Dec. 11 2011

The greeting here in the Philippines is "Merry Christmas" So Merry Christmas to everyone.
We received a package from Karen. We love receiving mail and packages, it is just so expensive to mail any thing here. Then when the package arrives we have to pay 40 pecos to get it. Here is  Elder DeGrange in his new tie that came in the package from Karen and family.

  We taught a Career Workshop, the first week in December. We enjoy working with those young men and women  who have completed their missions and headed home to continue on with life.

Pres. Bliesner, Elders Rafol, De la Pena, Bahian,  Betala, Bautista, Sisters DeGuzman, Saua, Go, Elders Oickle, and Mitchell. Elder and Sister DeGrange

   District Employment Committee training in Iriga.This was our first time in Iriga . We taught about LDS Jobs and how to sign up. JR , the young man in the jeans, is the committee chair.He is very excited about his calling.

        This building was just completed and they held there first meeting on Nov. 27. They have been meeting in the Cananman building which is where we attend church.We attended Sacrament meeting on the 27th in the new building. The building had been without power since Saturday.  It was very hot inside. The chapel is the same design as the one in Horseshoe Bend, Idaho. The branch president welcomed everyone and announced the opening hymn. The chorister raised her arm to start the singing and the power came on! The pianist hurried up to the electronic piano and began the music. Just a tiny miracle, the fans came on and we enjoyed the meeting.

 Street vendors are everywhere. This one was outside the Sutherland recruitment center. He is molding rice and putting something in the middle and put the two molds together and it is ready to eat.

 Sutherland Global Services testing center.The ERC partnered with them for a job fair.

 This young man is one of the employees and was very helpful to us, every time we came in to the Center.

Elder and Sister DeGrange with Faye Encisco, our contact at Sutherland. We enjoyed getting to know her. There were about 12 members that applied for jobs that day and 7 of them passed all the tests. Usually about 20% is all that pass the exams. They have to have computer skills and be able to speak English. They then have 3 weeks of training and them they are ready to start taking calls from the U.S. Sutherland is a business outsourcing center.The CamSur location has contracts with H&R Block, Turbo Tax. The big push for hiring is because they are gearing up for the US tax season. They also have the contract with Petco. If you ever have an opportunity to call for help from those businesses. You can ask it they live in Naga.

   Our Christmas Tree. Brightens up the fridge and does the job for this year.

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Pres. Bliesner purchased several of these hand carved Nativities from a member in Pili. He had a couple of extras so we were able to get one. It is very rustic and helps us to focus on the reason we celebrate Christmas. Children in the neighborhood have started coming around and caroling and of course they need something for the music. We put together some bags of candy and we had 52 tonight. They may not Trick or Treat on Halloween but they are making up for it at Christmas. Some of them had really practiced with tamborines, and can drums and the sing several songs in Tagalog and end up with We wish you a Merry Christmas and Jingle Bells in English. They are quite polite and most say thank you po.

Last Wednesday we spent the night in Lagazpi so we could attend the couples night party that was held at the airport restaurant. We stayed at the Venezia a bit expensive but they have  the best beds. Elder DeGrange was  enjoying himself.

There was a good turnout to the party even tho it had rained all day and there was flooding everywhere.We had a good time and enjoyed the filapino food. Some of the food was a first time taste for us and it was all good.