Christmas Zone Conference...2nd Day!

This three zones...Lopez, Lucena and Marinduque zones!

Elder Judd is having a "face off" with the Bauboy Lechon!

Not a pretty picture!  Are we really going to eat this?!

I guess if these sweet sister can eat it, so can we!!

The cake makes it easier!  Actually, it is all good...just not crazy about the pig!

Elder Dela Cruiz, Elder Trapsi, and Elder Miranda getting ready for the entertainment to start!

A wonderful song & reading presented by the Lopez Zone.

Marinduque sang a beautiful Christmas hymn.

Elder Poole is introducing the Lucena Zone's skit.

Elder Libutti as Rudolph the Red nosed investigator.

The Elfs and the Grinch waiting their turn to come on the stage.  Elder Shepherdson's the Grinch in the plaid vest.  He is moving onto the stage.

Let the races begin!  This is a relay where you hold a spoon in your mouth and carry a calemansi (small green ball shaped citrus) in the spoon walk a distance around a chair and back to your team to pass the calemansi on the the next person in line.  It is a lot of fun to watch!

Here Sister Escalona is passing to me...

Now I am passing to Elder Roxas!

Elder Tamale knows how it's done!

The "Cops & Robbers" Tie game again!  Elder Brown looking on with Elder Judd having a good laugh.  Elder Roxas is doing the double tie and trying to hurry and pass it to Elder Clark.

"Do You Love Your Neighbor" was the big hit of all the games!

Yeah...We really got into it too!

Some of the fun gifts that were exchanged for the "Right Family" Christmas story!  Those neck pillows seemed to be a popular gift!

Christmas Zone Conference, Dec, 2011 (1st Day)

This is the first of three zone conferences.  This included 4 zones.  San Pablo, Cabuyao, Santa Cruz, and Siniloan. I won't name them all this time, but in the center you will see all the couples and senior missionaries, starting with the senior sisters, Sister Montegue, Sister Walker, Elder Packer, Sister Packer, Me, President, Sister Howell, Elder Howell, Sister Bennett and Elder Bennett.

It is a Filippino tradition to have Buboy Lechon (Pig, roasted) for Christmas dinner, so we odered one for each of the three days.  We wanted all the missionaries to experience a traditional Christmas dinner together in the Philippines!  Here, we see the roasted pig being chopped and ready to serve!  Yum!? :-(  (Not sure?)

Elder Packer & President ready to fill their plates.  We get a glimpse of Sister Billings between them, followed by Sister Donato, Elder Nalesoni, and Sister Uy

Elder Packer seems happy!

...And President, too!

Sister Morton and Sister Romua are happy!  Sister Romua is a trainer for Sister Morton.

Sister Bowthorpe and Sister Yoro are a thriving companionship.  Sister Bowthorpe is the trainer and says that the training is going very well.  They love each other.  Can you tell?

Elder Jesse (He is back!!), Elder Ramos, and Elder Butler are glad to have it be time to eat!...After 3 1/2 hrs. of teaching & training!!

Some our senior missionaries enjoying there meal.  Sister & Elder Packer are on the left.  Elder and Sister Howell on the back right side and Sister Walker & Sister Montegue in front on the right.

Now...for the entertainment!  Here is Elder Hurst and his companion, Elder Mayla introducing their vignette in their zone's skit.  Each vignette was about a different situation the missionaries encounter with their investigators, etc.  It was all actually very creative and funny.

This is Sister Bowthorpe, playing the part of someone hiding when she heard the missionaries at the door and she hides and sends her son to the door to tell them she was busy.  As the missionaries persist, she finally has his tell them she is not there.  As they call out their good-bye, she stands up and says, "Good-bye, Elders!"

This is another zone, the Santa Cruz Zone, their own version of the realy Christmas story!  Elder Edvalson is the angel bringing word to the shepherds...in case you couldn't tell. :-)

The Siniloan Zone are showing their talent with beautiful singing of Christmas Carols.

More beautiful singing from the San Pablo Zone!

Now the Presidents office staff and senior couples sing Oh Holy Night.

Now the real fun begins...the games!  This is the Cops and Robbers game.  We are all standing in a big circle.  It starts out with the robber having a necktie that he has to tie around his neck with two loops.  The cop has a tie and has to only tie one loop.  Each, then, unties the tie and passes it to the next person going in the same direction.  The cop should eventually catch the robber, because he doesn't have to do as much.  If you end up with two neckties you have been caught and you come to the center and perform something.  You can imagine that President will do anything to NOT get caught!!  It was a fun game!

The missionaries loved passing their gifts RIGHT & LEFT as read the "Right Family Christmas Story"  They are now opening the gifts they ended up with!

Some of the fun gifts that were received!

Zone Leaders Council, Dec, 2011

Here is our latest batch of zone leaders gathered for our 

December Zone Leader's Council.  Front row... Elder Sambile, 

Elder Blanco, Elder Abanggan (AP), Elder Castillo, Elder 

Villanueva, Elder Cortez, Pesident & me, Elder Yance, Elder 

Bactad, Elder Sanchez, Elder Francisquete, and Elder Dela Cruiz.

Back...Elder Judd, Elder Visoria, Elder Quimsing, Elder 

Delos Santos, Elder Dioso (thumb up!),Elder Ramos, Elder 

Miranda, Elder Roxas (AP), Elder Shepherdson, 

Elder Brown, and Elder Navarro.

Elder Judd, Elder Roxas, Elder Shepherdson, and 

Elder Brown visiting with President.

ElderQuimsing and Elder Sambile.

President is teaching the zone leaders our New Vision for the 

Philippines missions..."Establishing the Church Through Real 

Growth".  The Church has grown trememdously in the past 50 

years since it first came to the Philippines.  However, many are 

less active and not participating.  We, as missionaries and 

members are going to go to the less active and help them "feel" 

what they once new and bring them back. The missionaries will

 teach them the lessons again and see that they are loved and 

feel a deeper conversion. No more tracking. Finding will come

 from referrals only. The missionaries are excited!

Missionaries going home before Christmas! Dec, 2011

This batch was given the option to go home a little early...in time

 for Christmas.  Front row...Elder Abanggan (our AP, not going

 home yet), Elder Rubio, Elder Belandres, President & I, Sister 

Huerta, Sister Juntong, and Elder Haake. Back row, Elder 

Valenzuela, Elder Libatique, Elder Vandermyde, Elder Agan,

Elder Doughty, Elder Gomia, Elder Washburn, and Elder Lucero.

  We will miss them!!

Waiting for the bus!  Again!

Transfer Day, Nov, 2011

Here we are busily putting up chairs after transfer meeting.  This is an exciting day for all who are being transferred...to get their new companions and new areas to work in!

Here is Elder Hurst with his arm on one of our new missionaries, Elder Sasagi with Elder Vandermyde looking on.  Missionaries are so good at making the new ones feel welcomed and loved already!

Here are three of our new missionaries, Elder Lucia, Elder Manzon, and Elder Seggay waiting for their companions to get reimbursements and get to their areas.

Elder Quimsing, Sister Gabonada, and Sister Batan visiting and waiting around after transfer meeting.

Elder Shepherdson, Elder Vandermyde and Elder Brown.

Don't you love this expression?  This is Elder Michaels, one of our new office Elders.

Elder Lucero and his happy countenance!  He always has a great big smile!

Sister Baladad and Sister Uy enjoying some time together before they are transferred!

Sister Romua, Sister Escalona and Elder Trapsi are excited...can you tell?  They love transfer day so they can see those they haven't seen for a while!

Elder Castillo with a new purchase...2 coin purses.  We have venders that show up to these transfer days and missionaries sometimes order things to come in the next transfer.  Wood carvers and leather crafts are mostly what I see.

Elder Dioso, Elder Revillo (behind), Sister Tacbobo, Sister Batan, and Sister Gabuyo.  Sister Billings and Sister Watkins in the background.

Sister Tacbobo, Sister Atillo, Sister Uy, Elder Abanggan, Sister Gabonada, and Elder Dioso...happy to pose!