Maligayang Pasko

We missed posting last week, and this week's post will be very short.  Merry Christmas everyone!  Our Christmas was low key and wonderful.  After an early morning walk, we attended church and enjoyed the spirit of the day with out Filipino friends.  This evening, we ate leftovers and watched White Christmas with President and Sister Clark at the mission home.

The low key holiday was just what we needed.  We have spent long days preparing for our two Christmas conferences, which were held Friday for half the mission and yesterday for the other half. The conference was spiritual and fun at the same time.  The senior couples prepared an activity for the missionaries.  We showed Mr. Krueger's Christmas, and after watching it 8 times over two days, we have it memorized!  We appreciate the ending where Clarissa says I love you to Mr. Krueger and we are reminded that Christmas is about love, and how Christ shows His love to us in so many ways.

We hope you have a wonderful Christmas.  We love you!

Elder and Sister Whiting

One of the many nativities in town

Merry Christmas from Elder and Sister Whiting

White Christmas on the big screen at the Mission Home

Elder Whiting opens his stocking

From Heat to Cold

Good Sabbath Evening!

We hope you are staying warm.  We don't have a problem staying warm; except at church when they turn the air conditioning up and we sit right under it.  As we sat there shivering, we thought, "this feels like December!"  Then we went outside and thought, "this feels like July!"

Another transfer week is in the books. Twenty-one missionaries left for home--most of them for the U.S. and winter snow.  We have seen pictures of some of them bundled in sweaters and experiencing icy roads.  What a shock to the system!  It will be our turn soon enough!

Back to Groundhog Day, er transfers.  This was our biggest departing batch since we have been here, and the sisters in this batch got here just before we did. Nearly all of them were leaders in the mission, but that just gives other missionaries an opportunity to step up and lead; and they always do.  It also may have been our last time teaching the departure workshop.  The church is implementing "My Plan" in the Philippines, which is a day and a half workshop for departing missionaries.  The full day is to be taught by the local CES director, and the half day by President Clark.  We expect it to be in place by the January transfer. We will miss teaching the workshop; it was one of the funnest tasks we had.

Twelve new missionaries arrived on Wednesday, and by Thursday, transfers were complete and all missionaries were settled in their new areas.  After Mission Leadership Council tomorrow and Tuesday, we will get serious about preparations for Christmas Conference, which is almost upon us. Such is life for us, just one thing after another.  But busy is good.

We have been enjoying all of the nativities around town this season, and the carolers have started this week. Nearly every evening they are at our gate singing and pounding on beatboxes.  We enjoy the music from inside because if we go out, they will want a tip.  Then word gets around, and pretty soon we are getting all kinds of carolers because the white people will pay for songs.  Just call us Scrooge.  We choose to give in other ways.  Back to the nativities; apparently there is a contest for the most beautiful nativity.  That explains the very elaborate ones, and the weird ones as well.  It's fun to see all of the different nativites, but we wonder if the motivation is to honor the Savior or win a prize.  Maybe a little of both?

Last night we got dinner from McDonalds, then headed to a nearby park to see the Christmas lights and displays.  By the time we got there it was raining hard and they had turned the lights off.  So we sat in the parking lot, ate our dinner while listening to the rain, the went home.  We will try again another night.  Today we attended Tarlac 1st Ward, a large and well run ward so different from Burgos and Dapdap branches.  But we enjoy attending all three of them and have dear friends in each unit.

Well that's about it from here.  We leave you with 3 Nephi 1:13: "Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfill all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets."  His promises are sure!

Maligayang Pasko!
Elder and Sister Whiting

Jeepney of the Week - Italian Tourister

A few of the many nativites found throughout the city of Tarlac.

Expect the Unexpected

It has been an interesting week in so many ways. Last Monday we and President and Sister Clark were invited to a belated Thanksgiving dinner hosted by the Angeles District.  Their district leader, Elder Teasdale,  found a turkey and a ham  and wanted to treat us to dinner.  We weren't sure what to expect as he made numerous phone calls to Sister Clark on Monday morning asking how long it took to thaw and cook a turkey. Also since they didn't have an oven in their apartment, they still weren't sure how they were going to cook it.  They ended up cooking it in a member's bread oven.  We were quite nervous that we would be offered raw turkey, and we were not sure what else to expect.  After all, these are 18-21 year old young men!

We got there before the turkey, and visited with the other district members until the meat showed up.  As they unveiled the meal, we were pleasantly surprised.  The turkey and ham were thoroughly cooked, the side dishes, including mashed potatoes and carmeled carrots were delicous.  There were rolls and Kimchi rice, and Sister Clark brought the pie.  It all was quite delicious and we didn't get sick either!  We appreciated their efforts on our behalf.

Wednesday night, Sister Whiting ended up going to the hospital to check on a sister missionary who went to the emergency room with stomach pains.  It ended up being hyperacidity and Sister Whiting took her back to her home around 10:30 pm with the conclusion that this sister has zero pain tolerance!

Friday, the assistants had a baptism for two women which we were invited to attend. We ended up as last minute speakers, as the scheduled speakers didn't show up. Elder Whiting talked about baptism and Sister Whiting talked about the gift of the Holy Ghost.  Thank heavens for the "True to the Faith" book!  The articles in that book make a quite nice last minute talk.

That evening, the mission hosted all of the stake and district presidents and their wives for dinner and a Christmas program at the mission home.  We had a wonderful choir of missionaries, and each of the senior couples had a part on the program.  It really was a lovely evening. And, as usual, the meal was delicious.  The mission home has the best cook in the Philippines!

Today, we attended the Burgos Branch and were a little late getting there.  As we arrived, we saw that there was a road widening project right in front of the church and the driveway was completely blocked off.  We parked on the other side of the road and made our way through the workers into the church just as they started pouring concrete.  By the time church was over, the concrete was poured and they were doing the finish work.  We wondered how we would get out.  The workers kindly laid a 2x4 plank across the new concrete for us to walk across as if on a tightrope.  Only in the Philippines!

We conclude our post today with this:  We testify that the great Creator condescended to be born in a manger.  That He lived, He atoned, and died for us, and that He lives today.  Thanks be to God for the matchless gift onf His Son.

Mahal Kita,
Elder and Sister Whiting

Jeepney of the Week

Thanksgiving with the Angeles District

The ham and turkey were cooked!

Missionary Choir with President and Sister Clark

Elder and Sister Whiting with President and Sister Espinosa of the Tarlac Stake

Cement trucks and carabao in Burgos

A timely road project

Some nativities in the Philippines