Corregidor, Elder and siter White, baptisms

The Cornel family just before their baptism. They can hardly wait to be sealed in the temple and to do the temple work for his brother who just died. We are hoping to go with them to the temple.

Baptism in the ocean in Mabayo.

Elder and Sister White, a new  couple missionary we picked up at the Manila Temple. They are most recently from Springville, but raised their family in Bend, Oregon. We need more couple missionaries. Come join us!

We took an over night trip to this tadpole shaped Corregidor Island. The U.S. used the island to protect Manila after WW1. There were many guns, batteries with ammuniton, a 100 bed hospital, and a huge bomb shelter. Most of the guns were never used. The Japanese took over the island. The U.S. and Filipinos hid in the bomb shelter many days until the Japanese found them. The U. S. and Filipinos were boated to Mariveles where the Bataan Death March started.

The six of us at Corregidor by one of the big guns.
Elder and Sister Doyle, a couple missionary; Brother and Sister Wright, now Elder and Sister Wright. They just became Church Service Missionaries here. They live in San Marcelino; That's us:)

When the Japanese discovered the U.S. and Filipinos in the tunnel, they boated them to Mariveles where the "Bataan Death March" started. They went back in the tunnel and suicide bombed it so the U.S. could never use it again.

An office similar to tone used in the Corregidor tunnel.

A huge tunnel the U.S. built on Corregidor. It's a bomb shelter. The U.S. lived in this tunnel when the Island was taken over by the Japanese. There was a hospital, kitchen, offices, dorms, recreational areas, etc.
The couple to the right are Elder and Sister Doyle, senior missionaries.

Ruins of the hospital the U.S. built after WW1. We walked on these ruins. Only in the Philippines.

Large gun on Corregidor Island. It was fired once and accidently hit the town of Mariveles.

February Iba Activity

Sister Doyle and yours truely

Sister Querido with Elder Bautista and Elder Empase.They are both Zone Leaders. Elder Empase went back to the Tacloban Mission (where the disaster happened) shortly after this activity

This is how lunch was fixed. Rice in the pot,of course, and chicken on the grill. Sister Querido did most of the cooking.

Elder Fonessbeck and Elder Cosman, the Assistants to the President, being goofy with our dinner.

Standard of Excellence Activity in Iba. Standard of Excellence is when the Zone achieves as many baptisms and Less Active Returned as there are missionaries in the Zone or two per companionship in a month.

This is a two Zone activity. Elder and Sister Gorringe front second left. Sister Querido and President next, Elder and Sister Doyle from Enterprise. Awesome missionaries.

The fish we had for lunch. It was cooked on the grill that you see above. Delish!!! The Filippinos cook fish with it's head on. They would probably put the head in soup for flavoring.

The activity was held at a beach resort in Iba. The resort was freebecause it was owned by a member, however I think President gave them some money. It was run down, but the missionaries still had fun playing beach vollyball, fribee and other beach games.

Only in the Philippines!!!
We're taking the missionaries home after the activity. At least their sitting down. Elder Fonnesbeck, right, went home in February. He was engaged the same week he went home.

San Marcelino Baptism

Sister Querido chose to go to the Camayan for her birthday. It's a resort where
you can snorkel, swim, kayak, eat at a restraurant, and it is a motel.
First couple-Elder and Sister Levin from Meridian, Idaho
Elder and Sister Doyle from Enterprise
Back right couple- Sister and President Querido
Bottom right couple- Elder and Sister Gorringe. That's us!!

The Camayan Beach.
We went snorkeling with Elder and Sister Doyle. We had bread and the fish ate out of our hands.

President and Sister Querido and me

The Tacloban Missionaries with their companions before they went back to the Tacloban Mission. Sister Querido, top left, is the mission president's wife.

5 of the Tacloban Missionaries going back to Tacloban
Sister Delphin is from Guam. She had 11 baptisms from November to January while shwe was in our mission. Sister Monilar is from the Philippines. She was our neighbor for a while. She added a spark to the Calapacuan Branch. Elder Salvador and Elder Mata from the Philippines have interesting stories to tell about the Tacloban disaster, but their life was not in danger. Sister Schaap is from California but her family now lives in Highland, Utah. She's the one who punched a hole near the ceiling of their house so the 10 Sisters could get out before the house was completely filled with water. They sat on top of the roof for a few hours.

San Marcelino Baptism. They have awesome branch support.

January in the Philippines

This is the kind of boat we went on.

Preisent Querido gave us permission to go sight seeing so once a month we try to go somewhere with our friends, the Wrights, from San Marcelino.
In January we went to 100 Islands. 100 Islands is in Aliminos, which was part of our mission when we first got here in June. It became part of the Urdeneta Mission in July.
The first day we went snorkeling.We saw giant clams, 30-36inches in diameter. When you go snorkeling, take french toast. The fish love it. We saw hundreds of fish. It was like being in an aquarium.
The Islands look like mushrooms.

The second day we went fishing. Elder Gorringe caught the only fish. We wanted to go out further in the South China Sea, but the water was rough and the captain didn't bring enough gas.

Add caption

This is a family baptism. Is that great or what. The Mom and Dad and 2 children were baptised. They have 2 younger children. This is the start of an eternal family. This is the Calapacuan Church house right here on the mission home complex. The missionaries are Elder Albano from the Philippines,  and Elder Taylor, from Texas. They are Office Elders.

.

Tacloban Missionaries/New Missionary Couple

I have run out of photos so this is what's going on.
Five of the thirteen Tacloban Missioaries are going back to the Tacloban Mission tomorrow. Most of them are anxious to get back, however Siter Monilar was saying this is where she had a lot of firsts like first baptism, first time to be a trainer, and she listed a few other things. She's a great missionary. She was our next door neighbor for a couple of months. I wish her the best.
The new Missionary Couple is Elder and Sister White from Springville, Utah. They are coming February 2. We're excited to have a new missionary couple here. Two missionary couples leave March 21st and April 28.
Leadership Training was this week. It was divded up so that the north area's training was Wednesday; our zones, the central zones, was Thursday; and the south zones meeting was Friday. Zone Leaders, District Leaders, Sister Training Leaders, and Trainers were invited. The APs and President and Sister Querido presented at the meeting. These are Great Missionaries. We watched some of these missionaris come in as new missionaries, and now the're Leaders!
We LOVE our mission!
We LOVE our family.

North Zones Christmas Activity

Philippine Olongapo Mission Christmas Activity (North Zones)

Pres. Querido giving Elder Thorpe a certificate of appreciation. Elder Thorpe was an AP. He went home Jan. 2, 2014.

Sister Querido (Mission President Wife) Elder Matapule, Elder Thorpe, Elder Chan, Elder Laquinta

The Missionaries are trying to get Sister Querido (the Mission President) out to do a skit. It ended up they got her, Pres. Querido (in the white shirt and tie), The Doyles (a missionary couple) and the GORRINGES to do a skit. We sang "All I want for Christmas Is a Hula Hoop". We added some hip action. Sister Doyle and I started doing the "Hukilau".

APs (Assistants to the President) Skit
Elder Cosman from Canada, Elder Thorpe from Logan, Elder Laquinta from the Philippines

San Narciso Zone acting out "Once There Was a Snowman". This is one of our Zones.

Iba Zone - Get a look at Santa Clause.

Candelaria Skit

Santa Cruz Skit - Elder  Longson on the far left is from South Jordan. He knows Blake.

Preparing for a tug-o-war

Thanksgiving/Manila

Manila sky line.

Manila sky line.

This was the day after Thanksgiving. The temple had a nativity set up. A bride and groom are in the picture.

Our first trip to the Manila Temple. The tall red headed missionary converted this Filipino family. Pres. Ardern of the Area Presidency said that if a missionary baptizes a couple, he could go to the sealing in a year. This is the first time this happened. Elder Doyle and his wife are couple missionaies in the north area of the Olongapo Mission, friend of the family, Sister Doyle, friend of the family, the wife who was sealed, their 18 year old daughter who was sealed to them, the father, Elder Cobb, and me.
It was a tearful, wonderful experience.

Assistants to the President at Thanksgiving at the Wrights home. Elder Howes (he's now home), Elder Laquinta, Elder Cosman, Elder Tuttle (he was acting as AP because his exit visa held him up from going home), he finally made it home too. OK, me

Missionaries in San Marcelino Branch; Sister Rowley, Sister Pilkington, Elder Mata  (one of the missionaries from Tocloban, the disaster area) Elder Endencio, Sister Wagner, Sister Lim, Elder Fepaluli.

.