One week in the Philippianes and still alive

Disclaimer: I have felt I was doing Veva a favor by going on the mission with her because she felt she couldn't do this alone. The truth is I am learning that with my bossy self I would have never lasted with anyone else! Veva is so good natured (like our dad). She puts up with my bossy ways. I tell her all the time that she is the Senior Companion and then I boss her around some more.
I am so very grateful that she is my companion or I may have not lived through this experience.

Okay I am afraid that I have you all feeling sorry for us so let me show you the mall that is here in Laoag.                                                        
                                            Robinson Mall

  This is just one of the stores in the mall. 

There are one or two movie theaters in the mall. One of the perks of being a Senior Missionaries is, you can go to the movies now and then. 

But Yes the movies are Philippine Movies.

There is a pizza place in the mall as well as KFC. Of course the chicken is served with a side of rice.

President Peterson has assigned us our jobs. We are so happy. Veva will be in charge of the medical. As missionaries develop health problems, Veva will find out what they can do to fix their problem. We want to keep them out of the hospital as much as possible. Some hospitals have cob webs and cats all over. 

Sister Peterson went with this couple, and NO we can't pronounce their names, to find a good hospitals. We will just call them the "V's".

The "V's" and Sister Peterson looked at the inside of hospitals for cleanliness and how busy they were. The "V's" are from the Netherlands where he was a general doctor and she was his nurse. They reside in Manila but travel for trainings and helping everyone out.  

Brother "V" was telling us that there was a doctor who retired and came here on a mission. After a time he saw that there was an unusual large amount of children with cleft pallets, club feet and eye problems in Manila.

This doctor got busy and started to see if doctors would donate free procedures to help these children. As he met with resistance he then asked if they would just commit to doing 6 free procedures a month.

In November the organization that this pervious Senior Missionary started, will celebrate their 30 years in business. As the organization grew they did allow more and more free procedures a month and they have spread through out the area.

There is a large number of young people here who get thyroid cancer. No one knows why but they have seen 3 missionaries with it. Elder  "V" says it usually strikes older people. Yep we are staying away from the water.

As most of you know there are in the missions- districts, zones and areas. Districts usually are made up of several pairs of missionaries. Meet our district.

These elders work in the office during the day and then go out tracting in the evening.

Veva's job helps relieve the President's wife's work. My job frees up the elder on the right (the end one). He is glad to pass the job on to me. The job I am assigned is Travel. Oh Help! I have to get everything ready for the incoming missionaries and outgoing missionaries. I have to set up schedules, make up packets, make sure flight arrangements are made, notify parents, bishops, stake pres. and the list goes on of things to do. I am excited for the challenge but so scared.

Meet our district and office staff for the Laoag Mission Home. The Elders have moved all their computers to the back and put Veva and I up front.

On Monday were  able to attend another district meeting before we went to ours on Tuesday.

And there is Sister Nelson doing a selfie again. She is so good at it!

This is Sisters Peterson's photo for the mission home.

This is Sister Peterson after she lit the gas stove and burned all the hair on her arms and some of the hair on her head.

The Nelsons decide that it is time for us to learn to ride the Tri-Sees so we are off to town to get our phones fixed and eat at Mac Donald's.  

She won't let me in!

And off we go on our first Tri-See ride.  I hope Veva is enjoying herself because I am hanging on for dear life!

Sights from the back of the Tri-See.

Somethings got to give right?

Ah Mac Donald's, we never eat Mac Donalds in the States but for some reason it sounded good today. Their hamburger is the only hamburger I am trusting right now.

The reason Mac Donald's sounds good is we are adjusting to not finding the foods we are accustom to.  Mayonnaise is way too sweet, milk is way too thick and we are not brave enough to buy hamburger.

 Really this is all the lettuce we get?

Baby potatoes is all you get.

Nope, Nope not going there!

As a side note the sun came out to day. We have been here a week and this is the first time we've seen it. Looking into our place from the street.

Our compound has a nice patch of grass (not grass) for walking and exercising on early in the morning.

Friday afternoon we decide to leave work a little early and try to take a Tri-See on our own. We want to see if we can hail one down, express where to go and pay them with our strange money. 

Veva lets me ride in the cart with her until on the way back. On the way back it is only her and the groceries that will fit. 

Yea this is way too much fun!

Can't stop laughing! 

There is a mirror inside the cart so we can see ourself. 

Oh we look too, too funny.

This is our selfie. 

We are inside the cart looking out. See that mirror right there?

 That's not good.

We were successful so tomorrow we will be taking a Tri-See again to the church to a Relief Society activity and then again to church on Sunday.

Meet the &$#%()(( Family.

Dad is from the Philippines but came to the states at age 15. He was in the movies here when he was younger. He served a mission and met his wife in the states. She was a sixth grade teacher.

There is a book called, Washington's Hypotheses which Veva had and I read before coming on our mission. It was written by Timothy Ballard. 

Brother Ballard worked with the CIA and then went into working with the Underground rescue of young children that had been adducted.

Brother Ballard had a documentary out about some of their rescues. It struck this sister very hard and she began to pursue making a sanctuary for rescued young girls. 

She had a brother who owned a couple of successful business in the states and he had been wanting to help in some way. When they both found this out he helped them get back to the Philippines. 

The father of this family wasn't on board at first but as the miracles began to show themselves he couldn't deny that this was their calling.

The sister (trying to protect names and places) has a patriarchal blessing that says she will one day have a facility that helps others. So this sister didn't know how but she pushed forward.

This place that they have was owned by a Baptist or some religion and she held her church here. When this family was looking for a place to start their sanctuary the relator took them to many places. None seemed to work for them. Finally the relator said I have one more place but I am sure it is out of your price range. As they drove down the road the sister and her husband felt strongly that this was the place and then the relator said, "Oh we are on the wrong road". They turned around and followed another road that led them back to this same place. Blessings all around us!

When they contacted the owner in the states she was amazed because she had be praying that her home or church would continue to be a place of service. The owner dropped the price down to about a third of the cost. Blessings, Blessings.

DoTerra Essential Oils gave them most of the money to build a 6 ft. wall around the place. I was not allowed to take a picture of the outside of the sanctuary.

The mother of this family wrote a grant for help with the home and got it. She also wrote the mayor here in the Philippines. The mayor is very busy and hard to get into. The mayor rearranged her schedule and met with this family. 

In this meeting it was learned that the mayor, just days before had ask why there were so many children with venereal disease here in the Philippines. Her staff said, "You don't want to know"! Well yes she wanted to know and to help. 

She got on her knees and prayed for help. Then the mayor got the letter from this family requesting permission to start a sanctuary she then met with them. 

The family tells of how strong the spirit was that day as they met with the mayor and some others. Everyone was in tears and the effort to help children goes on. Thanks to blessings, blessings and more blessings. It may be just doors that are opened and hearts that are softened.

This family had us out to their place for supper. They told of their many miracles and they had just signed papers that day to open the sanctuary. Miracles!

They are working on getting staffed and hope to start taking in children (ages 3 to 12) by September.

The case worker, social worker they hired was another miracle. They had posted it and was not happy with the results until this one Baptist sister called to set up an interview. The mother hired her (in her mind) before even talking to her . The case worker had 17 years of experience and had worked with the Peace Core. The case worker was not happy with not serving anymore and was looking to do more. She is perfect and a very loving person.

The family and the case worker holds bible study each night. This is what they want to happen in the sanctuary so they are beginning now.

It is beautiful when different religions can come together and learn of the Savior without anyone judging each other.

So Veva and I do not know how we will fit in. The mother wants us to come sometimes and read to the children or even bake with them. I am not sure how much President Peterson will let us be involved but we trust his judgment.

The work goes on here in the Philippines. 

Some of you have expressed a desire to send stuff here. We discourage it because a small package can cost $100.00 to send. The mail system is different so we may not always get what is sent. Letters are good.

Our address is.....

  Philippines Laoag Mission

Brgy. # 50  Buttong, Airport Avenue

Junction Tangid Road, Laoag City

2900 Ilocos Norte

Philippines