CHESTNUTS ROASTING ON AN OPEN FIRE

Jack Frost nipping at your nose,

Yuletide carols being sung by a choir,

And folks dressed up like Eskimos????.

WELL, maybe not.  Yes, they are dancing in the fountain.  
But, we had the chestnuts, and the carols. and lights and gifts and fun and excitement.

Have you ever eaten chestnuts?  My grandmother used to talk about them with nostalgia, but  they are not going to be a holiday favorite for us.





This is at the Market!! Market!! Mall
A very nice regular mall, but with outside and inside market stalls for the upscale vendors to come and sell their wares.   Here I have found real fabric stores, (but ONLY fabric, don't expect to find the necessary materials for sewing), and rows and rows of fine pearls,
and many different knds of Filipino foods.  WE have to ask " What is this?"

We went to find some gifts for the many parties to which we are invited.  Like, a nice souvenir for a senior couple to take home with them, for the gift exchange at our party on the 23rd.

AND So, the parties began.   

The Jensens leave for home in Canada on the 23rd.  Elder S keeps telling them that if we can accomplish 1/10 of the good they did, he will be a "happy camper".  They are such good, kind people, and Elder Jensen is a man who never quits.  So, here are some of the people who now live in homes of their own because of his work.  They wanted so much to have a surprise party for them.  We got them there, and then they all marched out singing a lovely little song about Thank You.

Then, everyone spoke, and they finished with a lunch of Pancit made by Vanessa, and ice cream sundaes, furnished by the Schlagers.  

This is Sister Erna.  Do you remember the woman on the side of the garbage dump, living in a wagon and picking trash to survive?  Well, she got moved into her house in Maligaya last week, with her kids, and is so grateful.  And the members of the church there are welcoming her and already teaching her the gospel!  They are trying to help her get a better source of income going, too.

Next to her is the quilt that everyone wrote messages on for the Jensen's to take home.  They will need it!  After being here, they are going home to - 35 C.

There is a lovely, historic church in Teresa, right behind the Jollibee!  They have decorated for Christmas, too, as you can see.  The tree is made of pink umbrellas.  

Isn't THAT INTERESTING!

(By the way, if you haven't already discovered this, you can click on the pictures and see them larger and more clearly.)

We DID work this week, on Tues and Wed, but on THURS:

MALIGAYANG PASKO !!

Because the mission is so large, they have to hold three separate Christmas Zone Conferences, dividing into about 100 missionaries each.  We attended the one on Thurs, at the Aurora Chapel in Quezon City. The Senior Couples did the first act, a spiritual presentation in the chapel.  Then, on with the fun.

  All set up for the lunch and the show.   

The office people and Pres and Sis Revillo sang and danced!

Every district did a song and a skit.  Ours were spectacular, of course!  Elder and I were cheerleaders, not performers.  After lunch, they all sat and watched a fun Christmas movie.  

Then, games!   Here is Sister Revillo directing the games.  Simple, and fun.  

Then, thinking they MUST be hungry again, she served another snack of cookies, drinks, and Buko Salad.

Finally, a gift exchange.  Plus gifts from the Pres.   Here is Elder S demonstrating a Filipino Fan.  Sort of a circle of silk fabric sewn to a wire edge.  Everyone got one, and they are useful!  Plus fun to toss at people.  They fold up into a pocket fan, easy to carry around with you.  

Yes, Sister Revillo did three of these parties!   But the young missionaries had such fun, and they need it at Christmas time.  For many, they have never been away from home before.

And then, they went back to work with renewed energy and dedication.  On Saturday, after a baptism in Morong, the Morong District had a zone activity.  We all went to the baptism, first.  

They had all pitched in from their meager resources, and bought enough treats to make about 140  treat bags.  

Here they are with their loot, ready to pack up and go caroling.  Sister Medina is in the front.  She came last transfer.  She is a girl of high expectations and high energy, and her companion is a talented and steadfast Maori woman who uses few words and less drama.  Night and Day!  But Sister Medina is fun, and funny, and a fabulous missionary.  She has had a number of health problems, and has been offered the chance to go home.  She won't go.  She wants to go serve on Mindoro, before the end of her mission, but President just keeps telling her,  "There is no St Luke's on Mindoro".  She needs to be near the hospital.  Under her very energetic and capable direction, we have a lot of fun.

 So we all trooped down the street to the Rizal Provincial Hospital.  There we went in to carol to the patients.  We began in the children's wards.   

Ill infant. 

 Exhausted parents.

Many women here have their babies at home. due to poverty.  But when they can, or have to. go to the hospital, it is not what we are used to.  See the baby here beside her sleeping mother?

A fairy typical ward.  But, we were welcomed and saw smiles as we sang and passed out little bags of treats.

Sister Tingey asked me if I had seen the little boy in the pneumonia room all by himself with no parents?  When I told her no, she said, "We are going back to see him  before we leave."  So, after all the treats were passed out, and we went up and sang to the few people in the "private rooms", still very basic and bare, but with a door, we went to meet her little friend.    Here he is, sitting on a bare pad, still all alone, with his little treat bag in his lap.  We never did get a smile, but whenever we put our hand out, he would slap it, with the tiny hand with the bandage on it.  Sister Tingey tried to explain that the bag had "chocolatte" but he just watched us.  The woman beside him, tending to her own ill child, said his grandmother and mother were there, but trying to find a way to go home.  He had been released, but they had no fare to get home to Antipolo.  (About 10 miles, I think.) 

About then, his grandmother came, and spoke to Sister Tingey and Sister Dudas.  Sure enough, they just had no money to go home.  So, we asked about the amount needed.  About P40, or $.95.  I gave her p50, and they told her to take her grandson home.  Poor little mite.  

ONE sad thing:   Just like in the states, at this time of year people get a little desperate for money to do things they think they should do.  That means you have to be very careful with your personal belongings.  We purchased a GPS system from Jensens when we came, mostly because they are very hard to find here, and while the Jensens no longer needed it,  we were still trying not to get lost on the way to church.  Sadly, it has disappeared, and most likely, was taken by someone we know, to sell.

On Saturday, while we were all together getting ready to go carol, AT THE CHURCH, Sister Tingey's bag was stolen, and Sister Medina was robbed of all her money, which is for medications.  There was a woman there at the building that no one recognized.   But the Sisters just  looked hard for what was lost, and then went on to the hospital with us as planned.  We lent them some cash until President Revillo could take care of them.  

One funny thing:  Since we retired one year ago, we are not much richer or poorer, but we are MUCH smaller.  I have lost 40 lbs, and Elder has lost 55. Between us, we have lost a whole Filipino Family!  Droopy Drawers is his nickname.  So, when I asked him what he is missing, he said, "Pants that FIT".   We finally found a good tailor in the larger mall, and had some pants altered for him.  He looks great!  They have three more pair on their way to fitting.   

One Sweet Thing: 

This is Sister Eva Aguillar, the Primary President in Sampaloc.  Baptized in February, she and her husband are preparing for the temple.  He is the only counselor in the branch presidency.  Today, while I was assisting her in Primary, she said to me:  "When I study, my goal is to be teacher, but no money.  Now, in this church, my dream comes true"   And she has a gift for it that is so evident as she leads this little primary.

And this is Jhazelle Ann, their daughter.  Two years old.  Just imagine how different her life is going to be, because her parents are embracing the blessings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

One wonderful thing:   Buko Salad

Sister Revillo always serves this, and it is heaven!   Did I already mention that it is young coconut season here?  Anyway,  the tender shreds from the inside are BUKO, which you need to make the salad.  We have not yet attempted harvesting our own, the only reason I am not living on the stuff and gaining back all 40 lbs.  They usually make it with a tropical fruit cocktail, but she uses fresh fruits like apple and grapes, too. Sometimes it has small cubes of cheese in it.   Then, heavy cream AND condensed milk, all stirred together and served either cold or frozen.  There are a lot of recipes, but first you have to catch your BUKO!  

 Another wonderful thing here is the custard.  Of course, with all the chickens, eggs are plentiful and used in many things.  For instance, if you order a meal in a fast food restaurant, the chances are it will have the option of a fried egg on the plate.  

Anyway, We have discovered that the Egg Pie in the bakeries, is really a fabulous custard pie.  Elder feels like they do it just for him.  So, all he wants for Christmas is Egg Pie, and all I want for Christmas is Buko Salad.  

And, of course, a camera call with our family .  

MALIGAYANG PASKO !!

NOW, THAT'S JUST WEIRD!!!!

I HATE to admit it, but this is one of the most common phrases at our house these days.  Things are strange to us, of course, and also hard to understand some times.  "It's the Filipino Way" is an expression used to explain many things, and even the church leaders have spoken about the difference between "The Filipino Way" and the right way.  However, we are trying hard to be appreciative and welcome guests in a country not our own, and not be judgmental or critical.  So, we made a resolution this week.  From now on, we are trying to say

THAT'S INTERESTING!!!

SO, I am going to begin this post with some of the INTERESTING things we noticed.  For instance, do you think it is interesting that they decorate for Christmas with snow men?  They even play Christmas carols everywhere, including "Frosty the Snowman" and "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas".  But Elder S had to explain in Sunday School one Sunday morning what snow is, and the cold that the Martin Handcart Company endured.

Or, these signs are all over on buildings both in the city and out here.  This one is a few doors down from the Sister Missionaries in Antipolo, in a gated community. A Lady Bedspacer is someone who rents part of your bed!   Or part of a bed, with other strangers.

 In the house next to us, there is a man named Nelson.  Not really sure what he does, but he drives a van, usually parked in the front of the house, making it difficult for us to get into our driveway and park.  But they are friendly.  Also there is a lovely young woman, his "househelp".  She seems to speak no English, except to say Good Morning, and Coffee.  Last week, they decided to go into the restaurant business.  Suddenly, she was outside under a canopy, with a display case of foods prepared for breakfast.  Next day, another canopy and a dining table.  The day after that, a barbecue, and dinner, and the day after that, another dining table, another canopy, signs, and music.  

They serve early morning and night, and people come on trikes, etc, and sit and visit and eat!  Actually, we came home one night and I bought some to be neighborly.  However, Elder thought it looked good, barbecued pork and chicken, and so he ate it for dinner.  I tasted the pork.  Not Too Bad!  Of course, they are not the only  "Tindahan"  operators in the neighborhood.  Many many people use their homes as their businesses.  (See the picture at the top, just up the road from us, of a busy little store decorated for Christmas.)


There don't seem to be any zoning laws here, and frankly, as paranoid as I am about government interventions, they could use SOME.   We drive into town along a road lined with shacks and chicken cages, where they raise, butcher, and sell the chickens.  Behind it is a new neighborhood of nice condos, and their front windows look down on the "chicken alley".   How's that for a "room with a view"?

Or, this work crew. They are building a rock wall for several kilometers along the Marcos Highway, over the mountain between the city and Sampaloc.  It is all done by hand; unloading the rocks and sand and concrete, stacking the rocks, cementing it all together.  It looks really great, and will protect the highway from debris coming down the hill in storms.  But, the labor is fascinating.  Over here, you can rent equipment, work ten days, and have the job done.  Or you can hire a crew, work 10 months, and put food on the table for a lot of families.  They usually choose option B.  It is "the Filipino Way".

Yep, that's a rooster!! 

Have I mentioned that the days begin VERY early in the Philippines??  

And mine usually begins with some of these crowing and waking me up.  That is often about 2:30 AM.  We live in a suburban neighborhood, but these are not just pets.  Rooster fights are legal and popular, and they fight to the death, according to Sister Jensen.  (With gambling, of course.)  You see rooster farms, where each one has his own little hut, and they are tethered there, as this one is.  You also see them in the poorest neighborhoods, tethered with a small cage.  But we also see them in the yards of the "squatter" houses, and they are there to  keep the hens at home, who walk all over the place, and sometimes on us.  OK, here is my funny story for the week.  When we go to help the Elders teach, they are amazing.  It is like being with Alma and Amulek, the spirit is so strong and powerful.  But, Elder S says the stronger it is, the more likely we are to have a rooster crow right in the middle.  Sometimes they are even under our feet or next to us on the table, and we have been known to jump pretty high!

I have to admit, I am not a fan of fowls, except at my birdbath and feeders!  

We Eat quite well over here, mostly, when we have the time to cook.  We are becoming especially fond of a big batch of stir fried veggies over rice, and it is easy, once the vegetables have been purchased, washed, rinsed, and refrigerated!  

But I am getting a little tired of chicken, so often I use no meat, and we eat a LOT of bananas.  

How much do you (want to) know about bananas?

They come in so many different varieties over here, from three inches to 8 inches, brown, gold, yellow, and green,  and they are sometimes wonderful and sometimes not so much.  Have you ever eaten boiled bananas?  Sister Eva offered them one day at her house.  She just puts them in a pot and covers them with water and boils them for about 20 minutes.  Then, she put a big bowl of them out on the table, gave us all a dish and spoon, and we put them in the dish, peeled them, and ate them!  They taste different, more like a vegetable than a fruit.  But not bad!  

In the life of a banana, the time between "perfectly ripe" and "overripe" can be but a fleeting moment. That's why God invented banana bread.

We gets lots of fruit, and have tried several new kinds.  Mostly, they are not winning any awards with us!  But the mangoes are wonderful and sometimes the oranges are good, although seedy!  

This week, I couldn't face more chicken, so I made Beef Barley Soup, with hamburger.  But, no barley, so it has rice in it, (of course), and we tried a new vegetable.  It is Chayote or Sayote, or  vegetable pear.  Elder S saw one in a sister's kitchen, and asked her about it.  She said it tastes like celery, and it sort of does.  I threw it in the soup for a new taste, but it is so mild, it is almost like zucchini.  I think you could use it for anything.

WE DID work this week, too!   On Tuesday we were with the Elders all day, at their district meeting and then preparing their songs and skits for the Mission Christmas Party.  

On Wed, we had a great privilege.  We took Sister Perez, along with Sister Tingey and Sister Dudas to the temple.  The Jensen's came also, with two Elders, Wilde and Anderson.  After the session, we all went into the sealing room to seal her parents and grandparents.  Here she is, a happy woman.   

Thursday we were in Tanay, for teaching several families.  This is the Aurillo family.  Their father returned on Thursday from Saudi, where he has been working for FOUR years!   Three sons, two daughters, all members.  They had made an appointment with the elders, and we got there before they did, so we watched them all climb out of the transport van and welcome us in.    Can you imagine that they welcomed us to come in and teach their family?  But they did, and it was really a special time.  
The oldest boy is married, and his wife is pregnant.  She chose not to be photographed.

 This is the girlfriend of the next son, an investigator.  She wants to be baptized, but cannot while living in his home.  But, she has nowhere else to go, except home to another island, and she wants to do it here.  A challenge for the branch, to step up and find an option for her!  Sorry, I forgot her name.

And this is the Dela Pena family, baptized on Saturday in Malaya.  Father Noel, Mother Elvie, and Daughter Erica.  The little boy was too young, of course.  They have a story too.  Elder Blessant has been teaching them since he came 4 months ago.  But, they were not married.  So, he had to arrange a wedding for them first!  They were married on Thursday, and the baptism finally accomplished on Sat.  Confirmed today.  Happy family.

Although we seemed to get a slow start, we are now busy all the time.  One of the first things we were told, was that "senior couples" plan their own schedule.  I know that is not true for many assignments, but in MLS it absolutely is!  And we have to make decisions all the time about where we might be able to do the most good.  Many of our efforts are small and probably not significant in the big picture.  but we love the work, and the people, and the opportunity to serve our Heavenly Father.  We love those of you who we left behind, too, and pray for you always.

WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO GREAT THINGS,

BUT WE CAN DO SMALL THINGS WITH GREAT LOVE.

Mother Teresa

Happy Thanksgiving

We received so many kind messages to wish us a happy holiday this week.  Thank you to all of you, including my sweet Aunt who sent a card, and it miraculously arrived on time!   We are grateful for all of you, and the love and support that constantly flow to us.  It is our hope that we can just be a vehicle to carry it with us to the people we are learning to love so much over here. 

Our holiday was a little different, as there is no celebration or day off here.  We had a great time working with the missionaries in Tanay, and then came home and ate a hot dog.  But we were able to meet some of the other senior couples on Saturday night for a catered turkey dinner.  The caterers did their best, but obviously had no idea what a pumpkin pie was before this, thought we were crazy to want to actually EAT turkey, let alone pay the premium price it costs, and were very surprised when we arrived, to learn that we wanted the mashed potatoes to be served HOT.  (The Sisters took them down the hall and heated them up in a microwave!)  

Probably not a Thanksgiving Day we will forget, though!

This is the scene at the Manila Temple.

And now it is            CHRISTMAS TIME

                     IN THE PHILIPPINES !!!

Our subtle effort to assert the fact that we ARE Christians, and celebrate Christmas along with the rest of the country!

Decorations are going up all over,  just like they do at home.  Every night, when we come home, we find more houses all lit up.  

See the little guy hanging from the deck over the carport?  They love these little hanging santas, and some houses have about 20, hanging on swings, or from parachutes, or on ladders.  They always look to me like they have been "hung by the neck until dead!"

AFTER  we worked with Sister Precious, we were going home, but she was going to the church to work with the YW, so we took her to get something to eat.  We ordered a big Halo Halo, to share for dessert.  THIS is Halo Halo, a sort of sundae.  There is a big scoop of shaved ice in the middle, over which they pour cream.  Then, they dress it up with all sorts of good things.  The yellow in front is custard, the purple is ube pudding, the green is Not Jello, but young coconut that is flavored and colored and sort of jelly like, there are BIG tapioca, and pieces of candied mango, and macapuno balls, and ,... So, we lifted off a bite or two for us, and gave the rest to her.  She then proceeded, to show us "how to eat it properly"   Halo Halo means  ALL MIXED UP.  So, you are supposed to stir it all together and then.eat.  Wonderful.


On Monday, we had to go to a hardware store for Elder to find things he needed for the apartments, and so we went down to the malls. There is a big Wilcon Depot there, really really nice.  I decided to take the opportunity to go back to David's Salon for a visit with Bea.  It was really good that I fed Elder S. first, and sweetened him up with Halo Halo.

Elder, of course, does not take me to the Salon when we are at home.  And the first visit here was just a quick haircut.  But this time, the whole kit and caboodle. Washing, coloring, highlighting, conditioning, cutting and styling. And, of course, a massage.  3 hours!!  Heaven for me.  Elder thought he was in a nightmare and couldn't wake up. And then when we left, to add insult to injury, a hefty P4100, plus tip.  (About $100, which of course is not all that out of line, but remember, he never has gone before.)  
Unless I can find a drug that induces amnesia, I will never get him in there again!!

THIS WAS FUN.  Several of the sisters who are joining the church have a small problem with the skirt thing.  Not that they are disobedient, only poor.  And in Sampaloc last week, after visiting RS, Sister Jose felt strongly that we should  not be so afraid of offending that we don't teach them.  The missionaries, of course, always leave behind anything we have left that is not in rags. There won't be much from Elder and Sister S!  We have been working on it a little bit, and the women at church suggested a UK UK store, a sort of thrift shop we see here (now that I am looking for them).  So, I saw one in Teresa, stopped, and found these 7 skirts.  I paid P300, or about $7.50.  (So don't start collecting skirts, please.  It will cost too much to send them.)  Anyway, I laundered them, repaired one hem, and took them to Sister Rowena.  I told her to keep whatever she could use, and give the rest to Sister Tapiador, the RS Pres, to offer to the others.  She was SO excited.  She told me today she kept 4 and passed on three, so I will have to do more shopping, I think.   They were pretty fun, the turquoise is silk, the red one is velvet, and I would have worn some of them.  Except, of course, that most of  the waistlines are about 16 inches.  Even Scarlet O'Hara would have trouble with that!  

CONTRARY to how it may appear, we do not spend all our time eating and shopping.  'This week we were able to teach with the Elders three afternoons, and it was wonderful.  We taught a new family with two small children who were referred by a member, and the lesson went so well.  He is a fisherman, and makes the Lambats, or nets, they use to fish.  He showed us the nylon they use.  WOW!  I thought I was pretty good at knots with my crocheting.  

Then, we went to teach Sister Christine at her home in Pililla.  Her family all joined the church in 1990, but she was only seven, so was not baptized.  They did not all stay active, and so she never was given another chance.   Now her father is gone, her mother is ill, and she has a small son,  This is Lorenz, and he is, believe it or not, playing with an IPAD.  Daddy is working in Abu Dhabi, until next May.  She wants to join the church, but is not sure how he will react to the idea.  She cried.  We told her that the church is not in the business of dividing families.  We unite them, in our temples, for eternity.  We suggested that she pray, and talk to him, and do what is best for her and her family.  She had a blessing, and was at church today, with her son.  Also at church was Sister Marione, a woman we helped teach last week, with her son.  She plans to return next week with her baby daughter, too. 

And Saturday morning, we attended the baptism  (again, in the swimming pool, only it was raining a little bit!)  of Sister Esponilla, shown here with Elder Purificacion.  We met her the second week we went out to teach in Sampaloc, at the Besario home.  She has been steadily making progress, and read the whole Book of Mormon, and is just a darling.  We had a visit with her on Tues, preparing her for baptism.  She has so much desire to do all that she can.  She kept saying, "THIS is it!  THIS is it"  I have never seen a new convert that I was so sure would be there every step of the way.  I am glad we have more than a year left, as I know we will be in the temple with her next Christmas.

The Elders sang for us during the Baptism.  We lost Elder Magno this week, Emergency Transfer, but have a new one, Elder Cubbage, from Alaska.  He is third from left.                                                            Have I mentioned before that the songs are always in English, and very often done a Capella?   The person directing sings the first line, to get the tune and key.  Then they say, "Ready,  Sing"!  It tickles my funny bone every time, but it works.

    

Today, we attended church in Tanay, where I was asked to teach the sharing time in Primary.  OK with me!!  Then RS with Sister Marione, the investigator, then up to Sampaloc to teach Temple Preparation classes to the Aguilar family at their home.  We found a feast going on at the chapel, sort of a "break the fast",  but we were still fasting.  Elder S asked President Dolletti to come out to Aguilar's home to discuss the worthiness interview for the recommend.  So, he and his wife came, taught, and then went down to Tanay to put his donations in the computer, as the renovations are not complete at the Sampaloc building.  Here they are, on the "family transportation". 

This is another souvenir for us to bring home.  A real, carved, Filipino Nativity Set.  I love the palm tree, and see the little rice farmer with his caribou?  Also, the three wise men, of course, bearing gifts of coconuts, bananas, etc.  I am not sure what the wood is, but hard.  It is our gift to ourselves.  

Does Anybody know what these beautiful bell shaped flowers are?

They are blooming everywhere.  It is like even Mother Nature is decorating for Christmas!  And guess what?

Watermelon Season here is Nov through Jan!  Can you think of a more perfect Christmas fruit?

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