Week 22--November 21-28, 2015

Thanksgiving was celebrated on Friday, November 27.

Sister Swift, Sister Broadhead, Sister Jones, Sister Rogers, and Elder Broadhead enjoy some munchies and visiting while waiting for the turkey to get done cooking.

Elder Broadhead, Sister Swift, and Sister Brady enjoy a visit with each other.

Elder Swift is trying to help Elder Brady and Elder Rogers with some phones issues.

Sister Bertin with the turkey fresh from the oven. Just need to check the thermometer to make sure it is done.

 Our plates are loaded and we are ready to savor the wonderful dishes prepared by all.

 After dinner it was game time for those who wanted to play or just visiting. Sister Rogers, Elder Rogers, Sister Jones, and Elder Brady are intense as they play Racko. Elder Jones and Sister Brady look on. We were playing Five Crowns on the other end of the table.







The day concluded with a group photo. Front row: Elder and Sister Brady, Sister and Elder Rogers,
Row 2: Elder and Sister Broadhead, Sister And Elder Swift, Sister and President Bertin. Back row: Sister and Elder Harrington and Elder and Sister Jones.

 

We have been asked to give a Family History presentation at the Christmas Conference to encourage the missionaries to use family history as a tool for proselyting, reactivating and retaining members.

We have gone through the presentation we used in Hong Kong and will use it with some modifications suggested by President Bertin after viewing it. 

Tom is working on a new task of ordering checks to pay rents on the apartments we lease--a total of 68. This has to be done quarterly. There is a lot of work that goes into each rental. Not only does the check need to be requested, but a tax form has to be filled out and envelopes created to put the paper work and check in that then has to be delivered to the landlord. With some many new apartments it has been extra challenging. There is never a lack of things to do. One project is finished and a new one is ready to be started. 

Week 21--November 15-20, 2015

Some days the sky is clear and you can see for miles. This view is from the fifth floor stairway breeze way of our apartment building. We're not sure if this is a view of Quezon City or Manila.







We have fallen into a routine of going to the office at 8 AM and returning home at 6 or 7 PM. Each day brings new opportunities and challenges. We have often felt the influence of the Holy Ghost as we take care of our responsibilities.

We were happy to hear of the party that was held to celebrate Roy's  90th birthday Garnalee's brother). We would like to have been there but we believe our mission call is also a blessing. As we read about the party we thought of Lehi, from the Book of Mormon, and how he gathered his children and grandchildren to give them advise and a blessing in the later years of his life. We are thankful for family and our knowledge of eternal families.

We want to wish all of our family and friends a Happy Thanksgiving.

Week 20--November 8-14, 2015

One of the views of the headstones at the cemetery.

 On Monday, November 9, all the senior couple missionaries went to the Manila American Cemetery. With a total of 17,206 graves, it has the largest number of graves of any cemetery for U.S. personnel killed during World War II and holds war dead from the Philippines and other allied nations.

The gardeners were busy manicuring the grounds for the Veterans' Day Ceremony that will held on Wednesday.
Tom and Garnalee at the cemetery.

A close up view of the circular design of the cemetery. 

 All the couples gathered for a picture together.
L to R: Elder and Sister Jones, Elder and Sister Rogers, Elder and Sister Brady, Elder and Sister Swift, Elder and Sister Broadhead, and Elder and Sister Harrington.

 Tom standing next one of the many walls listing all of the soldiers who have been identified. As we wandered reading some of the names we found Harringtons , Carringtons, and McBrides listed. But no relatives that we could identify.

One of the most beautiful places we have seen in the Philippines.

As we read the wall plaques giving information about the battles to retake the Philippines and other island nations back from the Japanese we came to one showing the supply routes during World War II.  Garnalee thought about her brother Roy who was in the Navy and told about traveling many of the supply routes in his autobiography.

 Typical of many of the homes in the Philippines. Construction was started and never finished so the people live in the buildings the way they are--no windows or complete walls.

Not much distance between the buildings.

 We had to go into this neighborhood on Saturday, November 14, to get a signature on a form. There was only room for our car on the street. We had to turn around because the road dead ended. That was tricky.




Our senior activity started at the Manila American Women's Bazaar. It took us 4 1/2 hours to go 30 miles. The road was a parking lot in many places. Purchase at the bazaar were hand made wood bowls and Christmas ornaments for the grandchildren. Home was a little faster but not much.

The first "Power Scrub" of the missionaries apartments from 7-11 AM was held on Wednesday, November 11. The missionaries were to do a deep clean of their apartment--washing walls, cleaning the bathroom, kitchen, bedrooms, and mopping the floors. They were to get rid of unused items and old food. Many of the missionaries were living in some pretty dirty apartments. The hope is that with clean apartments the missionaries will be healthier. Now the chore is to have them do cleaning on a regular basis to maintain what they have done.

It has been a busy week for Garnalee, She had to prepare letters to stake presidents informing them of the release of  a missionary from their stake along with release certificates for the December batch of missionaries. The December batch also needed to receive emails with their travel itineraries for travel home along with exit day activities. The bishop of each missionary is also sent a letter along with the travel itinerary of the missionary from his ward. Baptism records needed to entered into the Chruch's Data Entry System. Sort the mail that came in from the zones that had mail run this week. Then there was mail run orders to put together for three zones for next week. Then there was the job of creating and sending out letters to the bishops of the new converts from last Saturday. Ended the week with the weekly office meeting.

Tom's week: with the the influx of 15 additional missionaries Tom has been busy arranging for new apartments.  That is in addition to his already busy financial responsibilities for the mission.  Most of the new arrivals could be housed in residences that could accommodate four missionaries where there were only two.  Elder Broadhead is charged with setting up the new apartments when the lease is signed.  It's pretty hectic.  "My favorite part of the week was going to the Manila War Cemetery.  It is possibly the most beautiful spot in the Philippines."

Week 19--November 2-7, 2015

Tuesday, November 3, was Exit Day for 14 missionaries. They spend the day at the Mission Home doing several activities and have dinner before being taken to the hotel for flights home the next day.

Elders Manangan and Gonzalez are two of the skinniest exiting missionaries. We wonder how they stay so skinny the way they have loaded their plates.

Batch missionaries enjoying a final meal together before they all head to their various home countries of Pakistan, Canada, United States, Australia, Tonga, and various parts of the Philippines.

 They are all smiles.

President Bertin  scoops up the ice cream to go with the peanut butter cookies. The highlight of the day is the testimony meeting that is held after the dinner is completed.

Wednesday, November 4, saw the arrival of 28 new missionaries. The new missionaries are lined up ready to find out who their trainer will be. They are all nervous in anticipation!

With the arrival of these 28, one fourth of our missionaries have been in the field for six weeks or less.

The trainers are ready to take the trainees (new missionaries) under their wings and get them started at being a missionary.

 Sometimes the size difference can be amazing. Elder Sajulga will be well protected by Elder Synder.

 The new missionaries pose one last time as a group before heading into the field to share the Gospel.

The Primary children from the LaMesa Ward. They presented the Primary program on Sunday, November 8. The theme for this year's program was "I Know My Savior Loves Me."








Sunday, November 1, was "All Saints Day" in the Philippines. The missionaries had a 6 pm curfew because this is a big party day.

Our days are full and long. We never lack for something to do and we never leave before 6 PM or 7 PM arriving at 8:30 AM.

Tom was gone all day on Friday, November 6, getting a lease signed and looking at a new apartment. Being away from the office means he can't do any of the financial items that need his attention.

Saturday was the usual P-Day chores. We did take time out to go see the new James Bond movie, "Spectre," and dinner out. While we were attending the movie we paid to have the car washed in the parking lot of the mall. That is a common practice here. The cost was $3.89, and it looked wonderful when we came back.

Tom harvested the first three cucumbers on Saturday morning. They are very good and just the perfect size. 

Week 18--October 25-31

This guy was on the fence around our washing cage. Garnalee thought is was a leaf but when she touched it flew away. It scared her to death! She was fascinated by its resemblence to a leaf and the length of the antennae.  

 The November batch of exiting missionaries after completing their Career Workshop. They proudly display their certificates. The missionaries learn about going to school, entering the workforce, resumes, and interviewing.

On Friday, October 30, Garnalee and Tom spent the morning at the Young Single Adult Conference in Baliuag. We talked about the blessings that come through doing family history, and had them share stories of one of their ancestors. We wanted to have their hearts turned to their fathers. We played Musical Chairs in which the one left standing had to share his or her story with the group. We didn't understand the stories but many of them spoke of Lolo (Grandfather) or Lola (Grandmother). We then invited them to accept the challenge given by Elder Neil Anderson at the Roots Tech Conference in February 2015. He invited the youth of the Church to find a name, take that name to the temple, and then help someone else do the same. Here is one of our groups as we paused the music and the one left standing is sharing his ancestor's story.

The young single adults gather for lunch after a morning of workshops on Family History, Strengthening Testimony, and Dating and Marriage.

Another group of young single adults pose for a picture.

Tom, Elder and Sister Rogers, and Sister and Elder Swift enjoy a delicious lunch.

Sister and Elder Jones and Elder and Sister Brady were all smiles.










This week we discovered little cucumbers on the cucumber plants. Hopefully we will have some nice sized cucumbers by Thanksgiving.

It has been our usual busy week. Tom works on finances, missionary support, apartments, and leases. Garnalee works on entering baptism records, travel for missionaries, letters to new converts from the mission president, and referrals. This next week is transfer week so Garnalee also had letters to send out to missionaries and their parents about leadership changes and new trainers. Plus Garnalee has packets to prepare for exiting missionaries.