Newletter - Update on the Tacloban Mission

Dear Elders and Sisters,

I am sending this newsletter to all. I am very much thankful to all of you. Our mission will be back soon and I want all of you to be of diligent, discipline and exactly obedient missionary. It is not where we are now but how we serve the Lord. I want all of you to be the light to others, the effect of what you have learned as a FTM of Tacloban mission will testify to others that you are a strong missionary and exactly obedient missionary. Always remember the holy habits, share those things you’ve learned in the mission and I know you can be a big help to others. Sister Andaya miss you all. She miss giving  solution to  your health concern. Wait until the time Tacloban Mission will return, the famous word of McArthur, “I shall return”. We are in Maasin as of the moment, Mission home in Tacloban is under repair. Maasin is the temporary mission home. We love you all.

President and Sister Andaya

Dear Tacloban missionaries:

We all know of your interest in what is happening within the boundaries of the Tacloban Mission so you will receive, from time to time, an update of what is happening with the members, the Church buildings, the effort being made to have you return and the general community.

Letter from the Philippines Area Presidency

Dear Tacloban missionaries,

Thank you for your continuing prayers for the people of Tacloban. They are being answered as we see the nations of the world respond in a most generous way to meet the needs of the people. The Church has also responded in a very personal way to meet the immediate needs of the members and others by supplying food, water, clothing, cooking utensils and temporary shelter. Millions of pesos are now being used to meet the long term needs of the members which includes housing and creating employment opportunities. You will be pleased to know that we have our own self reliance specialists helping the members to create employment for themselves so they can once again provide for their daily needs.

Our Facilities Management people have been working hard to restore our chapels to their former glory with cleaning and reroofing projects. Your very own Mission home has been receiving a lot of attention and has been cleaned from top to bottom to rid it of the water stains and mud that ran through the bottom floor. There is no power yet in Tacloban but with generators to provide electricity and a lot of hard work a lot has already been accomplished. We write of these things as we want you to know that the Tacloban Mission will open again. We have said, as General McArthur said, “You will return” and return you will, just as quickly as we can make it happen.

Thank you for the work you are doing in the missions you have been temporarily assigned to. What is of greatest importance in life is how you serve so we encourage you to continue to serve with all of your heart, might, mind and strength. No matter where you are in the Philippines at the moment, you have a lot to offer to the people and it now includes the rich witness of the watchful hand of the Lord.

Please be assured of our love for you and of our continued effort to have you return to the Tacloban Mission as quickly as possible.

The Philippines Are Presidency and wives.

Letter from President and Sister Andaya

My Dear missionaries,

I want you to know that the priesthood keys given to his servants are real and authentic. After the typhoon devastation, I felt an assurance from the Spirit who spoke to my soul that all of the missionaries were safe and protected. Helaman experienced this with his stripling warriors, “That the Lord our God did visit us with assurance that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith…” Alma 58:11. I had the same feeling when my daughter Anabelle, at the age 10, was taken to the  ICU in Dagupan. The peace that I felt at that time was an assurance that she would be back to normal and that is what happened. I did not  have any worries about my daughter when she went to the hospital and I didn’t  have any worries about my missionaries. I had confirmed to me as your Mission President, as did with Sister Andaya, that the 204 missionaries were all safe. The Lord speaks to us in peace.  I know that God is real.

What I learned from the typhoon is to listen to the prompting of the Spirit and the Spirit of service. The day before the typhoon, the Spirit prompted me to e-mail Elder Nielson and ask permission to buy food for the members to distribute after the typhoon. We packed it in the office with the Assistants, Office Elders, STL sisters and Sister Andaya. I did not  have any idea at the time but the Lord was preparing these goods for the missionaries. We survived with that and the 72 hours kit that we had by eating one full meal a day.

The second experienced occurred when the typhoon was over.  I was pondering how I could communicate with the Area Presidency. I prayed and asked for guidance and the Lord prompted me to go the City hall of Tacloban. I asked my Assistants (Elders Johnson & Nath) and Elder Parsons to go with me to the City hall. When we got there, the DSWD personnel were installing satellite communication. I opened my mouth and I got the chance to e-mail the Area Presidency and also to offer service to pack goods for the people. I know the Lord directed me and it gave us the opportunity to serve even though we were also affected. The Spirit of Service is always intact.

Another experience  of service occurred after the typhoon when we took some sisters from their apartment and while we were walking. Elder Tofilao asked me if we could help an old man with a cut in his head and on his foot who was soaked and shivering. Without any hesitation, I told him okay and we took him to the chapel where I applied first aid and Bishop Lim of Tacloban 1^st Ward took care of him.

               

I know many miracles happened during the typhoon. Elder Parohinog who is from Mindanao shared with me his experienced during his exit interview. He told me that this devastating typhoon showed the hand of the Lord’s work. For 22 years, his biological mother left him to his grandmother and he unexpectedly met her in the Patron Housing where he was sent to stay. A member from Sta. Rosa, Laguna know his mom and he told her of her son. Even though the typhoon separated him from his mission it united him with his mother.

Many things happened to the missionaries and now you are separated from the mission but, “if so, we do not desire to murmur” Alma 58:35. I know the Lord takes care of us and He stated in D&C 100: 16, “For I will raise up unto myself a pure people, that will serve me in righteousness.”

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

President and Sister Andaya

Tacloban Mission

Other news:

Two Tacloban missionaries joined President Andaya in Tacloban on Friday, the 6^th December. Elder Mark Muñoz and Elder Marvin Rivera will assist in recovering the belongings of missionaries left in apartments and have them delivered to the Tacloban Mission home where they will be stored in anticipation of the return of the missionaries who will claim them on their arrival.  

In early January, a formal review of all areas where missionaries once served will be conducted by President Andaya and a former General Authority to assess the timing of the return of missionaries to the Tacloban proselyting areas. Some areas already have electricity (Maasin, Hilongos, Sogod and Catarman to name just four) and water restored and therefore we anticipate a January return of some missionaries to some areas.

In a few weeks calls will be again be made to missionaries from the Philippines and other nations to serve in the Tacloban mission.

Priesthood leaders are meeting and responding to the needs of the members. Recently, Elder Pajaro met with the Coordinating Council and a marvelous experience was had as ideas were shared and acted upon.

We still have some chapels being used to house individuals. Some are staying at night and are out rebuilding during the day so there is a decreasing number of people staying in the chapels.

We have established a temporary Mission Home in Maasin for President Andaya and his family. Their children will attend a school in Maasin and all are very pleased to be able to return to the mission.

Sacrament meetings are being held and we have reports of good attendance by those who remain in the area.