Maligayang Pasko! (Merry Christmas!)

Now that Thanksgiving is over, you don't have to feel guilty about doing what we've been doing since September; sing Christmas Carols!  The lights and nativities in Tarlac are getting more and more numerous and beautiful.  We spent Friday night with President and Sister Clark driving around town taking pictures of all of the beautiful nativities.  We've included some of our favorites below.

We experienced another first this past week.  Elder Whiting drove to Manila!  Because President and Sister Clark were presiding over Zone Conferences, we were charged with taking a sick missionary down to the Missionary Recovery Center (MRC) at the Area Offices in Manila.  We took as our navigator, 20 year old Elder Hatch, one of the office elders, because he had done this once before.  The scripture in Philippians 4:13--"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (even drive in Manila) took on a whole new meaning.  But Elder Hatch did a great job for us!  While there, we were given a tour of the Area Offices and the Manila MTC by a senior missionary.  The area offices and the MTC are across the street from the temple--a peaceful oasis in insane Manila.

We had our turn at Zone Conference on Friday.  President Clark shared messages from the mission presidents' seminar with the missionaries.  One point he made was that the Philippines is the most fertile field for the preaching of the gospel in all the world.  But missionaries and members alike need to step up and move the work forward like never before.  Zone conference got us fired up to work harder.  Other topics were, make the Sabbath a Delight, and have an Attitude of Gratitude.

Saturday night, we attended the baptism of a cute young couple.  They had a darling little girl.  After the baptism, they were asked to bear their testimony.  Even though we did not understand their language, we understood the language of the Spirit.  They both struggled to bear testimony because of the tears of joy they were shedding.  There was such a strong spirit there.

We leave you with the words of Isaiah:  "If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shall thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.  --Isaiah 58:13-14--

Mahal Kita

Elder and Sister Whiting

Jeepney of the Week

A wonderful young family is baptized.  They were taught by Sister Aguspina from the Philippines
on the left and Sister Ram from Fiji on the right. Our sister missionaries often wear matching outfits.

This nativity's lights were synchronized with music. I think it was "Frosty the Snowman" or something like that.
It was not a song about Christ.  It was quite weird.

This nativity was made with water bottles painted different colors.
The Filipinos are experts at recycling and repurposing.

Sister Whiting's favorite.
It's just up the street from where we live.

The manger and the light above the manger are made from woven fans