The next day was registration. Everything is so organized. It is hard to believe that there are over 3000 young elders and sister missionaries here as well as 100 senior missionaries (6 senior sisters).
Senior missionaries had Preach My Gospel training the first week at the chapel next to the MTC. The following week we had two days of employment training and the three days in Salt Lake for Perpetual Education training at the Church office building. That was an interesting experience as we had to get security to drive us to the Frontrunner (train) at 5:50 AM and then catch Trax in Salt Lake. It was rather fun and met interesting people--Elder Gay who works with Pres. Eyring directing the PEF program.
We are treated very well at the MTC. Food is good and plentiful. I don't know how they serve so many so efficiently. There were many great devotionals and speakers. Pres. Nally, president of the MTC and Chad Lewis and NFL player who took some disabled war veterans up Mount Kilimanjaro. The newly called Young Women's General president spoke about feeling unprepared when we receive calls (Jacob 5:71-71). She told President Monson that she didn't feel prepared and his response was "how could you be, you were just called." We didn't have any further language training here but there was some computer training.
Sister Brown from Florida going to Boise, Idaho
Sister Abrams going to the mission office in Montreal, Quebec
Sister Henrick going to the employment center in California
Sister Keller who is my companion
Me
Sister Houseman from Cardston who is going to Loa Vegas, Nevada
And we are off to Cebu. We left Prove at 5:00 PM May 6, 2013 with 16 young sisters and elders. Our first stop was Los Angeles which was under construction, had poor signs and was very crowded. So, we did get separated for awhile but did finally regroup. A couple of the young people took charge and announced: "everyone stick together, first we will get the senior sisters on their plane". They got us to the appropriate security place with all of our luggage which I thought was very thoughtful. We were flying Cathay Pacific Air and left Los Angeles at 11:30 PM. We arrived in Hong Kong about 5:00 AM and our flight to Cebu was 2.5 hours at 9:00 AM. On the plane the first night we had to choose chicken or salmon, everyone around me took chicken but I said salmon. It never did come but eventually they did bring me a substitute which was fine. The next morning there was a choice of congee or omelet. Everyone was having congee so I followed suite. Congee is like cream of wheat (probably rice) with chicken, mushrooms and green onion in it. The next morning I had omelet. After a long flight we wondered if anyone would be there to meet us but "there was Brother John with a big smile." We went directly to the Employment Resource Center office, then to buy some bedding and necessary kitchen items and food. Then for supper with the Mission President, his wife and the two mission office missionary couples. I was so exhausted that I just put the sheets on the bed and went to sleep. Of course, at 2:30 AM I was wide awake unpacking and settling in.
Our suite is very comfortable and we have air conditioning which I am learning is not cheap here. Most things seem to work quite well. I am getting used to a cool shower ( not really cold) and we now have the water purifier. Now washing clothes has been a learning experience but I feel very fortunate.
The fellow at the top (out one of our windows) is sitting on the ground washing clothes in a tub. The lady out the front window has lots of laundry on the lines seven days a week--every morning. I think that she probably does it for a living. The little machine that we have works quite well. You fill one side with water and wash a load, then you put those clothes in the little spin tube and spin them dry. Put more waster in the tub and rinse the clothes and then spin them again.
The security guards are always smiling and friendly. They open the gates, wash the cars every day and help us carry things. I'm not sure if the coi are for eating or just for looks. The same goes for the rooster that crow every morning. The first weekend that we were here the Johns took us to look at the temple as Monday was a holiday because of the elections.
The new Cebu temple is very nice we can go regularly as it is quite close. There is patron accommodation, missionary apartments, a book store and clothing place. Also, the mission office, mission home, temple presidents home and Stake enter are there.
Then we went up to the top of the mountain. The view was amazing and you could see the rain cloud coming. That is a picture of me and my companion and also Elder and Sister John. They live in the same apartment complex as us so it is very nice to have rides to and from work. The young man and his father were playing checkers on a hand drawn board and using bottle caps for the pieces.
This cyclist has packages of rice on his scooter
And every kid likes to play basketball.
The top picture is Brother John Ballados . He is very well respected in the church community. He is director of the Employment Resource Center but is leaving for Utah next week as he will be the Mission President of the new Stake when Cebu was divided. Sister Mary Ann will be taking over his responsibilities and she is a very intelligent and capable person. They have advertised for someone to be the Area Perpetual Education Fund and Self Reliance Center person for the area. The Employment Resource Center will change to Self Reliance Center--probably in January here. The emphasis is on self reliance so that people not only have a job but that they can care for their families, be self reliant and serve in the church. The other man is Brother Jairus Perez and he is the welfare specialist right now who is working on a water project at the present and is responsible for the disaster needs. He was a mission president.
We are enjoying our ward. It is a small group in a very nice little chapel--no air conditioning. The people are very friendly and we can walk to church. We speak English exclusively at work but at church everyone speaks either English, Cebuano or more often a mixture of both.
Starting in June we are going to teach an American Accent class. The purpose is to give them more opportunities for better jobs. There are huge call center buildings downtown and they like to work there. Monday we had a job fair and Cwansi (like manpower) sent two people to do interviews. We had over seventy people in the office that morning all wanting jobs (drivers, accounting, production). One young man came up to me and asked: "asa C R". I didn't know what he wanted without asking--C R is comfort room or bathroom. Another day one of the girls in our office who is doing 1100 hours of experience for her schooling asked if I wanted white or "wet" bread. I asked if she meant wheat but it took awhile before we figured out that she thought "wheat" was pronounced wheat. We had 10 people at the Career Workshop last week and do a workshop every two weeks. Friday was Perpetual Education training for our office and three others volunteer offices.
A few other interesting things. No one wears a hat or sunglasses but you do see the odd women with an umbrella when it is sunny. Philippino people have an interesting way of pointing with their lips and saying "yes" with their eyebrows.
If you want good service come to the Philippines there is always someone waiting to help you in the stores and they are friendly, smiling ---we were just looking for the price of something.
Electrical wiring goes everywhere. Looks a little scary.
A very beautiful country
