Video Chat

The announcement from the church about Missionaries being able to make weekly calls/video chats home happened this week.  We weren't sure how this would affect Wade's mission, but then we saw this post from Sister Argana on FB:

Dear Missionary Families,

How are you all? Hope each of you is doing great.

With the new announcement on missionaries communicating with families weekly, the mission has decided to make it effective today. 
We hope that as you do so, you will keep in mind the guidelines set by the First Presidency so that your conversations are aligned and would be uplifting and encouraging.

Have a great time talking with our faithful and exactly obedient missionaries. We love and trust them.

Best regards,

Pres. & Sis. Argana

To our excitement we were able to have a video chat with Elder Holmstead.  He could see us but we couldn't see him.  He was very excited about the news and said that talking is so much easier than writing emails. Here are some highlights from our chat:

• His companion has been sick this week so he spent a lot of time in their apartment reading scriptures and talks.
• He really wants to drive in the Philippines.  There are no speed limits and everyone drives crazy.  He said it's a miracle that they haven't been in an accident, especially when they ride the bus.
• He weighs exactly the same as when he got there.
• Elder Ababa is their new AP.  
• His batch is known as the "power batch" because all of them are Zone Leaders and AP's.
• He has seen a lot of missionaries go home because of home sickness so he thinks the weekly phone calls home will really help with those that need it.
• We talked about Come Follow Me and are excited to study together as a family when he gets home.

He didn't have time to write an email this week but he sent us the names of investigators with baptismal dates and 3 new investigators:

Baptismal Dates

Glaiza

James Carlo

William Lin

Felicissimo Sala

Other

Monte de Ramos Kids (CJ, Rel Ann, Wheng)