Humidity ... Thunder ... Lightning ... AWESOME!!

I arrived on Wednesday morning about 6:30 a.m. from Los Angeles.   Interesting that I lost Tuesday, crossing the International Date Line.  I was greeted by Elder Whitehead (Zone Leader) and Brother Caduada at the airport.  Walking out of the air conditioned building into the humidity was like walking into a sauna.  I am grateful that the vehicle that we were in had air conditioning in it as well.

They brought me to the Temple Workers apartments across from the Manila Temple where I am staying temporarily until my apartment in Eastwood City is ready.  After I dropped my luggage off, Sister Whitehead gave me a tour of  the Area office, MTC and Family History Center.  There is a small shopping plaza next to the MTC that has a Starbucks and a little market, as well as a little restaurant.  We stopped at the little restaurant to have a bite to eat.   I thought that I would be safe with a grilled cheese sandwich... NO GO.  We later drove to Eastwood where I would eventually be moving.  Concrete jungle would be a good description and there are guards with guns on every corner. Highly secure area. Later we met another couple and had dinner at TIGFridays.  I thought I would be safe with Caesar salad and french onion soup...... We finished at a little ice cream (shaved icemilk) place, to die for.

Okay, if I can't identify it, I don't eat it, and I am not a fan of trying anything new.  I know, at my age, you would think I would be more adventurous in the 'tasting' department, but I am not.  So, the past few days, my diet has been Croissants, apple turnover, Pringles chips, Almond Mars Bars, MUG Root Beer (that doesn't taste like root beer) and Haagen Dasz ice cream (coconut and pineapple).  Don't judge me.  It will be a very gradual journey as far as acquiring a taste for the food over here.

Thursday (June 21st) was my first day at the Family History Center.  To get there, I have to walk by the Temple and that morning, there were a few youth, who came running up to me to shake my hand and bid me a good day.  All smiles.  It actually made my day.

I met a few of the sisters that work in the Family History Center and started familiarize myself with their procedures.

Yesterday morning, I had to go to the immigration centre to get the paperwork completed for my VISA in downtown Manila.  The drive took almost an hour and that was one of the scariest experiences I have ever had in my life.  Outside of the gazillion motor cycles that drive in between cars, switching lanes and all, there were cars that were edging each other to get into the various lanes.  There were times we were at a standstill.   There are vendors on the road, some walking in between the lanes, selling their wares.  Anything from boiled bananas to peanuts and what looked like baguettes.

I saw where many of the 30 + million people live in Manila/Quezon City.  Little huts stacked on top of each other, old cars, underpasses, little ghettos which didn't appear to have any street or house numbers.  I saw a car with a rooster tied up to it.  The driver told me the rooster wasn't a pet as the rooster was used for cock-fighting which is apparently what most people gamble on over here.  Needless to say, the right to and from central Manila was quite an education, indeed.

I have only been here a couple of days, but it seems late afternoons, we get tremendous storms, thunder, lightning and downpour like I have never seen.  The dark clouds behind the Temple make the Temple even look even whiter.   I attended a session at the Temple today, and you could hear the thunder.

I will be moving into my apartment on Monday, as it will be ready.  At this point, outside of tasting Philippine Cuisine, my next biggest fear is driving back and forth to the Family History Center from Eastwood City.  I don't have a car yet, but I hear they are planning on giving me one.  Courage.. I need courage, and a few ministering angels protecting me on those days.

Jeepney - local travel

Some of the Local Accomodation

More local accomodation 

Rooster used for fighting

My Ride...

So, this week I had to travel to Salt Lake City for training at the Family History Centre in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.  I was seriously nervous about how I was going to get there and yesterday, was a witness as to why I should have reason to feel that way.

Last Friday, the Travel Office told me that I was supposed to be at their office by 6:45 a.m. so a Shuttle would take me to the Front Runner Train.  I was given printed instructions.  Of course, I had two alarms set for the morning so I could get up and make myself look presentable, get to the 'bag breakfast/lunch' part of the cafeteria to grab breakfast and lunch for my day, because the cafeteria wouldn't be open yet.

The next morning, sure's shooting, I was up, ready, got my bag lunch and was at the travel office by 6:40a.m. just to be sure that I wouldn't be late.  There was a big blue bus there and I presumed there would be others coming as well. As time went by, nobody showed up.  Just after 7:00 an employee came by and I asked her if she knew when the bus would be leaving.   She called a number and handed me the phone.  Apparently there was some sort of mix up and I didn't have a ride to catch the train.  A few minutes later, one of the security officers picked me up and drove me to the train stop. I sort of had the idea that the ride would be about an hour, but it was slightly longer.  It left the station at 7:47.. I arrived at the Salt Lake Station just before 9:00 then had to take another TRAX train to Temple Square.  By the time I got to where I thought I was supposed to be going, my phone rang, and it was my instructor, Sister Lewis, asking me where I was.  She said I could cut through Temple Square and they would meet me at the other end and take me to our classroom.  By the time I got there and sat down, more than flustered, it was almost 9:30.   Good part was that by that time, I had put on more than 2,000 steps.  (Love the walk metre on my watch).

Returning from Salt Lake wasn't quite so bad, but by the time I was picked up at the Provo Station, and got back to the MTC, it was just after 6:00 and the cafeteria was ready to close.   I did receive an email from the Travel Office apologizing for the mix up.  It really wasn't a big deal, but it certainly wasn't the way you would want a Monday to start.

Today was better.  I got there in sufficient time, and there were about 16 or so missionaries departing for the Front Runner train to the airport to go on their missions.  Coming back, I took the wrong TRAX train, but got off in sufficient time to catch the Front Runner back to Provo.

BUT, let me tell you about the Family Research Centre in Salt Lake.  SO AWESOME!!!! I wished I would  have had more time to explore that place.  It is free to anyone who wants to go in and check the place out.  They have these I-pads that when you log into your Family Search, you can connect the I-pad to the screen and it will show you a map of where you came from, up to 10 generations.  Then there is another screen that you can connect to that will show you who you might be related to, even in the room you are standing.

Sister Lewis is so passionate about Family History and her enthusiasm is contagious.  There are two other couples in my class.  One couple going to Manhattan, and the other to Birmingham, England. We learned so much, in just one day.  I don't know how I am going to remember everything. Yesterday, we met Steve Nickle, who was one of the developers of Ancestry and now he works in Family Search, going around the world, negotiating contracts to access records for scanning, etc.  He told some stories of how things happen, and that you know it is the Lord's work and how He really wants this work to go forward.

Interesting fact:  There are more Chinese missionaries coming to our continent from mainland China to do missionary work.

Thought for the day:  "Never deny in darkness, what you knew in Light."

In this church, the good bye is never forever!!

I am sure everyone felt the same coming into the MTC not knowing anyone, but when we were broken into our Districts, friendships formed very quickly.  The 5 days of training flew by and before we knew it, it was Friday, and we had to bid, farewell to our new friends.

Elder and Sister Mullin and me.
These two were my assigned companions this week.

My district.  Elder and Sister Lemmon, Elder and Sister Bates,
Elder and Sister Thayne, Elder and Sister Golder, Elder and Sister
Stewart-Longhorst, Sister Bennett and Sister Duncan
Our Instructor: Brother Clements

                                                     The Provo City Center Temple

What better way to start the weekend.  Sister Bennett and I attended the Provo City Center Temple this morning.  Several years ago, this building, formerly the Provo Tabernacle, burnt down, leaving, literally a shell of a building. To see the remarkable workmanship in this temple is breath-taking. Very ornate.  I had seen pictures of it when they began the renovations, and the building seemed much larger than it is.  There were a lot of stairs to climb, but getting to the Celestial Room was so worth it.  There were winding stairs up to the Terrestrial Room, which again, I was speechless at the architecture, stained glass windows and curved beams.   Holiness To The Lord - The House Of The Lord - Perfection.

I'm Here!!!

I finally made it!!!  I am currently at the Mission Training Centre in Provo, Utah.  I have to say that the few weeks before getting here was quite the fiasco, with all of the work, distractions and Tami's car being robbed, but with the help of some amazing friends, my personal items in my home got packed, my bags were packed and I was finally on my way.

Saying 'Goodbye' to my girls was one of the hardest things ever. 

I was able to Facetime with Brianne before I left ... I am so grateful for technology that we were able to chat.

Both girls have known that I have talked about going on a mission ever since they can remember and I am so blessed that I have their support.

I hope that with technology that we will be able to have more Facetime chats, once I get settled in the Mission field.

Arrival Photo

Receiving my Name Tag

Officially ... Sister Duncan

Quezon City, Philippines