A SHOT IN THE ARM

This week we have been quite busy.  We have been on two trips to the east end of the mission, once to the southeast and another to the northeast, getting apartments ready for new missionaries this coming Wednesday.  We have also been looking for three new apartments for the increase in missionaries we will get in November.  And in the midst of this Eileen conducted an immunization clinic for three dozen missionaries.  Some missionaries got as many as four shots.

Eileen has struggled to get the missionaries their shots. She has been challenged by the wide area over which the missionaries live and our medical provider’s unwillingness to give the shots unless we could have at least 30 individuals receiving shots in one location.  To have three dozen missionaries get shots, by the time you count their companions, it means almost half the mission’s missionaries are involved.  In the end it all worked out quite well; even for me (Russell) who got one of the flu shots.

Finding new apartments for the missionaries is interesting. We look by both having the young missionaries search in their teaching areas and by our looking on the internet and Facebook.  For quite a while we had been looking for an apartment near the office in which we could not only house two young elders but could also handle several more on a temporary basis.  We found one near us when we were looking last July for the senior missionaries but due to timing it did not work out.  I had since thought that the location would be ideal for the young elders but every time we returned to inquire we were just told nothing was for rent, only for sale. The other day when we were out trying to find a new way back to the office, the road (dirt path) we were driving on brought us out near these same apartments.  I commented to Eileen that maybe we should go and look again.  Once again, we were told “no units for rent – only for sale.” Eileen decided to call one of the phone numbers listed on one of the for-sale signs and the person on the other end said that they only wanted to sell, but that they would think about renting and if interested call us back.  After not hearing anything for a couple days I wrote a follow-up text message.  Yesterday to our surprise, at 7:30 am on Saturday morning, Eileen got a call back. We met with the landlord two hours later.  Things went so well that she took us up on our offer to show her our mission office one block away.  It truly was an answer to prayer.

This afternoon I spent a couple hours with the Tayuman Ward missionary leader out visiting inactive members of the church. I told them the Lord loved them and that we as their ward members missed not seeing them at church.  One man was suffering from advanced stage cancer.  I offered to pick him up for church next week in my car and take him back home after sacrament meeting.  We’ll see if he takes me up on my offer.

This Elder is 6'4" tall.   He hit his head on the doorway of an internet cafe. He was wondering if he could super glue his head. I (Eileen) gave him a resounding NO!

Elder Ivins and Elder Rivera have to leave Infanta at 6a.m. to get to District Meeting at 8:30.  They made this chicken adobe for their district before they left in the morning. That is true dedication.

Zone Siniloan - I have been so impressed at the unity and love they have for each other.

This district called themselves "District Awesome"

This District called themselves "District Game."  Unfortunately I couldn't hear what they were saying and asked them if they really wanted to call themselves District Lame?  The other district thought that was hilarious. I wasn't making a joke, I really thought that is what they wanted to be called. They said they are District Game because they are game for anything.

The Siniloan Zone leaders on a trike taking home their wardrobe Russell brought for them. It saved us one more trip that day.

A family moving on a jeepney. We see all sorts of stuff being hauled on a jeepney.

Immunization clinic starting - we had 35 missionaries receive a total of 67  shots.

The sisters anxiously awaiting their shots

Russell checked the records one last additional time. I trusted him to do it because he is so detailed oriented.

Many of the Filipino missionaries were extremely anxious as they don't receive shots growing up. Sister Wilson's father is a physician and she actually asked for another shot.

We had the missionaries lined up and several senior missionaries moving them from station to station.

All of the senior missionaries got a flu shot. Even though we got our flu shots in the U.S. it is a different strain here and is necessary to receive. Even President Elder got a shot.

Christmas decorations in President and Sister Alder's neighbourhood.

Last week was a typhoon, this week it has been very hot but beautiful. Here is a sunset from the road near the Alder's home

View as you are rounding the mountain going to Siniloan. The lake seen here is huge and covers most of the southern part of our mission. 

I (Eileen) liked this all pink jeepney

There are many beachside "resorts" in Infanta. The Pacific Ocean is seen here

Boats like these travel to neighbouring islands

They are working on the road in many spots, we figured if a trike could make it, so could we.

Children returning home from school

It is truly beautiful on the Marikina Highway. It really isn't a highway, but the views are spectacular

The trikes go way up the mountain from Infanta. The hills are steep. It is amazing to see them climb the hills. We saw many school children being dropped off after school by a trike driver.

Many animals were on the side of the road on the Markina Highway, but I was surprised to see this pig within a few feet of our car.

This bridge was washed out several years ago. They have been trying to rebuild it.  This is a better version of the bridge than a few weeks ago when we were there.

Workers are trying to rebuild  the bridge. The bridge is that little stretch of dirt between one side of the cliff and the other

This waterfall was right near the "bridge." I would assume it was the probable cause of the bridge being washed away