Elder and Sister Whiting in the Philippines: Dapdap is via Bamban Not Mabalacat

Another busy week is done. We thought we wouldn't have much to write about this week as it has been a quiet, routine week in the office. But we made up for it today. As we have mentioned before, President Clark has asked us to attend a couple of the small branches in the Tarlac Stake. Today's destination was Dapdap Branch. Having never been to Dapdap, and trusting our GPS, we headed out at 7:30 this morning to be on time for the 9 a.m. meeting. As we got closer, we called the Elders assigned to Dapdap to have them guide us the rest of the way in. As we are describing what we are seeing, and comparing it to what they are saying, we realize we are nowhere near where they are. We are telling them about the big bridge we just crossed and they are saying you need to go up the hill on the winding road. There were no hills, and the road we were on was a straight as an arrow. Come to find out, there's Dapdap, and there's Madapdap. The GPS took us to Madapdap beyond Mabalacat, instead of Dapdap beyond Bamban!

So we ended up backtracking quite a ways, and at the suggestion of the Elder, we found a trike driver and hired him as our guide to take us to the Mormon Church. Well, first he took us to the Christ Mission Church. When we told him that wasn't it, he wandered around totally lost until he finally asked another trike driver to help us. So we ended up following the trike that was following the trike that was leading us to ..... the Born Again Christian Church! Apparently the Mormons are not well known among trike drivers in Dapdap! Fortunately, the Elders saw us coming--the Born Again Church was just down the road from the branch--and we made it; a half hour late for sacrament meeting.

We were warmly welcomed, and shook the hand of every man, woman, and child in the branch; about 40 total. They had kept the bread and water of the sacrament for us, which we were so grateful for. Then we stayed for the rest of the block. The branch president's wife, who led the singing in sacrament meeting, also taught Sunday School and Relief Society. She is a sharp lady, and both lessons were wonderful.

After church, we stopped in Capas at a memorial to the victims of the Bataan Death March of World War II. It was a sober reminder of the horrors of war. The memorial itself is rundown and in disrepair, but it was kind of fitting considering the events that transpired in this area. Capas was the first holding area for the Americans who survived the Death March. In Cabanatuan, which is also in our mission, is the prison camp where they were held for several years before they were liberated by Army Rangers as the Americans and Filipinos started pushing the Japanese north. The events are chronicled in the book "Ghost Soldiers" by Hampton Sides. It is an incredible rescue story that has been all but forgotten. We recommend the book.

To update Mary and Richard, they are still taking the lessons, but didn't go to church today. Aira has yet to be home to hear any lessons. She is not yet 12 and is staying with relatives and working all week in their bakery, only coming home on the weekend. Today is Mary's 29th birthday, so we went over to wish her happy birthday. We hope you are all extremely grateful for your homes and circumstances. If we were to describe their home, "dirt poor" are the words that come to mind. We are beyond blessed.

We leave you with Christ's words to the tempter in Matthew 4:4--"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (underline added)

Mahal Kita,
Elder and Sister Whiting