Preparation Day - Monday, 28 April 2014

Okay, so on Monday, some of the sister missionaries decided to take a short trip to downtown Manila to buy beads.  Sister Wong and her daughter and son-in-law (who was our driver) went along for two reasons: 1. to get us where we needed to go and 2. so merchants wouldn't take advantage of us.  This was to be a 30 minute ride with shopping about an hour and 30 minutes back home, so 2-3 hours tops!  Wouldn't you know it.  Guess who was in town?  Yikes!  You know how I told of Manila roads with four lanes painted and six or seven lanes of cars?  Well, because of Obama (we can really blame this on him!) they had closed off the roads in both directions and for miles, the 7 lanes of traffic were forced to one lane and a detour through the barrios.  We saw things we never would have seen otherwise, which was interesting.  As we got closer to the Church where we needed to turn, the foot traffic was immense.  We were right in the middle of the protesters rally.  It took us 2 1/2 hrs to get to the bead market!  We would have turned around and gone home but in Manila you can't just turn around and go back.  There are one way streets that are a mess.  Anyway, we decided to go on and did eventually arrive at our destination.  We shopped and thought things would have thinned out, but the rally was still going full guns.  Our driver, knew another way around the mess but it took us way out of our way.  We told him, let's do it.  Well, we had good traffic but it still took us 2 1/2 hours to get back home.  Don't know what the news in the states said about his trip, but not everyone here is excited for it.  Here is what some of our trip looked like:

Hundreds of people were at the bus depot

This is the sign on the bldg in the next picture

I would hate to see what the old
rooms look like!

Instead of cross walks, they have walk-overs

Hmm...

Just about every other bldg was a church

If not a church, a dentist office.  This
dentist was even out on the street
rounding up business!

A well ignored sign as there was
parking on both sides of the street.  One
car had a fabric cover on it that looked
to be 20 years old.

This old man had the most interesting
face, but he didn't want his picture taken.  Sucks!

This is the Church of the Black Nazarene.
It is truly amazing.  I would like to go
back here sometime.

Under this arch is where
we went to buy beads.

Aye yi yie!  So many people, so many
smells.  This is also a wet market which
has fish and veggies and everything else
imaginable!  I felt like I needed a hosing off! 

More people going places!!!

These are some of the pictures I pulled of the internet about the protest.  There were actually four of the burning in effigy, but they were pretty spooky.  Kind of like a horror film where the devil gets burned up.  Oops! Maybe I shouldn't have said that.  Anyway, I know there are little kids who read this blog and I didn't want them to think grandma was in an unsafe place, so I only put the first one in.

It was good to get back home, safe and sound!  What 

will the next adventure be?  Remember from UP, "Adventure

is out there."  Check back to see.  

Week 13 - This will be a "hodgepodge" and a catch-up blog:

More funny signs from the Philippines

These are placed in one lane of traffic, causing
cars to truly slow down.

Ya think?!!?

Don't you dare park here you illegal parker!

Do they really want me to stand in the
line or fall down or what?!?

A sign off the main highway.  Guess
monkeys are like bears in the states.

Hmm...fully furnished room at 15,000 pisos
with a weekend rate of 1,600 and a
12 hour rate at 899 pisos.  I will leave
this one alone!!!!

Since the roads go this way and
that and you can't go around a block
to get where you need to go, they
have U Turn slots.  A flyover is a
bridge that goes over another road while
an under goes under the main road.  It
helps to move traffic if you can believe that!

As opposed to standing?!?  Seen in a
department store under some mannequins.

At the tiger cages - like who would do this?

At least they have a skirt on this "Lady"

One of the newest "freeway" which isn't really free, but you can go
faster here.  Interesting it is in cooperation with Japan.  

At a reststop - don't know what they are hiding!

No comment needed!

One of the elevated u-turns

This is by our apartment.
It is scary to walk here also.

As opposed to a semi-stop or no stop?!?

Hmm...wonder who enforces this.

Filipinos are pretty proud of this height.  I tell them this is just a hill
compared to where we live. Haha!

Guess they want to keep everything else - do you think - huts, furniture, etc.?

It has been interesting this past week to keep track of the sunrise/sunset, temperature and humidity at 3:00 a.m.  When we first arrived here in February, the sun came up at 6:00 and set at 6:30.  Now, since the first day of Spring, the sun comes up earlier and goes down earlier.  We would walk to the Temple in darkness, but now we see the sunrise at 5:38.  It now sets at 6:11.  I have noticed y'all in the states are getting more and more sunlight, especially in the evenings.  Wish we did!  The past three days, temperature wise have been 80, 79 and 80, with the humidity at 85, 90 & 89% at 3:00 a.m.  This is without any rain.  The good thing is, there is a nice breeze about 3:00 in the afternoon which makes it bearable to be out in.  

We love getting letters from home and recently received some:

Aspynn tells it all and Morgan is a woman of few words, but we know they each come from the heart.  Thanks also to Dani for her kind words (no I did not edit your letter, but I treasure it).  We love and miss you all too!  The time is slowly passing.  It will soon be May with Mother's Day, graduation and Memorial Day.  Then it will be June and on and on.  Soon we will be home!  

My sister, JoAnn, did some shopping for me and even though we were concerned about the information we had received about shipping packages to the Philippines, it got here in four days in excellent condition.  There were many comforts of home sent, but my favorites are:

Reese's Pieces and Mexican Train Dominoes.  I think she must have put a hex on the dominoes as Edward beat me two out of three games today.  That never happens!  I think he was cheating and making up his own rules - oops that's me who does that - in order to win, but the challenge is on!  JoAnn also was able to find my shade of lipstick and sent three tubes.  It is very difficult to find brown lipstick here.  With the natives coloring, they use pink, orange & red - not my colors.  Some of the sisters in the temple told me they wanted my skin color.  I asked why and they said, "It is white." (I think that was a compliment) and I told them I wanted their brown skin so I could look tan.  They want my white hair and I want their brown hair, so we had a good laugh about ourselves.  

Well, the sun is down so that means it is time to close.  We have so many tender mercies and experiences we wish we could share with everyone but this is not the place to do so.  We definitely will when we see you in person.  Love to you all.  Remember who you are and KoKo!

Week 12 - 

Last week was a slow week, it being Holy Week here in the Philippines.  We did not participate in the festivities, but felt the effects of the celebration.  Everything pretty much came to a stand-still, especially on Friday, when everything was closed.  Saturday night, starting at 11:00 until sunrise, there was a continual fireworks display.  Pretty hard to sleep for sure!  
      This picture is from a newspaper, but depicts some of what went on.

Filipino devotee Ruben Enaje shouts in pain as he stays nailed to a cross to re-enact the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in San Pedro Cutud village, Pampanga province, northern Philippines on Friday, April 18, 2014. AP

Editor’s Note: The annual commemoration of Holy Week—marking the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which begins on Palm Sunday, climaxes on Jesus’ crucifixion on Good Friday and culminates in the joyful celebration on Easter Sunday of the resurrection—and its pious customs observed in Roman Catholic tradition also find expression in the mainstream Protestant denominations and evangelical churches.

How members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints celebrate Easter Week - Click on Easter Week Activities

After attending Church, we finished our Easter Sunday by sharing a traditional American Easter dinner.  It consisted of ham, Randy potatoes (I discovered how to make my own sour cream using cream cheese and thinning it with milk) salad, rolls, veggies and assorted desserts.  It was interesting that the Filipinos in attendance, weren't that impressed with our meal, much like we aren't with their traditional meals. 

On Monday, while coming back to the apartment from shopping, we came upon this man who is by our corner each week.  He sometimes uses a rock which sticks out of the wall as a pillow.  He is usually sleeping, but this time was awake and sitting in the gutter.  We couldn't tell if he has legs but I don't think he does.  I felt impressed to stop and give him some pesos and a picture of the Savior.  As we drove away, he kissed the picture and held it close. Talk about a humbling experience.  I think I take way too much for granted.  It was a great experience to close Holy Week and being away from family at Easter.

We want everyone to know:

• Because Christ was resurrected, there is no sting in death.  We will live again.
• The Savior has taken upon Himself our sins and given us the power to become like Him if we will repent and keep His commandments.
•  He feels our pains, sorrows, disappointments, sadness, and all the heartache we feel, but we can find peace through Him.
• We believe in and worship the Living Christ.
• We are most desirous that our children, grandchildren, extended family and all those whom we love will learn of Him, and strive to be like Him.  

         Have a good week.  Remember who you are! and Keep on Keepin' On!  We love you!

Week 11 - 13 April 2014

Heidi-ho!  What a week!  I went shopping on Monday by myself as Edward was getting his drivers license and was in the produce section of SM and followed my nose to this really disgusting, stinky, smelly fruit.  Ah ha I said to myself.  This must be the durian (1 an oval spiny tropical fruit containing a creamy pulp. Despite its fetid smell, it is highly esteemed for its flavor.  2 (also durian treethe large tree that bears the durian fruit, native to Malaysia.) that Kathy and Matt (Wallie also always wanted to try it but never did) were telling us about.  Yep, it was.  I debated whether or not to buy a whole one because of the smell and not knowing how to cut it up etc., I decided to buy some already processed.  Walking around the store as I finished my shopping, I kept thinking, wow, that person really needs to take a bath and oh, they must really have a bad stomach ache, but it was me and my durian stinking all the time! Everyone in the van kept remarking of the smell and I just smiled and told them I would bring them a taste of this "delicious fruit."  Needless to say, we did sample it and it wasn't too bad.  The smell wasn't hard for me but the texture bothered me most.  We took it around to the Temple Missionaries for a sample and ended up giving the remainder to Pres. Wong.  He was soooo excited.  He said it was his favorite fruit.  We had to Lysol and air out the apartment after disposing of the bag it came in.  So, I can check this off my bucket list.  I have eaten durian!

Durians in the supermarket

Peeled and ready to eat.  Edward thought this was chicken!

Hmm...do I really want to eat this?

Bottoms up!

Ooo...!!!

Ahh...don't need to try that again!

Ready, set, go!

Don't smell it - just eat it!

Better than I thought, but don't need to try again

The pit with the leftover fruit on it

Murphy's Law |ˈmərfēz|

a supposed law of nature, expressed in various humorous popular sayings, to the effect that anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
    Well, Murphy was right.  I mentioned on my last blog about "The Club" and Edward did indeed join it, even though he had been warned not to.  He had a kidney stone and we ended up on Thursday at St. Luke's Hospital in emergency.  All that was told us about this hospital was true.  They were very efficient, caring and knowledgable with him.  When we went to check out, we showed our PEHP insurance card and they wouldn't take it, so we paid cash.  We were there for five hours and it cost us a whopping $80.00!  Today is Sunday and he still hasn't passed it but at least he isn't in pain now.  
    We missed the day trip yesterday to the underground cemetery but we did watch BYUtv (we are loving Granite Flats) once we got a new router. Our old one we brought from home quit but one neighbor who didn't go on the trip was going to Mega Mall and picked one up for us from the Apple store.  Edward was in no shape to go shopping. 
    We count our blessings even though we are in a third-world country: we have good medical care, an Apple store, a way to get around (even though sometimes it takes an hour to go 1/2 mile), food to eat (yes, even a durian) mostly good health, good neighbors and new friends, the Priesthood, the Gospel and especially each other.  We wish each of you health, happiness and success in the many things you do.  KoKo  We love you all!