Week 23

I have missed a couple of weeks because of the shoulder.  Sorry!  I had to go back to surgery for a manipulation to break up some adhesions, commonly called "frozen shoulder."  It was frozen alright!  Couldn't move it or lift my arm hardly at all, but things are doing much better now.

I took a quiz on Facebook to rate my husband.  He scored 98% and these pictures are part of that score.  What a man to help out when the shoulder hurt and I couldn't paint my own toenails!

Edward said, "Where is Cami when I need her?"  I must say, he did a pretty good job, but he said, "I don't think I'll be doing this again."  He did do a fantastic, very precise job!  

The 4th of July was celebrated for us on the 7th.  We had a picnic (in the Gazebo because of the hot/humid weather) with BBQ ribs, potato salad, baked beans etc.  It really felt like an American 4th of July picnic.  Afterwards we played games and blew bubbles.  Fireworks had already taken place the night of the 4th.  Sunset was 6:30 and the fireworks started then and went almost until midnight.  It was pretty cool!

Not bad for a bunch of old people!

One of the missionaries sent us this link for a fun video:  "Validation" found at vimeo.com/15429960. It is a riot! When we went shopping on Monday, I found this booth in the grocery store.

Okay, so I might have been on my pain meds, but I thought it was funny to have the Redemption Booth, after watching the Validation clip!  So, here we are, missionaries (a young Elder hopped in the picture) standing in line for "redemption."  I think customers were wondering what we thought was so funny...but maybe they were just laughing at us!

Week 24

We had the "Aloha" for E/S Nicholson, E/S Larsen and E/S Pitts.  They will be leaving us within the next two weeks.  Boohoo!

Sister Flor, the Temple secretary, demonstrating
some fun songs.

The sisters participated much better than the brothers!

"We're going to do what?"

It was a great party, and good to relax and enjoy wonderful food & excellent company.

Tuesday morning, we were headed early to St. Luke's Hospital, and couldn't figure out what all the traffic was about. The roads usually aren't too crowded at 5:45 a.m. Well, it started to rain, and as we approached the billboards, they were being rolled up.  It wasn't until we arrived at the hospital that we learned typhoon Glenda was on her way to Manila.

It rained most of the day, and we thought, no problem.  What typhoon? 

 About 11:30 at night, the wind started to blow and it really rained.  Yep!  Glenda had arrived.  She was a cat 1, which in the states is a cat 3.  We were without power most of the next day.  Edward just about melted without the air conditioning.  I was perfect; just opened the door a little and the opposite window and a beautiful breeze blew through.  We of course didn't have internet or phone service so we couldn't call anyone, not that anyone in the states heard about Glenda.  She moved on out in a hurry.

A local news story:

One of the most powerful storms to hit the Philippines this year, typhoon “Glenda,” dealt Metro Manila only a glancing blow of about three hours Wednesday, but it was enough to shut down the capital, leave the megacity a shambles and without power, and take at least 20 lives as it blew out into the West Philippine Sea after cutting a wide swath of destruction from eastern to southern Luzon.

The number of fatalities in the first major typhoon of the Philippines’ brutal rainy season was hard to determine, as most parts of the stricken regions had no electricity and the main disaster agency groped in the dark for information.

The powerful winds of Glenda (international name: Rammasun, which in Thai means “God of Thunder”) brought down trees, electric posts and ripped off roofs across Metro Manila, where government offices, schools and the stock market were shuttered for the day.

Without electricity, the elevated commuter train services LRT and MRT were suspended and most of the city of 12 million people sweltered in the dark for more than half of the day.

The eye of Glenda passed to just south of Metro Manila at wind speeds of up to 120 kilometers per hour and with gusts of up to 165 kph.

• See more at: http://motioncars.inquirer.net/30357/typhoon-glenda-shuts-down-metro-manila-leaves-20-dea#sthash.tC1yMiqT.dpuf

Bye "Glenda," hello "Henry"?  The next typhoon.  Only expected to bring rain.  We hope!














Around the apartment and temple grounds:

We have many object lessons to share at a later time about these pictures.  More specifically, the "gumdrop" trees.  There is a lesson with a principle and a consequence.  This picture above is of the plant which has few leaves, but a bright pink blossom at the end of the stem.  The blossoms were stripped off, but just one day later, there are already new blossoms popping out.  Even the leaves on the trees are starting to recover.   Why is it that one tree can be stripped of leaves and the one standing right next to it, is not affected?  Hmm...  

Well, this is a long blog this time, but much has happened.  In parting, one of my favorite quotes: 

"When we complain of having to do the same thing over and over, let us remember that God does not send new trees, strange flowers and different grasses every year. When the spring winds blow, they blow in the same way. In the same places the same dear blossoms lift up the same sweet faces, yet they never weary us. When it rains, it rains as it always has. Even so would the same tasks which fill our daily lives put on new meanings if we wrought them in the spirit of renewal from within--a spirit of growth and beauty."

—Helen Keller, An Easter Message to the Boston Community Church, 1932

We are safe, happy and so grateful for many, many blessings and tender mercies.  We have soon reached our six-month mark and are 1/3 of the way completed with our mission.  "Time flies on wings of lightening" and it marches on.  Have a good week.  We love you!

RWYA and KoKo!