THE WORK CONTINUES BUT I AM RUNNING OUT OF TIME

My absolute favourite view every day.  It is such a blessing to be working in Family History and being a participant of the gathering of Israel from both sides of the veil.  But it is particularly wonderful to be working across the street from this magnificent building....the House of the Lord and to attend the Temple weekly and do the work as well.  I feel peace there.

It is crazy how time flies over here.  It seems each day runs into the next and then it is the weekend, then another week goes by.  For 5 weeks in a row, I received Tier 3 training from Salt Lake City with respect to the various types of cases we get for Family History.   We have been learning about how to Dead to Living, when someone marks a person as deceased when they are in fact alive; Born In The Covenant, where the child was born in the covenant but it is not shown in the family tree; Incorrect Sex, when someone puts a male as a female and vice versa; Releasing reservations and Membership as well as the 110 year cases. There are also a couple more things we have learned as well.  Each case we do, takes significant time to complete the research to ensure that we are correcting the mistakes.  We have to ensure the ordinances are recorded properly.

Sister Elliott is the nurse who has worked in the MRC (Missionary Resource Center) in the Mission Training Center for the past 23 months.  Last week at our Family Home Evening, she brought out her 'carry on' suitcase which weighed the limit of 15 pounds.  When she opened her suitcase, she showed us the work she has done for her  family while being on this mission.  Literally thousands of her ancestors have been found and have had their ordinance work done.  Many families in her family tree have been sealed for Time and All Eternity.

Now there is no way Sister Elliott  could have done this alone.  She and her daughter,  did the research, but she had the blessing of working in the MTC and  was able to give ordinance cards to the missionaries to do some of the ordinance work for her when they went to the Temple on assigned temple days, that is if the missionary didn't have their own family names to take through.

Two Elders from the MTC came in for
a visit.  The one to my left is Elder Martinez
who worked in the Family History Center as
a volunteer prior to his mission call to the
Urdaneta Mission. 

Group shot of our Church Service
Missionaries, Manager and Supervisor

Felvir Ordinario is the Family History Center Manager.  He has a great knowledge of Family Search and is amazing.

He also goes to the respective churches and parishes to discuss how we might obtain the church records for indexing to make them available for everyone in the Philippines.

He also oversees the training for the Temple and Family History Consultants and has numerous projects on the go with respect to obtaining records for extraction.

This is Ezra Ignacio.  He returned from his mission in Thailand several months ago and speaks fluent Thai.

We have him trained in the 110 cases so he can work on the Thai cases.  He will be starting university in the next few weeks.

He is one amazing young man.   He works so hard and is dedicated to come in to help patrons in the Family History Center.  We have wonderful volunteers.

 VILLA ESCUDERO - Plantations and Resort

Our senior outing last month took us a few hours out of  Manila to Villa Escudero.  Another adventerous day for us all.  We got a Carabao Cart Ride from our vehicle to the Museum.  After touring the museum we each had the opportunity to paddle along on a bamboo raft.

 

I was proud of myself that I could maneuver that bamboo
raft.  I am grateful for my dragon boat experiences. 

The dinner provided was at the bottom of a waterfall.

Your feet was in the water the whole time.  Sister Stone and
Sister Gunnell were sitting with me.  

Another view of the falls. Some people even sat at the bottom
to stay cool.  It was quite hot that day.

The meal is served on a banana leaf.  I was safe
and ate rice and chicken.  Watermelon was my dessert.

After the lunch we were entertained
by the staff who also presented the
various styles of traditional dances.

There were many costume changes.  They were dancing with
lit candles on their heads.  They researched the different dances
and costumes.  It was quite spectacular. 

Some of the ladies were given
these little hand made origami
fish made from banana leaves.

I couldn't leave without getting a picture
of me with a carabao.  They did take good
care of their animals.  I was glad to see they
were given breaks and they laid in the pond.

NORMAL THINGS YOU SEE IN THE PHILIPPINES.... WELL,  NORMAL HERE

There is always room for one more. This
jeepney passed us.  It had at least 25 people
squeezed in the jeepney then these guys
decided to hitch a ride. 

I think there are 18 people in this Tricycle, including the driver.

I am not sure if he is recycling or collecting
the cardboard to sell.  The Filipino people will
collect and sell anything they feel can give them
any sort of income to survive.  

This street vendor with his travelling 'kiosk'.
There are so many street vendors throughout the
Philippines.  This man had spring rolls with
sauces, that were in containers near the back of
the bike.  The Filipino people cover their heads
when it rains because they believe if their heads
are covered, they won't get sick with a cold or flu. 

This was taken by Elder Jacob who is currently serving
in Cebu.  This is an example of utility repair
 in tandem.  Ladders are leaning against the
wires for safety and they have the umbrellas to protect
them from the sun.  This was taken in IloIlo City.

This one is n Manila.  I am fascinated with all the utility
wires in this country.  I must do a total blog on the wires.

The use of words here never ceases to amaze me.
This road is being rehabilitated.  Also, instead
of having a visual inspection, it is called an ocular inspection.

OUR AQUA-JOG GROUP.. ONE LAST EXERCISE CLASS WITH SISTER KANEEN

When I first came on this mission, I was invited by Sister Kaneen to join her and a couple of other sister missionaries for aqua jog class in our pool.   We attended Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays after work for about an hour.  Sister Kaneen led the classes.  Two weeks ago, we had our last complete class prior to Sister Kaneen completing her mission.   We finally got a group shot of us and our 'synchronized aqua fit pose.'

Add caption

Sisters' Grimshaw, Duncan, Kaneen, Gabrielson and Owen.

ONE INSPIRING YOUNG MAN - EZRA MACADERA

When I first came on my mission, I was told of a young man who was serving a mission in the Quezon City mission.  The significant thing about him, was that he was born with his legs so contorted that his feet were backward.  When I saw a picture of him with his companion, I thought I my eyes were deceiving me.

A few weeks ago, I was in Mabuhay doing a sharing time with the children and he was there.  I thought he was just visiting but he was scheduled to have surgery on one of his legs.  His one leg was very painful when he walked and he decided to have it amputated below the knee and have a prosthetic attached.

Later in the week, he was in the Family History Center after having attended a Temple session.  Despite his disabilities, Ezra is an example of faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ.  He is always smiling and to the best of my knowledge, he has not complained about his condition.  He has his college degree and is a Certified Chartered Accountant.  He has yet to get the work experience, but has helped others, with his knowledge in that field, study and pass their exams to qualify.  Once this procedure is completed, we are hopeful he will find employment to help support his parents.

Elder Holland said that if our mission doesn't change us, 'Shame On You!!!'  This mission has been a humbling experience.  The Filipino people have taught me so much.  For months, I have wondered why I was called to serve here.  I came believing I had something to offer and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ; to teach Family History and FamilySearch; to learn about our ancestors and what they have taught us but I have come to the understanding that I have been called here to learn acceptance, humility, loyalty, dedication and pure unconditional genuine love for each other and for our Heavenly Father.

 "In the gospel of Jesus Christ you have help from both sides of the veil, and you must never forget that.  When disappointment and discouragement strike --- and they will --- you remember and never forget that if our eyes could be opened we would see horses and chariots of fire as far as the eye can see riding at reckless speed to come to our protection.  they will always be there, these armies of heaven, in defense of Abraham's seed."  Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, For Times of Trouble 18 March 1980