afternoon with a small branch.  A brother will be picking us up in about 2 hours and we will meet with our first Church members!  More to come!

Well, we made it to the Branch Meeting that started at 2pm Philippine time and met some absolutely wonderful people!  Brother Clem has been our driver coordinator and we finally met him and his family.  What a pleasant and happy group of brothers and sisters.  We instantly felt that we were a part of their congregation.

For each of our grandchildren taking piano lessons or who might be thinking about taking these lessons, this is a note for you!  The branch lost their pianist about 3 months ago when he moved out of the area.  One of the counselors in the Bishopric has 3 daughters ranging in age from 11 years old to about 8 years old.  After a few weeks without a pianist, their dad asked them if they would like to play since they knew a little about the piano.  They were NOT receptive to that idea but dad was persistent and encouraged them to at least try.  Well, we heard them play today and they were not only good at playing the Hymns for the Sacrament services, but they were happy to be doing it.  They were so excited when we met them to tell us about their callings to play!

The rest of the meetings were great with many of the branch members participating.  There were several testimonies that were shared about miracles in their lives and in missionary service.  Probably the most touching came at the end of the meetings when another Primary young girl came up to us and said she wanted to be a missionary "just like us".   Tell me Heavenly Father doesn't know each of us and where He needs us to serve!  We sure found out today that two senior missionaries discovered that their service is needed here in the Philippines....  

November 20, 2014 - Thursday

As most of our family will agree, this last two weeks has gone by quickly.  The MTC experience was absolutely amazing!  The last members of our district left today and mom and I shed some tears over the friendships we have made.  

Sister Chao was the last in out district to leave today and then mom and I are leaving tomorrow morning at 5am.  Our flight leaves Salt Lake at 8:30am tomorrow, and we arrive Saturday late in the afternoon in Manila, Philippines.  We will stay in Manilla for a few days as our Visas are processed and then we are off to our mission field of labor. 

This experience in the MTC has been so good for mom and I.  As you can imagine, being together as full time missionary companions takes adjusting time.  The best thing we have done to transition more perfectly is talk to one another and not only express our concerns, but also express our love for each other.

An interesting tender mercy presented itself early this morning as we were doing our last load of laundry at 5:30am.  Mom started reading her Patriarchal Blessing that we both brought on a laminated card, and she was amazed at the parallels those promises and blessings had for her full time missionary service.  The Lord has confirmed on so many occasions that He needs His missionaries in the mission field now.  We are grateful we could be a part of this great work!

Sister Lasher at the MTC laundry - last day! (Dad took the picture!)

Elder Lasher at the Provo Temple - last day (Mom took the picture!)

November 19, 2014 - Wednesday

Today is sunny and in the mid 40's here at the MTC.  We are winding down our training for the mission office portion of our stay here so we checked the mail early!  What a wonderful surprise we had waiting for us with a package from home and wonderful notes from our Rigby 10th Ward friends!  Thank you so much to the activity that the Young Women had to write the missionaries!  In a future day, precious young women, you will recognize just how much this meant to each of us away from home!

We also received many precious notes from our grandchildren and an idea came to me that will help me enhance this blog!  I am going to start a grand children's corner and answer each one of their questions they have!  We love those precious notes!  They will be wall decorations in our apartment in Laoag!

I got these pictures today.  Ali sent me the winter storm in New York very close to where we "thought" we would like to serve a two year mission..... Seneca Lake, New York.  Perhaps by a show of hands, which one would you choose?

Laoag, Philippines!

Let's see.... Philippines or New York - Seneca Lake area??

November 18, 2014 - Tuesday

Sister Chao - Taiwan Mission Secretary - 84 years old and serving!

 

 

 

November 17, 2014 - Monday

We began our 3rd week of training this morning as we wind down our time here in the MTC.  Mom and I are both going through the mission office training and today they began with some nifty computer basics that included word and excel training.  I have used both extensively and I picked up some new things that will be very helpful!  Mom was also happy to be there as many pieces of information made more sense to her.

It was cold and sunny today and it seems that we will have these brisk days the rest of the week.  Mom and I got some good news tonight that we sold our car and that was wonderful!  We also got a sweet note from our adopted daughter, Lindsay Gallenger, one of Amy's friends in high school.  We were so happy to hear from her!  Thank you, Lindsay, for your uplifting note!  It helped make our day!

The sale of the Subaru came at a very good time for us.  It will help out our monthly expense commitment, but that is only part of the great news.  Tommy was communicating with the buyer and found out we were selling the car to help us in serving this mission.  The buyer was so grateful to know this and he and his wife were told by Tommy that they were an answer to prayers for us.  Then he told Tommy that us selling the car was an answer to their prayers.  It was very tender for some of us as we shed tears of joy for knowing that Heavenly Father really does look out for His Children as they try to do His work and keep His commandments.  This news was very humbling for me.

November 16, 2014 - Sunday

This has been a great day in the MTC!  We started off today fasting for certain miracles to happen for our family and we are already seeing His Hand in our prayers!  We had Sacrament right after breakfast time and then we got to go to an assembly hall here at the MTC and watch Music and the Spoken Word broadcast to us.  The opening song on today's broadcast?  "Called to Serve"!  We currently have dozens of countries where the MTC missionaries are going out to this week so it was very appropriate when the Tabernacle Choir sang as the closing song, "When the Saints Go Marching In"!!  Yes, we are in the right place at the right time and we are reminded of that so many times each day.

I have a note to our precious grandchildren; we hope you will each prepare well to be a missionary!  There is no better way to spend two years of your young lives in serving the Lord.  I would encourage each of you who are taking piano lessons to learn the piano well.  What a tremendous blessing this will be to you and thousands who hear you play.  And the neat part about this is that when you play, you are playing for Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ!  

Prepare well and practice your music as much as you study the words of the Gospel in the Scriptures every day.  You will quickly know, in a setting like this, that your talents will be magnified one hundred fold in His service!  Learn the piano and any other instrument where you can express your love to Heavenly Father.  And I would suggest that you also take any opportunity to learn how to conduct music and sing in the Choir.  Needless to say, we have had piano solo's, singers and violin performances over the last week that have been amazingly special.  And the performers were all young missionaries who literally sang praises to Jesus Christ and brought such a neat Spirit to our meetings!

I also learned something special today as well.  We are currently being trained in the "MTC" or Missionary Training Center.  How about this other meaning for "MTC"?  My Time with Christ?  Food for thought because this is just that!  There isn't a place here in or on this campus where that Spirit does not have the potential to reside!

Like we have said, we have met so many excited missionaries ready to serve.  It has been fun to get to know them and find out where they are from and where they have been called to serve.  We met several missionaries yesterday and today from the Philippines going to places like Eugene Oregon, Mississippi and Kansas.  Everyone going to some new area to teach and preach the Gospel and they are so happy to do it!

And just think, Granny and Grandpa have joined their ranks and we are happy to do so!  And we love you so very much for your love and support!!!  THANK YOU!

 

November 15, 2014 - Saturday

On this Saturday, mom and I had a very relaxing day here at the MTC.  We had no formal classes so we took advantage of our "P" (preparation) day and got up at 5:30am for a 30 minute workout on the tread mill and went to breakfast.  We got our laundry done and we took some time in our room to fold clothes and talk about our choice opportunity to be full time missionaries.  

Being full time missionaries is a family affair for each of us in our family.  We are very grateful for the love and the support from each person following us on this blog!  Please note that today, with my precious companion's help, we downloaded two new pictures!!!  Check it out!  

One is with Josh and Amy's 30 minute visit and mom and I pointing out our mission field on the huge world map in the MTC hallway.  All missionaries traditionally take this picture pointing out their field of labor.  Bob pointed out Guatemala, Josie pointed out Finland, Tom pointed out New York, Josh pointed out Australia, and Jared pointed out the Philippines.  A great family tradition and sooner than we can imagine, the grandchildren will be pointing out their fields of labor in the coming years!  How sweet will that be???!!!

We attended the Provo Temple this afternoon with our friend Sister Chao.  Let me tell you a little bit about her and the love that mom and I have developed for her and so many others.  She lost her husband about 8 years ago.  They joined th Church in the year 1976 and were sealed in the temple in August 1977.  Guess which temple????  The Los Angeles Temple! Where mom and I were married in February 1977!  She is 84 years old as I have mentioned before and she has the energy of many who are 20 years younger.  She loves to walk and take the stairs instead of the elevator.  When we take the stairs with her I'm the one huffing and puffing!  She will be an office missionary for her son-in-law who is the Mission President in her mission Taiwan.  Pretty special opportunity!   She will serve for 12 months.

We also were able to Skype Amy and Cambry and Isaac tonight. With Amy's help I think we worked out a few bugs!

Mom and I are finding a new closeness that we have not experienced in our first 38 years together.  We are so excited to serve the people of the Philippines together, and we are so grateful for the love and the support we receive from our family and friends.  Thank all of you for your loving kindness and for the expressions of support that we have received over the past 3 months.  

We are finding that our love for one another grows stronger each day.  We are especially finding out how much we are looking forward to serving in the Philippines.  There is no way we could turn back on this precious opportunity.  We know from just one week here at the MTC that we would turn away from so many blessings if we were to go back home now.  We have begun a journey that will be a treasure for us and for our family and friends, so hold on tight!  We are one full week into this mission and we can't wait to see the end from the beginning!  It promises to be exceptional!!