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