It is a delight to start off the new year with a hug from a baby.
This is the Aringay Branch President. President Flores and his family are great examples to the branch,.
New Years day meal at President Flores house with the missionaries. We enjoyed many varieties or food including our first taste of goat. They are so generous and always send home much food with the missionaries. The president showed us two large boxes of fireworks that had been given him. The Filipino tradition is that everyone has to have fireworks and if you don't have any your family will give you some. Occasionally fireworks were set off all day on December 31st but the fireworks started in earnest at about 11:30 pm on the 31st and lasted until 1:30am. Although we never observed any professional fireworks display, the sky was ablaze with individual fireworks displays. New Years day was quiet. We found most families were home and their was very little traffic on the roads.
Another day in the rice fields harvest.
This is our hot water heater being worked on. The bathroom has the only hot water in the house and this is typical of the Philippines.
Tiger Woods younger brother got a part time job installing screen doors in the Philippines. Not really, but he does look a lot like Tiger Woods and he did a good job putting our screen door in.
This is the Filipino money. There are about 40.2 pesos to a U.S. dollar.
This is the Philippine Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in San Fernando which is about 45 minutes from our home.
Another type of police transport.
A unique way of transporting farm goods and firewood, and other necessities.
On our way to visit less actives in the rural areas, we observed this boy busily pumping water for his mother to wash clothes. It reminded Elder Fullmer of his childhood. While I was taking this picture Sister Fullmer stopped to tell a man in his yard that he had a beautiful daughter and got his name as a new referral for the missionaries.
This is the Nipa hut across the road from our house was moved down the street from us. The next few pictures will be of that move.
The Nipa hut had the roof and some of the side covering removed before Dino, who owns the a lot of the property in the neighborhood we live in, went to the police academy up the street from us and got about 30 cadets to carry the Nipa hut to it's new location a short distance from our house.
The cadets are having a grand time chanting and using military cadence to prepare for the next move of the Nipa hut. They literally picked the hut up and walked it to the new location. They enjoyed having us take a movie and the other pictures of the move.
After completing the move of the hut the cadets fell into formation to march back to their classes.
The Nipa hut is now in it's new location about a hundred feet from our house.
Cleaning fish for the Relief Society activity at the seashore which turned into a branch party.
The sisters cooked egg plant over hot cools.
Preparing oysters at the Relief Society Activity. As you can see, the sisters really enjoyed the day. The lady in the red blouse went into distress later in the day after participating in the sack race shown in the photo below.
The before dinner photo at the Relief Society activity.
The green fruit that the sister is peeling are a different variety of mango's. We much prefer the yellow variety of mango's. The beans on the left have been cooked and sweetened with sugar and we really enjoyed them.
These are our young women who joined in this activity and who helped do some of the cooking.
Almost ready to eat. See the banana leaves they use to cover the food.
This is one of the many games the sisters played and reminded us of our childhood. An older sister played this game and went into distress and Elder Fullmer along with another priesthood holder and 3 sisters took her to the hospital where they kept her for an hour or so and then she returned to the party.
While the Relief Society sisters were having fun, Elder Fullmer and 3 other men walked the short distance to the sea shore and took some pictures of the colorful fishing boats lining the shore of the Philippine Sea. Elder Fullmer referred to the sea as the South China Sea and was told that due to the dispute with China the Filipino's preferred having the sea called the Philippine Sea.
Elder Fullmer on the shore of the Philippine Sea.
Elder Fullmer getting some advice on how to fish in the Philippines.
Elder Fullmer being taught how to bait his hook and catch fish.
The new Baguio Mission Presidency. From left to right is the 1st counselor, President Mortensen, President Monahan, and 2nd counselor, President Franco.
The Senior Couple Missionaries are from left to right - The Stamp's, The Dinkel's, The Mortensen's, President and Sister Monahan, The Franco's, The Engel's, and The Fullmer's.
Sister Gina Gatchalian of the Aringay Branch teaching Sister Fullmer how to make 2 varieties of Pork Adobo.
The finished product - and both dishes were delicious.
Zone Leader Elder Wood with the Fullmers after apartment checks in the Agoo district. He has completed his mission and we are saying our goodbye's. He is from the Salt Lake City area and we hope to see him after our mission. His grandparents, the Pounds, live on Cliff Side in Logan.
A new home is being built across the street from us and this worker, moving the pile of dirt by wheel barrow is happy to have his picture taken. Some Filipino's cover their face to protect them from the sun.
A close up shot of the worker on his break.
Even the pigs enjoy a trike ride even though they are headed for the slaughter house across the road from our house.
Even though driving in the Philippines is somewhat chaotic, this accident on the Kennon Highway to Baguio is the first major accident we have seen in the 5 months we have been in the Philippines.
Vendors selling their food along the road is quite typical. As always they are very happy to let you take their picture.
Zone training and transfer information. We always look forward to this meeting every six weeks. We learn wonderful gospel principles and how to use the scriptures better.
It is always wonderful to look out our kitchen window, or stand on the our porch to see another beautiful Philippine sunset.
Home made vinegar, made from sugar cane, is sold from stands like this one, The stands are very common along the roads in the Philippines.
Transfer day with the new arriving sister missionaries and the other sister missionaries being transferred to another area. The Elder missionaries are with the Mission President.
Transportation to the slaughter house to become bacon on the breakfast table.
The Nipa hut that was moved by the policemen is being rebuilt to become the office of our landlord.
Pedal tricycle in the town of Mangalden which is the pedal tricycle capital of the Philippines. There are only a few in other towns, but in this town they are the primary source of transportation.
This is a downtown view of Mangaldan.
Pedal tricycles lined up in the town of Mangaldan waiting for customers.
Any type of transportation can be fun at times. These boys were happy to get their photo taken.
With this sunset we close another month here in the Philippines doing the Lord's work. We testify the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. We continue to be blessed with blessings that we didn't think possible even a few months ago and know that they have and will come from our Heavenly Father.
True happiness comes through obedience and we would always hope for you to be steadfast and immovable with exactness. The Church is growing here in the Philippines and we are glad to be here and to be a part of that growth.
