Family Home Evenings

Because we don't have a chance to work with the people directly very often, we are so happy we get to go to Family Home Evenings with the missionaries. Sometimes they are investigator families, sometimes recent converts, and sometimes long standing members. These pictures are of some we attended in recent months.

The two men in the back ground were investigators, one of them was recently baptized.

This one included most of the branch members at Birbira

This is Lawrence conducting. He is the first of our "painting crew" to get his mission call

This fun family will forever be remembered as the Booga Booga family because of a game they taught us!

The one in the yellow shirt is the mother though she looks like a sister.

This is the Martinez family whom we love

This is Wilbur Martinez who is another of our painters, his mission papers went in last Sunday.

Sister Thomas and Sister Naldoza

A common refreshment we are served at FHEs, pancit noodles. This time they also had spaghetti and tuna sandwiches.

This family was baptized about a year ago and they faithfully walk to church every Sunday. It is several miles. They arrive early and change into their Sunday clothes there.

This is the mother of that family. She sang for us and has a beautiful voice.

This mother was baptized last week. She is a strong one.

Sisters Thomas, Naldoza, Merwal and Davidson.

Baguio

The mission couples took another p day and went to see Baguio. This is the summer resort of the island as it is in the mountains and much cooler than the valley. They are famous for the produce they grow in this cooler region and also for the native crafts they make. I always hear about their strawberries and was so hoping to get some but they are not in season right now.

We didn't have time to stop very often so most of our pictures were taken from the window of the car. Here was one time we got out and looked at the bridal veil waterfalls.

The houses are built on such steep hillsides you wonder how they stay up there.

There are no tricycles allowed here but there were hundreds of these white taxis.

This is not a very good picture but is a monument of the native warriors

I'm not sure of the purpose of this massive lion, but here he is. It was enjoyable to ride and look and spend the day with the other couples.

National Family Week

The Philippines has a national family week. We didn't see anything to celebrate it except what our church did but maybe other churches did things too. We started with a parade at 7 AM. 

The parade just consisted of a few vehicles and tricycles with balloons and posters and people. We didn't have many spectators either. 

Then they had a poster making contest. These guys take this seriously. Beautiful artwork

The church was all decorated for an open house

Then there were skits from each branch. I love how they all participate. It was a full day.

While in Angeles last week we decided to scope out the S&R store. It is a branch of Cosco and had many of the same things. It was customer appreciation days and was crazy but when we saw real milk and fresh Florida orange juice we decided it was worth fighting the crowds.

We had FHE with this sweet family last week at their home. The mother( in the white shirt) was baptized yesterday. We hope her family will soon follow.

Transfers again, more baptisms

Our last zone picture before transfers

These are the ones we have to let go this transfer. We surely will miss them.

Our sister missionaries, Sisters Thomas, Merwal, Naldoza, Ponitini, Tauiliili, and Lalata

Elder Moser is in charge of this meeting each transfer day. These missionaries are all either leaving for new areas or waiting for new companions.

Sister Moser is in charge of feeding these hungry, hungry, guys and gals.
Lunch just consists of bread, tuna, peanut butter, jam, chips, and cookies and then move out of the way and let them at it!

All baptisms are wonderful but this one was extra special. This lady could hardly wait to finish the lessons, she wanted to be baptized weeks before she was able to be. When the day finally arrived she was at the church 3 hours early!

Our missionaries work long hard hours walking many many miles in the heat or rain but days like these are the reward.

Couples P -Day

All of the mission couples took a p-day together and drove down to Bataan where the death march began.
We borrowed the mission van so we were all able to travel together.

President Javier , in the middle, and his wife were our guides.

There is a huge monument with a cross at the top of the mountain where the main encampment was.

There was some memorabilia and a nice museum

Elder and Sister Lutz

Most of our group

Looking down at the terrain from the top

We then drove down the mountain to the bay where there was another camp of men, this is where  the actual march began

That island in the distance is Corregidor where McCarthur and American supplies and re enforcements were, so close and yet so far.

School kids were on field trips and they all wanted a picture with the Americans.

They were especially taken with Elder McCords snow white hair

Of course we ended the day with dinner. On the left side of the table are the Tischners, McCords, and Lutz. On the right side are Fortes, Javiers, and us.
As usual it was too fast and we would like to have spent more time reading and looking at pictures but glad we got to see it.