Philippines Butuan Mission

Free resources about the Philippines Butuan Mission:

Mission address and phone number
Mission map
Video interviews with returned missionaries
Missionary blogs
Facebook groups
LDS Mission t-shirts and gifts
List of past mission presidents
Cultural articles written by returned missionaries
Survey with RMs

*Other Mission Pages: Philippines LDS Missions.

Philippines Butuan Mission Address

Here’s a recent address for the Butuan Mission. We try to keep this information up to date, but it’s a good idea to check the address with several sources, including your mission packet or the mission office.

Philippines Butuan Mission
LDS Chapel
Montilla Blvd., Butuan City
8600 Agusan del Norte
Philippines

Phone Number: 63-85-342-0187
Mission President: President Avelino Santillan

Philippines Butuan Mission Map

Here’s a link to the mission map for the Philippines Butuan Mission (LDS). To access the official, up-to-date LDS.org map for the Butuan Mission:

Log into your LDS account here.
Click here.

Videos with Butuan RMs

Here are in-depth YouTube video interviews with returned missionaries from the Butuan Mission. We interview hundreds of returned missionaries each year, so check back regularly to see new RM interviews. Coming soon..

LDS-Friendly Videos about Philippines

Here are LDS-friendly educational videos about Philippines. We scoured YouTube to find the best quality videos about Philippines, that are free from inappropriate music, immodesty and profanity.

Philippines Butuan Missionary Blogs

Here’s a list of LDS missionary blogs for the Butuan Mission. This list includes the missionary’s name, URL and when their blog was updated.

*Send your missionary a gift (mission-specific shirts, ties, Christmas stockings/ornaments, pillowcases, etc.)

Elder Batolina	elderbatolina.wordpress.com	2016
Sister Erica Javelona	sisterjavelona.blogspot.com	2014
Sister Jennie Laresma	sisterlaresma.blogspot.com	2014
Elder Carl Trias	missionsite.net/eldercarlmichaeltrias	2013
Elder Leo Tomias	missionsite.net/elderleotomias	2013
Elder Jan Bernabe Magtangob	missionsite.net/elderjanbernabemagtangob	2013
Elder Adryan Gayeta	missionsite.net/elderadryangayeta	2013
Elder Jarish Fulgar	missionsite.net/elderjarishfulgar	2013
Mission Alumni	mission.net/philippines/butuan	2012
Elder Gualberto Vencito	missionsite.net/eldergualbertovencito	2012
Elder Arnold Siosan	missionsite.net/elderarnoldsiosan	2012
Elder Marky Lista	missionsite.net/eldermarkylista	2012

Philippines Butuan Mission Groups

Here are Philippines Butuan Mission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni of the Butuan Mission.

Butuan Mission Facebook Group (253 members)
Butuan Mission (Pres. Revillo 2006-10) Group (242 members)
Philippines Butuan Mission Facebook Group (124 members)
Butuan Mission Single Adult Facebook Group (83 members)
Philippines Butuan Mission Facebook Group (41 members)
Butuan Mission Latter-day Saints Youth Group (20 members)
Philippines Butuan Mission Facebook Group (13 members)

Philippines Butuan Mission T-Shirts

Here are T-shirts for the Philippines Butuan Mission!

Shirt designs include Butuan Mission logo/emblem shirts and Called to Serve shirts. The shirts make great gifts for pre-missionaries, returned missionaries and missionaries currently serving. LDS Mission shirts come in all sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, up to 4XL. The mission designs are printed on white shirts and are shipped to you.

*Simply click on a shirt design to view the details and submit an order. The designs on mission t-shirts may also be printed on other LDS mission gifts, including: Butuan missionary aprons, Christmas stockings, ties, pillow cases, teddy bears and Christmas ornaments.

*Click here to browse Butuan Mission gifts

Recommended Mission Prep Books

(Fun Fact: John Bytheway served in the Philippines!)

Philippines Butuan Mission Presidents

Here’s a list of current and past Mission Presidents of the Butuan Mission.

2016-2019, Avelino Santillan
2013-2016, Pastor B. Torres
2010-2013, Mernard P. Donato
2006-2009, Charlie G. Revillo

Philippines LDS Statistics (2015)

Church Membership: 710,764
Missions: 21
Temples: 2
Congregations: 1,181
Family History Centers: 171

Helpful Tips about the Philippines (articles written by RMs)

Philippines Butuan Missionary Survey

Here are survey responses from Philippines Butuan RMs, to give you a snapshot into what it’s like to live in the mission.

*Click here to take a survey to help pre-missionaries going to your mission.

When did you serve?

2013-2014 (Christinne Ann)
2012-2014 (Von Rigor)
2012-2014 (Rodel)
2012-2014 (Darren)
2011-2013 (Japheth)
2008-2010 (Jommel)

What areas did you serve in?

Compostela, Nabunturan, San Francisco and Surigao. (Christinne Ann)
Butuan City, and Suigao City. (Von Rigor)
Tagum City, Butuan City and many more. (Rodel)
(Matin-ao, Surigao del Norte), (Nasipit, Agusan del Norte), (Maco, Compostela Valley), (Baan, Butuan City), (Bislig City). (Darren)
Surigao, Butuan, Placer, Mo Kayo and Bislig (Japheth)
Butuan, Surigao, Mati, Cabadbaran, Rosario, Baan, Tungao. (Jommel)

What were some favorite foods?

Burgers and steaks. (Christinne Ann)
Sinigang na baboy or bangus minudo pakbet (may halong Centrum). (Von Rigor)
Durian, Marang, Chicken etc. (Rodel)
Tilapia, crabs, prawns, lechon, balut, and vegetable omelet. (Darren)
Carbonara. (Japheth)
Marang. Durian. Sutukil. Buko. (Jommel)

What was a funny experience?

One of the funniest experiences I had during my mission years was when I needed to push the van from being stuck in a hole. At first, the mother and her kids together with my companion and me tried to do it yet it was unsuccessful. But when I tried to do it alone to push the van back on the road again, it was done successfully. (Christinne Ann)
When we made some trips with the other missionaries. (Von Rigor)
When we’re having our preparation day playing half court basket. (Rodel)
When I was a Zone Leader and I was calling the District Leaders about their Key Indicators and I raised my voice out of excitement because we had a good indicator for the week but I realized it was my Mission President that I accidentally called. I was so embarrassed. Haha. (Darren)
When we ate at some bakeshop at Bislig and as we left we were being told by the sales lady that we hadn’t payed yet. Hahaha. (Japheth)
I remember on a hot summer day when we had exchanges. We we were in a hurry so my companion that day forgot to wear his name tag. When I saw him without a name tag, I told him about it and he asked me if I had a spare name tag. I gave him my spare name tag and of course it had my surname on it. When we went tracting, one of our investigators noticed that we had the same surnames on the badge and asked, ‘Are you brothers? You do not seem to be!’ Then we laughed and laughed. Until now whenever I remember that, I cannot help but to laugh very hard. (Jommel)

What was a crazy experience?

Knowing that the place I stayed for 18 months is kind of dangerous because of some rebellion groups are scattered around the vicinity. But when I was serving in my fourth area, we were instructed not to go out for several days because of some incidences happening around us. Some of the government offices were in a state of emergency. Rebellions were trying to gain access in those offices. Some of my co-missionaries’ area were being colonized with those rebellion groups. (Christinne Ann)
Union. (Von Rigor)
When I encountered an American, He asked me, why are you called missionary? You’re too young to be called a missionary and he liked to look down my outfit.. 🙁 (Rodel)
I was in my first area when my greenie and I were just about to get home to our apartment around 9pm. We were just hiking because we didn’t have a car and we were pretty much assigned to one of the smallest towns of probably about 1000 people. We saw two drunk people fighting right in front of our apartment. One of them took a big stone and smacked the other person’s head and there was blood all around. Luckily, they’re both okay. The other guy who was bleeding was admitted to a clinic. It was crazy and scary too. (Darren)
I was working with my companion and I fell while I crossed a single round lumber bridge. (Japheth)
When the known terrorist New People’s Army knocked on our door one night and asked for a glass of water then left. That was so scary, but we were blessed that they recognized that we were missionaries. (Jommel)

What was a spiritual experience?

I couldn’t forget the every day miracles I am enjoying and seeing as I engaged myself full-time in missionary work. There was a time when we were about to give up on someone. And yet we were prompted to go back again after few weeks. Then, we saw her progression. Before, she kept telling us that she failed to read the assignments we were giving to her. And she progressed more than what we were expecting. And when she got baptized and became member of the Church, she shared how she felt lost when we stopped visiting her. It was a heartfelt and spiritual experience in our part. And yet there’s more. (Christinne Ann)
When I healed myself through the Atonement. (Von Rigor)
When I was baptized a soul. (Rodel)
I was in my second area and was only out for 4 months and a half. I was called to train and whitewash an area. We didn’t have an area book and we didn’t know where to start. My companion didn’t speak the mission language which is Cebuano. So I was the one leading the area. We decided to start tracting and knocking doors for the first few weeks. But nobody accepted us. Later, we asked the other set of Elders who served with us in the same ward but they were on the other half of the area. We asked them if they had any former investigators in their area book that might be a part of our area, and voila! They gave us a couple of forms and we started contacting them. We met this old guy who was around 65 years old. He let us in and we went through our lesson with him. There was a time while we kept on coming back to his house, my companion and I felt a really strong inspiration that we would ask him to be baptized. He said he wanted to but that he couldn’t come to church because of his swollen feet due to his arthritis and he couldn’t come to church which is technically a requirement for any person to get baptized. I felt the Spirit and shared the story of John Tanner and my companion and I talked about the power of Priesthood. After, there was a complete moment of silence until he said, “Elders, if you hold that Priesthood power that was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith, would you give me a blessing?” My companion and I both said at the same time: yes. We then gave him a blessing. From that time forth, I knew the spirit was with my companion and me. The next day the brother came to church and listened to the church leaders’ talks since that Sunday was also General Conference. And he consistently came to church with a healed ankle and a healed heart with a firm faith and hope until he was baptized. (Darren)
My companion and I were teaching an opposing 75 year old man, but in the next visit he participated with his daughter-in-law and her husband and became baptized. (Japheth)
When I baptized a family for the first time. It was a really spiritual day for all of us there. (Jommel)

What are some interesting facts about the Butuan Mission?

An interesting part about our mission is we somehow get to use one language and some dialects in the whole area. And we are the only mission who has 8 districts and 1 stake alone. It is one of the hardest part of being a mission president in that area. (Christinne Ann)
Serving others and teach in the Lord’s way for my fellow missionary. (Rodel)
Our Mission was Organized on 2006 from the Previous Missions of Cagayan de Oro and Davao. We have a trademark and we call it the H-bridge. It is a gigantic foundation with a supporting brace in the middle with 13 cable wires that supports the whole structures. The 2 posts represent the two young missionary companion with a supporting brace in the middle that symbolizes equality and unity to the companionships. The 13 cables represent the 13 chapters of Preach My Gospel and I would say the 13 Articles of Faith. Two mottos from my two Mission Presidents were: “We follow the Prophet and Baptize” – President Mernard P. Donato And “Where the Modern Strippling Warriors serve”- President Pastor Nathaniel B. Torres. (Darren)
Tropical, indeed. (Japheth)
People are very hospitable. They are loving and very kind. (Jommel)

What was the weather like?

It was pretty hot. (Christinne Ann)
We’re the umbrella of the souls of men. (Von Rigor)
So hot in Mindanao. (Rodel)
Sunny(really, really hot) But mostly rainy. (Darren)
Sunny and rainy. (Jommel)

Any things you really like about the area/people?

People shared their happiness to us. And even though they get used to living in a humble way, they still share everything they have. (Christinne Ann)
I like Surigao, there is the one family- almost every day we eat with them. (Von Rigor)
I really love the place in Mindanao in every area that I was assigned, most especially the people there, they were so lovely and kind. (Rodel)
People are so hospitable. They are really, really welcoming… Even with how poor the people are, they would really invite the missionaries to eat in their house. Although a majority of the branches and wards are still developing, the people were striving to organize and help one another to establish a stake. (Darren)
I like Surigao, Bislig, Monkayo, Tubo-tubo, Compostela, Nabunturan, Placer, Butuan and Bacuag. (Japheth)
They are a smiling-people. (Jommel)

Any packing/clothing advice?

Just wear comfortable shoes and dresses so it could suit the warm and cold weather of the area. (Christinne Ann)
I only used small luggage, if they were full, I would donate my clothes, so that it stayed full enough. (Von Rigor)
Umbrella! Always bring an umbrella. We are not required to wear suits. Just a white shirt, pants, shoes and a tie. Oh wait! And a face towel! (Darren)
Bring as many white polo shirt as possible and black slacks with black durable shoes that can be polished. (Japheth)
Do not bring large luggage. (Jommel)

What blessings did you receive from serving a mission?

My sister followed my footsteps. She is now serving in the nearby area of my mission place. (Christinne Ann)
I received more spiritual and doctrinal knowledge. (Von Rigor)
My testimony of the restored gospel was strengthened and continues to be. (Rodel)
My social skills. How I mingle with people changed dramatically after I served a mission. I learned to manage my time and follow the promptings of the Spirit. I learned to develop my Christlike attributes; especially charity. That’s pretty much it. (Darren)
I receive trust in offering help to others even though they’re not relatives. (Japheth)
I came to know more my Savior Jesus Christ. (Jommel)

What are some skills you gained?

Studying, teaching, and communicating which includes listening and speaking with love in a dignified manner. These are some skills I gained from serving a full time mission. (Christinne Ann)
I learned how to approach any kind of people with confidence. BRT’s, genuine and respectful manner. (Von Rigor)
I gained skills like how to help my co-missionaries, especially my companions. (Rodel)
The way I teach–my teaching skills–especially to classes. And the way I talk in a congregation. My budgeting skills. I learned to be thrifty with my money. My kind of study. The way I treat my scriptures. (Darren)
Talking to people. (Japheth)
I now know how to speak Cebuano! (Jommel)

What do you wish you knew/did at the beginning of your mission?

I wish I could do it again. (Christinne Ann)
If the time machine was true, I would go back to my mission and start at the MTC. (Von Rigor)
I wished I helped many souls to come back to worship God in The Church. (Rodel)
I wish I were MORE humble at the beginning of my mission. I could’ve have been much more effective. I knew the spirit was working but I wish I would have unlocked that full potential at the beginning. (Darren)
To please all people. (Japheth)
Nothing. No regrets. (Jommel)

Any advice/testimony for pre-missionaries going to Butuan?

Serving a mission is not just sacrificing your time, effort and consecrating your life by getting a title of being a returned missionary afterwards. Serving a mission helps you prepare for your future and eternal roles. (Christinne Ann)
My parents did not tell me to serve, I volunteered myself to leave them. I left them for two years, I communicate with twice a year in 1 hour during Mother’ Day and Christmas Day only, with weekly emails every Monday. I had no salary, I woke up by 6:30 AM and slept by 9PM. Why should I do this? Just because I Love Him, I love Jesus Christ, He needs someone to preach His Gospel here on Earth in order for them to know that He lives, that He is the living Christ, He loves us so much, He wants us to receive the promised blessings that those who accept His message, especially The Book of Mormon and Restored Gospel, receive. (Von Rigor)
Know your scriptures. Read them. Treasure them Be a missionary even before you come to the MTC. Read Preach My Gospel ahead. Go out every single day no matter how hot it is outside or even if its raining and flooding. GO OUT AND WORK! 🙂 (Darren)
Talk to as many people as you can and be kind to them even if nobody else will. (Japheth)
Just do your best every day. Give your best shot. Serve without expecting something in return. Love, love, love. (Jommel)

What was a funny language mistake?

Nothing really, either you speak Tagalog or Cebuano but they are pretty much okay. So I can’t remember anything. (Darren)
‘Okok’ as cockroach and there was a new missionary who was told that okok is a dish. Some people asked the new missionary what dish he or she wanted. And he said okok and then most that heard laughed at him. (Japheth)
The word, “Minyo na ta.” In English, “Come let’s get married.”. My first companion told me to use that whenever I greeted people. I saw an older lady and bid good morning to her with the Cebuano word “Minyo na ta.”, then she said that “NO, NO, NO” then she left. My companion laughed at me then revealed the real meaning of it, then we laughed. (Jommel)