December 4, 2014 - Thursday Evening

Helen and I have enjoyed a wonderful day here in Laoag.  It has been a busy day and the city is so alive with Christmas!  It seems that when there is no possible way to put up another public Christmas display, another huge display is erected.  The Filipino people love Christmas.  Who doesn't?  I love Christmas and all that it represents to me as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and all the wonderful memories of this season that are forever a part of me from my earliest memories to today!

But the people of the Philippines celebrate the Christmas season the last four months of the year with December being the culminating month where festivals and city center displays take over the celebrations.  What a blessing it is to know that we celebrate the Christmas Season with the precious birth of Jesus and the beginning of a life that has eternal significance for each of us as believers and even those who don't profess to believe.  Certainly every knee shall one day bow and every tongue will one day confess that Jesus is the Christ, even the very Son of God.  That is the privilege that mom and I have to help teach this eternal truth and these precious people of the Philippines are so ready to hear it!  Speaking of sharing.....

Mom and I met "Jimmie" earlier this week at the walking track at the stadium.  I've mentioned him before.  He is an older man whose daughter, we found out, joined the Church in Hawaii.  We have seen him every day this week and we saw him again today.  It seemed that our invitation to come to Church with us was not accepted, but we still look forward to seeing him.  Well, this morning we saw him and greeted him in our usual "good morning, Jimmie" happy voices, and he seemed to ask us where the Church was.  Usually the sister missionaries come out and walk or run on the same track but they weren't there to help us understand his question.  But Heavenly Father understood and within a very few minutes the sisters came.  We introduced them to Jimmie and he did want to know where the Church was!  And, he said he might meet us there on Sunday!  Interestingly enough, the sisters weren't planning on coming this morning but "felt impressed" that they should come even though today is the District Meeting at 9am, held every Thursday.

Then, we were able to have the internet mobile device work in our apartment.  Our mission president made sure we had the device last night and I was able to connect it and use the internet from our apartment.  What was even better was the fact that we could Skype our children this morning as well.  Some of you may be able to empathize with this senior missionary couple.  Leaving home to serve a foreign mission and leaving behind 17 and 1/2 grandchildren is one of the hardest things we have had to do!  So it is always wonderful to see these precious family members and talk to them about their activities!  And, share with them our activities and experiences!

 To conclude our day, one of our friends here in the Philippines is here with his family serving some humanitarian needs.  He is building homes for those who can prove they own the land.  I have mentioned him before.  He brought over some family members tonight and a young returned missionary who is serving in a ward Bishopric to help me fix a leaking faucet.  Along with that he has a USA cell phone and Helen had the opportunity to call her dad in Virginia.  I can't tell you what a blessing it was for her to reconnect with her dad who is not a member and to share with him some personal experiences here.

Yes, this has been a wonderful day for two senior missionaries who do not speak or understand the language but who have been comforted and sheltered by His good care.  I truly, "stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me".

Our 1st Baptismal Service 12/1/14

Horse drawn carriage - Manila