Spacious

Ever since we’ve moved into our new apartment, I have been drawn to the view out one side of our apartment in contrast to the other side. We have a view of the circle inside of the mall with its lights and people and bustling wealthy city life. The other view has low story homes in contrast to the skyscrapers we live in. 

View from the 26th floor out onto the mall down below

There is a wide canal of grey-green water, a road that cars do not drive on and a wall fence that goes around that part of the city. The city sprawls to the distant mountains. The water I found repulsive especially if I think about sewage (and where is it going?), the road is interesting – people walk, play ball, and traverse it - and there seems to be gates in the wall. The dwellings are cement blocks and tin roofs, some with stucco and paint and others not. Some have roofs. There are a few straight lines of roads and many twisty alleyways. The lights twinkle at night and I feel a wonder and fascination with how life goes on there. It looks scary and rough so I don’t want to just drive out through it, but I still want to explore and look and try to understand. Our first night here I could not sleep so I just kept looking out at the distant Christmas lights in windows or doors, the store neon lights, some street lights and some homes with lights on. I tried to imagine how life in crowded dense place would be. I speculated all night and kept coming back to look some more.

Coming home the next day from a trip out into the country, we were directed by the car navigation to go through this particular city. We got stopped in traffic and told to go in a wandering loopy way through the city streets and I got to look and see those crowded dense streets and alleyways as we waited for our turn to drive a little farther. Poverty is very evident and also those who have a lot more. One tiny neighborhood stacked next to another. I could see people who lived practically on the street, those who built homes without windows out of cement blocks, mortar and tin sheet roofs, the next levels up of homes were painted, the next level up had stucco and paint and then windows. The nice homes and neighborhoods had plants and more color and some of the buildings had a small lawn attached – though maybe that was a school or church. The roads were only marginally bigger. Even if the homes did not have windows or a seeable door I could glimpse televisions on and lights. Some of the electrical wires hung from buildings and were twisted with other wires without electricians tape. What happens when it rains? Since it rains every few days they must be under eaves or roofs. People are everywhere, moving, washing, walking, chatting, and living. The children seem to be happy playing on the side of the road outside of their homes and in the alleyways. Sidewalks are non-existent or marginal. Wash hangs out everywhere – the whites are white. I thought it was so interesting that I was able to have this chance to see and look when I had wanted so badly to do so. I thought how the Stewarts had no idea that they were stuck in traffic because of an answer to a desire I had.

I feel something big and indescribable. I wish I had Nate’s descriptive ability, Michael’s parable insights, Rebekah’s emotional appeal, Debbie’s slice of life comparisons, Andrew’s analytical thoughtfulness, Rachel’s evocative story telling, Matthew’s depth of thought and Kelsi’s wrap of life experience changes.  I have feelings and no words that can “tell” that feeling. 

Chapter 2

I watched out the window this morning at the kids playing basketball and noticed that people are living on the side of the green muddy canal. There seems to be a rice patty and small shack and another lot with markers around it  - like someone is marking out their field. Others are promenading the road leisurely. I can’t help but feeling I’m living in the great and spacious building. No mockery on my part.

Should I be going to church in a different ward? I have a yen to be part of a real Filipino existence in a small way. I’m wondering where our best place to serve is.  Jeffrey has definitely found some serious meat to chew in his legal work. I know I am of great value in the dental office. Then there is Sundays. This will be the first week we both are teaching for other teachers. That is just it, there are many in this ex-pat ward who are excellent teachers. But I don’t know if we are even needed in another ward. They probably have excellent teachers there also – who speak the language they understand. Where should I fit in?

Deciding

Within 2 days working at the Dental Clinic I decided two things.  Number 1.  I wanted to work there as my first choice and give my loyalty to that department. Number 2 . I would be at the Clinic whenever the Stewarts were there.

I realized within a week that the Lord had sent me to be of assistance and help to Sister Stewart in organizing her time, thought and efforts.

I watched her run from one crisis to another, often forgetting where and what she was working on earlier in the day.  The weight of making sure the dental clinic is a viable concern and then proving or “selling” the idea to unknown persons who are in charge was heavy for her. The opposition to the clinic is that:  it is a requirement to have your dental work already done before going on mission; it takes precious time away from the MTC activities, and is it a viable cost of Church tithing money and other’s donations?

When working on the front lines, seeing the condition of rotted teeth stumps and mouths full of cavities over and over - the knowledge that this work is vital is clear. How do you convey that to a person reading a report far away?

I really don’t know the true reasons why so many of the children from the Philippines are in trouble dentally – they just are.

So I threw myself into the work and found out quickly that the Stewarts have a hard time saying no to anyone who calls with an “emergency”. Time after time Elder Stewart will, “have a look”, to see what a problem is during his allotted lunch hour. Often the procedures take more than the hour allotted and any ‘break’ time gets eaten up in finishing up a root canal or extraction.

Sister Stewart has a few stories about being thrust into a dental clinic with no experience or idea of how a dental clinic is suppose to work. In an American office there is typically one person assigned to each category or maybe two: Assisting the dentist, a hygienist, someone to schedule appointments, someone to work dentrix (a system of keeping track of procedures and fees), someone to do the insurance and billing, Someone to do the x-rays, and someone to clean up the rooms, trays, and instruments. 

Sister Stewart would run from one task to another and asked for help from the Area and prayed to the Lord when she was in trouble. A few women would volunteer some time and one missionary from the temple came every day when the temple closed for three months. A girl named Jonah volunteers to assist the dentist and comes from 6 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday. The unique hours I work makes sure on Saturdays, late and early hours that Sister Stewart can stay on one task and not run to answer phones, assist her husband, and open the front door at the same time, while struggling to record all the procedures whenever the patients are gone.

One aspect of volunteers is that they come when it is convenient for them so all the hours that need assisting are not covered. In October two of us were assigned to help out in the Dental Clinic and in the MRC. I quickly decided that the Dental Clinic had my first loyalty, as the help needed at the MRC is inconsistent depending on who is injured or ill in a mission or MTC.  Sister Hoem’s husband works as a mental doctor for the area and has regular hours, so she works Monday through Friday at the dental clinic and takes the weekends off to be with her husband. She also goes on whatever trips he goes on.

I chose my mission and hours.

I keep being told over and over, “You don’t need to work so many hours, it is not required.” No but it is necessary and I choose to be of maximum help.

Is it the Call - Jeffrey's Ordination - or This Country?

The jet lag factor played a huge part in rising in early morning hours wide awake the first week we were here. We were asleep by 6 pm at the latest and awake at 1 or 2 in the morning. I could force myself a few times to stay awake a bit later than 7 pm and then sleep in till 4 or 4:30 am.

The next week we didn’t feel tired. But an interesting thing has been happening. I have felt a gentle, open spirit flowing around me. It starts with masses of people hurrying to where they need to go without road rage, impatience, or scowls. If you smile at a Filipino they will smile back. In general most of the people are very respectful, patient and modest. They hurry and are aggressive without being over-bearing. They will let you in if you get in front and expect you not to hit them when they are in front. I’m not sure why I feel a good spirit so strongly here. Maybe it is so many people who smile. Or am I being surrounded by the missionary aura? It is palpable. Jeffrey says, “What a blessing to be here!”

Jeffrey still wakes up very early and studies. He has had some dreams and had quite a few relevant insights into the topics he studies. He seems to have revelations about lots and lots of little things piling up into big answers.

One morning while reading in Mosiah 14 and 15 I felt there were some scriptures that pertained to Jeffrey’s quest. He was engaged in his journal writing so I wrote down the scriptures to talk with him later, which I did. Tonight he was telling me about this morning’s insight and interpretations. Mosiah 15 was the feature story. I feel like I am a second witness to his insights.

 I have even had a few dreams with interpretations. We have been having prayers answered immediately. Jeffrey was wondering if we really know and understand how and what to pray. We are learning in a new way and with greater depth in our usual study.

So are the blessings coming because of the wonderful country we are in? Is it spill over effect because of Jeffrey's ordination? Are we being richly blessed because we are missionaries?

It probably doesn't matter why - I'm just going to enjoy it while it lasts.

Role Reversal

Last night I practically fell asleep on my feet when I got home. The office had their first appointment at 6 am, we worked through lunch because of an emergency appointment from a missionary in the field with a horrible toothache. They had to travel 2 hours by bus to get here. Then worked till the patient left at 5 and then cleaned up.  It was late when we got home but my feet and ankles thought it was close to midnight. I sat at the table and kinda stared off into space.
Meanwhile Jeffrey looks in the fridge (at the groceries he bought) and made a wonderful pesto salmon salad with tomatoes, peppers and other colorful things. It really hit the spot. Then before I even got up he started the wash. Now that was a real blessing. If you don't know about washing clothes here, see previous post.
I did the minimal dishes we had and got ready for bed. By then Jeffrey had hung up the wash and was ready to go to bed too. Nice day at the office.

The wonderful part of the day was the glorious sunrise and then when we got home the fantastic sunset. I'll have to post another day some pictures of paradise.

All Saints Day

The whole internet thing here is a little whacky. I’m not sure if we already have an internet connection in our apartment right now or not. We are staying in the apartment of a Dentist who helped get the Clinic up and running and then had to go home to take care of his family because his child got killed in a airplane accident. I don’t know if it was a son or daughter but their grandchildren are without a home and he will not be coming back until after the holidays maybe sometime in January. We will be staying in this apartment until ours will be ready sometime in the middle of November.

When I get to the Dental Clinic they have Wi-Fi connected to the LDS access and most of the time it is running very well. But we are so busy that I haven’t had time to really do more than check on a few things for the 5 or 10 minutes I snatch. I’m sorry I haven’t gotten back to those who wrote – I will in a day or two.

When the missionaries arrive at the MTC we have an intake day. The week after intake day is really a mad scramble for the clinic as we only have 2 ½ weeks until the missionaries are in the field. So the first week the most needy missionaries are seen first – usually those who have had no dental care in their entire lives and have holes all over their teeth. Dr. Stewart will numb one side of their mouth and do as many procedures as he can and then have them come in the next day or day after that and do the other half of their mouth. Sometimes they can have many fillings and pulp caps or root cannels and they are lucky if nothing is bad enough to be extracted. Dr. Stewart will do everything he can to save a tooth. The missionary president’s wives would live close to Manila, try to get their missionaries into the MTC clinic because when they send missionaries to the regular dentists they tend to extract the tooth whenever there is a toothache.

Sister Stewart told me about one missionary president’s wife telling the elder to tell the dentist to save his tooth. When he got back from the dentist he asked the president’s wife what she wanted to do with the tooth he brought back in a little bag. I had to laugh because understanding for me is difficult too.

Today the Stewarts started seeing missionaries at 6 am and didn’t take a lunch break because there was an emergency patient from the missionary field who had been in pain for 10 days. When I went home at 5:15 pm they were in taking care of the last patient. I’m hoping they get home at a reasonable time tonight and get some sleep. We have a very tight schedule tomorrow too.

I’m writing this at home and hoping I can post it in between breaks tomorrow – if there are any – I do think about you sometimes during my day though mostly I’m earning my “merit badges” as Sister Stewart and I call each of the different duties I learn and figure out. Mostly I just drop into bed each night. Tonight I’m determined to stay awake until 9 so I can get up at a reasonable time like 5 instead of 1 or 3 like Jeffrey is doing. That’s ok for him as he has been receiving some incredible insight and dreams. This whole mission is wonderful and fantastic!

Mission Honeymoon

Jeffrey and I are now at the end of our first week as bona fide missionaries.  It has felt like a honeymoon to our new phase in life.  First of all the spirt of the Lord is palpable on this MTC campus, and second the stringent rules for single missionaries is not in effect for the senior missionaries such as being together 24/7, being in classes until 9:30 pm at night, having certain days to do laundry and go to the gym. Nope after class on Monday we walked around the temple at night.

I saw this temple dedicated when I was 12 years old

Then on Wednesday and Thursday we took off hiking in Rock Canyon. We watched young men and a few women climb impossibly high cliffs either in repelling or just toe and finger holds.  The mountains were incredibly beautiful with glorious color. Then we went to Cafe Rio for supper. Did you know there is wifi access in our rooms?

Sorry you can't see the itty-bitty people climbing up

There is a new closeness we feel as we work together to figure out how we are going to work together to achieve our goals. We feel tremendous gratitude to the Lord and the many, many people who are giving us this opportunity o serve the Lord and others.  I think we are seeing each other in a new light too.  Jeffrey is very excited and I feel this is his mission and I am supporting, lifting, and finding joy in being of service in a new way.

Our district: The Longs (13 missions 9 together) The Archibalds (first mission for them going to Russia) us and Sister Peterson in front she went to Norway a little while ago.

Just some small tidbits were I felt the Lord's hand:
I lost my key outside in the dark and we went back through the parking lot and sidewalk and found it. The sun was overcast while we were hiking and I mentioned how brilliant and beautiful they would be if the sun were shining on them - we went up a few yards and the sun was spotlighting the cliffs.
We listened to Elder and Sister Bednar in a devotional.
The spirit of the Lord we could feel on this MTC campus and from our teachers.
Getting an email that lets me know God hears my prayers.