Malacanang Palace

For a Senior Missionary outing this month we went on a tour of Malacanang Palace, which is the Presidential Palace of the Philippines.

 We started out meeting for lunch at Max's Chicken Restaurant, outside the palace gate.  We were waiting for our tour time and for all the couples to arrive.  This is Sister Rogers, Bremner, and Swift.  The Bremners are new here in the mission.  They live just down the street from us in Baliwag and are from Canada.

 The front of Malacanang Palace as we started the tour.

 Inside the palace was the presidential library.

 Nice wood work and elaborate molding designs.

 This is our tour guide who was very knowledgeable and funny.  She made the tour extra interesting.  This is the famous balcony where Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos gave their defiant last address to the Filipino people before fleeing the country to go into exile.

 A conference room where the chief ministers used to meet.

 Sister Swift and I on a marbled walkway.

Afterwards we went over to the Mission home and had a pizza party.  Bertins, Harringtons, Bremners, Swifts, Broadheads, Rogers.

 On Saturday we had a youth activity.  They build a big fire in the vacant lot next door and burned all the extra books and papers from cleaning out the library and file cabinets.  Then they roasted marshmallows.

Some had never heard of smores before but definitely liked the idea. Some of the youth already knew about them.

The next day I got sick and have been in bed most of the week.  Sister Swift had been sick a few days earlier, but she recovered quicker.  I even had to get x-rays and they said I have pneumonia.

Then on Saturday we had the baptism of Joshua Narbato (third from left) by Micoh one of the Priest in the branch.  The missionaries are Rasmussen, Arcayos, Jucutan, and Pelinggon.

Road Trip

We went for a drive with the Rogers.

 This is a lookout point over a small Philippine town in the rolling hills.

 A farm growing beans and kamote.

Rice fields.  Beautiful shades of green.

 A river that ran through the town.

 The smallest library in the world.

 Down in the river we saw children swimming while their Mom does laundry.

 Who needs a washing machine when you live by a river.

 Motorcycles and cars have to share the road with goats and other livestock.

 A cute baby goat with its mother.

 This is called the heart of the bananna tree.  We heard they eat it too.

 Going for a ride with Daddy.  At least one of them has a helmet.

 On Saturday we had a triple baptism.  Elders Arcayos and Jutuhan baptized John Mark Lopez and John Kevin Lopez from their area and Elders Pelinggon and Rasmussen baptized Ladilyn Vinas from their area.

 On Monday the missionaries in our zone had an activity.  We played Philippine games.  In this one you have two teams and you try to run past the other team, who can only move sideways, without getting touched.

In this game they protect their base and run back and forth trying to capture each other or the other teams base.  We played in the first game but not this one.

Early Christmas

Maligayang Pasko O Merry Christmas

The Christmas season in the Philippines begins September 1st. Any month ending in "ber" is a Christmas month. The mall is playing Christmas music and I have heard people say "Merry Christmas".  Below are pictures of displays in a couple of stores and also some outdoor Christmas lights for sale.  I actually bought and put up a couple of decorations on the outside of the house already. I think we are the first in our neighborhood!!

 Elder Swift is getting in the Christmas spirit.

                      

Joyce is a young women in our branch and here she is reading her mission call.  She will be serving in the Philippines Naga Mission.

We have been living in the Philippines for just over a year now. I didn't really know what to expect on a mission, but this has been a wonderful experience.  Living in another country and being part of the San Ildefonso Branch is great.  It is so enjoyable, we feel that we are helping the branch grow stronger and making new friends at the same time.  Everything is more fun in the Philippines.

We saw a funeral while we were driving one day.  This funeral had a band and a horse drawn hearse.  Following the hearse were friends and family members walking along.  They walk behind the hearse to the cemetery.  It doesn't matter if it is a small street or the main highway.

Merry Christmas!!!!!!

Beautiful people and beautiful scenery

We did a lot of driving around the Bulacan this week.

 We often see these anti-criminality check points.  'Anti-criminality' strikes me as funny.  The police set up road blocks and stop the motorcycles and I believe they cite them if they don't have licenses, or aren't wearing helmets or shoes.

We went on a hike out at the reservoir by Angat Dam.  Here's a boy fishing.    To me every day I've been here so far has been hot and humid, with no exceptions. (Sister Swift: I like the warm days except when there is high humidity.  I will really miss the nice weather when we leave here.  It is nice all year round and I never have to wear a sweater, jacket or coat.)

 Some of the local children.  They love to pose for pictures and giggle when you show it to them on the camera.  These children kept following us down the sidewalk wanting to do high-fives and have their picture taken, until finally some of their parents caught up with them and called them back.

 This is a Filipino family we saw out for a swim.

 I found this little frog at our house outside the back door.  This shows how small he is.

 Here's a close up.  He's quite cute.

 We went to a birthday party at the home of one of the members.  This is Ferdinand, a new convert in our ward.  They love to sing videoaoke.  Little Julieanne loved sitting on Sister Swift's lap.

 Here is Joyce in the middle who turned 19, with her parents Gina and Wilson.

 Jillian (four) singing karaoke.

 We went for a drive one day and took back roads home from San Ildefonso.  It took two hours but we saw some interesting sights and got on some pretty narrow roads and even some muddy dirt roads.  Most of the roads were concrete.

 One of their majestic white cows.

 Beautiful scenery.

A farmer plowing the rice field.  Not all of them use water buffalo.

Primary Program and Transfers

Our District had a Primary Anniversary Roadshow.  We went to watch the children from our Branch and support the Primary.  The children had a really good time.

 This is Jethro and John Paul in front of the train and Erin in the back.  Sister Pricella is watching.

 Saying hello to a new missionary.  John Clyde with Erica and Eula and B-Boy in the boat.

 Two good buddies, John Clyde and John Paul.

  Here is a picture of the San Ildefonso missionaries.  Starting on the left, Elder Pelinggon from the Philippines, Elder Arcayos from the Philippines, me, Sister Swift, Elder Dizon from the Philippines who is being transferred, and Edler Uele from New Zealand who is finishing his mission.  We really liked getting to know and work with Elders Dizon and Uele.  They are great missionaries.

This is the entire Baliwag Zone, two senior couples, two sister companionships and seven elder companionships.