HALLOWEEN

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CARTER AND ISABELLE!

I really think I am holding up pretty well over here, so far, but you can see poor Elder Schlager is aging fast, and his birthday was very hard on him!

Parties, parties, and more parties!!

This week began with two Halloween parties on Monday.  First, we met all the young missionaries in Morong for their p-day party.  I cooked 4 pork loin roasts in my crock pot, for days, to make pulled pork sandwiches for them.  
Sounds easy, right?  Well, first you have to find a pork cut that you recognize.  Two trips to S&R.  Over here, the pork is good, and plentiful.  However, a port butt is likely to be the top half of a leg, still covered with the hide, and with the foot attached or in the same package.  Then, there is no JACK STACK rub or barbecue sauce.  Elder S went on line, found a recipe, and we shopped and then improvised, and made our own rub.  We settled for Kraft BBQ sauce, happy to find it.  It was good!   Different, but good!   They all brought fruit, chips, drinks, veggie plates, and other stuff.  Sister Jensen made orange icing (also a minor miracle)  and brought cupcakes for them to decorate, with lots of choices for their decorations.  She also brought the donuts for the contest.  

This was a lot of fun, as Elder Vea is demonstrating here with Elder De La Serna.  Sister Kahui was a good sport, and all the sisters eventually took their turn, but by the time we got to this game, they had all eaten so much I think the Dunkin Donuts were not that enticing!      

  

What makes a good prize for a winning missionary?   Well, Something he remembers from home, of course!

  

Then they went out to play basketball, and Elder McCoy, in the door with a brace on his knee, managed to sprain his ankle, too!  

I tell you, you take your eyes off them for five minutes...........!

And then we went on to another party, at a really gorgeous home in the city, where the McAllisters live.  He is a full time church employee, in the legal department here.   
They had us all there for a chili and cornbread supper and we decorated more cupcakes, to take to share with the people in our neighborhoods and apartment buildings.  It was a lot of fun, but boy were we tired!!


The next day, we had a district meeting, and then out to Sampaloc to work, and Elder McCoy was bravely walking around on his wrapped ankle.  We went to another relocation village, high up in the mountains.  See how gorgeous it is out there?  But they live in little shelters all over the hill, around a dirty stream that is all they have for water.  

The Elders found it a little while back, and talked to a man, and he said, "can you come back and teach me and my friends?"  

However, they have no cell reception, so you can't make appointments with them, they work on the mountain making charcoal when they can, and are paid in food.  They rarely have any money, so won't be able to come in to church.   

Here is the village:  

Still, they welcomed us and we taught them in their "kitchen", with his sister on the right with her baby.   He and his wife have the two little ones, and the little girl between them was just really funny.  Already learning to read, which I am not sure her mother can do, and she had a tiny yellow pocket on her shorts, with a very tiny banana in it, which she pulled out and ate during the lesson.




Just one of the boys!!!  Elder tells me he needs one of the bags the guys carry to hold their pamphlets and scriptures and things!  We got him one for his birthday.............

On Wed, we began our new duties as housing missionaries, with a day long trip out to see where most of the missionaries live and how you deliver the things they need.  We spent the day with Elder and Sister Horsely, who have been doing ALL 50 + of the apartments for the last 6 months.  They drive a nice big van, and when the missionaries need things, they order them.  Horsely's purchase and deliver, everything from bug spray and dish soap to sheets, new mattresses, and desks.  There is a member who builds the desks, drying racks, bunk beds, etc.

Some places are hard to drive into, so they deliver by Trike.  

Haven't told you much about the trikes.  They are everywhere, a motorcycle with a side car and a roof, and most of them are part of a Trike Owner Driver Assoc. which means they are owned by a company who hires the drivers. They say AMTODA, or SMGTODA, or something. on the back.  Elder calls them todas, not trikes, and it is sometimes very much a four letter word!   They are the taxis in the Provinces, as they charge a flat rate for the distance, and if you can "share a cab" your cost is lower.  So, sometimes they put about 10 people on them!  Jeepneys are more like a bus----each person pays the same, regardless of how many are on it.  They get overloaded, too.  Sometimes people are all over the roof, going down a steep hill at high speed.

The young missionaries can't take the trikes, too dangerous.  But Elder Schlager and Elder Horsely jumped right on, with the driver and his son, and two fans, and a box of supplies, and a pillow, and headed off to the the Tanay Elders, who were ill that day.  You can just see Elder Horsely sliding on to the seat behind the driver. You can also see, in the trike behind them, the people trying to be polite and not laugh too hard!  I suppose I could have gone, too, there is room on Elder's lap!  A lot of these are privately owned, as well, and are the "family car".

Thursday more teaching, back out to Malaya.  Remember Josue?  Well, we were teaching his mother.  And, we had another Branch Missionary with us.  I wish I had her picture.  19 years old, joined in July, after her 23 year old brother.  Now, her parents and younger brother are planning for baptism!  She is lovely, and so sweet.  

Friday we took the morning off and went in to the temple.  One year to the day since we woke up and found ourselves retired!   WHAT A YEAR IT HAS BEEN!

Then:

Another party!  We went to Jensen's for a pizza party to celebrate Elder S's birthday and to say "goodbye" to Elder Alvarez.   He is going home.  Not that he has a home to go to, really,  But, he has learned English, and to be a leader.  I told him to stand tall, those narrow shoulders of his are going to have to carry a heavy load back out in the  country, as he is a "stake of zion" all by himself.   He squared his shoulders and said, "I want to be a good leader".  Here he is in the middle, with his companion, Elder Fausi, after eating his first corn dog!  He asked me, "What is this?"

Many of our Elders come from other areas of the Philippines, and even Tagalog is not their first language.  So, they learn two!  English, which is required so they can go home more employable,  and Tagalog, which they mostly teach in.  We are just in awe of them.  They have to be told all the time not to send their support money home to their families! We had a cake, for both of them, with Happy Birthday and Goodbye on it, and balloons, and lots of food.  Vanessas family, Marivics family, the Borhas, baptized last week. Another family there got baptized on Saturday!  

  

See Yanni on the end?  What kid doesn't like pizza and corndogs and mac and cheese? Especially with catsup?  sorry it's so blurry.  

On the way to our party, we had to drive through several others.  This is a Filipino graveyard.  Nov 1 is a BIG holiday here, All Saint's Day.  It is even creepier than Halloween.  They all get together as families, and it is sort of Memorial Day and Halloween all mixed up.  Along the roads, vendors selling beautiful flowers and arrangements and lots of candles.  The day before, they are all in the cemetaries, washing, painting, and decorating the graves.  Only, they don't "bury" here.  They just stack up the vaults.  Then, they come out on Nov 1 in droves, and settle on the vaults, and have a big party, with candles and food and drinking.  Some families have a small concrete Mausoleum for their dead bodies.  Children climb all over them.  

Anyway, kids, stop nagging us.  WE have finally decided where we want to be stashed!!  Just pile us on top of each other away from the road!  (Joke Lang!  ) that means, just kidding!


Several Things you might find surprising:
I have been cold more than I have been hot.  I should have brought the two sweaters I didn't pack at the last minute! This is the cooler season, and the air con is sometimes too much.  Won't stay that way, though. 

The beautiful people here don't like their dark skin.  Seems they want to be lighter.  So, they carry umbrellas in the sun more than in the rain, and don't like it if I don't have one, to protect my skin.  Also, you have to be careful when you buy skin care products, as most of them have a "whitening" agent in them, which is not healthy.

There is English everywhere, and they seem to read it alright, but don't like to speak it, at least not out here where we are.  And more than you think, can't read.

Eggs are never refrigerated!  Well, except at my house!

We bought an adapter for the AC/DC thing, really worried about our electronics.  Turns out, almost everything, computer, tablets, cell phones, even our electric toothbrush, are dual voltage.  

 I have had a lot of questions about the hygiene over here.  Sorry, but most of it is too graphic for my grandchildren to read!  So, just ask over the phone or in emails.  But, this is a basic survival kit, and if you are lucky,  there might be a place to use it.  Never leave home without it.

A couple of things that might NOT surprise you:
Elder S. has, after a few hairy starts, learned to navigate the traffic and the traffic laws very well.  We get where we are going, on time, and pretty calm, mostly.   

I DO not consider a gecko in my bathroom "good luck".  I had to go gecko hunting yesterday before I could shower, and, I am not mentioning any names here, but my HERO preferred ignoring the dragon to defending me from it.   So, I chased it around, they move really fast, finally covered him with the trash can, slid a piece of plastic underneath, turned it up, and carried him outside.  He either was, or played dead.  I probably gave him a heart attack with all my chasing.  Better him than me!!!!

I love Visiting Teaching.  I have a very strong testimony of that wonderful program.  So, I have a story to share that I hope you will enjoy. The Senior Sister Missionaries shared it with me this week.

Recently, just before I came, they planned and held a "women's conference" for the women in the mission.  The purpose:  to help the Relief Societies here "catch the vision" of Visiting Teaching.  About 100 women came, from all over the mission.  The missionaries, all of them older and mostly from the US, did the usual things to make it fun and interesting.  They had lunch, (of course)  But, they also had to begin right at square one, with what VT is and how we do it and why we do it, bearing in mind the many challenges these women have.

  They all thought it went pretty well, and felt satisfied with their efforts.  The next day, Sunday, Sister DuPaix went out to the ward they are assigned to.  The RS pres there had worked all night, and proudly showed her the VT districts and routes she had prayerfully arranged.  There were THREE visiting teachers to each route.  
Poor Sister DuPaix!!  She thought they had not really understood, and she felt bad about it.  She gently explained that usually, visiting teachers go "two by two", like the elders do.  This sweet woman, said, "Oh no, Sister.  In the Philippines we need Three sisters, so that two can go, and they don't know when they will be home again.  The third one has to stay home and do all their work and tend their children."  

Not really sure who is teaching whom, out here!

WEEK SEVEN Oct 21-27

It's more fun in the 

PHILIPPINES!!

have I mentioned that I miss my dryer?  
The people here wash all the time, and they hang their laundry anywhere they can find.  We stopped by the side of the road, and a lot of little houses were there, and little children, obviously not in school or really with anything to do.  All the way along the road, if the sun is shining, you see wash hanging on fences, roadways, and even on the houses themselves.  


This week, we began with splits.  Elder Jensen and Elder Schlager went into the city twice on Monday to retrieve two trucks full of recyclable materials that they bring out to Maligaya for the people there to use or sell.  This time, it was a lot of rubber backed commercial carpet, cut into pieces perfect for the people to sleep on.  

While they spent their p-day doing that, Sister Jensen and I took our shopping guru, Vanessa, and Yanni, downtown to look for materials for handwork and also for white shirts for the Priesthood holders in the branches who don't have them. 

This is Yanni, trying to decide if she wants her picture taken.  

And This is my "I love the children here" story for this week.  But, it begins with a story about, I'm sorry to have to tell you, Sweat Rags.  

Sweat Rags are one of the first things you have to learn in the Philippines.  Everyone has them, carries them with them, and uses them.  They are in your car, in your purse, in your pocket, and they sell them on the roads when you stop for traffic, always impeccably clean and ready to use.  I think they get old garments, wash them to spotless perfection, cut them into pieces, and sometimes put an edge on them, and then sell them.  The young missionaries use small  white ones tucked inside their shirt collars to catch the perspiration before it goes down their necks.  The people use them to cover their faces from the highway smog, to wipe their hands, etc.  Mothers tuck them into the back neck of the children's shirts, and they always look to me like they are wearing little angel wings.  

This is Vanessa, an angel herself, and Yanni with her sweat rag angel wings ready to take us shopping.  

When I mentioned that it has been a real blessing to me to have Sister Jensen here in the neighborhood while I got used to my new life, and that I will miss her when they go home in Dec,  Vanessa said, "We are here for you, Sister!"

So, she took us to get the shirts, which she has found for P150 or less. (About $4)  Sister Jensen had some money her ward collected to buy shirts and I decided to buy some too.  We are careful to always tell the people that anything we might be able to give them is not from us, but from friends or family or other church members who want to help.  
Anybody looking for a service project?  Collect some ties from the guys you know who don't wear them anymore, and send them to me.  They cost three times what the shirts cost here, and are hard to get.  

Then, Vanessa took us to a shop that sells ribbons, and trims and steel crochet needles and cotton crochet thread in lots of colors.  

After that, we went to a fabric warehouse.  Emphasis on WAREHOUSE.  But like  a treasure trove to Sister Jensen and I.  She immediately purchased some netting or tulle, and is teaching the women to make no sew tutus for the ltitle girls as a possible money making project.



They measure and cut with a yard stick and a pair of scissors, no counter.  





But it is right here in Antipolo, and I can find it again.  Thank you, Vanessa!






Tuesday, we had a fun day with the senior missionaries.  MORE shopping!   The American Women of the Philippines have a bazaar every month, in Manila at the trade center, and the local craftspeople come and sell their wares.  Really nice, and a great place to get souvenirs, and gifts.  We won't go much--too far and we don't have the time, but this was fun.  All the senior Sisters buy skirts there.  This is my first purchase of a Filipino garment.   Afterward, we stopped at S and R to get the pork loins I need for our Zone Halloween Party Monday.  Remember the "fake Costco?"  Well, we bought a number of things, used the receipt to get out the door, just like home.  Then, we tossed everything in the truck, drank a big bottle of water, and headed home.  However, they attach your validated parking slip to the receipt, also.  I had tossed mine away with the other trash stuff.  Get up to the booth, need the ticket.  So sorry, we have lost it.  YOU can not get out of the parking lot without it---PERIOD!.   There is a big sign there, says  "No validated ticket----P100 ."  
We said we would pay that.  Sorry, sir, need the ticket.  But it is LOST!  Sorry, sir, need the ticket!  Or go inside and talk to manager.  
How do we do that?  We have a big truck, no place to turn around.  They don't drive, so they have no idea what the limitations are.  We were tired!! Still had an hour and a half home in nasty traffic.  Grumpy!!  I got out to go back in, and thought, what trash did I shove into that empty water bottle because I couldn't find any trash cans??  Found it, found the receipt, pulled it out wet and ragged, drove back around, and handed it to them.  The trouble here is that they really don't know anything about a lot of stuff.  Although they try hard to be accommodating and to offer good service, they can only follow the script they have memorized.

Wed was a wonderful day.  First we drove to Tanay, as Elder was helping the new Branch President there with some concerns.  He was taking 5 people to the temple on Sat for their own endowments, but had no idea how to arrange that with the temple.  So, Elder talked to them when we were in the city on Tuesday, got some numbers and things for him, and sent them, with an offer to come and help if we could.  
He immediately texted back to us to ask us to meet him on Wed at the chapel.  He came in his jeepney!!!  

See the name on it?  

We called the temple on my phone, handed it to him, and he made all his arrangements.  Happy man!  They ALL have phones, really.  But no contracts---we all buy "load", or minutes and service days.  They all text, as it is very cheap, but the calls are very expensive.  I was glad I had just loaded mine, as it cost over $5 for him to make that call!    The people here WANT to do their callings, but they just so rarely have the resources to do it.  As Sister Jensen says, "They have NOTHING but TIME!  They are often charging their phones at the building during Sunday meetings, anywhere they can find a place to plug it in.  They will tell you, I got your text, but I didn't answer because I don't have 'load'.  


While we were waiting for President, we watched a show.  Next to the Tanay chapel is  Tanay National High School.  They use the church parking lot to practice for their annual cultural celebration.  We are looking forward to attending next month.  Sister Jensen says it is fabulous, all in costumes, and better than shows she has paid to see.  They were working hard, but when we got there, they all turned around and waved to us, and then put on a fabulous show for us.  After ward, they came over to meet us, and were just wonderful.  Remember, High School?  They shook our hands, welcomed us to the Philippines, cheered when we told them we were coming to the show next month.  And showed off like crazy.  I took videos, but haven't figured out how to get them from my tablet to the blog, yet!

Then, we went back to Morong to Zone Interviews with Pres. and Sister Revillo.  He started with a short pep talk, and some teaching, but then he went in to the office to interview all the missionaries individually.  She is the "hatchet man".  She really let them have it if they are not keeping all the rules.  They are sometimes tempted here to buy DVD's, as they are much cheaper than in the states, and most likely pirated. But, it is against the rules.  
She said something about "watching the DVD's of Babylon on the Lord's equipment."

When one of the new Elders came in a little late, (they have to come from Malaya, and it is not dependable transportration,) she stopped talking and called to him,:
"Elder, Congratulations, You've lost weight!"
She told them they CANNOT have a machete in their apartments.  Machetes are a favorite souvenir here, and even Elder S. has one, as we could not get out of a parking lot one day until he bought it.  But they are Bawal (banned) for missionaries, and she said, "If you have one, bring it to the Mission Home and we will keep it for you until you go home."   She told a story of an Elder there, at the meeting, who was recently chased with one by an angry husband, who didn't like what they taught his wife!  She said, "Elder, what did you do?"   When he said they ran, she said, "Yes, you run, and pray.  You think you need them for protection.  You don't need Protection.  YOU HAVE protection."  Then she fed them like the starving hordes, and went off with the APs to check on apartments.  I am coming to adore her!  

 This is our zone, with President and Sister in the middle, surrounded by our 4 Sister Missionaries.  Then the four seniors on the right.  While all this was going on, the zone leaders conducted workshops.  They are so confident, so skilled, and so polished.  Many of them, a few months ago, were sleeping on a mat under a tarp or a leaky tin roof with all their family.  It is astounding to me.

FRIDAY, we went back to Malaya to teach, and met with Josue.  One week, baptized, confirmed, planning to receive the Priesthood on Sunday, and already has a calling.  He is second counselor in the YM  Presidency!!  On Tuesday, he is going to Youth Camp as a leader!  He wants to know how to go on a full time mission.  We just told him, as he does his calling and helps the boys prepare, he will learn! He wanted to know how to tie a necktie.  So Elder S. agreed to show him, but he only has one, and couldn't find it.  They used the one Elder was wearing.  We only brought about 6, or we'd share.  

That branch has 5 missionaries out, and another one going in two weeks.  They need P100 /month (about $2.50) to be able to go, or P1800 for YW and P2400 for young men.   But that is a lot for them,  and some need help from the branch to get it together.  We can help with that, but we can not give it to them directly. One young woman was going, but when they did the physical, she had TB. She can't go, but had her money ready, I guess, as she is employed.  So she gave it to the young sister who is going next month.  

For those of you who keep asking us "But, what do you do for fun?"  On Saturday, we went with the Senior Missionaries again on a quarterly activity.  About 20 of us, (some have to work on Sat, like Temple Missionaries,)  went on a three hour shuttle ride out to Pagsanjan Falls, to a resort.  There, we got into small boats, 1 couple to each boat, with a man in the front and a man in the back.  

Just FYI:  The Japanese tourists had three in a boat, mostly, but when they saw the size of us, I think they decided couples were a good idea. As you see, they ride VERY low in the water. Ours is the red, white, and blue one, and our front guy was young and beautiful and the Mario Andretti of the river boat men. We were all hooked together with ropes, (10 boats) and pulled with a small motor until we got out of the resort area.  Then they unhooked us and we were all on our own!

Here we are, on our way.  We went up river.  

 

And here is our Mario.   Sometimes, he just road along, or paddled, with the guy in the back helping.  We could not see the other guy, but they worked HARD. Bare Feet!  

Sometimes, they jumped out of the boat and guided us around the rocks and through the rapids.  Sometimes, they practically carried us over the rocks. At one point, everyone got out and waited while the boatmen carried the boats to the top of the rapids, EXCEPT US!!  Mario just hopped out, onto the rocks with the other guy, and just worked us over them.  We were very wet.  But, we got to the falls first.

He kept saying, Good job?  Happy?  

We made it up there, safe and sound.  Then, those who wanted to,

 got on a raft, and went underneath the falls.  We decided to wait that one out.  There is a cave behind there, and if you don't know how I feel about caves, this might tell you.

But, it was beautiful up there, really fun and exciting.  

The ride back was downhill all the way, and we went fast!  Well, except when they had to sort of carry us over the bamboo poles they laid from rock to rock to get us through.  I have to say, I even yelled "WHEEEEEEEEEE"

 a couple of times!

It's more fun in the 

Philippines!!!!

WEEK SIX Oct 13-20

As the questions about food keep coming up, here is another cooking lesson for you.  This is a very traditional dish, as well, and you can find about 10000 recipes for it on the internet.  But this one is simple, if you can find the ingredients, and we liked it so much I think we will eat it often.  That is an orange on the side.  We eat a lot of fruit, and have tried several new ones.  The things we are used to are expensive, but we can get oranges, apples, red grapes, grapefruit, mango, bananas. watermelon,  pears and tomatoes.   So far, don't like pomelo, like a huge dry grapefruit , not a fan of papaya, Elder likes lanzones better than I do, mangostein is just a real disappointment.  We can both enjoy a lichi  fruit or two, but they are a lot of work for a tiny bit of fruit and a big seed.

We DO like, however, anything coconut, including the best macaroons I have EVER tasted, coconut candy, and fresh coconut shreds in a fruit salad.  It is  young coconut season, so they are stacked everywhere, big green basketballs that you need a machete to get into, and then you pour out the coconut juice, scrape out the most inner layer, into small shreds and add it to the juice, and then drink it like that.  Sort of a glass of sweet water with fibrous chewy stuff in it!  As far as we can tell, they just throw the rest away?!

The bakeries are going to be our downfall.  

Filipino Pancit                          

Ingredients:

2 lbs uncooked noodles   I use the Bihon (or bijon rice) noodles, but you can use pancit or vermicelli or a combination

4 cups sliced fresh vegetables  -  cabbage, carrots, bell peppers, green onions, red onion, celery

1 lb. lean pork, cut into very small pieces

½ cup oil

1 onion minced

1 Tbls.  Soy sauce

8 cloves garlic, crushed

1 pork bouillon cube

6 cups water

Instructions:

1.     Do NOT soak the rice noodles, but if you use vermicelli or pancit, soak them for a while to soften while you prepare the vegetables.

2.     Brown the pork in the oil with the soy sauce, garlic, and onion. Add the water and bouillon cube to the pork and bring to a low simmer.  Add the vegetables and cook for 5-10 minutes.  Add the uncooked rice noodles, (About 8 cups worth, but they are very stiff and hard to measure! You need a lot! ) and simmer over low heat until the noodles soften and soak up all of the broth.  Serve with soy sauce and sweet chili sauce.  Or, just serve sweet chili sauce with everything. 

 This week began a little slow.  We went into the city to do some shopping again, and were able to find Elder a pair of crocs that actually fit, and can be scrubbed and dried and ready for a new day.  They were expensive, but if they save his other shoes it will be worth it.   Our clothing situation is really funny.  So far, we ruin about 1 garment per week.  And replacing them is not going to be easy.  I don't know if the younger missionaries do better, but we should have brought more clothes, I think.  

 Shoppping here is fun.  The malls are really big, like two or three together.  You go in to park, which costs about 15 cents.  There are guards at the door of the parking garage, with rifles,  who open your trunk, and also carry a mirror on a pole for looking UNDER your car.  Then they wave you in.  I don't think I want to know what they are looking for.

 Then, the big malls have lights above every parking spot.  It is red if there is a car there, and green if it is open for parking.  No driving all the way down the aisle and finding a "farking spot".

   At  the door of the mall, another guard, who  pokes a stick into your purse and pats down the guys.  Elder seldom gets his behind patted, though.  I guess we look honest, or harmless? I have been looking and looking and LOOKING for yarns, etc. to do some crocheting.  I finally found a few in a store in downtown Antipolo.  This is the ENTIRE stock of choices, which doesn't look too bad if you don't know that the little balls are about  the size of a golf ball, and the others about the size of a softball.  Anyway, still looking for hooks, etc.   

This will be of limited interest, I know, but any woman knows that a hairstylist you like and trust is pretty important.  Leaving mine home was almost a deal breaker for me.  As soon as I got here, I began to ask around.  I was told to go to Davids'.  That is a chain, and they have shops in the big malls and also near the temple.  So, on Monday, we went to find one.  I needed a haircut.  We stood outside, and Elder said, "It looks expensive."  Yeah, so what???? I was afraid "walk ins" might not be welcome, but they took me right in.  The young man in the back of the picture washed my hair, lovely!, and then put me in a chair and pushed me forward and gave me a massage!  I guess the stylist wants you too relaxed to complain?  Then, this lovely young woman came and cut my hair.  It doesn't look like this when I style it---she styled each hair separately, I think.  But, when it was all over, I went up to pay.  It was P220.  With tip, it cost me about $7.  Sister Jensen tells me that IS expensive.  She pays about P60!   

Tuesday and Wednesday we were teaching again, and met some new friends and saw some old ones.  In Sampaloc, we went out of town the other direction, to a neighborhood of cinder block and concrete homes,  and found a family that another set of missionaries were teaching, but then got transferred.  When the new elders tracked into them, they were so excited.  WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU!  So, we all went, and met a Tatay, (grandpa) and Nanay, (grandma), their son and his three children, and their daughter and her baby.  They couldn't stop talking.  They were bearing testimony so fast, in Tagalog, and the grandma just kept holding on to me and trying to tell me what was in her heart.  I wanted to understand her so badly.  Finally, I asked Elder McCoy to help me understand.  The children, even the baby, just sat and listened.  

I    In Malaya, we were able to visit with two new families, the De Castro Family and the Magnai family, as well as with Josue Morales, who was scheduled for baptism on Sat.  We had Brother Alvarez with us, a member missionary from the branch who walks with a cane and needed to be steadied, but who is such a blessing! 

     This is the De Castro family.  She is actually the oldest daughter of the Magnai family, and they are all part of a huge family who own a lot of land out there, in the hills.  These are her children.  All but the two youngest are committed to baptism on the 16th of Nov.  The father is just a little behind them.

When we arrived at the Magnai home, THIS is what we found.  A Filipini cradle.  It was actually a lot of homes, all near each other, and we met at a sort of communal dining hall where they cook, and spend their time.  There is a big table, and all under a bamboo roof with a wooden floor and big benches all around.  The mother and three daughters were there, with their babies.  Little ones everywhere.  Another note about the kids here.  We frequently see them without pants.  Almost never without their flipflops.  I think they put shoes on them the minute they are born.  By they time they are walking, they manage  them like pros.  
These elders teach with such power!  That afternoon, we met with a young man to plan his baptism, and they committed 8 more people to baptism for the 16th of November.  It is such a privilege to be able to be with them.  I really wish I were three people, as we want to be in every branch, every week.  

Thursday our elders in Tanay were working with members, so we took the opportunity to run into the Distribution  center for supplies.  We had ordered some white pants for Elder several weeks ago, as we did not get the memo telling us to bring our White Clothing with us.  He will need them to help baptize.  No chance there will be a white jumpsuit in his size anywhere in these meeting houses!  So, we picked up a lot of books and things for our own work and for the Jensens, and then asked about the pants.  Turns out, they are here.  However, they are in a cupboard, which is turned towards another cupboard, and then big boxes of stock all around that.  So sorry, but they can't get to them.  Please come back next week, or maybe the next week.   That is one funny story for you.  So typically Filipino.  Can you imagine any business at home having that attitude?  And getting away with it? But we are adjusting, I guess.  When he needs them, I am sure he will have them.  

Every city has a public market, sometimes several.  These are streets and streets of small shops, selling all kinds of things.  I had wanted to try to find some yarns, etc. there.  So Friday, we took ourselves and our badges and our cards and went out to meet the people and explain who we are and ask them if they have the gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives.  They are often quite anxious to talk to us, and to tell us that they are Christian, too.  We also bought all the fruits and veggies we needed for the week, some of it very lovely.  We got a small cauliflower and a small broccoli, fresh corn on the cob, and many other things.  They sell these fruits that look like limes, but are orange inside.  Great juice to use on things.  Anyway, here is your second funny story.  We are walking along, hand in hand, talking to people and buying things.  And I stopped to buy something, and then reached back for Elder's hand, and he lets go of me, and I turned around and it wasn't him!  Some poor man was trying to politely disentangle himself from this strange woman.  I have learned quite a few Tagalog phrases now, but "I am SO sorry" is not one of them!  Incidentally, we went down a couple of alleys off the main street, and it got pretty hairy.  That is the only place we have been since we got here that DID smell nasty.  And walking was a bit treacherous.  Don't think we will do that again. 

 Saturday was the highlight of our week.  We were up early, and met the Jensens and the young missionaries in Teresa for a service project at Maligaya.  Remember, this is the neighborhood where Elder Jensen has built several homes, and where several LDS families live?  I don't know if I mentioned that it is down off the hill from the highway, and there is just a steep path that runs down there, and then a lot of uneven ground

 between the houses.  Pretty dangerous.  Well, Elder Jensen has been working with the Baranguay leaders, local government, to get permission to put a concrete road down to it. so that the trikes can run up and down.  There is a Sister Mercy down there, in a wheelchair.  If the trikes can come down, she can come up!  So, we took a crew out there to make the road ready for concrete.  This is about half of our work crew.  Everybody grabbed a tool or a trash bag and went to work.  

   

Elder S. dug right in, along with the young guys, and he has the blister to prove it!

      

And, of course, Sister Jensen soon had all the children who were gathered around to watch these crazy people, excited and ready to work.  So, they did!


       When the roadbed was ready, they spread gravel and it is now prepared for the concrete trucks.  The blue lines are the water lines into the area.  The red ones are the power lines.  Each house has a hose for water and power to charge their cell phones!

Saturday night, we had our choice of three different baptisms to attend, but we went to Malaya to see Josue Morales baptized by brother Alvarez.  Good thing we did.  We arrived right on time, to find no one there but the missionaries and the young man and his branch missionary.  Elder Loste says, "Elder, I was looking for you.  Would you like to speak at the baptism?"  His companion was  in the office, waiting for an answer so he could finish the program.  So, Elder S. prepared a talk on the Holy Ghost.  No hurry, the baptism began 30 minutes late, which is pretty good for here, and the people kept arriving, until about 6:00.  The room was full, though.  And Elder S did a really good job.  

Brother Alvarez had a hard time, and nearly fell, and it had to be done again.  I was praying so hard for him, that his leg would support both of them.  This is Elder Loste on the left and Elder DePaz on the right.  And the new Brother Morales, 20 years old and so excited!  We gave him a Tagalog triple combination, with our testimony in it, in Tagalog, thanks to the help of the Sisters from Morong.

Today we were back in Tanay,  They have a new branch president, who has no counselors yet.  He is so worried.  But we met Sister Jamaica (Jomicah) Calianga on the right, with her best friend Elize Mara deGuzman.  Sister Jamaica is 18, but will be 19 next month, and then she is submitting her papers to go on a mission.  Although her mother and brother are members she is the only one active.  So strong.  Can you imagine anyone NOT wanting to hear what she has to say?  

Things are great here.  We love our life.  Sister Harris said they missed milk and pie.  Well, I don't know about that, but I miss my bathtub, and my dryer!!  Elder misses fresh milk, also, and refried beans.  Elder and I both miss Mexican Food!  We ate out at a mall recently, and ordered fajitas.  And we shopped for weeks to find salsa and tortillas.  Then, we made tacos!!  We had to fry the fresh tortillas, but they were great!  No taco seasoning,  I had to season the meat with garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes.  Now I found cumin!

We really miss being a part of a ward, which makes us miss our ward so much more.  Although we are always so welcome, we are just visitors in 3 different branches.  Even the city missionaries get to attend in the same branch every week. But, lest this begins to sound like a list of complaints, 

There are little signs at the front of our neighborhood, and then here and there around it.  They say:

God is good,

All the time.

 All the time,

God is good.

Whenever I come home and see the sign, the Spirit confirms that for me.  How blessed we are.