Exit Day and Transfer Day

WITH the new job comes new office responsibilities.  On Tuesday morning, we had to be at the mission home at 8:00 to meet the APs and the 7 missionaries who were returning home.  This is a very long and busy day (for us, and for them!).  They spend the last 2 nights in a hotel, and had breakfast before they came.  Really spoiled.  Here are some of them, just chilling at the mission home, waiting to begin the day's fun.  Elder McCoy, on the left, said he  sat in the warm shower and closed his eyes.  Sister Elsmore, from the US, said "I just had the best shower of my LIFE!'

 Here is Elder S with Elder Osores, preparing for the day. We began with a meeting, and part of the new job is a presentation, done for both exiting and newly arriving missionaries, about the American War Memorial Cemetery.  Elder S does that, with slides.

 That is a significant place for missionaries, because the freedom of this nation was essential to the opening of the missionary work here.  President (then Elder) Hinckley came and dedicated the country for that work right here, at the chapel of the memorial, in 1961.

 He offered a wonderful prayer for the people of this nation, and for the missionaries who would come to teach.  President Revillo reads some of that, with the promises. They are beautiful and coming to pass.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              This is the chapel, all done in very small Mosaic.  Really pretty.  See the four prayer stools in front, to kneel at?

Then out to the cemetery to enjoy the peace and quiet. It is a beautiful place, 152 acres, which the US built after the war, 1949.   Here are (most) of them, at the cemetery.  

17 000 graves, and another 39000 names on the walls of those who were MIA.  This represents approximately 1/3 of the lost.  Many are buried elsewhere.   

 President Revillo just musing as he waited for the missionaries to be finished touring.

Then, back to the mission home for lunch, which was delicious, as usual. Pres Revillo's mother, and also their daughter Janene and grandson from the states are visiting.  Jayvin in "one year and 4 months."  He follows his grandpa (lolo) everywhere.  Just darling.

  Then we went to the temple with them.

Back to the Mission Home for another meal.  See the kitchen?  See the big rice cooker?  I helped them get things served, but then we had to hit the road.  

We drove out to pick up some of the Missionaries who were being transferred to Mindoro the next day. Got them all, with luggage, and took them to the office.  Then, we delivered them in shifts to the places they were staying for the night.  Elders with APs. Sister with STLs.   We got home about 11:30 pm.  They had to pack and weigh luggage and be up at 3:00 to catch a 6:00 plane!  

The next day, they brought all the new missionaries in, most from the MTC just down the street, and their trainers, and had ANOTHER meal.  Sister Revillo has a big job on these days. Three large meals to plan and prepare and serve, plus snacks and speeches and trips to Memorial and to temple, etc.  We arrived during lunch, and Elder S did his thing again about the memorial.  They don't go twice, but Pres Revillo is currently switching it from an "as you leave" activity to an "as you arrive" activity. so we have two years of doing it both days.  

These are the new Elders and Sisters, and their trainers, with Pres. speaking to them at the chapel.  The skinny legs next to him are Oliver, their 6 year old.  Then back to the Mission Home for Orientation and pictures with the President and Sister Revillo,  and with their new companions.  She is such a girl. As soon as we got back, she was in the kitchen to oversee the meal preparation. When they called her from the kitchen for pictures, she said, "I haven't even combed my hair!"  We had two sisters arrive, and 8 Elders.  Then they were taught about their money and support cards by the Finance Secretary, and about their letters and mail and such by the Office Secretary, and about their Apartments by the Apartment Managers (ME!)   

They were given new pillows, airplane tickets for those who had to fly, and sent home to their new lives.  We took some and delivered them to their apartments, purchasing a propane stove on the way out for some sisters in distress.  We got home about 9:00 that night!

WE spent Thursday taking care of things.  Thanks to the very much appreciated help of Elder Peck, Elder Crowther, and Elder Smith, we found apartments, the post office, and the man who makes our furniture.  WE ordered two new bunkbeds, and two stove tables, and arranged to pick up beds nearly finished.  WE went out to two apartments of sisters and installed locks, CO2/Smoke detectors, and gave them rat poison and other things.  We found the post office and picked up a PACKAGE FROM HOME!  WE got a little lost on the way home, but were blessed to look up and actually realize where we were!  Home by about 7:00.  I actually cooked dinner! 

Just incidentally, we were stunned when we got to the post office.  WE thought we had seen poverty here before, in the provinces.  There was nothing out there to compare to the slums we saw downtown.  I would have taken pictures, but honestly, all the government buildings were behind iron fences and guarded, and we were afraid to stop and get out of the car.  No real reason to fear them, but just cautious.  

Aren't they lovely?  But the one on the right, Sis Morrell, from North Salt Lake, is a stunner.  She looks like Brook Shields.  

Friday we were coding. so we left before 7:00 and went to Antipolo to meet Johnsons and acquaint them with the apartments they will be managing.  Had a lot of time first, so we went shopping for the apartments in the downtown area.  OOPS, bad mistake.  Everyone was shopping down there for their tindahans, and we were in line for nearly an hour.  Late, again! Along the way, due to Chinese New Year, we saw a parade!

Saturday, we shopped and delivered and repaired and helped missionaries.  Here are Elder S and Elder Buckway, fresh from  Ogden, and Elder Merrill, fresh from 6 months in the office, repairing a wooden bed. They were not, and understandably so, happy with their new living quarters.  When we got there, they had been spraying and cleaning and fixing all day. (P Day)  Dead cockroaches and ants everywhere.  But this apartment is on the chopping block.  Lease runs out Mar 1, and will not be renewed.  

Sometimes, if he likes them, Elder shares his tools!

We have unique words for many things in our church, but sometimes "keys" are exactly that.  I have often said that I wanted callings that did not have "keys".  I meant the kind you can lose or forget or have to get from someone to get the work done.  Now, have we got "KEYS".  We have to have keys to every apartment, and make sure they all work. Mostly, there are at least one key for every door and a key for the outside gate.  We are still just learning which key will open which of the over 50 apartments we manage.  So now, the girl who doesn't like keys has about 200 to lose.

Binangonan Chapel, where we now attend.  Large, new, and despite the similarities in design, very different from the ones out in the provinces.  Clocks work!  TP and soap and Paper Towels in the CR!   Padded benches in the chapel!  Air Conditioning. They were very welcoming and kind, but they don't need us.  

SO, here is the recap:

WE got lost taking a carload of Sisters to the Memorial.  One point for the Philippines.  

We were late because we tried to fit in extra shopping, and you can't be in a hurry, here.  One point for the Philippines.

We missed our turn and made a right turn at the next intersection, onto EDSA.  Got arrested, again !, P500  bribe fine.     6 points for the Philippines.

We got a package from home which came on time, was not stolen, and only cost us P50.  One point for us.

We drove out to our new branch today, then on to Sampaloc, and home, and never got lost.  One point for us.

We ate on the run and whatever we could find, and stayed well.  One point for us.

Managed to NOT lose our brand new driver's license in the first week.  One point for us.

We met a man in the City Walk who talked to us and asked us if we were Christians.  Said he has just returned from living and raising his children in California, and had been looking for a Christian church.  We gave him our cards, and promised to arrange for him to attend the next day with our missionaries from the Ward here.  We did that, of course.  But, got texts the next day telling us he had been mugged, and asking for money. Turns out, we were targeted by a con man and his young assistant.  We caught on (finally) and wised up a little bit.  Lots of skirmish, no yardage for anyone.

So, our team is practicing, and getting better    

But their team is still winning!

Sometimes, you look haggard!

That is what Sister Sarah Santos said to me today, right after telling me that I looked pretty.   But, really, if there was ever an excuse for me to look haggard, this week might have done it.   We began running and never stopped.  

MONDAY we began our new job in earnest.  Went shopping, put orders together, and set out to deliver them to the missionaries.  We spent a lot of the day lost, of course, and made 4 deliveries and got home for dinner about 8:00 pm.  This is the list of furnishings they can ask for and expect to find in their apartments:

  Looks pretty good, right?  To look at it, you might think they are comfortable.  The reality is a little different, though.  First, remove all the electrical appliances like toaster oven and rice cooker.  They don't use them, because they have to pay their own electricity bills, but they are reimbursed for the cooking gas.  So, they use the gas hot plate instead.  Laundry tubs and stools are because they do their washing in a big tub by hand.  A dipper is a small plastic bucket that they use to bathe--only a few actually have a shower and then the water is unheated.  They sleep in bunks, usually, on a 4 inch foam mattress with a sheet.  There is rarely even a chair in the apt that is more than a plastic stacking chair used for both kitchen table and at the desk.  

There is a new apt of office elders, as we have so many new ones coming in, 207  in total with this new transfer, and they have nothing, yet.  They have beds and they are practically camping out and eating with the guys next door.  We have barely begun furnishing for them.

I think I may have finally discovered why this change in assignment was made.  I spent the first two months in the Philippines shopping.  Not because I like it, but because we were getting what we needed and doing gifts for Christmas and other things.  We were actually pretty glad when Jan arrived, and mostly we just had to go to the grocery store.  But, now, perhaps all the experience I had was just training.  It looks as though I will be spending the next year shopping, all the time!  

TUESDAY we had to meet the lady who makes the pillows, to get the ones for the new missionaries coming in this week.  They all get a new pillow, made for them, to keep with them through all their transfers.  Then, we went to meet some sisters who want to move, and had found a great new apartment.  Trouble is, it is in a lease and the current renters want to negotiate it all without telling the Owner.  Can't happen, of course.  ARGHHHHH.  Lots of time wasted.  

WED, more new friends. 

Here are Elder and Sister Jardine, from Idaho Falls.  Parents of 10 children, and the youngest returns from his mission 10 days after they go home from theirs!  They are replacing us, and boy, are the people out there lucky!  We picked them up, took them to see the temple and the offices, then home to show them our  their house.  Then lunch, a drive out to their working areas, and back home to meet the Johnsons and get their car from the APs who drove it out for them.  (Sister Schlager is such a wimp!)  Brought the office guys home again, feeding them on the way, (actually, we are STARVING, they said) and got home about 9:30.  

THURS more shopping, while the Johnsons helped the Jardine's get settled, and then our first office meeting with Pres Revillo and the office staff.  12 of us, and guess who was the only one wearing a skirt?  (Well, until the APs went and picked up Sis Revillo and brought her to the office. Pres  got a text, and said, "Sister Revillo wants to come here"  Immediately, two APs got up and left, to go pick her up.)  Guess what, these young men are even more impressive as leaders than as teachers.  We were amazed and in awe.  Of course, they are kids, too, and at the end of the meeting pointed out to the President that the only ones who can drive are leaving this week!  Funny.  He thought it might be good if they took care of that!  



SO, on FRIDAY, we went to the LTO (land transportation office) to get all six of us and some elders our driving licenses.  It was a change of plans, and you need your passport, and a current visa, and a driving license from home. And copies of all of it.  I called the two other couples and caught them just in time to tell them to bring that, and then Elder S and I made the copies we needed here at home, and we set off.

First:  you need a physical exam.  Here we all are, in the "clinic", a short walk from the LTO.  We had to be weighed and measured and blood pressure checked.  They were very kind and polite, but what a joke it is!  Then, we paid them p50;   Now here, we are lined up again, for our eye exam.  You just keep moving along, one chair at a time.  


With the eye exam, they also have you pull up your pant legs and demonstrate that you can kick, move your ankles around, and step on the brake. Turns out, we were all "still kicking".  

My vision test.  Sister Jardine and I both have an issue.  They certified us "fit to drive" with restrictions of needing glasses!   Elder Smith is beside me, awaiting his turn.  He is the new Office Secretary.

Then, here is your chance to laugh at us this week.  We went over to the LTO office, and the first thing they needed was the original of our passports.  Everyone had theirs, as I had reminded them.  Except us.  OURS were in the copy machine in our apartment!  So, they all stayed and finished the process.  We went back to collect our van, being serviced, and went home before we got into trouble for driving on our CODING day.  

Separation of Church and State?

Well, not so much.

So, when we went into the big open hall to get our license, there was a Catholic Mass going on.  This is Friday afternoon.  The people on the right are waiting to be called up to the windows for license processing.  The ones in the center were part of the church service, complete with hymns and sermon and prayers and statues and candles.  ISN'T THAT INTERESTING?

This story has a happy ending, though.  Monday is another day, and VOILA!!  WE are both licensed to drive in the Philippines.  ( I am pretty sure that is not a Filipino word.)

SAT we went with both couples to two baptisms, with seven new members.   First, Elder S baptized Sister Erna and her sons in Teresa.  

What a happy family. She bore her testimony, and told us that she was married, but her husband found another woman and left her.  She was so frightened, and not sure how she would take care of her kids.  She began "picking garbage", and her sons lost respect for her.  One day, she found a Book of Mormon in the trash, and began reading it.  She did not know which church it was, but she liked it and read and read.  Some time later, (years), Sister Suarez and her companion came to the area where she slept, and told her about the Plan of Salvation.  When she saw what book they were using, she was so excited.  She knew she had finally found her church.  Then, the Jensen's came to talk to her, and here she is, now, a member of the church, in her own little house in Maligaya.  She says already there is a major difference in her home, and from her sons. They certainly seem like a loving and close family. The little girl is 4.  the boys are 14 and 10, and both got new shirts and ties.  Thank you everyone!

All of us then took Jun and a load of recycle to Maligaya, while the rest of the branch cleaned their building for the weekend.  We hiked down the "Jensen Road" we helped to build, and the new couple missionaries saw how and where the members live.  Actually, Maligaya is pretty good.  Sister Jardine looked around at Vanessa's and said, "this is so pretty.  I could live here".  

Lunch at McDonald's, the 6 of us.

Then, we went out to Binangonan, where Pres. Revillo has assigned us to attend now,  and saw 3 more people baptized.  A YW, a YM, and a sister who was baptized by her husband.  Here they are, with the Elders, Abel and Rock.  

Sunday, back to Malaya to introduce the Jardines, and say goodbye.  Then to Sampaloc to take primary snacks and say goodbye.  

Then, we came home, and witnessed ANOTHER baptism.  There was a lot of cheering and clapping going on, so we looked out, and 15 floors below us, in our pool, saw this:

See, right in the middle of the pool, just to the right of the palm tree?  They do it by immersion, too, but they have two baptizers helping.  We are told it was probably, "Born Again" Christians, as they use immersion similar to ours.  See the witnesses standing beside the pool?  I wonder if they had to reserve it?  

SO, I guess I might look a little "haggard" now and then.  Sister Sarah's English, though, is not always dependable.  Maybe she meant "harried" ? Or "happy" ?

IT'S MORE FUN IN THE PHILIPPINES  !!!

A New job, a New life, almost a whole New mission!   

And Elder's new job comes with power tools!  Well, one power tool.  And a big truck, and a small parking space.  

Mine comes with candy for the missionaries, a room with a view, and books to study.  Sister Revillo has asked us (me) to look at and oversee the English Study program for the Filipino missionaries.  I also got 200+ teenagers to look after!  Of course, Sister Revillo is their mother, I am just the dorm mother.  We are supposed to inspect every apartment every transfer, for cleanliness, safety, health issues, etc.  

When I mentioned that it might not be a good sign that we have been reassigned twice in 4 months, our son said, "It looks like they have learned that Dad is pretty handy and Mom falls  down  stairs".  

We also got some new friends this week.  This is the Johnsons, outside their home in Antipolo.  They are replacing the Jensens.  They are wonderful.  We spent most of Wed, Fri, and Sat with them, introducing them and shopping with them and showing them around.  Elder J took to driving here like Mario Andretti on a new race track.  No worries!  He likes it.  She is embracing every new experience, and so ready to go to work.  We showed them where to go to church, helped them with their calendar, and sent them off. They have a busy schedule already.  

MONDAY night FHE with the seniors.  We had a really wonderful presentation from the man who is hired by the church to oversee humanitarian services here in the Philippines.  He has done a slide show of what happened in the Typhoon in November.  He and Elder Ardern of the Area Presidency were down there, finding and evacuating our missionaries, and working with the Mission President.  

One of our new jobs is to be the "junk man" for the PAO.  We pick up the recycle they collect, tons of it, and take it out to Jun to sell or distribute in Maligaya.  Here they are in front of the new tindahan they built and just opened.  

Some weeks ago, I had a picture of Sister Erna, the woman the Jensens found on the side of the road with a wagon, picking garbage to support her children.  She worked there every day from 1:00 to 10:00, finding things to sell.  They promised her a house, and here she is, in her home with two of her children.  There is a teenage son, too.  We went by because it is attached to the new tindahan, the walls are shared.  She had everything neat and clean, there is a couch inside, where they sleep. (This is outside, where they cook and eat.  But covered with a small roof.)  That is a picture of Christ on the door.  She and the two  boys will be baptized on Saturday, and she has asked Elder Schlager to baptize her!  We are so glad to be able to attend that.  The little girl is not yet 8.

On Thursday, Marivic and Jun came to the city with us, to help us move in to our new home.  Remember your last new calling, when you inherited the books and agendas and paraphernalia of the previous leader or teacher(s)?  Well, that is what happens, I guess, when you move into an apt that the senior couples have been using for a while.  Our house was pretty bare bones, except for the furniture the owner left.  But here, the apt was already full of the things the other couples purchased to make them comfortable and then left behind.  

2 minor problems with that:

1.  I purchased a lot of stuff to make US comfortable in the house, and some of it I like.  So, I packed it.

2.  We are REALLY "a place for everything and everything in it's place" people.  We have to be.  We are too absent-minded these days to have things out of place.  We can't find them!  

So, we went in first, and put away what we will not be using, like exercise equipment and heavy dishes and extra bedding and books and such.  We have a trampoline!  It is stored under our bed.  We will not be "trampoling".  

Then Marivic rolled up the blinds and went to work, cleaning windows, wiping out shelves, and washing all the floors.  I think that is a waste of time.  This city is SO laden with smog, there is a fine black greasy grit on everything.  But, she did it.  Then, Elder and Jun moved in OUR things, and we put it all away.  Now, we are back in the "have you seen", or  "do you know what we did with" stage of things.  WE HAVE NEARLY DRIVEN OURSELVES (AND EACH OTHER) MAD  getting all settled again.  We lost stuff, we forgot things, we tried again. 

It must be Saturday, we are off to another baptism.  

The man in the center in yellow was baptized in Sampaloc, Brother Bong.  In the pool, of course.  All of the recent converts up there attended and were happy for him.  Pres Dolleti told them about our transfer, and we also had tears.  We just kept telling them we would be here when they go to the temple.  They have loved us far more than we deserve, but we love them too, less than they deserve!

We got to go back up on Sunday for another Temple Prep class with the Aguilar family, after attending in Malaya.  Had a wonderful day all day.  Got home about 9:00 pm.

There were a couple of jeepneys loading up in 

Sampaloc to come down the mountain.  Can you imagine riding about 20 miles on winding, downhill, narrow mountain roads like this?  They do it all the time!

Our new bedroom and office

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Guest room

New Kitchen

 Living room

We have been lost a lot, AGAIN, and will be for about 6 weeks, while we learn our new job.  But there is so much here to make us happy, we just get up every day and have a few new adventures.  This week, we went to the office and Elder put his phone in his pocket.  Then, when he saw one on the desk, he thought that was his.  Put IT in the holder on his belt.  Pretty soon, we hear a cat meowing all over the office.  We are asking, "Have you got a CAT in here?"  The Elders are snickering, and tell us, "We can't get him out".  They were looking under furniture, etc.  Well, it turns out the "cat" was the AP's phone, safely tucked in Elder Schlager's belt.  Elder Crisanto couldn't find it, so he called it.  Even the missionaries are thinking, "they are pretty nice, but boy ARE THEY DUMB!

January in the Philippines is really nice!  It has been dry, cool and sunny.  WE are still using our A/C, of course, during the day.  But the people here think it is cold.  All the little ones are dressed for the cooler weather:

Those of us who want to knit or crochet now understand why yarn is so hard to find and comes so small.  The only thing they use it for is baby caps!  See the mothers, all still in warm weather clothes? But the thinking is that babies get sick if their heads are cold.  

I haven't given you a recipe for a while, so here is a new one.  I was asked to bring Macaroni Salad to the Birthday Party in Sampaloc, but it turns out I don't make it the way they do.  So, here it is:

 MACARONI SALAD FILIPINO STYLE

:

 Ingredients

2 Cups Macaroni, cooked and drained and cooled
¾  cup mayonnaise
1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk 
1- 1 1/2  Cup Heavy All-Purpose Cream (over here, it is very heavy)
1 medium-sized can Del Monte Fruit Cocktail  (Try to get tropical)
1 cup Cheddar Cheese, diced or shredded  (Optional)
1/4 cup Raisins(optional)
1-1/2 cups Nata de Coco(coconut gel), drained(optional)  find this in Asian markets 
1 bottle Kaong(Red), drained(optional)
1 bottle Kaong(Green), drained(optional)

Procedures:
Part 1
1. Cook macaroni noodles according to package cooking instructions. Set aside and let it cool down for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the cream, mayonnaise, and milk together to make a smooth sauce.  I did not drain the fruit cocktail, and the juice makes it better, I think.

Part 2
1. In a large mixing bowl, transfer the macaroni and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well.
2. Cover the mixing bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour.
3. Serve cold. Enjoy!

The Nata de Coco is a coconut gel that is very easy to find here.  Don’t know about the states, though.  Kaong red and green are the same thing—coconut gels.

The birthday party was for Sister Eva and Sister Rowena, best friends and exactly 10 years apart.  When we arrived, Judith and AJ were just removing the Biko from the fire.  It is rice and cream and brown sugar and cooked into almost a fudge and served in squares.  See the banana leaf?
This party was held at the Senior Aguilar home, down the hill from the other family.  They "caretake" a large piece of land, for a family member, I think.  

 They had it all set up for the party, with a serving table and see the curtains all around the "patio' area?  Sister Rowena looks a little grumpy, but she wasn't really.  We brought the birthday cakes from one of the good bakeries.  There isn't one in Sampaloc.

Lots of good food.  Lots of Pancit, and spaghetti, as that is birthday food, here.  Also, coconut salad, called buko pandan, of course, and macaroni salad, and sticky rice, made with chocolate.  

Two of the elders, and my "Elderly".  This is Elder Pincock and Elder Jones.  We only have one Filipino serving up there, right now.  Elder Cubbage is from Alaska.  Here is your funny story:   On the way up the mountain, he tells us that he ate his first Iguana the day before, at the Aguilar home.  They trapped it.  They do that because they are big, and eat the chickens.  But they cooked it adobo style and he says it was very good.  "Just like chicken"  WE have all heard that one before!  He got three of the feet and part of the neck.  

The pancit was very good, and on the way home I said to the guys, "If that was iguana in the pancit, just don't tell me!"  But Elder Puficacion, from Mindinao, told me they wouldn't put Iguana in pancit (or feed it to  me!)   Apparently, that would be a waste.  He says, Iguana has it's own recipes!

As I mentioned last week, we will be moving this week.  It necessitates a lot of work and planning, and we also have to welcome a new couple on Wed and begin training them.  So, here is the balance sheet so far:
 MOVING WINS AND WOES

The wins:

NO mud!  No Caribou!  No baby things to step on!  This is directly across the street from our building.  We will be living on the 15th floor in Tower 3 of Olympic Heights, in a condominium.   Frankly, we were a little apprehensive, as we have become fond of our  house, and some of the sisters in the city have been just a tiny bit "whiny".  dissatisfied.  Not the Horsleys though.  I would fight to be in her wagon train.  She is a valiant and wonderful woman.

It is quite nice, with two bedrooms, both with built in closets and storage.  Two baths, so I can have my own counter! and Mirror!  Warm water in the sinks as well as the showers.  Wow! Well, still no warm water in the kitchen. Isn't that INTERESTING??  And, there is a room for the Househelp, which is another very small bedroom and bathroom, but the washing machine is in there and the drying rack.  I have no idea where she dries her sheets and towels.  There is a small back porch off the kitchen, but it scared me to death.  15th floor!  Don't think I will use  it!

Elder and Sister Horsley, while preparing themselves for the move to Mindoro, have been very generous and kind to spend lots of time with us, helping us learn our new job and preparing us.  On Sat, they invited us to come and see the  apartment, and took us to lunch there.  

Learning the ins and outs of apartment management.

Our new kitchen.  Oven works, bigger refrigerator..    

Two nice pools and an exercise room.  

 View from the bedroom window.

They took us to Johnny Rocket's, an American style hamburger joint in the 50's diner style.  YUMMY!  Way too much temptation to have across the street!

See the Jukebox?  And they break out and dance and sing for you every few minutes.  I got some really darling video.

Finally, President has decided to not assign us to Binangonan Ward, where the Horsleys attend, but to allow us to keep attending, full time in Malaya, as they have no other senior couple and we have a lot of relationships there.  This is a Win, because beginning today, I felt like I had a Home Ward again.  No longer just an occasional visitor in three places.

But, this is also a WOE for us.  It means we will not be seeing our friends in Sampaloc and Tanay as often. 

The woes:

          There is no office space in the apartment, so we will have to make a spot in the living room or bedroom.  The costs are quite a bit higher. Rent, from $385 to $715, plus $75/mo parking.  Internet from p1000 to p4000.  Water from p300 to p1300.  And that doesn't even consider what it will cost us to eat at Johnny Rocket's every night!

                 We may lose our "househelp", Marivic.  She is willing to travel into the city each week and continue to clean and work for us, but it is a very long trip and difficult for her, and it may not be practical.  The travel costs are also part of the equation.  The big trouble is, she has spoiled me, but completely ruined Elder.  Now, he thinks his shirts need to be IRONED, something I had managed to break him of in 40 years.  I DO NOT want to iron 7 white shirts every week!  As my sister once said, "IRON?  Oh, you mean that heavy thing?  I got rid of that years ago.  It scared my children."

            We never got Philippine Drivers Licenses.  We got international ones from AAA in the states, and so far they have been fine.  Interestingly, no one even asked us when we arrived.  Just gave us a car and let us go.  When we were stopped, they didn't like it much, but we were still very new and under the “30 days” law, and they were really only interested in getting a bribe because we are white.  We have been told conflicting information about needing to get a Philippines license.  Now, though, we will be driving in the city all the time and Elder feels like we should do that.  So, we set out to get it done.  Nothing is easy in the Philippines.  You have to go to a transportation office  in Manila, and have a medical test first.  The young missionaries say there is nothing to it, but the seniors are more realistic about the difference between 19 and 65+.  Then, you have to have your passport and visa.  Well, we thought that was in order, but when we went to the PAO travel office to get them, turns out, the visa is expiring AGAIN.   Right now, the Immigration office will only renew them for 60 days.  Ours were renewed in Nov, and now will have to be done again before we can apply for the driver’s license.

The church has thousands of people here on visas, so the office people are over there every day, getting them renewed as they pass their dates.  We were told today that 30% of the immigrants in the country are here as missionaries for the church.  And things are such a mess at the immigration office, that it is a real challenge to stay ahead of the problems.  Plus, this week was the “FEAST of the BLACK Madonna,” or something, so all the offices were closed in Manila.  I guess we will try again next week.  


We will no longer be going out to teach with the Elders.  We are going to miss that a LOT!  The experiences we have had are absolutely unique to our former lives, and we have learned so much. Now, we will be almost exclusively working with the missionaries and the President, and making sure they have everything they need to do the work they do. 

It is a country of contrasts, and we are feeling quite grateful that we will now have many new experiences and opportunities to learn and grow and serve.  We are loving life!