Typhoon Taguput Update - From Sister Maurer

Hello all.

I'm sorry for no update till now, but it's been a massive 30 hours or so. As predicted Ruby landed. Tacloban was spared the worst of her, but we still had plenty of devastating winds and rain. I didn't get any sleep as she raged all night till about 5am. I snatched a couple of hours then. Eventful night for us as at about 10pm we heard a mighty crash of splintering glass. The downstairs glass sliding doors were blown in and the elements entered. We cleared the room of furniture and left the room to fend for itself for the night. We are safe and unharmed. That's all that matters.

Enough about us. I'm sure you want to know about our precious cargo. At 8am this morning all Zones, except Tolosa, Carigara, and Biliran, had reported they were safe and unharmed. The other three zones had no cell phone connection as towers must have been down. President and I drove out to Burauen at about 11am where Tolosa was found safe and happy (see photos). After assessing the safety of the roads we dispatched two of our office staff (Elders Oakes and Mata) at about 2pm to head to Carigara and then Biliran to check on the other two zones. They are still on the road and are expected back in about an hour. We think they may have problems getting to Biliran as there is a notorious part of the road there that is known for flooding. They were under strict instructions not to attempt access if there was any flooding. I will report to you once they get back. I spent the rest of the day helping president clean up and prepare food for our 23 new missionaries. It's been an exhausting day, but one full of joy and blessings. I cried when I saw our Tolosa missionaries, not because I feared for them but simply because I love them and it was like seeing my own children after being away from them for a long time. I love my job!

I'll keep you posted on further updates as we get them. Missionaries will stay tonight in the chapels again and return to their apartments tomorrow (unless assessed otherwise). Power is out in most parts of Region 8, so you probably won't get an email from your missionary tomorrow. It's been an exciting day. We look forward with anticipation of moving the work forward.

UPDATE: Elders Oakes and Mata have just messaged us and all missionaries in Carigara and Biliran are safe and accounted for. The elders will stay over night in Biliran and return tomorrow.

Typhoon Haguput Update #2 - From President Maurer

Friday Night Update 2 for Ruby: Dec 5th, 2014

Dear Parents and Friends of Tacloban Missionaries, I think my initial email did not get sent, so you may receive two in a row!!! The wind has a gentle breeze blowing in Tacloban as I write to update you. It is calm and peaceful, and actually a little cooler...quite comfortable! I imagine that thru the night we will find stronger winds, and may even wake up to a little rain. As you may have guessed there is nothing much happening here, but we are preparing for the worst. The latest projection has Typhoon Ruby moving across the coast in Borongan about 24 hours from now. It's path appears to go west north west across Catbalogan. It has been down-graded and no longer a Super Typhoon.

The streets of Tacloban are bare. There is little transport available as early as last night. Most people are either moving to safer locations, or at home preparing for a typhoon that is approaching ( about 415 kms east or south east of Borongan). Our missionaries have each been gathered by their Zone Leaders to be together. We have had them do this to keep them together for morale, safety and ease of contact. They are all in fine spirits, safe and actually sharing the gospel in various locations. The people are actually very interested to talk about a gospel of peace and joy, whilst calamity approaches.

For those of you who know where your missionary is serving we already have them in these locations, before the transport shut down:

Catarman Zone - Elders in the Chapel; Sisters in the Catarman sisters apartment.

Catbalogan Zone - Elders in the Zone Leaders apartment in Calbayog; Sisters in the Calbayog apartment.

Boronogan Zone - All missionaries evacuated and living in Tacloban.

Tacloban Zone - Elders are in the Office apartment; Sisters in the Tacloban Sisters apartment.

Tolosa Zone - Elders in the Burauen Chapel (inland); Sisters in the apartment in Burauen.

Sogod Zone - Elders in the Zone Leader apartment in Sogod, and Sisters in their apartment.

Maasin Zone - Elders in the Maasin ZL apartment. Sisters in Ormoc Zone - Elders in the ZL Apartment in Ormoc, and Sisters in the STL apartment in Ormoc.

Biliran Zone - All missionaries in the Biliran Chapel Carigara Zone - All missionaries in the Carigara Stake Chapel.

The plan is to watch the development over night and move all missionaries into chapels in the morning. We have learnt much from Typhoon Yolanda and feel more prepared to keep them safe and facilitate a rescue should that be necessary. Please be assured that they are safe and our hope and prayer of faith is that there will not be a catastrophe. Thank you for your support, faith and prayers.

Wayne E Maurer

Mission President

Philippines Tacloban Mission

Typhoon Haguput

Facebook Message From A Missionary Dad

This storm just keeps moving north. It looks like about Saturday 5am MT that it will hit. From what I can see on the map it will mostly miss Leyte and may hit land around Catarman, Samar. I have also seen it go from a CAT5 to a CAT3 and back to a CAT4 today so let's keep praying for the safety of all of our missionaries, members, and the Filipino people who may be impacted by the storm. Possibly by this time tomorrow our missionaries will become helping hands once again with whatever is needed.


Brianne is in Hinunangan.  On the map it is near Maasin.  She is in the Sogod Zone.

Typhoon Hagupit Update #1 - From President Maurer

December 5, 2014

To the families of our missionaries!

This is a message of hope and notification about what we are doing to ensure the safety of your missionaries serving in the Philippines Tacloban Mission. As you may be aware there is a tropical typhoon (Ruby) heading towards the Philippines. We are closely watching the developments as the storm approaches from the east. The latest projection is that it will cross the coast at Borongan City Saturday night, and then go further West.

We have removed ALL missionaries from Borongan Zone, and have gathered each Zone's missionaries in their respective Zones in a location that is safe. If it gets worse, then we will move them to the Chapel, but at this stage we have no missionaries in Chapels. The weather is currently calm, with light cloud cover.

Your missionary has been alerted to prepare for a storm.  Their preparations will include but are not limited to preparing for possible flooding, checking their 72 hour kits, having emergency cash in small bills, food and water for 7 days and a reminder to ensure their cell phones are kept charged.

When the storm has passed and all missionaries are accounted for, we will let you know.  Thank you for your prayers.

Sincerely,

President Maurer

Philippines Tacloban Mission

Face Book Posts From Sister Maurer - Mission Presidents Wife

Randall Hughes

December 2 at 6:21pm

Here we go again. Times listed are PHL. It could hit Friday about noon US time.

Tracy Maine Maurer It's on our radar too

December 2 at 8:02pm 

First Predictions of Where the Typhoon Will Go

Tracy Maine Maurer

December 4 at 7:24pm

As promised here's the update: Transfers for this week were cancelled as most missionaries couldn't get transport in yesterday for it, and certainly wouldn't been able to leave again today to return home. We just couldn't have coped with feeding and housing 120 missionaries for more than one or two days.

All missionaries on the eastern coastal areas of Samar have been either evacuated to Tacloban, or to inland areas in safer apartments . Same with missionaries serving in eastern Leyte and Biliran - except for those in Tacloban. All other missionaries are grouped by Zone in safe apartments, close to local meeting houses. They all have at least a weeks worth of food and water and adequate basic medical supplies, fully charged cell phones (with extra batteries) and other survival supplies. They have been instructed to remain where they are unless it becomes too dangerous, so we know where they are if cell phones become inoperable and we have to physically locate them. If they have to move they will leave instructions on where they are heading. Tacloban missionaries (and those evacuated here, as well as the 23 new missionaries) are still in Tacloban. We will further assess the situation this afternoon to determine whether we need to evacuate the missionaries from here. We have adequate cars and fuel to move them an hour further inland if needed.

We are closely watching the developments as the storm approaches from the east. The latest projection is that it will cross the coast at Borongan City Saturday night (our time - it's currently Friday morning), and then go further West. Currently the weather here in Tacloban is calm and at times sunny.

This morning we took our new missionaries down to MacArthur Park and did our regular photo shoot there. A peaceful gentle breeze washed over us as we listened to the story of MaCarthur's return. The missionaries are calm and excited about being here. They are a great batch of missionaries.

President will be sending an email out to all parents today updating the situation. I will try to keep updating here, but at some stage we may lose power, internet and even cell phone connection. Please do not fear. Satan would have us fear in his attempt to derail our purpose. We have hope and a determination to be of service to the people of the Philippines. This is a special opportunity for us to do that.

Tracy Maine Maurer feeling thankful

December 5 at 11:57pm

Promised update: this morning we woke up to beautiful weather and a calm gentle breeze. I've never felt it so cool here. It's now 2 pm and the rain and stiff wind have set in. We've been monitoring things closely (thankful for one assistant who thought to bring a protractor with him on his mission) and pored over the predictions. We feel we have done all we can to ensure that all missionaries will be in the safest places. We have decided to keep all Tacloban missionaries, and evacuated missionaries, in the apartments here. But all other missionaries in the mission are currently staying in chapels now. The eye of the storm will hit the east coast of Northern Samar between 8-10pm tonight. Ruby seems a little reluctant to move along and has taken forever to get here. She's currently moving at a snails pace of around 10-13kms/hr. We have just done a phone check around all the zones and all missionaries are well and safe. In our meeting a 1/2 hour ago we determined to begin a fast (since it's fast Sunday tomorrow). So if you wish to join us we will begin at exactly 6pm tonight (3 hours from now). We love you and thank you for your prayers and love. We feel them.

Tracy Maine Maurer

December 5 at 3:49pm

We will be having a meeting in the next hour to continue to assess the situation. I'll provide an update for you then. But know all missionaries are safe as of this moment, we are in contact with all of them.

It Is Amazing To See The Lord Doing His Work Here

Hello!  

This week has been another great one!  T-- and her family are a referral from the D--, the recent convert family we have been teaching.  We visited them a couple times this week, but haven't given them a baptismal date yet.  They are doing GREAT though. 

This week, we are 99% sure we both will be transferring :( . President says he probably is going to put elders in hinunangan.  I MIGHT be moving to the area right next to ours, St Bernard, which is about an hour and a half away.  But we won't know anything for sure till friday :).  This tuesday and wednesday we are going to go work in st bernard too actually.  So that will be cool! There are some great investigators over there.  Last night after working with some branch missionaries, we had them over to our house to make smores! They can't come inside, so we pulled out our table and gas stove onto the porch for them :).  They loved them!  We made a bunch for our friends across the street too :).  It's gonna be hard to leave everyone.  

Most people do have electricity, there are some people though that don't.  Haha the member that told Jehovahs witnesses to come visit us probably did it for us to teach them!  Or just as a joke.  Haha we are good friends with him and his family, they are hilarious :).  The sister serving in slc is a proselyting missionary :).  she goes in on march 24!

I always love reading your letters! Sounds like its been a great week!  I'm glad soccer is going pretty awesome!! Josh, thats a great way to end your season with your team winning the championship! So cool!! Also. You and Ali look older now. Haha.  Ali, I really hope you get feeling better soon.  That's gotta be tough, since you love soccer so much.  I'm so glad your coaches and team are supportive of you :).

Looks like thanksgiving was so much fun as well! loved the pictures too. And you're decorating for christmas!  Here they have been decorating  for christmas for about a month now...haha! It's kinda weird to think it's actually getting COLD over there :).

We kinda forgot about thanksgiving till our zone leaders texted us that night.  So we really didn't do much BUT I wanted to tell you guys that I am thankful for YOU.  I wanted to share just one memory that I'm thankful for from each of you :).

Dad...doing my mission papers with you!  I loved it :)

Mom...my birthday this year!  Getting my first pedicure, and going to Rumbi, and just spending the day together :)

Brayden...our first snowmobile trip to monroe cabin!  Jumping off the roof into the deep snow, but only sunk to our shins.  And then built the tunnel off the porch, climbed through it once, and then had to leave! 

Josh...when we hiked Timp with dad!  You probably could have ran straight up it, but were very patient with me :).  And the awesome panoramic picture where your neck looks SUPER long.  hahaha.  so fun :)

Ali...our cabin trip right before I left!  That was the best!  Haha our hike when you probably had mono....sorry again about that.  And kinda, but not really, getting lost on our long four wheeler ride :)

Jaxsen...when we were practicing your spelling words and playing soccer.  And then you got 100%!  So cool :)

Time to go :).  I love you all SO MUCH.  I know this church is true and am so grateful to be here.  I love it, I really do.  It's amazing to see the Lord doing His work here.  I can feel His strength and His support every day :).  I know He loves all of his children, no matter what!  I am so lucky and so blessed to be here :)

LOVE, Sister Mortensen

Sister K and Sister Mortensen

We Taught How God Is Our Loving Heavenly Father And The Gospel Blesses Families

Hello family! 

Its great to hear from you! Thank you for writing to me as always :). I love to hear about everything that is going on!  Haha i loved the words of wisdom this week :).  Haha our family is the best.  And ali!! You're driving!  Haha.....be careful :).  Jax, you're hilarious :). That's awesome youre getting snow!! Haha have fun skiing, you guys are all gonna be better than me by the end of the season :).  Sounds like evening in excellence was great :).  Of course dad did a great job :) Josh? What is going on? you lost a game??? Haha its ok, it happens to the best of us :) Sounds like the temple was a great experience, I'm glad dad and brayden had a great time.  I miss the temple :).

This past saturday and sunday, we had district conference!  All our branch members that could come all rode the bus to sogod together, and we got to ride with them.  It was so fun!!  Five of our investigators came as well!  T-- and her family :).  I think I told you about them before...but I may have called her C-- :) haha we found out this week her name is actually T--.  Haha oops :).They seemed to really enjoy conference though!  We are planning to give them a baptismal date this week!  They are awesome :).  Our members are great, they were sitting and talking with them and making sure they felt comfortable :).  That's exactly what you have done with Louise, mom, and that's exactly what she needs.  Even if she isn't coming to church right now, you are still blessing her life and helping her feel God's love.  Thank you :). Great members make a huge difference.  Especially during lessons.  Whenever we teach with a member, we wonder how we can ever do it without them. 

The two girls, L-- and L--, are about 14 and 6 I think.  They don't have electricity in their house, so its tough to teach them since they get home from school when its dark already.  We usually only get to teach them saturdays.  They are still doing great though!  We are excited to teach them :). 

We usually only go on splits once a transfer.  Saturday night after district conference though, we got to go on splits with the sogod sisters!  I actually got to go with Sister Samayla, who I was on splits with before :).  After our lesson, she said that my cebuano had really improved from last time!! Haha so i actually have learned a little bit in my last 2 months :).  Thats good to hear haha.  I actually do feel like I am starting to understand a lot more of what people are saying.  It's pretty exciting!

Here's the story of the picture with the little girls :).  We were in toptop, an area that's further inland from where we usually teach.  We only have 2 families, F-- and C--, who we teach there.  We had an appointment with them, but they weren't home, so we walked up the road to just talk to people :).  We stopped to help one lady weed, but she wouldn't let us (which is what usually happens :) haha).  we were talking to her and her husband, and they had us come and sit in the shade since it was SO hot. They were so friendly!  They offered to make some sweet potato for us, so while they were inside cooking, these girls came by and sat and talked with us.  They were so cute!  Haha they thought it was so cool that we spoke cebuano.  We haven't seen them again yet, but we might go look for them sometime :).  The family was willing to listen to us, but said they are catholic and always will be, so we probably won't end up teaching them. Probably just talk to them a little if we walk by again :). 

This week, we had a kinda crazy experience!  We were studying one morning, and heard someone calling at the door.  We went to answer, and it was two jehovah's witness missionaries!  Apparently one of our members referred them to us :).  they asked if they could share with us, so we grabbed a book of mormon and some pamphlets and sat down on our porch with them.  They taught us a little about how the devil is real, and we need to be careful because the world is becoming more and more wicked.  They gave us some of their pamphlets.  Then we asked if we could share a little, and taught our usually first lesson about how God is our loving Heavenly Father and the gospel blesses families.  A little bit of a difference than their message :).  We introduced the book of mormon, and they stood up to leave.  we tried to give them one of our pamphlets, but she would NOT take it.  So I snuck one of ours into the middle of theirs, and gave them back :).  Haha :).  We watched them out the window as they were walking away, and they stopped right outside our gate and found it!  Haha they didn't come back though :).   So hopefully one of them will read it! :)

Another favorite part of this week was the bus ride home from district conference.  I sat next to R--, a sister who has her mission call to SALT LAKE!!! How cool is that! She is gonna be an awesome missionary, and i am so excited for her.  She always wants to practice her english too, so that is fun :).  I told her I'm gonna come find her when I'm back in utah!

Sorry for the scattered email :).  Haha it really has been a great week!  Time is flying though, I can't even believe it.  I am honestly LOVING it though.  So much!  Being a missionary is the best  :).  Thank you all for your examples, keep it up!  Love you :)

Sister Mortensen