Our First Full Week

Today was our first full week here in the Philippines, it has been quite an experience sooooo far – we have now seen the worst driving in the world – hands down - we thought it was bad in Sicily but Manila has it beat in so many unbelievable ways. Mother talked about cars, trucks, busses, jeepneys, motorcycles with side cars, bicycles, wagons pulled various animals and far more I can’t even begin to outline. We took a taxi today to the Airport for problems we are having with one of our shipments, customs, etc. on some display boards coming from Salt lake and nearly two times a bus wanted to be in my front taxi seat with us during the travels. It seems they all want to occupy the same space at the same time, but luckily they are moving at a very, very slow speed with good brakes otherwise the chaos would even get to be much uglier. Yesterday Mother and I went to get our Filipino Driver’s License and in and of itself - that was likewise unbelievable, no way your Mother should have passed the eye examine they had to get out the Big E’s Chart for her to see everything that would allow her to see - but it seems money says everything in the Philippines and she did actually pass to health exam. Than more money at the actual government bureau, three sets of head shot pictures (who knows why) and now - we are "legal." We actual are legal to drive (so they say and that unbelievable) but the whole experience is most frightening, but I’ve committed to drive on this next Sunday to the Tagalog Church Branch (out in the country – someway) with Elder Bailey (one of the other senior couples in Public Affairs with us) as my co-pilot.

Nearly every day so far we have hosted someone (groups of ten to twenty persons) to the Area Presidency’s Offices Complex (one side of the road) plus Temple Grounds (another side of the road) by giving "PowerPoint presentations, visits to the several building on the extended properties, and with a guided tour and photos. This extended complex is the place we work each day, with an office complex (with more than hundred employees plus senior missionaries), a MTC for Asian languages (around 250 missionaries), MRC (Medical Recovery Center for sick full-time young missionaries) , the Temple, and a Temple patron housing unit, etc. This complex is set-up on two sides of a very busy road with a tunnel under the road between the Temple and the other buildings. Our guided tours allow visitors to learn about it all and have their personal questions answered. Remember we are the "horn blowers" not the gospel instructors, we just tell the story and let the testimonies be borne by the other missionaries.

In a few weeks, towards the end of September with are deeply involved in the National Family Week, as a major co-sponsor with other government and social agencies. This should be our first real taste of the personal involvement of the Church with government and corporate leaders in "building bridges of common understanding" and mutual respect. Should be real exciting – we will keep everyone posted as things develop and occur.

Love for now and I’ll write again real soon with more updates. Our daily prayers are for each of you and your families and maybe by next week (pray to help this happen) we’ll may finally have "internet in the apartment" and I’ll try my hand at starting to "Skype." May the Lord bless and support each of you – bye for now!