Week 80--January 1-8, 2017

The week has been a week of lasts and time spent transitioning the office over to Elder and Sister Dickson. We gave them our phone numbers so our phones are quiet now.  We attended our last Weekly Office Meeting on Friday. We attended the La Mesa Ward for the last time which was a bittersweet day. Some of the sisters offered to come and help Garnalee clean.

Elder Dickson is hard at work filing papers into the apartment folders.

Garnalee is helping Sister Dickson complete one of the many tasks she is now responsible for.

 On Monday, January 2, all of the senior couples and President and Sister Bertin gathered to wish us good-bye. Lots of memories and love were shared as we sat around the table. The friends we have made here will be in our hearts forever. We hope we will have opportunities to see each of the them in the future.
Left to right: Sister Dickson, Elder Dickson, Elder Bremner, Sister Bremner, Garnalee, Tom, Sister Bertin, Elder Swift, Sister Swift, Sister Broadhead, Elder Broadhead.

President and Sister Bertin had the going away banner created for us with pictures from our time together both here in the Philippines and in Hong Kong.
 Front row: Sister Bremner, Sister Dickson, Sister Broadhead, Sister Swift, Sister Bertin.
Second, row: President Bertin, Elder Bremner, Elder Dickson, Elder Broadhead, Elder Swift.
Back row: Garnalee and Tom

A customary gift from President and Sister Bertin to the departing senior couple is a special apron. Garnalee and Tom modeling their new aprons with the wish that we have lots of outdoor cookouts.

The Primary children and leaders gather for a final picture with Garnalee.

Some of the La Mesa ward members we have grown to love.

Left to right: Sister Ceralde, Sister Almaras, Sister Pacioles, Brother and Sister Martinez, Garnalee, Tom, and Sister and Brother Amorsolo.




Tom taught his last Sunday School lesson on January 1. Next week is Ward Conference so the Stake Sunday School will teach the lesson.

We are trying to get our cupboards and refrigerator empty so we are being creative in our meal plans with peanut butter sandwiches being our most common lunch.

On Tuesday, January 3, we celebrated our wedding anniversary. We have had 14 wonderful years with many experiences and memories.

On Saturday we spent the day doing the last of the cleaning of our apartment and sorting clothes to give away. We also had the Dicksons and Broadheads over for a couple of final games of Five Crowns. It is also Wendy's 45th birthday.

Week 79--December 25-31, 2016

Sister Dickson and Sister Harrington all sunshiny in yellow. The first week here Sister Dickson and Sister Harrington had wonderful ESP as they both wore pink one day, paisley prints another day, and then this day with yellow.

 Elder and Sister Harrington at the Mission Home with the pool and the beautiful fan palm in the background.

Wednesday, Dec 28, brought our mission 15 wonderful new missionaries.
Front row: Elder Abrio, Elder Mirabueno, Elder Aguilar,  Elder Connell, Elder Quilloy.
Middle row: Sister Ventigan, Sister Mediano,
Elder Puon, Elder Ronda, Sister Mapa, Sister Navarro.
Back row: President Bertin, Sister Bertin, Elder Stephens, Elder Faulkner, Elder Nelson, Elder Springer.

Elder Mirabueno arrived in the mission and on Thursday had to be told of the unexpected passing of his four-month old brother who had suddenly gotten sick.

Friday evening found Elder and Sister Dickson, Elder and Sister Broadhead, and us at Chilis for a relaxing dinner.

Each couple ordered a dessert to share. When Elder and Sister Dickson's dessert arrived we all gave a gasp of surprise at the size of the Mighty High Pie.







Maligayang Pasko, Froliche Weinachten, Kung Hei Fat Choi, Feliz Navidad and Merry Christmas. However you say it, it's a wonderful time of the year.  Our weather in the Philippines was dramatically different that what it was on Christmas Day in Blackfoot. We had received an email from Brother Herbst, the executive secretary, that church had been cancelled due to blowing and drifting snow. We only had Sacrament meeting where it was comfortable and nice. Southeast Idaho received 12-18 inches of snow.

After Sacrament meeting we went home to a sumptuous meal of Christmas ham, cheesy potatoes, green salad, garlic bread, and banana cream pie. We invited the Dicksons to join us for dinner.

Tom and Garnalee were asked to give some insights at the monthly Mission Leadership Council meeting on Thursday, December 29, about how we thought the mission could be made better. Garnalee addressed punctuality and recording keeping. Tom addressed the need for budgeting and having an emergency fund. "If you want to change the world you start in the home. If you want to change the culture of the mission, you start within yourself to be a better missionary."

Saturday we had a fun evening with the Bertins, Broadheads, and Dicksons. We played Five Crowns and Heads Up. Heads Up is a password type game on the Iphone. Everybody prepared snack foods to share. In anticipation of that we ate a light dinner and still there was way too much food left over. It was a very enjoyable evening.

Because it's New Years Eve, we have been hearing fireworks all day long. The popping and cracking intensified as we concluded our gathering and reached a crescendo with a 20 minute barrage at the stroke of midnight. The custom originates with the Chinese who believed that the loud bangs frightened the evil spirits and scared them away. We believe that after last night there are no evil spirits left in the entire Philippines. Happy New Year!