Elder and Sister Whiting in the Philippines: Turnover in Leadership

Transfers have come and gone again; our seventh since being here. Each group of missionaries has had it's own dynamics and personality. This group was a especially good group. Every one of the elders had been zone leaders, and one was an assistant. And every one of the sisters had been a sister training leader. They left quite a leadership void in the mission. But it gives others an opportunity to step up and lead. We had a total of 23 missionaries leave this time--14 finished their mission, 7 were visa waiters who left for their assigned missions, one left early, and one had a medical release. Only five arrived to replace them.

Two years ago, there were 260 missionaries in the Angeles Mission, part of the age change bubble of missionaries. Now we are stabilizing at 200 missionaries, which is quite a reduction. It has been difficult for President Clark to decide what areas to close and how to allocate the remaining missionaries.

We had another accident involving missionaries and a motorcycle last week. Two sisters were walking home Monday in the rain when a motorcycle, blinded by the rain hit them, breaking the leg of one of the sisters. Tuesday afternoon, we carefully loaded her and her companion into our car and drove her to the MRC. The leg was only splinted with a blanket, but she was tough and brave and the only way we could tell it was hurting was from the tears in her eyes. She got a cast from hip to toe, will go home for three months to recover, and then return to her service. She is a good missionary and we will miss her.

Last night about 10:30, Sister Whiting went to the bathroom, and when she turned on the hall light, there was a bat flying around in the hall. Her screams woke Elder Whiting from a sound sleep, and he was able to catch the bat in a bucket and let it out. we have no idea how it got in--that's what worries us because we never leave outside doors or windows open. We worry it might have a secret way into the house and that it has brothers and sisters. We really really hope it was a fluke. We also had a big frog at our front gate the other night to welcome us home. It is a constant battle to keep the critters at bay.

We enjoy the huge thunderstorms most every afternoon because they temporarily cool things down, and they are fun to watch besides. We hope you are all enjoying your summer weather.

We leave you with the following thought from the Doctrine and Covenants:
"Joseph Smith the prophet and see of the Lord has done more save Jesus only for the salvation of men in this world than any other man that ever lived in it."
--D&C 135:3--

Mahal Kita,
Elder and Sister Whiting