AND TWO MORE BIRTHDAYS......

Last year, I spent my birthday proselyting, and celebrated by stepping into a pile of nasty stuff.  I am nothing, if not entertaining for the natives!   

This year, I spent my birthday filling in last minute as the etiquette teacher at zone conference, having 100 missionaries wish me a happy birthday, and singing to me, and then dining out with friends at another nice restaurant.  

Missionary Manners

Showing sensitivity for others

v   If you are going to be late or not coming to any appointment, call or find a way to contact the person or family you are meeting.

v  Do not visit unannounced during mealtimes.

v  Wash your hands before setting the table or sitting down to eat.

v  Wait until you are invited to be seated.

v  Stand up when a lady or older person enters the room as a sign of respect.

v  When getting food, allow others to go first, especially children and ladies.

v   Hold the chair of a lady who is going to sit beside you.

v  Do not rock your chair. Sit up straight and do not slouch.

v  Do not reach across the table, ask for the item you want to be passed.

v   Use a serving spoon, ask for one if one is not available.

v  Never pile your plate high with food.

v  When taking food, take small portions to make sure there is enough for everyone.

v  Cut only one or two bites of meat at a time.

v  Take small bites and do not talk with food in your mouth.

v  Chew food for a long time without noise and with your mouth closed.

v  Lift the food to your mouth and do not lower your head to the plate.

v  Do not lick your fingers, the serving spoon or your knife.

v  Do not point your silverware at another person.

v  Do not use a toothpick after eating unless you are alone.

v  Be appreciative and thankful for being invited. Compliment the food but do not complain about anything.

v   Say “Excuse me” when leaving the table.

v  Do give a thank you note to your host, or hostess.

v  Keep elbows off the table while eating.

v   Don’t use your hands to eat unless we are eating special finger foods

v   Do not comb your hair or apply make-up at the table.

v   Cover your mouth when you burp.

v   Don’t talk loudly or interrupt when someone else is talking.

v   No phones or texting in the table.

v   Offer to help clean up and bring plates to the sink.

As a missionary, you are not expected to help in washing them.

This had been prepared by myself and Sister Jose, at the request of Sister Revillo.  But I did not have to do the presentation last time.  It was all done as a Power Point, and I have NEVER before taught that way.  It went Okay, though, I think.  

We taught them some basics, took them into a catered lunch, and tested them.  With Prizes!  They loved it.  

That night, 

Elder and Sister Sheffer and Elder and Sister Johnson took us to dinner, at another VIKINGS. (Because what we really needed was a second large, elaborate meal that day.  Suffice it to say, we could use a better meal plan than the one we are currently on.  We ARE trying, honest, but now the holidays are upon us!)   I slipped  out before the singers and horned helmets made it to our table to sing to me.  But we did take a picture for you:  

Such good, kind, fun friends.  I wish you could all meet them.

Also this week, 

it was bazaar time again.  Mostly, I just miss these.  There is an expat group here, American Women of the Philippines Club, who sponsor this  every month as a way to promote industry for the people, many of them women.  It is quite fun, and nice.  Especially at Christmas time.  

 Many, many cottage industries, and small business people, come and sell their hand made work here. It is a great place to buy souvenirs.

Sister Revillo and Sister Jose had never been before.  They came with me this time, and we had so much fun.  15 minutes before we were due to leave, I asked Sister R if she wanted to get something for lunch to take in the van.  "No!  I never eat, when I can shop!" So, I got her a piece of quiche, which she enjoyed very much, on the way home. 

Sister is such a girl---she bought a new purse, and jewelry, and sort of fell into a booth full of second-hand items from Japan---we had trouble getting her out of there!   

But on Friday, we had an office meeting.  And here is your funny story:  

I mentioned recently that they live in a really lovely home in a a VERY upscale neighborhood, back-to-back to the area offices and MTC.  But it is still the Philippines.  Apparently, they have had a problem with rats in the hollow walls and ceiling of the house.  So, they call exterminators.  These, in turn, sealed up all the outside openings that the rats were using.  Good idea, right?  Except that the rats were sealed INSIDE.  So, at our meeting, she says, 

"I woke up early yesterday, screaming!"  There was a rat in bed with her, chewing on her clothing!   

President says, "That's why I am tired."    He just sat there, with his head in his hands, while she told us that the rats have eaten all the wiring in the ceiling in the meeting room, "That is ;why there is not a projector in there anymore".  

And, that the rats are now dying in the walls, "And they smell, so I am having to use candles and fragrances so you can't smell them."

This is the girly-girl who has a pair of shoes to match every one of her many outfits, who makes her own pearl jewelry (when she has time and is not the wife of the Mission President) who has lived in Japan and Singapore, who makes the best chocolate chip cookies on the PLANET, who has sparkles on her fingernails, never passes up a piece of chocolate, and who says "I'm a shopper", with no apologies at all. 
 In the van, they were talking about Imelda Marcos and all her shoes.  I teased Sister, "How many pairs of shoes do you have,?"   She said, 'Not 8000!" 

Saturday, we were in Binangonan for the Baptism of Brother Ryan, 24 years old. 

We are a couple of hundred baptisms short of our goal for this year, so President has asked for "A white Christmas".  He got all the missionaries to commit to one baptism each on Christmas Day.  It can be done, if we all do our part.  

And, a happy happy birthday to our grandson. 

5 is wonderful. You are wonderful.

 

BELIEVE IT OR NOT .....

We do occasionally work, and we do not eat ALL the time. But with Elder's birthday, then President's, and then mine, (and Barlows up from Mindoro for the week) it was decided that a CELEBRATION was called for.  So, all four couples went to Vikings, a very large, very fancy buffet restaurant at Megamall, which is exactly what it sounds like.  Look it up.  It is quite near the Mission Home.

As you see, they took good care of us.  And this time, we ALL got serenaded.

President and Elder.  They seem to enjoy each other very much.

One sort of interesting thing

happened.  There was a big wedding at the Catholic Church on the corner of our block.  They hold all the festivals, etc, there, and we enjoy watching what is going on.  Often, it is "standing room only."

This time, the reception was planned for the garden area around the pools.  The green roof is the big room used for parties, exercise classes, etc.  As you see, the caterers did a bang up job of preparing for the party.  Even balloons in the pool.  But, before the wedding party arrived, a huge rain storm came through, steady and heavy and just straight down (luckily!), drenching the entire area.  After it was over, the caters were out there with towels, drying the chairs, and the wedding party arrived and things went on as scheduled, right into the night.  The table cloths must have been pretty soaked, though!  This is the view from our bedroom window, Looking down on the celebrations.

The Northwest has nothing on them when it comes to "doing it in the rain".

Big send-off at TGI Fridays

for our dear friends the Horsleys.  Well, maybe we DO party and eat all the time, after all!  

Something a little bit different:

Some of our friends have asked us about what it is costing us to serve a mission.  That is an interesting question, because you can figure it in so many ways.  Total cost of being here?  Money spent for direct mission costs?  Money spent over and above what it would cost to be at home for the same period?  ( Or below---some missionaries actually save money.  Not us!) And, some missionaries have kept very precise records of every dollar or peso spent, which we have not done, except for a couple of months, to get a feel for where the money was going.  

Also, I absolutely have to bear testimony to the fact that what we give to the kingdom ALWAYS results in more for us, not less.  If you have any testimony of tithing at all, you know that you receive, in the words of Elder Bednar, "subtle but significant" blessings for that sacrifice.  We have learned that a donation to the kingdom is always the same.  It does not have to be written on a tithing receipt to bring the same promised blessings.  

That being said, here is some information that those of you contemplating a mission might find useful.  

1. Travel  the church paid for our trip to our mission, and will pay for our flight home.  That is true if you serve at least 18 months.  (Incidentally, the reason Senior Missions are 23 months and young Elders serve 24, is according to Elder Ardern, our Area President, because of some tax ramifications if we are out of the country 2 full years.)

2.  Medical Insurance  If you wish to be considered for a foreign mission, you are required to either have private Medical Insurance (Not Medicare) or to purchase the policy the church provides.  At this time, that costs $183/month for each of you.

3.  Housing   You most likely will not be going out, as we used to, and finding your own housing and setting it up.  The church will find a place for you to live, contract with the landlord on a standard lease that legal has approved, and tell you what it costs. Then you will donate that amount to your home ward and it will be swept from that account into the General Mission Fund, where the finance secretary in your mission can pull it to pay your rent. In this mission, rent can be as low as $200/month or as high as $1000, depending on where you are assigned to "labor".  

4. Utilities  In the Philippines, we also put enough in our ward fund to cover our utilities.  That is added to our support card, monthly, and we pull it in cash to pay our utility bills.  Internet and phone is vital, and sometimes a problem, as you will have to either get a contract yourself or take over the one the previous couple had. The mission will give you a phone to use, but if you have a landline, you must pay for it.

5.  Vehicles  If you are in a mission/assignment that requires you to have a car, you will have to get a driver's license, and you will rent the car from the church.  That is $150/month.  You are also, except in VERY special circumstances, going to be buying your own fuel for the car.  

6.  Furnishings   There may be a possibility that you will not be in an apartment furnished by the landlord.  In  that case, the church will provide basic furnishings to you, but they are also rented, at $100/month.  Of course, in that case, your basic rent is probably lower.

7.  Additional costs for us

We had to put our household goods in storage, so that costs us $114/month.

Renting or just leaving your home, will most likely increase your homeowner's insurance premium.

We feel like the utilities, our food, our gasoline, and our personal expenses are about what we would pay at home, and so are not part of the actual cost of the mission.  Of course, that may not be true in some missions.  

 Here is our door, welcoming, I hope, to anyone who comes by.

This is the Christmas Tree that the Dolleti Family put together in the guest house out at Sampaloc.  We were there today so Elder could help to train a new clerk, and they insisted on giving us dinner, at the guest house her brother owns.  They are such a great family.  He is the Branch President, and their two oldest children are on missions.  That branch has flourished under his leadership.  

While there, we were able to see many old friends.  Here is the Aguilar family, still moving forward.  Remember when they went to the temple in the spring?  Well, he got a PEF loan, and went to school to learn welding.  Here he is with his certificate.  And now, she has a loan, and started college last week, to become a teacher---her dream.   Jhezelle just turned 3, and John Ivan is 4, now.  She is still the Primary President, and he is still in the Branch Presidency.  

We were able to get Shresh and Vidia to agree to come on Friday, Nov 21, to our home for FHE.  They are the Indian Couple in our neighborhood.  So, we are planning how to be good missionaries to them.  We bought a game, Dominoes, to play.  We have taught that one to 5 and 6 years olds before!
Our friends, the Sheffers, came over last night to play with us and to practice.  

  

Here is your laugh:  They have recently been asked to go to serve in Malaya, because Jardines went to Mindoro.  (Are you getting the message here?  WE NEED MORE SENIOR  SEASONED MISSIONARIES!
Well, it is a long drive from the city, and he was tired, so she offered to drive.  He said "She hit two pedestrians in about 1 minute".  She was driving, and someone walked right up to the van, as they do, trying to dodge traffic and get across the street.   He said, "You are going to hit that man".  BUMP--her side mirror slammed into his shoulder.  Collapsed the mirror.  Then, Elder pushed it back out, and she did the same thing again 20 seconds later.  Sister Sheffer, "Well, that didn't really count.  It only moved the mirror a little bit."  Elder Sheffer, "The other one counted.  He really got hit.",  Sister Sheffer,  "It wasn't that bad.  I just nicked him."  

I spent the Friday at Immigration all day, trying to get the new registration accomplished for the last of our Pauwi--those leaving on the 19th.  Wish us luck!

LOOKING GOOD!

This is Halloween, but these are not costumes. This is Elder Gako, AP, Elder Buhler, trainee, Elder Schlager, many things, Elder Malmrose, AP, and Elder Hall, trainer. All dressed up to go upstairs and meet Elder Dallin H Oaks, Apostle ..

And this is 90% of our mission, practicing so that they can be photographed after the meeting, but Elder Oaks does not approve of that practice. He felt it would detract from the spirit, so this is as close as we got to a picture of (nearly) all our missionaries. We even had about 35 of our senior couples there.  

The meeting was amazing. Sister Oaks is fantastic. She taught us to always speak and teach doctrine, for it is "sweet" to us. (And she hugged me, as did Sister Bowen!) 

Elder Bowen, of our Area Presidency, was awesome. We had not met him before. He is young, energetic, and he "told it like it is." He was a mission president, and then an Area Seventy, and now second counselor in our Area Presidency. He said, "I know what I am talking about". And he told them to do three things to change their mission and themselves. 1: Get up at 6:30 every morning. (Be 100% obedient.) 2. Talk to at least 20 people every day - really talk. OYM (0pen your mouth) and ITL (Invite to learn). 3. Improve planning. (Work with the Spirit before you go to work.)

Elder Oaks taught us about Priesthood Keys. Interesting, as he had brought "the keys of the kingdom" to the Philippines. I learned a great deal.  

One quote from Sister Revillo:  

"Our calling gives us authority, keeping our covenants gives us power." 

Halloween Night

We took our walk in the mall, and went to find some dinner. There were small children in costumes EVERYWHERE, as they had been "trick or treating" in stores and restaurants. They all had buckets of candy and were dancing and having a great time. Halloween seems to be big in the city --- did not see it at all last year in the province.

This lovely young flapper stopped us to talk, and it turns out she is a member of the church from Provo. Her dad works for one of the corporations there, and they came a year ago to live and work here. She loves it.

But, it is still the Philippines, and Christmas comes early. They were playing Christmas carols, getting the big Christmas tree set up, and here is one decoration already on display.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELDER SCHLAGER

Saturday Night, several couples went to dinner at a nice Italian restaurant in our neighborhood. They told the wait staff it was Elder's birthday, so he got serenaded and a free dessert (a day early!)

Sunday, it WAS his birthday. Also fast Sunday. We went to church, and then he had a presidency meeting at the mission office. So, we did a brisket, and rice, and vegetables, and fruit salad, green salad, and invited the other 3 couples to "break the fast" with us between the meeting and an area  broadcast taped by Elder Oaks on Thursday.  

President and Sister Revillo were there with their children, and the Joses, he is first counselor, and the Barlows from Mindoro, second counselor.  

Then, we all went upstairs to hear the broadcast.  The chapels were  packed, all over the country.

And, ANOTHER conference. President and Sister Revillo decided some time ago that they wanted to do a "zone conference" for the senior zone. We officially have 58 senior missionaries assigned to our mission. although only 10 of us actually work under the direction of President. The rest are in the temple, or area, assignments. Does not keep us from having fun together, though. (I decided last night that I do not like the title, SENIOR MISSIONARIES.  From now on, I am going to call us "seasoned." For one thing, that categorizes 

everyone else as "unseasoned". (Bland)

We were invited to the Mission Home on Monday, for a great meeting with Elder and Sister Meim, who served as mission president in Davao, and  he is now an Area Seventy. As you see, most everyone came. And, we had the great privilege of meeting Brother and Sister Leitham, who opened the mission 28 years ago. They were staying for a 25 year reunion, in the mission home they opened. 
Sister Revillo came here to be interviewed by him before she was called on her mission as a 21 year old woman.  

 And she did her usual fantastic and miraculous job of putting on a great party. She had it catered, on the patio outside. The evening was glorious, and it was all beautiful.

A good time was had by all, and Elder Schlager got another birthday celebration, (sort of!). I probably have not mentioned the mission home much, but it is a really lovely home, and is just down the street from one of Imelda Marcos' palaces. (Which I believe was just seized by the government.)

This week, you might wonder if anyone is doing any work here. But I assure you, we are. And today was the beginning of an entirely new nightmare with the immigration department. I spent the day getting 12 missionaries back into the city to go to immigration tomorrow, because there is a new "Alien Registration Act" that is impacting us. Now, all of our missionaries, scheduled to leave this month, will NOT be given  exit clearances until they "register" (give me a break! It means pay another fee) under this new law. Two weeks to departure, and I can just see hundreds of our young people not on the planes they are scheduled to fly on. And my problems are small, compared to the people over in travel who are dealing with 21 missions, all over the country, with the same problems. on steroids.  

In the year we have been here, we have had the opportunity, again and again, to meet, work with, hear from, and even come to know a little bit, many general authorities and general officers of the church. That is not one of the things we anticipated when we came, but I think it is not unusual for seasoned missionaries. The work is going forward at a fantastic clip, and they are in every part of it. How very blessed we are, and feel, to have a tiny place in this great endeavor.  

We love it. 

And we love you! 

Happy Birthday this week to two of our darling grandchildren. And congratulations to my nephew on the birth of his new son.