A New Roommate

We've had geckos downstairs but not in the bedroom--until now.  But we don't mind them, as long as they don't run across our face while we're sleeping.  They are more afraid of us than we are of them.  We hear them more than we see them so it's all good.

Another busy week for us as we continue to learn our office duties.  We have our trainers for one more week then we are on our own!  Besides office duties, we had dinner Tuesday at the mission home where we met the Clark's neighbors, the Lacanlales.  They are both retired physicians who practiced in Los Angeles, California for 30 years.  He had a stroke at 55 and nearly died.  The stroke disabled him and he had to retire from his ObGyn practice and she retired from her anethesiology practice to care for him and they moved back home to the Philippines.  They are not members of the church, yet.

Friday night we helped President and Sister Clark host the bishops and stake presidency of the Santa Ignacias Stake. We are amazed at how young the leadership is here.  The stake president is 36 and many of the bishops are in their 20's.  They rented a jeepney to travel the 2 hours to the mission home--we don't even know if any of them own a car.  Even though they don't have much in the was of worldly possessions, they have strong testimonies and are working hard to build the Kingdom in their stake. They loved the big mission home and the nice meal and were taking picture after picture. President Clark is doing this for all 12 stakes within the mission boundaries as a get to know you/question and answer period/build relationships event between the mission and the stakes.  Some of the closer stakes, such as the Santa Ignacias Stake, will travel to the mission home for dinner, while we will travel to the stakes farther away.

It was a national holiday Friday and Saturday--National Family Week.  The Tarlac Stake, who we share facilities with, sponsored an all day event at the stake center.  We watched the festivities through the window of the mission office.  They had a lot of fun playing games and eating.  Filipinos love to play games.  Speaking of games, we took Saturday afternoon and evening as our P Day and had a nice evening playing games and socializing with the other two senior couples.  It was much needed.

Our young missionaries are working hard finding, baptizing, and rescuing.  We had 16 baptisms and 20 return to church in the mission last week.  The office elders found an entire family that they are preparing for baptism.  They are so excited about it.  The one elder, Elder Westover, goes home in a week, but is working hard to the end of his mission to prepare this family for baptism.

We leave you this week with this scripture borrowed from Aunt Marilynn:  D&C 128:22  "Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory!  Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad.  ..."

Mahal Kita!

Jeepney of the Week

Sunrise on our running route

Front L-R:  Elder and Sister Whiting, Mrs. Lacanlale, Sister Clark
Back L-R: Elder and Sister Weber, Elder and Sister Naegle,
Mr. Lacanlale, President Clark

When the young men play basketball on their outdoor court,
they put up and take down the rim.

Tarlac Stake activities for National Family Week

Games at the Family Week Activity.  We've played this game at a family party!

More games.  Filipinos love to play games!

The Tarlac First Ward Relief Society

There's a trike under those baskets!

Week Two...

Another eventful week in the Philippines Angeles Mission.  It was full of new experiences and learning as we got a little more comfortable with our surroundings.  We are beginning to see the big picture as far as our office duties are concerned.  Elder Whiting not only does finances, but manages and pays the rent each month on the nearly 100 housing units our missionaries live in.  To say it is a challenge is an understatement!  The Church has certain criteria that must be met before housing can be approved, and in a country like the Philippines that's not always easy.  Sister Whiting continues to learn her duties and hopes she will not forget the many details it takes to keep the mission running.

It rains nearly every day, and last night there was a terrific thunder and lightning storm that had Sister Whiting cowering under the covers. Last week a companionship of sisters got caught in some flooding and had to be rescued by the Elders.  It's still hot and humid, but we got a real treat this week.  Elder Weber has spent a lot of time designing and installing an air conditioning unit in our kitchen.  We are so grateful for this.  It has made our apartment much more comfortable.  Now we just need to address the rats that run around in our attic at night. The landlord just laughs and calls them our "friends". We think we know how they're getting in, so we plan on poisoning them and plugging the hole.  Then Sister Whiting won't be "weirded out" hearing them.  Then all we have to do is ignore the traffic and the rooster that wakes us up at 3 a.m.  It sounds like we're complaining, and I guess we are, but we just need to remember that our young missionaries do not have any A/C in their homes, and they walk or ride jeepneys or trikes wherever they go.  They are our heroes!  They are so full of light and spirit.  We have had three come down with Dengue Fever, which is spread by mosquitoes and has very painful symptoms.  But all are recovering now and we hope there are no more cases.  One elder complained of pain in his upper arm, and an x-ray showed an abnormality.  He was sent to Manila with the fear it was bone cancer.  But good news!  It's a noncancerous cyst.  He still needs to have it treated but we are so grateful it's not cancer.  He is a humble teddy bear Pacific Islander and we are so happy for him. We already love these missionaries as if they were our own children.

Some interesting customs we are getting used to:  No matter how hot it is, the Filipinos cover up to not get browner skin.  Fair skin is a sign you don't have to work outside for a living.  Funny how we want the brown skin and they don't.  It is common to see men with nothing but their eyes showing--they look like terrorists!  But then we'll see men with their shirts pulled up so their belly is showing.  Not sure why they do that, but its funny to see. There are dogs and cats and chickens everywhere, so you have to watch where you step. But can you imagine how many bugs there would be if there were no chickens? We have discovered pandesol!  It's a delicious roll that is very sweet and melts in your mouth.  Sister Whiting especially loves it and we buy it from the wife of the bishop whose ward we attend.  Speaking of the ward, we attended today and we each gave prayers in Priesthood and Relief Society; and in Sunday School they asked Elder Whiting to explain some doctrine.  They think the missionaries know everything and it's very humbling.  With the language barrier we don't know how much they understood. Not many people have cars or even tricycles, so the parking lot of the church is practically empty.  So different from America.
So Week Two is in the Books!  What will next week bring?  Who knows?  We don't!  We love all of you and we love our Savior, and are grateful to be serving Him in this part of His vineyard.

Jeepney of the Week.  Room for "One More"!

Elder Weber, left, and Elder Whiting at the mission training meeting for
Bishops and Stake leaders of the Gapan Stake

L-R:  President Clark, Elder Whiting, Sister Weber, and Brother Weber at
the Palayan Branch building in the Cabanatuan Stake

A clinic in the Philippines.  Scary place.

The onion and garlic market.  Fragrant!

Elder Whiting at his desk in the apartment

Elder and Sister Whiting at the reception of Brother and Sister Velasco.
 They were sealed in the Manila Temple and both are returned missionaries.
In fact, Brother Velasco served in the Manila mission and knew Elder Dustin Webb.

Elder Weber working with a Filipino on the brackets
for the air conditioning in our apartment.  We are
so grateful to him for doing this.

No More Jet Lag (maybe)

Our first week in the Philippines has been very eventful. The only place to start is at the beginning.  After an hour plus delay in Hong Kong, we arrived early in the morning of September 6.  After a short night's rest, Elder and Sister Lemon, senior missionaries assigned to the Area Office, took us to church at the Macati 4th Ward; which meets in the oldest LDS Church building in the Philippines.  It's an ex-pat ward with members from all over the world.  What a great day.  But since we were all mixed up with our days and nights, we spent the rest of our Sunday at the hotel.

Because we entered the Philippines on a 30 day tourist visa, early Monday morning we began the process at Immigration to extend our visas to 18 months. All we can say is what an experience!  After a hot, noisy three hour wait--because the church employees would not pay the bribe--we were done.Tuesday we got our Philippines drivers license and it only took us two hours, haha.

Then we were on our way to Tarlac!  We arrived at the mission office and met President and Sister Clark and Elder and Sister Weber, who we will replace.  After a brief tour of the mission office, we dropped our luggage off at our apartment and went to the mission home for dinner.  We met the only other senior couple, Elder and Sister Naegles, and stayed the night at the mission home in the "General Authority" room. (are you impressed yet?).  Wednesday we shopped for groceries with the help of the Weber's and I went to the apartment to unpack while Elder Whiting went to the office to begin learning his responsibilities.

Thursday was training for both of us at the office--we got lost trying to get there-- then another dinner (which is unusual) at the mission home as President and Sister Clark hosted the Naegles' daughters who had come to visit. Friday was another day at the office, then a two hour drive to the Gapan Stake for dinner and training with the bishops and stake leadership. President and Sister Clark were presiding and conducted the training.  The food was excellent Filipino food; apparently better than normal. We got back late to Tarlac and had our first experience driving in the dark. In the process we found a new route to our apartment (in other words we got lost again), but arrived safely.

Saturday we drove two hours to Cabanatuan with the Weber's and President and Sister Clark. President Clark had us come so we could start to get a feel for the mission. It's a very large mission area wise and has the most missionaries of all the Filipino missions. This time the brethren had responsibilities to attend to, so we three sisters did a impromptu inspection of the Zone Leaders' house in Cabanatuan.  That was an eye opening experience.  Let's just say that these elders' living conditions were about as basic as you can get; and typical of missionary housing. Today was Stake Conference for the Tarlac Stake and we were asked to sit on the stand and bear our testimonies.  We got an up close look at the members in the Philippines and we were so impressed with the light and spirit they have.  We were humbled to be in their presence.

So as we complete the first week of our mission, we have seen and experienced so much.  We have seen abject poverty almost side by side with wealth and excess.  We have experienced driving in Manila and Tarlac--which is not for the faint of heart.  The traffic laws are just suggestions and the lines on the road are decorations!  The only rules that seem to apply are fill in the empty space and don't hit anyone!  Best of all, we have learned that the Filipino people are warm, friendly, and happy.  And the members of the Church are strong and full of the Light of Christ.  We love them all ready!

The beautiful Manila Philippines Temple

Crazy Manila Traffic!

Jeepneys! Quasi buses whose capacity is "one more"

A "tricycle" full of people.  The most common way to get around.

Look at that scary lady who's allowed to drive in the Philippines!
I will drive only in a life or death situation; which may lead to my death!  (haha)

Front: President and Sister Clark, Sister and Elder Weber.
 Back: Sister and Elder Whiting--that's us, and Elder and Sister Naegles

They're even better in the Philippines!  Yum!

The Philippines Angeles Mission Crest

L-R: Elders Purca, Westover, Hatch, and Trejeda--the office Elders

Stringing more cable. Doesn't that look safe?

Street flooding after a two hour downpour

The Looong Flight

We finished our MTC training yesterday, finished packing and saying goodbye, got a little sleep, and here we are at the airport waiting to begin the 25 hour journey to Manila. Bleah!  Fortunately we have great travel companions; Elder and Sister Armstrong from West Warren, Utah. They will be serving in neighboring Philippines Cauayan Mission. It's been a long time coming, but here we are beginning our missionary service. We leave our family and everything else in the Lord's hands. We know they will be blessed.

Week Two District; all serving as office specialists.  L-R: Elder and Sister Child serving in Guatemala, Elder and Sister Whiting--that's us; Elder and Sister Moss serving in Jakarta Indonesia; Elder and Sister Armstrong serving in Cauyan Philippines.  Mark was chosen as district leader because he was sitting closest to the computer screen.. TeeHee 

Brother Keddington; our one of our outstanding Preach My Gospel teachers

Our travel Companions to the Philippines; the Armstrongs from West Warren, Utah