The Rich Man and the Poor Man

We were reminded of the parable of the rich man and the poor man this week when we saw that a man name Henry, who sold chicken by the side of the road, had died.  A few days later, we passed the funeral procession of a Chinese man who was obviously rich and influential in this life.  He had hundreds of people in his funeral procession, three flatbed trucks full of flowers, and a band.  Henry had someone light a few candles for him at his shop.  He had nothing to take to the next life, and the rich man could not take his wealth and influence with him.  Now they are equal.

For the third time in as many months, we got hit by a trike.  The axle of the trike hooked the inside of our front wheel well and almost pulled the entire front bumper off the car.  By his appearance, we knew he couldn't pay for repairs, so we sent him on his way.  Fortunately, the member who owns a body shop was able to put the bumper back on. At this rate, we will have been hit by 18 trikes before our mission is through!

This week, we enjoyed dinner with our bishop and his family at a Filipino restaurant, pizza with the zone because they met their Standard of Excellence goals, and good Filipino food after speaking at the Padapada 2nd Ward's returned missionary fireside last night.  We have eaten well this week.

We delivered another missionary to Manila today.  She was serving in our mission while she waited for her visa to enter the U.S.  She leaves tomorrow for Scottsdale Arizona.  We navigated Manila and made it home in one piece!  Now we are experts!  Not.

It's sugarcane harvesting season.  Hundreds of trucks go through Tarlac every day to the processing plant just outside town.  The air quality is worse than usual because they burn the fields before they harvest the sugarcane.  This will continue until March.  We'll just hold our breath until then.

We leave you with the words of President Monson:  "Wake up with determination.  Go to sleep with satisfaction."

Mahal Kita and Malagayang Pasko

Jeepney of the Week.  For you Joshua!

Big trucks full of sugarcane heading to the processing plant

The band in the rich Chinese man's funeral procession

The rich Chinese man's funeral procession

Truckloads of flowers for the rich Chinese man

Henry the chicken peddler's shuttered shop.

A cemetery in Concepcion.

Tarlac Zone pizza party for meeting their Standard of Excellence goals.  Sister Whiting is on the back row.