BUCKET LIST ITEM... SHAKE HANDS WITH A LIVING APOSTLE... CHECK!

Back in Baguio for a special mission conference.

Jimeny Christmas, this was quite a week indeed! Since about May 2014, I've had it as an item on my bucket list to shake the hand of a living apostle... check!

Our mission was visited by both Elder Neil L. Anderson and Elder Dale G. Renlund!

I though I'd never get to see Baguio before we went home, but I made it up for one last visit, hoorah! We had a special mission conference up in Baguio, on Friday, with everyone from the mission. A lot of the people I saw are on the other side of the mission, and there is an 80 percent chance I won't be able to see them again before I go home and 99 percent chance that I'll never see them again in this mortal life. Very weird thought. Elder Richard J. Maynes of the Seventy and Elder Ian S. Ardern, the Philippines Area President were also there! So, it was cool to listen to them and shake hands with them. But Elder Renlund, who is the newest of the Apostles, talked about knowing whether or not we're successful by judging our level of commitment. In that way, we can find out immediately how we are based on if we're committed. It definitely applies in missionary work, and I can imagine how it applies to other parts of our life, too. I took notes too, but left them at the house, so I can't recall everything they said, but I'll definitely go back and study it. It's not everyday, after all, that two apostles come and speak to you.

But, if that's not enough, we got to listen to Elder Renlund again on Sunday when he came to our district in Agoo for a special district conference. We had one investigator come, Brother Wakas! But the Uwi family did not which shattered some dreams. Quite the Sunday not to miss, too. Oh well.

But, other than that, this week was pretty normal. My beloved companion, Elder Dougal, made oatmeal raisin cookies because we had lots of oats. He had to do a little bit of maggot wrangling, too, as he sifted out the flour to make sure there were no uninvited guests in the cookies. We didn't have any real cookie sheets either, so I just used a couple of flat metal drip pans that go inside the bottom of the other oven (the smaller unused one). But they turned out pretty well.

I love you all so much!

Elder Mikesell III