August 26, 2012

Aug. 20 and 21 were holidays which meant the Church was closed. On Tuesday we drove to Tabaco, which is almost as far as Legazpi so we could do some shopping in the public market there. I have wanted a woven pointed hat that the native farmers wear. Larry has wanted to buy a knife. The market is so big with so much stuff. We wandered down several aisles and finally found the hat that I had seen earlier. It is woven like a basket with different colored reeds.

Larry looked at lots of knives and finally found one that will fit in the suitcase. The knives are made in Tabaco and are used for everything from cutting grass, pruning trees and digging in the garden. It is a very useful tool. The Miskins ,the couple severing in Tabaco, joined us for lunch. We enjoyed visiting with them and then it was time to head back home.

Friday, we were in Legazpi. We had the English class in the afternoon and 5 attended.  We attended the birthday party for Sister China that evening.  She must have cooked all day. There was so much food. People would just drop in and eat and leave. We enjoyed being a part of her birthday celebration. She is a member of our ward.

            Sister China with Elder and Sister DeGrange

            Rice, Chicken Adobo with new corn and noodles

 Taco fillings chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, cole slaw, ground beef, cheese with the homemade taco shells pictured below. They were soooo good. Larry didn't care for them because of the cucumbers.

     Sister China, DeGranges, Sister and Brother Evangelista (back by the mirror)

Saturday was a Missionary Meeting in Legazpi. The Zone Leaders in Naga asked us for a ride. We had a delightful ride with Elder Bacera from California and Elder Catalan from Manila. The special meeting was with Elder Cook, Elder Callister and Elder Ardern and their wife’s. It was a pretty impressive group. The meeting was a spiritual feast. Elder Cook gave an apostolic blessing and part of it was that our families would be blessed by our serving a mission. That is a wonderful promise. We took the Elders to eat at Jollibee’s and when we got back to Naga to Shakeys. It was a wonderfully full day.

Sunday was a special conference for three stakes. Elder Cook was in Legazpi. Elder Ardern was in Goa and Elder Callister was in Naga. We arrived an hour early and the chapel was almost full. Elder and Sister Campbell were already there and had a seat saved for us. Again, we were filled spiritually. Those that are called as special witnesses for Christ surely make the scriptures live and help us to see just how they apply to us. I took lots of notes on both days, now if I can just read them.  We were invited to lunch at the mission home and had a physical feast. We were truly filled in every way. We enjoyed just visiting with the Callister’s and Ardern’s and hearing of their experiences as mission presidents and as members of the Seventy. Then it was off to Manila for them and a fireside that night. They really have a rigorous schedule. I am tired after two days of meetings.

We now have 5 weeks remaining and have all the flight schedules. Now to keep busy for these last few weeks.

The Philippines Sec. of State, Jesse Roberto was killed in an airplane crash. He had been the mayor of Naga for several years. His body was in the Catholic Church for the community to pay their respects. This was on a Friday and it took us an hour to get out of Naga. There were police every where and blocked roads and traffic jams. The streets were lined with people all the way to the airport along with the police on both sides of the road. The funeral was on Tuesday. Again the police lined the road to the airport. He was reportly one of the few honest men in the government

 The road lines are painted by hand with a can of paint and a brush. It is amazing to me how straight they can paint the lines.

Larry decided that he would get a tailored suit while he was her. We went to Marantz's and he was measured everywhere and we came back in a month and here he is in the new suit.

The man in the back is who measured and then made the pattern just to the measurements. The lady showed us all the fabric and is the official greeter. There were so many choices. Doesn't he look good?
The girls are getting the suit ready for us to take. We enjoyed the experience and everyone was so very nice.

Saturday we were to have a Career Workshop. The cleaning crew of three were already there doing their job. They were a little short handed so it called for a broom in each hand. They had the floor swept very quickly.
As for our class, no one showed up - so we had a free Saturday.

This post was ready a couple of weeks ago and our HP computer decided it had enough and quit working. The computer shop said it was the mother board and that is very expensive. Everyone said it would be best to just get a new one which we did. The challenge came from loading most everything on a new one and relearning how to do things on a new one. It is up and working and the pictures are even here but it has been a challenging couple of weeks for us.