Missionary Work? What's That?

     Can a day start out any worse? We skipped our exercise hour at Marcos Stadium to work on our talks that we were to give at the Batac Stake Christmas Ball Saturday afternoon.
     The bad news was: the power went out at about 7am while we were working on the computer, finalizing our talks.
     The good news was: Because we had skipped our exercise hour, I had already showered and my hair was "fixed".  When the power goes out, we lose water pressure since our water is pumped into our apartment.
     The bad news was: I had no way of printing my talk. But I didn't worry too much. In the past, the power has usually been out for only twenty minutes or so.  But wait, the last time the power went out, it stayed out for fourteen long, air-conditionerless hours. 
     The good news was: As the hours ticked by without any electricity, I finally decided to cancel all my piano lessons for the day.  The stake center didn't have power either.  So now I had more time to work on my talk; hoping my computer battery would last long enough for me to finish my task.
     The bad news was: The power still wasn't on when we left for Batac. So we took my lap top with us to see if we could find a place that had electricty to print off my talk.  Worse case scenario, I would have to give my talk using the lap top.
     The good news was: We found a place to print  my talk! The mission office is closed on Saturdays, but it was our luck that some of the mission elders were in their apartment above the mission office doing their weekly planning.  AND they had power.  So Elder Knowles (a nephew of the Farmington Knowles) opened up the mission office and we printed.
     The bad news was: We had a hard time finding the ball venue.  We assumed the dance was to be held in a local meetinghouse, but we have learned not to ever assume anything.  Elder  texted early Saturday morning and we were informed that the ball was to be held at the Marcos University in Batac.  Good to know!
     The good news was: Since our print-my-talk problem was so easily solved, we had plenty of time to find the Batac Marcos University.
     From then on, the day continued to be full of good news. The ball was a kick-off activity to help motivate unendowed couples prepare to go to the temple for a stake temple trip in May.  Therefore, Elder and I were asked to speak on developing a good marital relationship.  We both shared the podium and took turns giving parts of the talk.  It was quite enjoyable....even though I had envisioned speaking in a chapel and then dismissing to a cultural hall for the dance.
     As you will see from the pictures, Filipino members really know how to party!  It was a very fun evening.

A live, and lively, band.

I took pictures of the fanciest dresses of the ball.  The men looked sharp, too.  Enjoy:

Stake President Galapia and wife

Husband and wife MCs.

 

 

     There's a good-looking young man in every crowd. Angelo Rafol is a returned missionary who teaches the San Lorenzo seminary while I give piano lessons. After the seminary class is over, I teach piano lessons to some of the seminary students, including Brother Rafol.  He is a real catch! The San Lorenzo young ladies sitting with me at our table were watching him all night, saying, "Look at that lucky girl dancing with Angelo." And there were A LOT of lucky girls! Is Angelo considered a play boy? Or is he just making a lot of girls' days?

 

     All of Angelo's Admiration Society of  Girls were so excited when he danced with the young lady in the picture below.  They practically pushed me onto the dance floor to take Angelo-and-partner's picture. I have been given strict instructions to give Angelo's Admirers a copy of the picture. It wasn't just the girls who were excited.  Angelo's grandmother was beside herself with delight. She kept hitting me saying, "She's the one I want! She was in my seminary class.  She was so good with scripture chases. She is older than the rest of  the girls. Go take their picture! Go take their picture." I agree...she's really cute.

Angelo's grandmother and his father. Brother Rafol is the ex-stake president of the Batac Stake.

     Little kids got into the spirit of the evening, too.  They danced so cute.

But most of them would stop dancing when they saw me approaching with my camera.



"Sweat rags" are commonly seen tucked in the back of kids' clothes.

After a while, things got pretty wild!

 

How did this picture get here? Well, I guess this is "wild" by missionary standards.

 

 

 

 

 

Can you believe it? The brother in the white suit is a current bishop.

 

 



 

 

 

 

     At the end of the evening, serious awards were given for "most poised", "best ball gown", "best dressed men",  "king of the ball", and "queen of the ball".

 

 

 

 

     Hey, wait! Isn't that your dad and me in the picture below?  How did that happen? And where is OUR award?

 



 

The evening still wasn't over.  While the crowd lined up in long lines to dish up their food, your dad and I, as well as a few other "dignitaries", were instructed to stay at our table and be served there.  We felt like royalty. There were so many different kinds of foods, there was hardly room for everyone's plates. Sorry, no pictures!

 

We arrived back at our apartment at 10pm.....and exhausted.  It was such a fun evening.