Coltens visit

Colten flew over from Korea, where he is teaching school, and spent a week with us. We had such a good time showing him around the mission.

He loves history so we took him to the Bataan Death March Memorial

Then he paid his regards to his favorites

Mango shakes are to die for!

We attended a cultural dance program where he and I were picked to come on stage and dance with the performers. Since there were only about a dozen people in the audience and we were the only foreigners, that was not too big of a surprise!

We did the pole dance and the only picture we have of Colt is video so I can't post it here, but he was really good. I could only do one foot at a time but he was able to do two. We were impressed!

Walking around the Niyan Philippines Park

We visited 100 Islands National Park, That strip of land you see behind us are many many tiny separate islands. He finally got a chance to swim in the ocean here.

Grandpa and Colt

We drove through the country side to see the newly planted rice paddies

Colt took this sunset picture for me. Sure was a great week!!

Baler

On July 28 we met the other couples from the mission and traveled together to the far side of our mission. They have a lot of wood carving places over there, Dad found his size chair and waited patiently while I shopped.

Another stop along the way was to eat lunch under this tree. We were told it is the largest Banyan Tree in Asia

Inside the tree



Baler is along the ocean and quite remote. In some ways it reminded us of Christmas Island.

At this spot where we had dinner there wasn't a sandy beach, just rocks. This is Sister Teishner our office Sister.

The next day we divided up and went out teaching with the missionaries. We walked across this bridge to visit a family and gathered this audience of children. 

One of the humble homes we visited. This lady and her family were baptized that night.

Another family we visited.

We almost didn't make it to visit this man, we were running out of time. I'm sure glad we did as he was waiting by the road for us.

Everyone knows I am scared to death of heights and this hanging bridge was almost more than I could do.

This cute family lived right by the bridge. They have been less active but they came to church the next day after we visited.

The Senior Sister Missionaries, Sister McCord, me, Sister Teishner, Sister Martino and Sister Lutz.

We hurried home trying to beat a Typhoon that was headed that way.

Things that keep us busy

When ever we get together they always play games and one of the punishments for being the loser is a face full of baby powder. Elder Clark got it this time but by the end everyone looked the same.

This get together was at our house, it was a farewell party

These two, Elder Servantia and Sister Gala have finished their mission and are going home.

I usually can't take pictures of baptisms because they are indoors but these were at the river in Cabaluyan
Elder Heinrich from St George did the baptisms.

Elder Heinrich and Elder Zaballero have done amazing work in that small branch that was almost ready to fold a few months ago.

Elder Salvana and Elder Garcia in San Clemente baptized the sister of one of the members in that branch. Elder Garcia is a temporary missionary filling in for one who is sick. He has a call to New Zealand but is waiting for his visa. It is here now and he leaves July 2nd. He has been great, New Zealand will be blessed to have him

We drove the home bound missionaries to the mission home while their companions headed off for an activity

We picked up and delivered new beds to these two missionaries because theirs had been destroyed by termites. I had no idea how much damage termites could do! These two serve in Victoria near Tarlac.

Another transfer day and we said goodby to these six excellent missionaries. We will miss them.
Elders Johnson, Keene, Palmer,  Zaballero, Malalay, and Garcia. We also sent Elder Cooper back to his mission in India, he was another great missionary.

Elder Frearson was also released after a job well done. He was our zone leader from the time we got here until last transfer. His brother also served in this same mission 11 years ago so he came to pick his brother up and they toured the mission and saw old friends before they flew home to New Zealand. They spent a couple of nights with us while they visited this area.

This is the main room of the house we just got ready for new sister missionaries. It was a good house but in bad repair. The zone missionaries spent two of their service days helping to paint it throughout and Elder Moser did a lot of repair work. We had our doubts it could be fixed up good enough but it ended up pretty nice. We were feeling our age by the time that was completed.

week in review

As we were doing house checks in Angeles we met this new missionary, Elder Weitzeil from Utah. He was excited to find out we knew his aunt and uncle, Lisa and Randy Wakely. If anyone sees this that knows Lisa and Randy tell them to check in and see their nephew. He seems like a super good guy. He is serving with one of our favorites, Elder Gayrama.

This is their house

Family Home Evening at the Gambaoas. Elder Moser is trying to find out who has the peso.

Elder Clark at the FHE

The cooks in the kitchen. They never serve a refreshment like we do, it is always a light meal. These served a soup that tasted a lot like ham and beans but made with macaroni instead of beans.

The evening skies are so beautiful here and we are always trying to get some good pictures but either houses, tree, or rain always seem to spoil them. Here are a few attempts from the other day

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A branch young womens group ask me to teach them how to bake cookies.

I decided on snickerdoodles so they could all participate

They don't have ovens so we did no bake cookies too so that they could make them at home

They were enjoying the fruits of their labors

All at once here came all the young men from their activities. They said they smelled cookies and followed their noses.

Missionaries at work

Thursdays are service day and sometimes there is a project where the whole zone participates together

This week we went to a school to help them get ready for the start of the new school year

They swept the yard to clean up all the leaves and trash

Some did pruning and repairs. They really used Dads expertise on repairing some things

Some of us cleaned classrooms. The staff was very appreciative.

A couple of days later we were able to join in a baptism at Birbira with Elder Clark and Elder Servantia

And another one at Camiling 1st Branch with Sister Gala and Sister Tauiliili. We have such good missionaries here and they all are such hard workers.