"We Will Miss" Series - Episode #5: My Missionary Companion

Elder Eddington is constantly complaining to others how he wishes he could have a native companion who would teach him Tagalog or Ilocono.  When transfer week rolls around he anxiously scans the transfer list to see if he is on it. 

On the other hand, I am grateful to have had the same missionary companion these past seventeen months.  Here is a list of Elder's great qualities:

• Elder has a strong testimony.  He willingly accepts all assignments.  For example, he doesn't mind speaking in Church when frequently called upon to do so.  On the other hand, I want to sit in the car until after sacrament meeting has started so we won't get asked to speak. (Which, by the way, we don't do.)  So I move on to Plan B: volunteering to play the piano for sacrament meeting.  That way I won't get asked to speak.  Sometimes Plan B works and sometimes it doesn't.  I have been known to both play the piano and give a talk during the same meeting.

          Bishop Catubay of  Laoag Ward Two has asked Elder to sing a solo during sacrament
          meeting in a few weeks.  He very excitedly accepted the request.  I have convinced him to       
          organize a quartet.  Sorry, Elder Eddington!

• Elder is organized. He is constantly updating our daily planner. Old, forgetful missionaries need planners!

• Elder is a dedicated missionary. He is fulfilling our member-records mission call in an exceptional way.  The Regional Authorities in Manila want to meet with Elder on our way home.  They want a written report from Elder to use as a model to give to other member records senior couples. 

Elder in the middle of a member records' meeting with a branch council

• Elder is a great driver.   A very rare record: he hasn't had an accident since we've been here, unless you count the two chickens and the bird he took out.  The mission office elders can't claim the title of No Accidents.  Just as soon as their mission truck gets fixed, another dent appears. 

"Look, Ma, no dings or dents!"

Elder proudly conquered this obstacle course. (See previous post.)

• Elder is a grateful receiver.  A new pair of socks from the states that actually fit made him excited for days. Thanks, Laurel!  (Try and find a size 12 pair of socks here.  Impossible!)

One happy camper: his toes have wiggle room.

• Elder loves to bake.  Wards and branches are so excited when they hear Elder is coming to conduct a member records' meeting.  They know it means cookies or rice pudding for merienda. Of course the missionaries love his cookies, too. 

 

• Elder is growning older gracefully.  At least I don't find him wandering the streets of Laoag in his pajamas at midnight wondering where he lives.....yet!

"I can't believe I poured cereal in my drinking glass! How embarrassing!"

• Elder is a hard worker.  Updating member records on the computer is exhausting work. A daily nap is a very important part of Elder's routine.  He must keep rested.  (Sarcasm intended.) Of course snoring makes the nap more valuable. (And, yes, naps are allowed for senior couples.)

It's a good thing there are no flies in our apartment!

So even though Elder has been disappointed to have been stuck with the same missionary companion for the last seventeen months, I am very grateful to have him as my eternal companion.

"We Will Miss" Series - Episode #4: The Missionaries

Being able to rub shoulders with awesome young men and women for the past seventeen months has been a real pleasure and a blessing.  Elder and I are in awe of the missionaries' strong testimonies, their dedication to the work, and their love and concern for all people. We are especially blessed to be the recipients of the love and gratitude they continually show to us.  We have enjoyed supporting and helping these fine young people.

We will walk down memory lane with the following pictures.  Some are repeat pictures and some have never been posted.

We love our neighbors.  Two of the apartments in our complex are occupied by sister missionaries: four sisters per apartment.  We enjoy being with them, giving them rides, and permanently loaning them things when they come borrowing. Elder has given more blessings to sisters while here than any other seventeen months of his life.  They are so appreciative of any little thing we do for them. Is it a coincidence they come knocking right when Elder is baking cookies? 

OCTOBER 2013

Sister McPhie tearfully left early from her mission for medical reasons. So we had a farewell dinner for her the night before she left.  We served fifteen sisters that night since seven other sisters had come to Laoag for fingerprinting.  The government added this new requirement for all foreign missionaries.

You would have thought we were serving the most gourmet meal ever when we placed the chicken casserole and squash on the table.  Don't these sisters ever cook?

Farewell dinner in honor of Sister McPhie (seated at the end in light blue)

The sister in blue on the left (below) was admitted into the hospital the next day suffering with dengue.  "Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die!" (By the way, now she's just fine.)

Other table of  adorable sister missionaries

OCTOBER 2013

Elder is famous for taking treats to meetings.  His treat for this district meeting (below) was hot, fresh-from-the-bakery-oven pandesal.  Most of the time he takes his homemade cookies, which everyone loves.

MAY 2013

Who can forget Sister Obra's birthday party?

What a good sport...trying to deal with trick candles.
 

Neighbors who have since moved on:

Upstairs neighbors and their short-term visitors

DECEMBER 2012

We enjoyed having the Laoag Zone missionaries for Christmas Day dinner last year.  It was a win-win situation: it kept Elder and me busy so we wouldn't be as homesick. And it gave the missionaries one more place to go on Christmas Day. They had many dinner appointments that day, but they kept on eating.  What troopers! :)

DECEMBER 2012

Some maganda sister missionaries after a zone conference.


 

 

 

Some gawapo Elders after the same zone conference

 

President Barrientos standing

 



DECEMBER 2012

 

One of our most favorite missionaries to work with was Elder Yardley. He was dedicated, cheerful, friendly, upbeat,  enthusiastic, full-of-the-Spirit, hard working, and charismatic. We were sad to see him leave the mission field six months ago...for the third time.  Twice his mission had been interrupted for medical reasons. It took him three years to complete his mission.

 

Last week we found out that he is engaged to a Darling young lady. We are so happy for him.

 

 

Awesome Elder Yardley

DECEMBER 2012

 

We enjoyed a Christmas program and dinner on the mission home lawn one beautiful tropical December evening.  The elders who sat at our table were very enjoyable company.

 

Funny elders!

So were the DeMars. (who have since ended their mission)

 

 

 

OCTOBER 2012

 

Elders Dustin and Mower were a fun set of missionaries. We were some of recent-convert Pancho's first customers. 

 

 

AUGUST 2012

 

Elder enjoyed working with the Bacarra elders and members to build a home for a member family.

 

 

 

 

JULY 2012

 

We met out first Filipino missionary at the Manila Airport.  Elder Esteban was returning to Laoag from his mission in Quezon City.  We tried speaking our best Tagalog with him, but failed miserably.

 

Elder Moses Esteban

 

 

Not that we are trunky or anything, but I had to add this picture to help us prepare for an activity that will take place one month from now.  We can't wait!

 

First glimpse of Laoag City

 

Little did we know at the time that Elder Esteban is Sister Magapan's brother.  President Magapan is the Laoag Stake President. We must have been a VIP couple to have been met at the airport by the stake president and his wife!  NOT!

 

A combined welcoming party at the airport for Elder Esteban and us

Sister Magapan, Elder Esteban, President Odgers, President Magapan, AP Elder Mau
 

There you have it.  Watch for another episode of "We Will Miss" coming to your computer soon.

"We Will Miss" Series - Episode #3: The Scenery

This is a visual tour of many of our weekend and sometimes not-so-weekend trips. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I told Elder to pull to the side of the road so I could take this picture:

When I got out of the car, this hidden-from-view-from-the-road carabao was down in a ditch staring up at me.  "Yikes! Nice carabao! Nice carabao! Sit! Stay!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We will definitely miss the beauty of the Philippine Islands.