Malagayang Pasko

 

Malagayang Pasko means "Merry Christmas."  It was the one phrase I remembered from living in the Philippines when I was a girl.  It's fun to see it in action now.

 

We found a dairy nearby that sells whole, pasteurized (not homogenized) milk.  Grandpa is enjoying it, but Grandma feels guilty.  The cows are a holstein/brama cross--interesting combination!

An elementary school.  It's a holiday so the kids aren't there.  They have lots of holidays. . .American kids would be jealous!  Notice there is no glass in the windows.

This fellow was dead outside our house.  When I was a girl and lived here, the cockroaches were inside our house and this big!  But I've only seen a few outside now.  In 50 years some things have changed.  Grandpa says thank goodness the beetles inside our peanuts weren't this big!

Zone Conference--after Pres. left we all relaxed!

 

Our girls--Sister Missionaries from Manaoag.  We love these girls, and they work hard to do a great job.

Getting ready for transfers to a different zone.

Off they go!  In a jeepney. . .

Neighborhood decorations for Christmas.  Many Christmas trees are made of palms.  Pines or firs are unheard of here, so they make do with what they have.

Mary and Joseph in their humble manger.

 

 Night scene of the Lady of Manaoag Church and tree near us.  Help, Marilyn, to turn the pictures!

 

 Day pictures of same tree by Our Lady of Manaoag Church.  Manaoag means, "Come."  The story is that hundreds of years ago the Virgin Mary appeared on a hill where the church is and told people to "Come".  Thus the town was named Manaoag.  You pronounce it Ma Now Og.  People make pilgrimages from all over the Philippines to see the church. 

Another colorful tree.  Notice the decorations are colored paper cups.  They don't have much money, so they use anything available for decorations.

Christmas tree outside the elementary school made from beer cans!  The star is from pop cans, though.

Two of Dola's daughters.  Liahona on the left is going on a mission this summer.  Tiami on the right is going to BYU Hawaii on a scholarship.

Our scone making class and finished product.  They loved scones!  Notice how big some of the scones were.  They got a bit carried away!  We didn't have a stove, just a burner that wouldn't get very hot, but we made them anyway.

 

"Malagayang Pasko" to all our Loved Ones this Christmas Season.