May begins the 10th month of our mission. We have been blessed to have had the association of many Elder and Sister missionaries and several missionary couples. Our mission president and his wife, President Monahan and Sister Monahan have been a delight to work with. We have began our training in the mission office in order to be prepared for our assignment as the mission office couple when the mission splits on July 1, 2013.
This is election time in the Philippines for the local and provincial offices. For the last two months we have listened to the loud speakers mounted on all types of vehicles as they drive around the neighborhoods advertising the political candidate of their choice. Many times they just stop for several minutes and let the music blare and some even have a speech by the candidate. It is interesting that a lot of the music is from the 50's and 60's.
This ladies job is to sort the bottles by color and also remove the wrappers. This is a recycle area.
A few of the Agoo Zone missionaries at a baptism. We love our hard working missionaries.
The boy in glasses was baptized today and his mother is so proud. She was baptized a year ago.
On our way to church we saw this unique method of transportation. The family stopped and waved to us as we took their picture.
We had never heard of this fruit. We thought you would find it interesting. It is called a mango apple and it tastes a little like a mango with a hint of apple.
This stand sells the popular broom and a variety of other items. The name for broom is Walis and the soft broom, is made from the grass called Tambo, so the soft broom is named Walis Tambo. Every home has this type of broom for sweeping the inside of the house. There is a hard bristle broom called Walis Ting Ting and is made from coconut leaves.
This is a sign advertising the very popular dessert called Halo-Halo. It has corn, ice cream and the purple is called Ube which comes from root. The purple ice cream is very good but we do not care for corn in our ice cream.
A group of our lovely sisters at a Tri-Zone conference in Baguio City. They make us feel young.
Another group of sister missionaries with President and Sister Monahan.
We were invited to have our picture taken with Elder Brent A. Nielson of the Seventy and his wife. He is the 1st Counselor in the Philippine Area Presidency and presided over the Tri-Zone conference in Baguio City. They gave very inspirational talks.
Two of our very special Sister Missionaries. They are so delightful and complimentary.
We took this photo of a Sari Sari store on our way back from the Tri-Zone conference.
This tree is called a "Fire Tree". It seems to bloom more in the summer time when it is very hot and there is little rain.
Do you think these cans are big enough to quench your thirst.
This is a photo of the new mission office that is being constructed on the San Fernando Stake Center Grounds. When completed, about June 15th, Elder and Sister Fullmer will be working here as the office couple.
We love having these plants next to our driveway.
This is a sister in the branch closest to our home. She sells Avon in the local market.
We enjoy a gorgeous sunset almost every night.
This is Elder Mayes who was an amazing Assistant to the mission President is going home. We will miss him but will get a chance to see him when we complete our mission as he lives in Logan.
These sisters are going home after completing their mission. The sister in the white blouse is from Brigham City, Utah and the sister in the blue blouse is from the Philippines.
This is a group shot of the Elders and Sisters who have completed an honorable mission and are leaving for home today, May 7, 2013.
This member takes great care of the mission office, the mission home and the stake center which are located on the same property. He is a nice and humble man.
Elder Engles during this training session is explaining to Elder Fullmer the procedures of how to be a good Supply Manager.
This is Sister Engels training Sister Fullmer and explaining the procedures that she will use as the secretary of the mission office .
Our new group of Elders and Sisters who arrived on May 9th. This is the most diverse group that has arrived in a long time. They are from Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, U.S., and the Philippines.
Elder Fullmer will have the task of sorting and distributing the mail for the many zones in the new mission. These boxes of mail are ready for the Zone Leaders to take to their zones.
Great missionaries come in small packages. He is a trainer and jumps on and off jeepneys as swiftly as any of the other elders. He is a real dynamo missionary.
This is Mother's Day at the Aringay chapel. The sisters were given beautiful rose bouquets made out of corn husks and flower corsages that Sister Fullmer had taught the sisters to make.
Sister Gina calls Sister Fullmer her mother and it just happened that they both wore blue on Mother's Day and Sister Gina was so pleased. Sister Gina's son is serving a mission in the Idaho Pocatello mission and is currently assigned to Rexburg, Idaho.
The corn is being dried on the basketball corn across the street from our house.
Another way to get to your final resting place.
The mountain city of Baguio. Most of the homes are built on the side of the many hills.
The clouds and rain descending on us as we left the city of Baguio after we completed doing apartment checks in Baguio.
Another beautiful sunset. We get treated to these almost every night.
The pool and grounds at the motel where we stayed in Urdaneta while we were receiving training from Elder and Sister Engels. It looks like it is in a rain forest. The grounds are beautiful but the room is not the best, however, it is close to the mission office.
Another shot of the pool. We ate in the dining room overlooking the pool. The pool is lovely and enticing but we did not go swimming.
This home built on the side of the hill is on the road coming from Baguio. It has started to slide off the hill.
While we were training at the mission office we saw these men harvesting fruit from the tree near the Urdaneta Stake Center which is located on the same grounds as the mission office and mission home.
The baptism of the young man in the center of the picture. We are always so happy, and so are they, when they accept the gospel and bring Jesus Christ into their life.
The mother, grandmother, and the missionaries are always happy to celebrate the baptism of converts.
Elder Fullmer presenting the mission call to Sister Tephany Tanglin from the Bauang 2 Branch. Unlike in the U.S., the missionaries in the Philippines get their call package handed to them instead of receiving it in the mail.
The Fullmer's, Sister Tanglin, her mother, grandmother, sister and Branch President are all smiles as she shows her call letter to the Philippines Davao mission. Her mother is so proud as she also has a son serving in the Quezon City mission which is near Manila.
The glow of the gospel in the lives of the Filipino people is as bright and glorious as the sunsets. We close this month happy that there have been several missionaries leave on their mission and many baptisms. The gospel brings peace and joy into the lives of those who accept God's Plan of Happiness.
