Our Amazing Wood Carver

This is Joel Dango and his family, he is the wood carver that we have had make us several items. He truly is a very talented young man. He told me his father taught him. He can carve anything you give him a picture of with such detail it amazes me. We have seen many different items and they are all very impressive. They live in a little town or village on the way up to Baugio, right off the side of the hill. They are very active members of the church.

Amazing Night Sky in Mangaldan!

This was what we saw in the night sky outside our apartment in May
Our zone leaders sent us a text and asked us "What is that in the sky?" Rick being an astrology buff was outside in a heartbeat. We couldn't believe our eyes! It was truly amazing. When we went outside this is what we say. It looked like a ring with a diamond at the top I thought. The little dot above the black is a planet, we think Venus (we could be wrong of course!)
As soon as we went outside our zone leaders were at our apartment checking it out too. The sister missionaries in Manaoag were on their way to an appointment when they saw it and text the ZL's. We were inside and would have missed it if they hadn't alerted us. There were several of our Filipino neighbors outside looking at it as well. They didn't know what is was and Rick was explaining what he thought it was.
We couldn't get a really good picture of it with our cameras so we found this on line the next day. It said in the article that is was rare. We think it was just the crescent moon with the planet just above it in just the right position. Whatever it was--it was fascinating to watch!!

People Mover

This is a familiar sight here, a truck packed full of people. Most of the time it is people who are on their way to work at a certain destination and then are brought back to their original pick up point.

This is more up close and personal. We have seen some with lots of the plastic chairs they have here in the Philippines with people sitting on them and even some with a second layer of people sitting on the floor of the truck. We have seen some with as many as 50 people in it.

Blossoms Abound

Elder Ramiro said these trees are called Sipres trees. We saw them all along Marcus highway going to Baguio. They are full of beautiful bright orange blossoms.

This is the first time I have ever seen them. I thought it was strange that in the hottest and driest part of the year there are trees like this just loaded with gorgeous blossoms.

More Road Danger Signs

This is a danger sign on Marcus Highway, notice the great big section missing on the right. This is the result of mudslides during the typhoon Peping last October. The signs are not lit up at night by reflectors or anything. You have no warning until you are right up on it. It's been this way since October, 2009.

Another road danger sign, more road gone from all the mudslides. This one is on Marcus Highway also. We have not driven up on Kennon road yet, Marcus is easier but longer to drive.

Happy Birthday!

We were in Baguio for mission business and stayed over night. We went to the Manor at Camp John Hay for dinner. The food is DELICIOUS and the atmosphere great! When we started to order Rick asked the waiter if he got a discount because it was his birthday, they said no. What a shocker!! We had a lovely meal and were sitting around just talking and the waiter brought out this cake. It really surprised AND embarrassed Rick. They had heard the reference he had made about his birthday . They came during the meal and asked Sis. Jensen something. She wrote something down on a paper and the lady left. She said later, she couldn't remember his first name so she just put brother on it. The waiters all gathered around and sang Happy Birthday to him! Of course, everyone in the restaurant was looking at him.

Here is the surprise piece of birthday cake! Chocolate--what's not to love?

They wrote the words it chocolate--I felt them, they were solid, not runny so it wasn't syrup or they put it in the frig to make it hard. I tasted it--it was yummy!

He's 66 years old and going strong! We never thought we would be celebrating it in the Philippines but what a memorable birthday.

Election Day in the Philippines

Every four years the Philippines has an election for the President. For months before the election we heard REALLY loud Jeepney's and cars go down our street advertising for a particular candidate! This went on for over 3 months. By the time election day came were excited--why you ask? That would mean the end of all the noisy vehicles going up and down our street from very early morning till late at night.
The most amazing thing to me was this sight at an election site. This is the trash that is generated at polling places. The towns have a National Day of Service shortly after the election to clean up this of kind of mess. I am puzzled why they don't have a garbage can there to discard the trash. The Philippines has no litter policy, but this was shocking to see so much trash in one place onthe main road.