Serious Questions

Our hotel is in a seedy part of town, so we will pretty much stay in our hotel room today.  Darn, I wanted to venture out and see the sights.  But we need to act like missionaries and study, right?

But since I have no news, a few questions for you:
1.  My daily pills are portioned out in a weekly pill organizer.  There is a compartment for each day of the week.  Because we were flying so far, Tuesday never happened for us. So what do I do with Tuesday's pills?

2.  The drain in our bathroom sink has no strainer thingy.  It's just a black hole.  I commented to your dad, "I'd better not put my earrings on over the sink.  If I drop one, it will go clear down to China."  Oh wait! So what should be my new phrase?

Any suggestions?  Have a nice day, or evening, as the case is for all of you at this time.

Love, Mom

You've GOT To Be Kidding!

This morning started out great.  We took a few pictures from our hotel window of jeepneys and tangled taxis.

The jeepneys are adorable

Which lanes do they want?

Then off to the airport by 7:30am.  We found which flight we were to be on, and all was well.  Our plane left a little late, but nothing serious. So far, so good. There was a bit of turbulance all the way, but again, nothing serious.  The closer we got to Laoag, the more turbulant it got......and rainy, .......and thick clouds.  As we started our descent, the pilot informed us we would be circling the airport for about a half-hour because of weather.  One circle, and the pilot then regrettably told us we would not be landing, but rather returning to Manila. Great! An hour and forty minutes later and back in Manila we adopted a cute little lost Philipino missionary who was also on our flight.  He was trying to return to his home in Laoag after having served his mission in Quezon City.  He was very grateful for your dad's leadership ability of booking the next available flight to Laoag, finding our luggage and a taxi, directing the taxi driver to our hotel when he went the wrong way, advising the elder to call his mission office telling them of his where-abouts, and checking us into the hotel after getting permission from both mission offices to do so. Your dad also arranged for the elder to get money to pay for his meals for the next two days. Yes, you read right....two days.  We won't be leaving Manila until Saturday.  Meanwhile we have learned that Laoag is experiencing a typhoon.  Hmmm, one more little wrong piece of information we were told: "Laoag doesn't ever have typoons.  It's on the protected side of the island."  Great!  Other than that, it's been a profitable day.  I had fun trying to speak Tagalog with Elder Esteban.  The saying, "Necessity is the mother of learning" is very true.  I know, I changed the quote just a tad, but I think it applies.  So, those of you who were praying for our safe arrival....keep on praying! We haven't arrived yet.  Our new mission president will probably be in Laoag before we are.

Love, Mom



We're Finally In The Philippines

After a grueling 15 hours from LAX to Hong Kong, we are waiting for our Manila flight. The date of each new post is finally in sync with our posts. It is actually Wednesday morning here in beautiful downtown Hong Kong. There were 24 fresh missionaries on our flight with us. Some sisters, too. to be continued ...we need to board

Layover in Hong Kong airport

An update since Hong Kong: We arrived in Manila at about 11:00am, with no problem.

With missionaries at Manila airport--waiting for shuttle

More missionaries----more waiting

Our hotel reminded me of a scene from "Casa Blanca", except no ceiling fans.  They would have helped, though.  The "air con" (as they call it here) in the lobby was broken.  Sweat was pouring down my face and onto the lovely vinyl couch.  We napped in our room and then walked to the airport to see if we could find any info on our flight to Laoag tomorrow. No luck. We don't have anything official as to which airline or what time our flight leaves.  Luckily your dad happened to look over our "cruise director's" shoulder while at the airport and has an unofficial airline name and departure time.
Our little walk to the airport was interesting.  I'm glad I took the advise of a Filipino sister in the MTC who told me not to bring any higher-heeled shoes.  The sidewalks are in bad repair.  It was very fun to be immersed in a different culture.  Your dad worries, though, I want to go back with food for all the sad, little orphaned cats we saw along the way.  They are on death's door, all thin and emaciated, hardly able walk.

Knowing & doing are 2 different things.  We have been cautioned ever since we got our call to the Philippines to only drink liquids that are bottled or canned.  OK, I’m doomed! Strike one: we went to KFC for dinner here in Manila. I slurped down a delicious mango Krusher (equivalent of a chunky Smoothie).  Fresh mangos. Yum! But who knows where the water came from that was in the drink?  Strike two: I brushed my teeth and rinsed with faucet water before the warning bells went off in my head.  Like I said, I’m doomed.  My next post will probably be titled: “My Week In Bed And In The CR.”

Love, Mom

The Day Is Here

Two days before our departure for the the Philippines, the family did sealings In the Bountiful Temple.  It was so heartwarming to sit in one of the sealing rooms with five of our children and their spouses and perform sealing ordinances for our ancestors.  It doesn’t get much better than that.   

THE day has finally arrived.  All the months of planning, shopping, getting shots, studying Tagalog, packing, and fixing up our home are finally over.  It’s good to finally be moving on, yet sad to be leaving our familiar and comfortable life behind.  After hugging all the family, we were off, only to return minutes later to pick up my forgotten laptop.  Talk about anticlimactic. Scott was traveling to the airport with us.  Gazing at the mountains he said, “You’re going to miss those.”  My response was, “No, I’m going to miss that,” pointing to the Bountiful Temple coming into view.

For months I have watched airplanes, imagining Gary and I were in a plane headed for the mission field….trying to figure out what my feelings would be at that moment. It was pretty much like I imagined.  I kept my eyes on the mountains and the temple as long as I could until the taxiing plane turned.  Then I teared up….thinking of our beautiful family we were leaving behind. But we will be fine.  We are looking forward to our new adventure.   

 

Days Five and Six

I wasn't going to post a blog for these days, since I didn't think anything newsworthy had happened.  But I think it's more the fact that we're starting to take this place for granted....and that's not good!
We had a testimony meeting last night for foreign language learners.  Very interesting!   Those of us who are beginners were sweating bullets.  I decided to venture to the podium early before I forgot my memorized testimony. The more advanced foreign language students spoke towards the end of the meeting.  There's no way under heaven I would have followed a proficient speaker with my pigeon Tagalog.  They should have split the meeting into two sessions: beginning language testimony meeting and intermediate language testimony meeting. 

This morning Elder Eddington and I ventured out of our protected Garden of MTC into the "lone and dreary world".  That's when I realized we are getting too used to our state of innocence. It seems that all there is out in the cold, cruel world is weeds and dry dirt.  While waiting for a stop light to change, I forced myself to find some beauty in the dusty, junky, empty field I was gazing at.  I did single out some purple weed flowers and a very lovely clump of giant milk weed puff balls, so we're good.

Our Garden of MTC

And then in Target, there was the difference between "us" and "them".   "Us": Sunday dress.  "Them": cut offs and flip flops.  "Us": missionary tags hung on pockets, which we feel priviledged and honored to wear.  Again, we're good.
(FYI: The date of this post: Sunday June 17th is really Saturday June 16th.  Sunday June 17th is the date in the Philippines. We really don't shop at Target on Sunday.)

Our apartment

Loves and Hugs,
Sister Eddington

Days Three and Four

The last two days have been pretty scary.  Yesterday and today we learned a few lessons and then as couples presented them to "investigators" (volunteers from the outside world).  Both days our investigators were a variation of cute older couples.  The surroundings were like a small living room.  Our teachers were watching us on a webcam hidden on a bookcase.  It was quite a learning experience. Of course we baptized both days!

Then today we practiced working with inactives.  We listened to another senior couple pretend to be an inactive couple.  They explained why they weren't still active.  The husband indicated he would probably still be active if his wife were more cooperative.  Because this exercise took place in our classroom, it was less formal, so I ventured a solution to the problem: "Have you ever considered divorce?"  Humm. 

Our class group

Happy Missionarying,
Sister Eddington

Interesting bit of info:  "Senior missionary couples are the best we have.  They are ALL we have!" 
                                                                                             President Hinckley

Day Two At The MTC

 Just as awesome, if not more so, than day one!  We had some great classes led by some super enthusiastic young elders and sisters.  They had us partner up as couples, one of us being the investigator and the other being the missionary. When it was time to report back on how successful or unsuccessful we were with our missionary lesson, we Eddingtons explained that our discussion was super successful.  I confessed that since I had a crush on Elder Eddington, I was willing to do anything he asked.  Our instructor said he noticed that Elder Eddington winked at me. Elder Eddington tattled and said that I, Sister Eddington, winked at him first!

Left - my crush
Right - Our instructor, Elder Lystrup

The weekly devotional tonight was so inspirational.  I could hardly sing the hymns for all the lumps in my throat and tears in my eyes. Everyone was borrowing tissues from the sister in the row in front of us.  To see, hear, and sing with the vast sea of 2,500 elders and sisters singing missionary hymns was so powerful.   It was like being among the Armies of Helaman.

Elder Per G. Malm of the Seventy spoke at the devotional.  Absolutely a moment in time.  My new resolve this time around on a mission is to take notes on everything....and blog almost everything.  Pictures will come someday when we can figure out how to do it.

Interesting bit of info:  "There is an urgent need for more proselything/leadership senior missionaries in just about every mission in the Church.  Currently, there are about half as many serving as are needed."  Quoted from an MTC handout

We Think We'll Stay

Our first day at the MTC!  We are official....with our missionary badges and swipe cards.  The MTC exudes with the Spirit.  A few months ago when picking up our Tagalog materials here, we felt this special Spirit, and wished with all our hearts we were real missionaries and could stay. And now we're here. When we first arrived , two darling elders helped us take our bags to our room.  They wouldn't accept a tip!

 We have felt nothing but love and appreciation all day. The Church is true. We are blessed to be part of such a wonderful work. 

Interesting bits of info: "The number of senior couples has doubled since 2010."

                                      "Senior couples are gold to the mission field."

Mission Call

We're heading to the Laoag Philippines Mission. Our farewell is Sunday, June 10 at 12:45 PM (followed by an open house at our home); and we leave for the Senior MTC on Monday, June 11.

Check back for updates from our mission!