New Missionaries Nov., 2011

Our new batch of foreign missionaries.  Elder Mac Millen from

 Australia, Elder Kleinlein from Queen Creek, AZ, Sister Morton

 from Spanish Fork, UT, Elder Sasagi from Samoa, and Elder 

Edvalson from Am. Fork, UT.  It's always fun to get a new

 batch of missionaries!

Waiting at the bus stop for the new local missionaries coming

 in from the Manila MTC to join the batch of foreigners!

Yea!!  The bus has arrived!  Elder Judd, Elder Surio, and 

Elder Roxas are there to great them!

The bus has dropped them off...Now they need to cross the street 

to get to the mission home!

Here they all come.  Happy day!!

On our way to the mission home!

Here we are all together with the "New Batch".  Front row...

Elder Estayo, Elder Cello, Sister Donato,Sister Ramos, me, 

Sister Salon, Sister Morton, and Elder Lucila. Back row, 

Elder Manzon, Elder Tolentino, Elder Seggay, Elder Revillo, 

Elder Alvaro, Elder Torculas, Elder Edvalson, President,

 Elder Sasagi, Elder Keinlein, and Elder Mac Millen.

Missionaries going home, Nov., 2011

We are dropping off Elder Durano at the MRC (Missionary 

Recovery Center).  His chest xray (All missionaries going home 

have to have one) showed that he could possibly have TB.  They 

found he did have it, but it was not the contagious kind (Thank 

goodness).  We said good-bye here, because he needed some 

treatments before going home.  He missed out on the going home 

time spent in the mission home before they go.  He is a sweet, 

fine young man.  He will be a faithful servant his whole life, 

I am sure!

Going home batch this month!  Front row...Elder Quiambao, 

Sister Ballesteros, me, Sister Camingao, Elder Villamil, and Elder

 Lopez.  Back row...Elder Painagan, Elder Belandres, Elder 

Paddayuman, President, Elder Johnson, Elder Remollo

, and Elder Adap.

On the sofa is Sister Billings and Sister Ballesteros.  In the 

back, Elder Painagan, Elder Sambile, Elder Surio, Sister Baladad,

 Sister Camingao, and Elder Quiambao.

Sister Ballesteros,  Sister Camingao, Elder Belandres, Elder 

Painagan, Elder Paddayuman, and Elder Adap.  Getting ready 

to walk to the bus that takes them to Manila.

Waiting for the bus!

Still waiting...

And waiting...

                             

More specialized training, Nov., 2011

Elder Clark...looking happy to be here!

Some of the missionaries from Lucena Zone after specialized 

training are having their snack as the open their pouch (mail) and

 enjoying each other's company.  Elder Dela Cruiz, Elder 

Painagan, Sister Grow, Sister Villasis, Elder Perez, Elder 

Poole (looking over his shoulder), Elder Delos Santos, 

and Elder Libutti.

Elder Poole enjoying one of my homemade cookies we 

brought along with a juice.  They love the cookies!

Elder Painagan is happy about his pouch!

I am happily received as I am the one passing out the TREATS!

Sister Paul Raj and Sister Grow

In the front...Elder Dela Cruiz, Elder Dorano, Elder Abanggan 

(AP), Elder Delos Santos (being squeezed), and Sister Tacbobo.

  In th back...Elder Painagan, Elder Bayla, Elder Johnson (AP), 

Elder Tamale, Sister Grow, Elder Libutti, 

Elder Poole (doing the squeezing)

Thanksgiving with Office Staff

Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, rolls, steamed vegetables, 

fruit salad, cranberry sauce and even fresh pumpkin pie!!

Notice the carcus and other leftovers!  Cute picture of Sister 

Packer & Sister Bennett trying to stuff more food into 

Elder Abanggan!

AP's with our new Christmas tree!  As you can see, we need to 

find a tree skirt!

This is all of us Seniors at Elder and Sister Howell's having a nice

Thanksgiving dinner.  We are holding up these beautiful stars that

Sister Bennett had someone make for us. You can see in the 

picture below where I hung mine at the mission home! In the 

picture starting at the left, Me, Sister Bennett, Sister Packer,

Sister Campbell, Sister Montague, Sister Walker & Sister Howell

I had to show you the cute napkins rings that Sister Howell 

made for everyone when we went to their home the Monday

 before Thanksgiving and had a dinner there, too!  She had

 the table decorated like Martha Stewart!

More Specialized Training

Siniloan Zone...In front, Sister Batan, Sister Ballesteros, 

Sister Gabonada, Elder De Guia, Elder Gomia, Elder Orro,

 Sister Billings, Elder De Young, Elder Sambile.  Back row, 

Elder Roxas (our new AP), and Elder Adop

Santa Cruz Zone...Front row, Elder Villanueva, Elder Yance, 

Elder Sheperdson, Elder Johnson, Sister Buton, Sister Roque, 

Back row, Elder Castillo, Elder Knight, Elder Guba, Elder 

Brown, Elder Butler, Elder Belandres.

Elder Bennett Giving counsel to Elder Surio and Elder Judd at a

 specialized training with San Pablo Zone during our 

"Practice" portion.

I got to prctice with Sister Romua and Sister Escalona 

at that workshop. 

Sister Bennett with Elder Judd and Elder Surio.

Good-Bye to Elder Elliot

Elder Abanggan and Elder Elliot getting ready to unload our new 

Christmas tree out of it's box and help me set it up.  

Elder Judd is posing in the background!

Elder Elliot with Elder Johnson...They were in the same "batch" of 

missionaries when they came out, but they were given and choice

 to go home for Thanksgiving or not, since it was so close to 

the same time.  Elder Elliot is going home the week before 

Thanksgiving.  Elder Johson is going the week after Thanksgiving 

with the rest of the batch, which are all local missionaries

 (from different areas in Philippines).

Our Good-bye picture with Elder Elliot.

Elder Roxas and Elder Johnson with Elder Elliot at the airport.  

He was a great missionary & hard worker to the end!  

We will miss him!

Field trip in Baguio (MP Seminar)

This is the gate entry into the Philippines President's Mansion

 in Baguio.

The President's mansion is behind us with the life-sized nativity.

This is a Santa hanging from a tree in that same yard where

 the nativity is.

A better shot of the nativity.

Shopping in Baguio!  Window shopping that is!

A fun view of the beautiful pine trees.

A wider view looking down off the mountain in Baguio.

These women are busy weaving fabric in the basement of a store

 called Easter Weaving Room, Inc.  They have beautiful fabrics. 

 I think it would be fun to make a skirt or light-weight jacket 

from some of their unique fabric.  It was fun and interesting to 

watch them.  It made me remember my weaving class at BYU.

Some of our group shopping at Weaving Room Inc.

I had to add this picture of Elder Ardern.  He is in the 1st quorum

 of the Seventy and also a Counselor in our Area Presidency.

  He gave a talk in October, 2011 General Conference entitled, 

"A Time to Prepare". He spoke about devoting our time to things 

that matter most. He made mentioned that "catapulting angry 

birds at concrete walls" was something we can mindlessly turn 

into countless hours of our time.  Elder Brent Neilson of the 

1st quorum of the Seventy is the other Counselor in our Area 

Presidency and he found this Angry Birds hat at the Easter 

Weaving shop. He made a funny little presentation  of this hat 

to Elder Ardern in front of all of us on the bus!  The Area 

Presidency are really a lot of fun...and so are their wives