Fun Christmas Times

 

The Christmas season brought some fun times. A week ago we attended a two-day Christmas zone conference. The first day started out with a service project for one of the local hospitals. We painted.......(to the music of the happy whistler)

 

and painted.......

 

and scrubbed and painted some more.... (hang on, Sister Eddington!)

 

 

 

A few hours later and all cleaned up, we met at the mission home and went caroling.  Our group caroled a family who had lost their home to fire.  They rebuilt, but not very well, since they are very poor. We left them a bag of groceries and some candy.

 

Back to the mission home for an outdoor evening program.

 

 

 

Christmas decor on the mission home/office grounds

 

 

 



After the program we enjoyed a Filipino buffet on the mission home lawn.  The evening was warm with a gentle breeze. Lit palm trees surrounding the grounds. It couldn't have been more tropical.

 

There was other food offered besides roast pig. I chose to pass on the pig.  Too graphic.

 

 

I was rather fascinated with the way the pig was carved and served all at the same time...until just the pig's head remained.  The carver turned the pig's head snout upward, gave one whack and cut the head in half.  Rather gruesome and violent, if you ask me!

 

 

 

Elder and Sister Demars

 

 

Below is the Polynesian Foursome. Left: Elder Ione from Samoa. He has been accepted to play football for the University of New Mexico when he returns from his mission in January.  Second to right: Elder Sione a Tongan from New Zealand.  Right: Elder Felila a Tongan from Utah. He and Elder Sione are cousins.  They didn't know they would be in the same mission until they bumped into each other here.

 

 

The next morning we attended a Christmas devotional at the stake center.  After the conference, just being conversational, I asked one of the elders what their plans were for Christmas.  He turned all sad and said they had no plans.  Feeling sorry for  two homeless elders, I invited them to Christmas dinner at our apartment.  I asked if he knew of any other missionaries who might need a place to go on Christmas.  I had no idea there would be such a response!  We immediately started planning for a twenty-four missionary Christmas dinner.

 

Homeless, but not-so-sad elders

 

 

Cute sister missionaries: Sister Reyes, Woahn, Patricio, and Jarmillo

 

 

According to the missionaries, our Christmas dinner was a hit. However, I have never heard a missionary say they haven't liked the food.



Elders Ione, Knowles and Caacbay

Elders Felila and Sorriano LOVED the pie

Christmas caroling is huge here. It reminded us of trick-or-treating in the states.  A few days before Christmas, there were roving bands of carolers on the streets every evening.  We had a caroling band in our neighborhood the day before Christmas. Pretty fun! They stopped next door, so I was able to get this great video!  They really wanted money, but Elder Eddington gave them cookies instead.




 

 

 

 

 

Just some miscellaneous pictures of our Filipino Christmas decor.

 

 

Christmas parol made of drinking straws

 Umbrella-stand-turned Christmas tree

One of four parol made by a piano student

 

 

 

 

 

"The Alien"... added just for Laurel's enjoyment!

 

Personally, I call it "Pineapple Man" (with holly for hands and feet)

More parol

Pineapple Man, alias The Alien, and friends

We were homesick for family during the holidays, but keeping busy was good therapy.

 

Love, Mom and Dad