TO HIT THE highlights .........

Whew, the past three weeks have been wonderful and frantic. I had no time to blog and we were almost never at home to eat.  

I gained three pounds!   

  Of course I did!

New Friends. Elder and Sister Sheffer arrived from Panguitch UT, and we had the privilege of meeting them and Helping them get settled. So, lots of driving around, and another trip to the LTO for driver's licenses. They are still in the hotel. They will be serving two stakes here in the city, so they need an apartment.After they saw several, they chose one , but it is not ready yet. They are being very patient. He is a former teacher, she raised their 8 children.  

MISSION TOUR:

Elder and Sister Echo Hawk, the second counselor in the Area Presidency, came to tour the mission and so we had a second zone conference this transfer. They are here, having dinner with us, in the Outback Restaurant.  We sat across from them and he and Elder Schlager got on like old friends. They were at BYU when we there, and he played football.  

Have you ever had a General Authority buy your dinner? It felt really odd. But they are so warm and we truly loved them.  

Morong House Project

So the sisters in Morong REALLY needed a new house. They finally found one they liked. But it was cheap and needed a lot of work. We did a service project. AFTER the missionaries came and 8 seniors and ripped up the floor, cleaned like crazy, it looked like this:

Concrete bare floors. No real CR. Good kitchen and lots of room and a big secure patio for laundry.  

The downstairs walls were white.   Upstairs the walls were lime green. The walls on the upper stairway just unpainted concrete. We repaired the floors, and painted them

No flushing toilet, as it has

 no water piped to it. (Pretty common, here.) THE SISTERS WERE OKAY WITH THAT!?

So, we put a shower head in for them and

a toilet seat on the toilet. They use the faucet to fill the bucket, the bucket to flush the toilet.  

 We hired Brother Jhun  to come and install screens for all the windows. He did a Cadillac Job. The sisters are moved in, happy, and safe. Big job.  

Here is the design team. My Sisters Sheffer and Jardine, and that haggard woman standing in the back is a total stranger to me! WE  hope the owners do not come by and think the rent should be higher now!       

Relief Society Birthday

SO we were all invited to the RS Birthday Celebration in the Morong District. Saturday 3-5. We were there. They started one hour late. The "Singing Sisters" did a wonderful musical number. Credit to Sister Johnson, who was teaching it to them an hour before and enlisted the Young Sister Missionaries to fill in the blanks.  

Then, They had a "Career Workshop", led by a woman who actually has a career. They loved it and had a lot of fun, but most of them are thinking, "I do not work. I do not want to work. " 


We all finally excused ourselves to drive home, and they came running out with food to take with us. It was a funny day.

ANOTHER EXIT DAY  

THEN TRANSFER DAY

The next week, we had 6 missionaries go home, and we had 13 new ones come in. Lots of shifting of apartments, lots of training, lots of fun. We work hard, but we really enjoy this. They are here at the Memorial, excited, exhausted, and ready to go to work.

Two of them spent two nights here and then flew to Mindoro. One from England, three Sisters (and friends) from Samoa. We have two elders and two sisters from Utah and a Sister from California. The dark Elder center front is from Sri Lanka.  His family were virtually the only members they knew!  They joined 3 years ago.  The rest are Filipino. Some of these are the trainers.  

This is not a new missionary. This is my investigator. We bonded while I was shopping in the mall for my Primary Children. I do not speak his language, either!

FHE and birthday party

I do not know if you remember Yanni, Vanessa and Dexter's little girl. She had a birthday, on 

Sunday, so her parents had a FHE instead of a birthday party. Here are some pictures of their house, built last year when Elder Jensen was here. She is a master homemaker, everything clean and orderly and he has built (from scraps given by the people working over at the PAO for recycling) some storage cupboards and even a small extra room. This is the outdoor cooking area, where she prepares meals. Like a camp kitchen! 

Indoor kitchen and bathing area, and really the living space.  

Here is the living room, with the table ready for dinner. See the birthday cake? It was Elder Johnson's birthday, too, so he brought the cake and candles.

Family Bedroom.

Birthday girl!

Here is my touching story for this week: Dexter and Vanessa built a small extra room in their home, which they do not use. She told me that it is for anyone who has no home and needs to come and stay with them. She said, "Because we have been in that situation."  

So, in the U.S. it would be Yanni's room. Here she sleeps with Mom and Dad, and they keep it for guests.

   

Here is your funny story:

We have been so busy! Eating on the run. One day, as we are running to and fro, Elder S was hungry. He said, "Are there any Peanut Butter crackers back there"? Well, I thought I had some in the door behind me, and reached back to find one for him.  

Got my arm caught between the seat and the side of the car behind me. No crackers. But, I could not get my arm back out.  

I had to ask him to pull over, stop, and extricate me from my seat!

A rose by any other name? Still a rose.   

Yes, I am the same girl, only my name has changed!

IT'S MORE FUN IN THE PHILIPPINES!

RED LETTER WEEK

THIS WEEK MARKS THE END OF THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF OUR MISSION. We can hardly believe it, but our release date is February 28, 2015, so we are less than a year from returning home. The time goes so fast. In fact, it seems to go Faster and faster.  

 I had a little bit of time to cook, so I tried a new recipe. This is Caldereta, or Kalderata. Ignore the broccoli, it is not part of this dish. In fact, just serving it over rice is more an American thing than Filipino. Here, rice is served beside the dish, and Often is shaped into a ball or a cup.  

I have been wanting to try it. It is spicy stew, made ​​with brisket. I cheated and purchased a packet of seasoning / sauce for it. MamaSitas Caldereta, and I followed the recipe on the back of the package.  

But, we liked it very much. It has brisket. Purchase about 1 pound, or 1/2 Kilo. cover with water and add salt and pepper. Simmer until the meat starts to get tender. A bout 1 1/2 hours. Add about 1 1/2 cups of cut-up carrots, and let cook a little longer while you peel the potatoes. Add about 1 1/2 cups of potatoes, cut into bite size. When They are tender, make sure you have about 2 cups of the broth from the cooking. If not, add a little extra water. Stir in the sauce packet, and then add 1/1/2 cups of frozen peas. Bring back to a Boil and serve hot with rice.  

 Sometimes it is made ​​with chicken. But the brisket here is nice. It is not sold whole, like at home, but cut into chunks.  

We are losing the battle with the bedbugs. .. More casualties this week. And trying hard not to become casualties ourselves!   Yuck! And transfers are upon us. We are trying to get them under control, so that the pesky little bug ger s do not stow away to new lodgings with the missionaries. We did not have a lot of work to do delivering this week. Just lots of permethrin.    

We had another FHE with the seniors, and (Nearly) everyone brought pictures from their  time here. Some of them were fabulous. Many had great stories to go with them, my favorite part.,  

Manila Temple is closed for cleaning for the first two weeks of March, WE DO NOT get that time off to go sightseeing, etc.. as the temple missionaries do . But to prepare, we took our exiting missionaries, with Pres and Sister Revillo, on Wed to the temple, instead of two weeks later on the final day of their mission.   It was wonderful, as always.  

The Jensens are continuing the work caring for families who need a little boost to get going. So, They are building a house for an active family, the Andreas family. They have five children, and were evicted. So, His brother lives in a small house in the middle of Cardona. His parents live attached to his house. His home has two levels, theirs only one. So, Jun and Dexter and the family are adding another level to the parents "house". First, They had to dig a hole for the CR. They did that in the little space the parents occupied.  They will move back in after the project, with the CR in THEIR little area. This is the little alley you walk through from the street to reach the house. No place else to leave the building materials.

Here are the Johnsons and Elder S, and Elder Anderson. Making Business Decisions!

These are pictures of the service project to help get the house built. Missionaries came from Teresa, Morong, and Binangonan. When we got there, Sisters Franks and Medina from Morong were digging the hole for the septic tank.  It was already over heads to throw the mud out. They dug it out, and then the elders loaded it into buckets and carried it out to the vacant lot across the street. Later, When it needed a pickax, Elder Abel took over for them.

Here are the two sisters, with the brother who owns the adjoining house, and his sister in the middle. All nine of the family moved in down the street with her ​​while the project is completed. Notice behind them, the wall of the next house. And against it, the only nice piece of furniture this woman owns. A wooden cupboard, with a picture of Christ on it.

This is Jun, the foreman, on top with power tools, making the framework for the new house upstairs.

And this is the adjoining house, and Elder Anderson up stairs in the window, preparing to change the wall so that it can hold another house.  

Just FYI, this family will have a house for about $ 1,000. They can not be evicted from it.  Also, three families have a working wage for a couple of weeks, and the missionaries had plenty of happy service hours! The home is almost done. Next, a remodeling for a widow in Tanay. After that, a new apartment for the sisters in Morong. It is a "fixer-upper". We are going to make some renovations before They can move in.  

Again, Sisters  Franks and Medina. They were covered  with mud  on Thursday and working like chain gang prisoners. On Friday, They were at the temple. They took a van full of people to the temple, to do baptisms for the dead and also to tour the temple grounds.  They both cooked a full meal for about 35 people, and brought it with them. Their companions helped them.  Then, those who could, went inside. Those who could not, were taught about the temple outside.  

Here is Sister Franks. This is a "part-member" family. She is a member. Her husband is studying with the missionaries. They came to learn about "eternal families". They have another little boy.

Sister Johnson and I were outside with the tour. Our Elders were inside, assisting with the baptisms. The older girls here had already done theirs. Next to Sister Johnson is the Andreas grandma, 72, an investigator. She is the grandma who was displaced from her little house to build another one on top for her son's family. Next to her are two of her granddaughters.

T he family here are next door neighbors to another member. They are studying with the missionaries, too.  

The Andreas family, while waiting for the new home to be built, all made ​​time to come to do baptisms. And they brought Grandma!

WE did not plan to be at the temple again that day, but we got an SOS from the Johnsons, that there were not enough priesthood holders to do the work. So, as soon as we could we ran up and jumped in there.  

One of the most wonderful things about our mission is that we never really know what will come. Every minute of every day belongs to the Lord. I can not tell you how freeing that is. We plan, we work hard, we do what we need to, but finally, we just follow the Spirit and do what comes next. And there is an adventure every day.

Of course, some things we still do not really want to do! This week, we each got an "invitation".  One funny thing, this nice form they use is in English.  And it says that the meeting begins promptly at 9:00 am in the afternoon.  

Needless to say, it is not easier to prepare a talk When you know that you can not speak the language. Although some of the speakers use some English, our meetings are held mostly in Tagalog. Since we moved to the city, our Tagalog has not improved at all. We never get to hear it, or use it, as we did when we taught with the missionaries. But, we will do our best. I am sure the Branch President had some kind of goal, when we asked us!

Lunch at the work site! Just like home, pot luck for the labor. WE have so much fun!  

WELL, Thank you for your guesses, but you were all wrong. * 

Beauty is all around you here, in unexpected places. But it has to be strong to survive, so it IS! 

* President okayed our callings, and today I was sustained as the Primary Music Leader. Kind of a funny story. When he called me, Branch President Soriano said, "They have heard you sing." Nearly I laughed, thinking, "And They want me ANYWAY? " But when i was set apart, I was blessed that my voice would be good.   I had a great time this week, taking a break from the  apartments; singing and making words / pictures for the songs, etc.. .. .......... ..  

Maybe you had not thought of this, but It occured to me that I am teaching the songs in English, to children who do not speak it very much. Those who are not yet in school do not really speak it at all. So a music leader in the States could have a few words in the song that he / she needs to define for the children. I could have 20 or 30! Here is my new primary, playing a game of "right or wrong choice".  

We are not sure what happened with Elder's calling. He was PREPARED for today, but was not sustained. From what went on, it Appears that we have have "a failure to communicate" .. Certainly, WE fail to communicate often. But, maybe the people in the know just were not able to talk to the people with a need to know, so we will suppose things will be straightened out next week.  

When we were called on our mission, our son-in-law said, "They have four seasons: hot and hotter and wet and wetter." Well, we think he missed one. Since December, we have been having

cool and dryer. In fact, it is SO dry, weeks and months without rain, that things are beginning to look like Missouri in August. The hills are brown, and things look parched. 

Also, They tell us that the heat is coming. March and April are the REALLY hot months, and then the rains begin again. So, it is just going to get dryer, I guess.  

This week, we missed the beauty of the earlier months, but I have been meaning to share the wonderful landscaping and nursery Businesses here. These are just a few, right in the city, down the street from the Temple. But you also find them, tucked into the hills, as you drive around the provinces.   

Landscaping materials. They deliver. They pretty much have to, with guys in the truck bed to unload and plant, etc ....  










WED we had zone conference, and it was really wonderful. President and Sister Revillo are SO good at this. They are inspiring, and encouraging, but also very aware of THEIR responsibility to teach and train. Actually, I did a bit of training, too. I was asked to begin working on the English Language course the Filipino Missionaries are supposed to be able to pass When They leave. So, I made ​​them laugh, but also worked on Helping them understand that this is a responsibility, but also a real opportunity for them while They are here. So, I spoke three times. Got it pretty good by the last try!

These three missionaries are going home this transfer.  They bore testimonies. The sister just made ​​us cry.  

She joined the church about 3 years ago. Her family has not been supportive, and she had to hide her study materials and study secretly.  When she decided to serve a mission, her parents told her that if she did that, she could not come Home. They would not help her with support, but just before she left, a friend gave her the money she needed. Well, no one has talked to her at all. But she is ready to go home, and her father contacted her and told her how excited they all are to have her home again. She served her entire mission, believing that she would have no home to go back to. Such courage.  

These are the sisters serving in a ward near the Mission Office, in the city. They have been looking for a new apartment. (Nearly everyone is, and we are having such a hard time finding people who will rent to us on our terms. They just think we are crazy to expect them to pay the taxes on the income!)  

Anyway, They found a pretty good place, and the landlord is currently Renting another apt to us, so he understands the advantages and the also the requirements. This place was destroyed, except for the walls, in the last bad storm, so it has been completely redone and is an all new and shiny for them. They really like it. But is is a little small, and laundry will be challenging. The landlord is willing to make some adjustments for us, though. He already knows what a bargain we are! This was an EASY one!

We saw one for the elders in Binangonan this week, would be great, but it has been vacant for Several years. "Fixer Upper" does not begin to describe it. If the owner can be persuaded to be honest, though, he says They are willing to do the work to make it clean and bright again. These elders really need a new place. theirs is subject to all kinds of theft from the neighbors. Not safe at all. 

Weddings: 3 

Baptisms: 6

Well, actually 10. Rizal had 4 as well, are the priority we saw confirmed this morning.  

Maybe the highlight of this week was Saturday. Teresa Branch, where some of the people we love most live, had a very big week. 

Three young couples chose to be baptized. But none of them were married, so that had to be taken care of FIRST. No problem, the branch planned a wedding and the Bishop came from Cogeo and married them.  

 This is Ava and Liza Tajeresas. They have two small children, the baby and the tiny girl in blue. His mother is Sister Mercy, in the wheelchair, and he has a small brother, in blue, and a handicapped sister.  

  

Here are Patrick and Mary Rose Pajuayan. They have a baby boy. Next to them is the Bishop.  

This couple are Alex and Jennielyn Polborido. They have 3 small children. It was a really fun day.  

Here are the three newly wed couples, enjoying a special lunch after the ceremony.

This one thought the Bishop talked way too long!

And this one was a lot happier after the food showed up. She just kept eating, after everyone else had started to clean up and get ready for the next part of the program!

The baptisms!

All six of them were baptized. Each bore a testimony afterward. I REALLY wish I spoke Tagalog. They had a lot to say, and we only caught small parts of it. But, what a blessing.  

Three new families in the branch. All with fathers ready to be ordained to the Priesthood.  

Of course, it is the Philippines. Just after the last baptism, the power went off. No lights, no fans. No problem. They just shrug, "brown out", and carry on. By the end of the meeting it was too dark to see in the halls and there was still some cleaning up to do. Oh well.

It's more fun in the Philippines! 

On the way out, we were talking to the missionaries. I said what a great day it had been, and complemented them on a terrific job. One said, "I NEVER want to do that again." They all agreed! Too Stressful! Another one said, 'He just never quits! "

They meant guess who? The enemy of all righteousness, of course!

I laughed, and agreed. I said, sometimes I feel like punching him in the nose.

Elder Argyle said, 'If he had a face, I would!'

I can only think that pulling this all together was an exercise in faith and commitment. For the elders and for the investigators.  

But a great quote is:  

The Road to Exaltation will ALWAYS be uphill '

It helps to know when we are going in the right direction!

I found another one I really like this week. It is from CS Lewis.  

He says:

There are only two kinds of people. 

Those who say to God, "Thy will be done." 

And those to whom God says, "Alright, then, have it your way."

A couple of other things from this week:

1. The area presidency had a special devotional for PAO workers and missionaries. Sister Burton, General RS President, and Sister McConkie, General YW Counselor, are touring here this week. They spoke to us on Friday. There were about 150 of us, I guess. Anyway, They both hugged me! Really, though, one of the really wonderful things about serving a mission is the opportunity to "hang out with" (or at least meet!) Really special and incredible people.  

2. And our great Office Secretary, Elder Smith, wrote to the Jackson County Courts and plead my case for excusing me from jury duty. He must have done a good job. We Received this: 

Elder Smith,
The judge has granted a one time of Sister Schlager postponed to March
30, 2015. We will mail her a summons Approximately one month before that
date.

Thank you,

Kyle M. Diederich
Jury Assistant Supervisor - KC
Circuit Court of Jackson County
Phone: (816) 881-1476
Fax: (816) 881-3669

Please note that I have only been given a stay of execution, not a reprieve. The really funny things are that first, I will probably not be needed anyway, when i check in, and second, no one in THEIR right mind would want me to serve on a jury. I am far too opinionated and stubborn.  

Impartial? Not hardly!

Still having trouble with Google.  The errors are NOT MINE!