Philippines National Family Week in Mindoro Sept. 2012

National Family Week

We were on the island of Mindoro for the Philippines National

Family Week celebration! We met with the members of all six 

branches on Mindoro at the church building in Pinamalayan.  We 

joined the parade as they all walked and/or rode in Jeeneys 

down the street to a large gymnasium where the celebration was  

to take place. Below, are several pictures taken during the event!

This is Sister Asis with her 7 month old  son.  Isn't she beautiful?

...As well as her son?!  So cute!

Here he is attempting to stand by himself!

President, Elder Shepherd and Elder Butler are standing in front

of a jeepney as we were standing around waiting to start 

parading down the street to the Pinamalayan town gymnasium!

This is one of the banners in the parade.  As you can see at the

top, this banner is from the Pola Branch!

More of Pola branch!

This is the banner for Victoria Branch!

These are our sister missionaries serving in the Calapan Branch, 

Sister Sagaysay and Sister Francis!  They

are posing with one of the members from that branch.

This is a sweet family from the Naujan Branch.

Elders Caubalejo, Shepherd, Revillio, Butler and Galutera, 

President, Elders Calisaan, Navarro and Eyre, and Sister and

Elder Papa (Family History Specialists).

Couldn't get her to smile, but isn't that a sweet, beautiful face?

Cute brother and sister!

Not sure...Is that a happy face?

Beautiful smiling mother and adorable daughter!

Here she is dancing! 

Here is a mama, daughter and grandmother waiting to get going to 

the celebration!  The Philippine people enjoy any kind of fiesta!

Here is the big banner at the gymnasium!

Here is President trying to give his talk about the importance 

of families!  He said it was difficult because it was not a very

 reverent setting! :-) People were talking and little ones running 

around, but he did a really nice job!  It was a fun day!

This is Elder and Sister Papa, President, Mayor of Pinamalayan

and President Asis, who is a counselor in the Mindoro District 

Presidency.  President Asis spoke, then President Peterson,

and then the Mayor.  President Peterson gave a laminated copy

of the Family Proclamation to the Mayor.  The Papa's took 

several members to an internet cafe after the meeting to show

them how to use family search.

These are all six Branch Presidents of Mindoro District.

After those first three talks they had each branch do some kind of 

entertainment. This branch had their youth do some nice classic

dancing.  This is only showing have of them.  There are two other

lines on the other side of the building.  It was very nice.

This little six year old kind of stole the show with his hula-hoop

routine!  He started out with these two hoops on the floor behind 

him while he did a little jig to the music...

He picks them up and right away starts twirling them on different 

parts of his body...

Like this...

this..

And this...

His mother brought over three more hoops and he never dropped

one of them.  He stopped and stacked them on the floor and did

some cartwheels...

Then picked them up and started them going again...sometimes to

his neck or arms and back to his waist!  He was incredibly good

at it...especially for a six year old!!

Missionary Training Check-up September, 2012

This is the our August batch of missionaries and their trainers 

coming back for some more training with President and AP's. 

Also, we can check to see how their 12 week training  is 

going!  That how long their training period is.  We expect their 

trainers to have them ready to train at the end of their training 

if needs be.  Front row, from the left...Sister Begontes (not from 

this batch but was staying with Sister Baladad temporary) Sisters, 

Baladad (trainer), Basa (trainee), Buduan (trainer), Narciso 

(trainee), Meti (trainee), Agustin (trainer), and Taobure (trainee 

of Sister Pruden), Elder Lahom (trainee of Elder Kartchner) and 

ElderDiaz (AP).  Back row, from left...Elders Brewer (trainee), 

Burton (trainer), Sisters Pruden (trainer), Yorro (trainer), 

Harris (trainee), and Elder Kartchner (trainer).

The meeting is about to start and pictured sitting in the mission 

home ready to be taught is Elder Kartchner and his trainee, Elder

Lahom. Behind them is Sister Basa and her trainer, Sister 

Baladad and another trainee, Sister Meti.

Here we have on the front row, Sister Taobure (trainee to Sister

 Pruden on the piano), Sister Narciso with her trainer, Sister 

Buduan. On the back row is Sister Agustin (Sister Meti's trainer),

 Sister Yorro with her trainee, Sister Harris, and Elder Burton

with his trainee, Elder Brewer.

This is really a good time to see how well our new missionaries

 are doing. They have been in the field about 4 or 5 weeks now. 

It is sometimes a difficult adjustment period for the foreigners, 

because of the culture differences.  However, it can also be 

difficult for the locals...For some, it might be the first time away

 from home...All of them are adjusting to living with a 

companion 24/7!  That isn't always easy! This is a great group, 

though...the trainers and the trainees!!

Just a fun shot of Sister Yorro, me and Sister Harris.  They are

a great companionship.  Both of them are so kind and patient 

with each other and hard workers!  Aren't they beautiful?!

Transfer Week/New Batch, September, 2012

Here is our new batch of missionaries this month!  The three 

sisters in front are Sisters Hadley, Asuncion and Umiten. The 

middle row from the left is Elder Bactad ( 1st cousin the the Elder

Bactad that just went home the day before!), President, Elder 

Rivera, Me, Elders Ano-Os, Oliva, and Bayubay.  Back row is

Elders Minguel, Polatis, Spezia, Boyd, Morgan and Nimenza.  

This picture was taken just before our Transfer Meeting so they

are all wearing their Candy Leis that were made by one of our 

sister missionaries as a welcoming gift! 

Here is the new missionaries with their trainers at the New

Missionary Training Meeting held in the mission home after the 

Transfer Meeting.  We feel really good about the 

companionship's here!  The trainers are good, hardworking

missionaries and the trainees are excited to go to work!

Elder Biala, trainer, is with his trainee, Elder Rivera.  They are 

posing in front of one of the jeeney's that were hired for travel 

back to their areas.

Here are some missionaries who look happy to be here!  From 

the left, Elders Calisaan and Delos Santos (good friends!), Sister

Cayanan, who is trainer to Sister Hayden, Elder Sembrano is

trainer for Elder Boyd.

This is showing the back end of the jeepney going to Santa Cruz.

They really pile in there!  The driver is a member of the church

and they all pitch in to hire him to take them...whether it's Zone

Conference, Transfer Day or some other big meeting.

Here is the side view of that jeepney going to Santa Cruz with the

driving standing ready to hop in and get going!

Transfer Week/Going Home Batch September, 2012

This is our batch going home.  From left, Elders Sanchez, Perez, 

Cortez, President, me, Elders Bactad and Surio.  We had a 

wonderful home evening with them the night before they left. 

They all bore strong testimonies which left us all uplifted and 

strengthened by their words.  It is so hard to let them go!

Just another shot of us out in front of the mission office before 

they left on the bus for Manila! 

Since Elder Cortez was leaving they wanted a picture together 

with President. They were all his Assistants!  From the left...

President, Elders Navarro, Cortez, Eyre and Diaz.  Elder Cortez 

served with Elder Diaz when Elder Navarro took his place. Elder 

Cortez went back to the field to train a new missionary. Now, 

Elder Eyre is taking Elder Diaz's place, who is going back out into 

the field to be a Zone Leader. So, President Assistants for now 

will be Elders Navarro and Eyre.  Did you get all that straight?  

We welcome Elder Eyre as the new AP.  We are looking 

forward to serving with him.  He is a faithful, hard-working

missionary!

Elders Bactad, Sanchez and Surio relaxing after their last 

interviews with their Mission President!

Another trek to the bus!

As you can see, the good-byes can be very hard!  This

is when I get to hug them...as we send them home!

Elders Surio and Cortez on the bus!  Yes, Elder Surio likes to be

dramatically funny! 

Our Trip To Polillo Island

This is the front of the boat we rode on to Polillo Island!  Does

this look like a boat for a three hour tour? lol

Here is the side view of a boat pretty similar to the one we are on!

Our AP's are always busy talking to people and teaching the 

gospel.  This is only two of the 9 or 10 people they taught during

this trip.  Elders Diaz, Eyre and Navarro.

Our three AP's at the front of the boat enjoying the view. 

I had them turn around for the picture...Elders Eyre, Navarro and

Diaz (with Book of Mormon in had).

I thought this was a good picture.  I am toward the back of the 

boat catching a side view of the boat, the beautiful water, sky, and 

Polillo Island in the background.

This is the the Island port as we view it coming in!

This is another boat much like ours that we see as we are pulling 

into the port at Polillo Island.

We made the three hour boat ride!  Now we take a ride in 

jeepney-type van with no air-conditioning to the resort we 

booked for a night.

Here we are at the resort in front of one of the native-style rooms. 

 From left...Elders Eyre,and Navarro, Sister and Elder Packer, 

Elder Diaz, Me and President.  It is a beautiful setting and we did 

get rooms with air-con.  However, we did have a period of time 

when the power turned off in the middle of the night...but 

we survived it okay... :-) 

It was a beautiful tropical setting...

I wanted a picture of the row of our hut-type rooms!  This is 

Sister Packer and Elder Navarro walking about the beautiful

grounds.

Just another picture of the place.  Very nice...and we had the 

whole place to ourselves!

Another view...

This is President talking to the owner... 

As you can see, they even had a tennis court and basketball

court!...With no time to play! :-(

This was a tired mama and her baby napping on the boat ride 

home!  It was too sweet not to take a picture...hoping she

wouldn't mind!?

I had to take a picture of the beautiful blue water!  This picture,

I am sure, doesn't do it justice!  It was so pretty!

Traveling Through Flooded Area

Traveling through Santa Cruz on our way home.  This was a little

scary!  I was thinking we might float away into the Lake! 

Joke-lang...that's taglish for just kidding! :-)

This is the car right in front of us!