Happy One Year Anniversary to Us

On October 22, it will be a year since we entered the mission home.  That means we are 2/3 through our mission, with only 6 months left.  We are getting anxious to be home--trunky, the missionaries call it.  But we're glad we're here.  We know we are needed to get apartments found and ready for the wave of missionaries--actually flood--that are covering the world, including the Philippines.   Wednesday we are expecting 33 new missionaries, with 6 leaving after completing their missions.  We  should be ready for them.  Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday Elder Dinkel will furnish the last three apartments so they'll be ready for missionaries on Friday.  Somehow, we're always ready, just by the skin of our teeth!

Anyway, here are some pictures from this week.  These  are some of the foreign missionaries getting fingerprinted.

 Elder Comer fixing the copy machine.  He is the Mission Recorder, and we really appreciate his expertise.

                                               More fingerprinting pictures.

                                                More missionaries at the finger printing party!

 Looking at the apartment we wanted to rent in Baguio, only to find out that they had rented it earlier.  At least I got to go to Baguio!

                                   Wait.  What's this?  Poinsettias????

 Yes, this is a poinsettia tree.  Can you believe that!  Whoever knew they could become trees!!!

 We had to laugh at this sign.  It says please park facing the wall.  Every vehicle was parked not facing the wall.  All signs are totally ignored in the Philippines.

 Two of our great Zone Leaders in Baguio are going home Tuesday.  They took the traditional Mission Accomplished picture in Baguio.  So cool!  We will miss them so much.

 We were able to attend a baptism Thursday while we were in Baguio.  This sister was baptized, and her husband was able to come from the US to be there with her, although he is not a member.  It was a neat experience for us to share this with them.

                                 Rice terraces on the hillside on the way home from Baguio.

 Part of the mountain under the road had caved in with the rains.  Pretty tricky piece of road repair, I'd say.

 This sign was for Alexa.  We were thinking of you when we saw it, Alexa.  Cool, huh.

                                                   Sister Fullmer's birthday cake.

 We enjoyed our favorite seaside restaurant with the Fullmers for Sister's birthday.

                                                  This man is shading his head from the hot sun.

 Some fishermen were spreading out their nets in front of us while we were eating.  They only caught a few fish, but it was interesting to watch them.

                                 They slapped the water to scare the fish into the nets.

 You can see one fish in the net.  Then they moved farther along the shore and tried another spot.

 The jeepney we had loaded with furniture for Bangued had to have its brakes repaired on the way up.  We wondered if we would ever get there, but we did and got all the furniture delivered to four apartments up there.

 These two young men had never been to that part of the country, so they were anxious to see the countryside as we went through the mountains.

 This family was doing wash by the side of their house, which was also in front of the missionaries' house.  Maybe washing machines aren't such a great idea.  They seem to be enjoying the visit as well as getting their clothes clean.

 This cute family was leaving church today in their tricycle.  Three were on the scooter, and the mom and 3 more kids were in the side car.  And everyone is happy I think!)!

                                                  Sisters at our house for dinner tonight.

One of the Sisters shared a spiritual thought with us.  We are so impressed with all of the missionaries.  What fine young people they are!

This is our week in pictures.  Hope you enjoyed it.  Have a great week, and see you next Sunday.