Adios Amigos!

Dear Kids,

Can we just say we love you so much! Love you, your spouses, your kids!  Thanks SO much for supporting us on this mission. We think together we all have been doing our part to 'Hasten the Work'.  I guess our next and last post will be from the hotel in Clark next Sunday - our mission over- headed for Hong Kong, then home.

Happy/sad. We're feeling tonight kinda like we used to feel after spending the weekend with family, then heading back to college.  We still remember as the wheels of the aircraft left the ground in Thailand, tears streaming down Deanna's face. We remember saying goodbye to a little boy outside Moron and drinking Mate' with a family inside the 'Death Star' in Argentina.

As we continue to say our goodbyes this week I'm sure there will be more tears. But first, we still have sooo much to do. We've started another busy transfer week, with gathering departing missionaries - our "batch" -  departing workshop, new arrivals orientations, etc.  We think we literally will fall onto the airplane exhausted.

Wednesday, after an arduous, 3 hour early morning drive with two missionaries to the Manila MRC, we attended the Manila Temple - we were the witness couple on an endowment session (it was way cool that Sister Cindy Antonio, a former Angeles missionary was in the session with us); then were asked to do a sealing session.  A great experience.

Today we took the Richards' to Dapdap to church (we will miss those saints a LOT) and stopped at the Capas Bataan Death March Memorials on the way back. Then picked up a departing sister missionary in Lapaz.

We've been reading in Alma. We leave you with Alma 29:1 'O that I were an angel ...'

Mahal Kita,
Elder and Sister Whiting

Jeepney of the Week

The Beautiful Manila Temple

A good day

Temple Selfie

One of the many security guards found in every store

Goodbye photo with Brother Cons Farrales of Church IT.  He kept our computers going.

We got to know him pretty well.

Rockin' and Rollin'

We are coming to the end of the road in the mission.  A couple more posts and that's it!  But before then, there is still sooo much to do....

We have been pushing Elder and Sister Richards hard this past week training them in everything they will do.  They are doing very well, and holding up nicely to the work, the strange culture and the jet lag.  We will leave the mission in good hands.

The highlight of the week was our senior couple trip to Corregidor Island, which was the focal point for many WWII battles--the defense, the fall, and the retaking of the Philippines from the Japanese; and the site of General MacArthur's famous, "I shall return" declaration.  It was so fascinating to hear the history and see first hand the places we have read about.

We drove two hours down the Bataan Peninsula--site of the infamous Bataan Death March--to Manila Bay.  There we boarded a wooden outrigger boat for the two mile journey to the island.  It was very windy and quite a ride over.  The ocean swells reminded us of tour boat wakes on Lake Powell, only they were never ending.  We think the Richards'--still jet lagged and culture shocked--wondered what we had gotten them into! But they were great sports.

We spent the day with a great tour guide seeing all of the sites and learning the history of the island.  We could have spent much more time there; it was so interesting.  We had a picnic lunch on the beach--although it was very windy by then--then headed back to our boat for the return trip across the bay; only to learn that the Coast Guard had suspended travel because of dangerous conditions. Our guide told us there was a possibility we would have to stay the night on the island. Oh. No.

Senior couples, with permission from the mission president, can leave the mission boundaries, but it cannot be for an overnight stay.   What were we going to do?  We and a group of American Protestants, who were also on the tour, said a lot of vocal and silent prayers that the wind would calm and we could leave.  None of us had anything for overnight, and there were no accomodations on the island except for a couple of hammocks.  If the wind didn't cease by 5 pm, we were stuck.  By about 4 pm we got the okay to leave and we hurried onto the boat before they changed their minds. (we had boarded the boat once before only to be hustled back off)  We didn't notice much difference in the wind, but we were not going to question the decision.

The ride back was crazy! Like riding Splash Mountain 100 times in a row!  It was very windy with 10 foot swells that we would ride to the top and plunge down into the trench.  We decided to pretend we were riding Splash Mountain and held our hands in the air as we slid down the swells, praying silently all the while.  But we made it to the other side--salt water soaked and windblown--but home safely, and within the rules!  Prayers are answered!

The rest of the week was spent in training, with early mornings and late nights. Yesterday and today was stake conference, and we greeted many of our dear Filipino friends probably for the last time.  It was a bittersweet day.

We leave you this evening with the first part of Alma 28:14--"And thus we see the great call of diligence of men to labor in the vineyard of the Lord."

Mahal Kita,
Elder and Sister Whiting

Jeepney of the Week

Ready for our adventure. Back to front: Elder and Sister Spung,
 Elder and Sister Richards, Sister Dansie's back, Sister Whiting.

The garbage ...

Just don't fall in!

L-R: Elder and Sister Pugh, Elder and sister Whiting, Sister and Elder Dansie,
Sister and Elder Spung, Sister and Elder Richards.

Bomb damages lateral tunnel within the Malinta Tunnel.

Malinta Tunnel lateral.

Malinta Tunnel

Elder and Sister Whiting

Elder Spung and Elder Whiting

Riflings in one of the big guns.

The guns date back to the 1800's when ariel warfare hadn't yet been invented.
They were ineffective during ariel attacks, as they were designed to defend an attack by sea.

Bomb crater on the left, BIG gun on the right, Sister Whiting in the middle.

Bomb crater

Bomb damaged barracks

Elder Whiting and a big shell.

Sister Whiting and a bigger shell.

Shrapnel

A piece of concrete shrapnel embedded in this tree after all of these years.

The lighthouse dates back to the Spanish occupation of the Philippines.
 It was destroyed during the war, then rebuilt.

A windy lunch. Clockwise from Sister Whiting: Elder Whiting, Sister and Elder Richards,
Elder and Sister Pugh, Elder and Sister Spung, Sister Dansie.
Elder Dansie took the photo.

Manila Bay

The Richards' and the Pugh's waiting for the green light to cross the bay.

Sister and Elder Whiting and Sisters Dansie and Spung wait as well.

Sister Whiting and Sister Dansie

The wet and windblown look.

Elder Whiting is soaked with salt water.

Crazy crew member!

Riding the swells.

Safe and sound and soaked!  L-R: Elder and Sister Dansie, Sister Spung, Sister Pugh,
Elder S;pung, Sister Whiting, Elder Richards, Sister Richards, Elder Pugh, Elder Whiting

Welcome Aboard the Freight Train With No Brakes

It's been another whirlwind week jam packed with all kinds of experiences and events. First and foremost was welcoming Elder and Sister Richards to the mission on Wednesday. It fell to us to welcome them as President and Sister Clark were at zone conference in Cabanatuan. The Richards' are happy to be here and dealing quite well to the time change and culture shock. We gave them a brief tour of the mission office, took them to dinner, then took them to their little home.  They seemed delighted with it and were happy to be "home".

Next day, we picked them up and, as the title implies, threw them right into mission life.  It was zone conference session #2, so they got to meet many of the missionaries and participate in the events.  We presented our powerpoint on fitness that we mentioned last week, and it went really well.  Hopefully we were able to motivate the elders and sisters to exercise each morning. Thursday evening we had dinner at the mission home and introduced Elder and Sister Richards to Elder and Sister Pugh and Gus and Mila Lancanlale.  Jet lag hit them pretty hard at that time, so we cut the evening a little short and took them home.

Next morning, we were at their house bright and early and drove them to Muñoz to the third session of zone conference. They met more missionaries, we did our presentation again, then we headed back to Tarlac, stopping to see a sisters' apartment on the way.  We took them  grocery shopping and then home to let them finish unpacking and to rest some more.

Saturday morning, Sister Whiting woke up ill, but we went to the office anyway and learned that Elder Richards was ill as well. We spent just a couple of hours at the office before we had had enough; then went home where Sister Whiting slept the rest of the day.  As it turned out, it was an especially quick acting flu bug that hit the mission hard.  All total, 77 missionaries were sick on Saturday, including Elder and Sister Pugh, AND President and Sister Clark. The Clark's were traveling and Sister Clark was so ill, she stayed at the hotel while President Clark battled through his illness to attend his meetings, then he too crashed and slept it off.  We didn't expect that gathering for zone conference would make so many of us ill!  Today we are all feeling much better.

We attended church today in Burgos--most likely our last trip out there--then went to the office to finish up what we didn't get done yesterday. This evening, we attended a great baptismal service of a woman who was thrilled to become a member of the church. It's been a pretty good day and week in spite of the flu.

We leave you with these words from the Prophet Joseph Smith:

"The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, 'til it has pentrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every nation, and sounded in every ear, '

til the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done."

Mahal Kita,
Elder and Sister Whiting

Jeepney of the Week

Zone Conference Luncheon--clockwise, L-R: Sister Pugh, Elder and Sister Richards,
Sister and President Clark, President Garcia (caterer and counselor in the Stake Presidency),
Elder and Sister Dansie, Elder Whiting. Not pictured, Elder Pugh and Sister Whiting

Dinner at the Mission Home. L-R: Elder and Sister Whiting Sister and President Clark,
Sister and Elder Pugh, Elder and Sister Richards, Gus and Mila Lacanlale

Elder Alldredge with Elder and Sister Richards.
The Richards' worked with his grandfather in the temple.

That's a lot of rice!

Pedicab complete with umbrella shade.

So long Burgos Branch!

Burgers and Pizza and Fries, Oh My!

Just when we thought things couldn't get more hectic, they do.  We don't even have an opportunity to get "trunky", we're too busy!

Monday, we stayed late at the office to help with the new leader training meeting. Since most of the missionaries  who attend have traveled  quite a distance, the mission feeds them (and us) pizza when they arrive.  Tuesday, we drove an hour and a half north to San Jose to get a needed signature from a missionary. It was a total of 3 hours of driving for the 30 seconds it took to get the signature.  But it was needed in Manila, so we got it in the mail later that day.  It was a beautiful morning, and the traffic wasn't too bad, so it was all okay; just part of the job.  We had McDonalds for lunch, worked late, and had McDonalds again for dinner.

On Thursday, with the help of Elder and Sister Pugh and the office elders, we moved furniture into the senior couple house, then took them all out for pizza. We worked late getting things organized in the house and had McDonalds for dinner.

On Friday, we again drove to San Jose where we met President and Sister Clark, Elder and Sister Spung, and the rest of the mission presidency for dinner. There is a new counselor in the presidency, and this was a "get to know you" gathering.  President Clark relies heavily on his counselors to ease the burden of running a large mission and presiding over four districts.

Yesterday we had errands to run at the mall, so we ate at Burger King.  Last night was another late night in the office and another trip through the McDonalds drive thru. So you can see with our busy week we ate a very unhealthy diet.

Today we went to Dapdap to church--we hope to go one more time before we leave.  Those people are dear to our hearts. This afternoon, we put together a powerpoint presentation for zone conference next week.  The topic is the 30 minutes of exercise the missionaries are supposed to be doing.  Many of them don't do it for various reasons; one being they don't know how to exercise.  So our presentation gives them ideas on how to exercise and will hopefully get them to understand the importance of exercise so they are motivated to do it.  After so much pizza, burgers, and fries last week, we'd better follow our own advice!

We leave you (and us) with this health reminder from the Doctrine and Covenants:

"All saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their naval and marrow to their bones; and shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures; and shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint." --Doctrine and Covenants 89:18-20--

Mahal Kita,
Elder and Sister Whiting

Jeepney of the Week

Early morning sun on the newly planted rice.

Rice fields as far as the eye can see.

How many Filipinos can fit on a trike?

Filipinos carry heavy loads on their heads.

Pretty in pink!

Dinner with the Angeles Mission Presidency.  Clockwise left to right: Sister and President Cruz, President and Sister Clark, Sister and Elder Spung, Elder and Sister Whiting, Sister and President Tabelisma