Missions can be really fun!

Now you may be wondering if we are just on vacation when you see some of these pictures but I assure you that Elder Anderson would not wear a white shirt & tie if we were; however, we have the opportunity to drive the coastal national highway the entire length of the mission on Negros Oriental one to two times each week as we attend zone meetings and district meetings and fix apartments & secure apartments & houses for incoming missionaries as well as attend sacrament meetings each Sunday in a different branch.  On one of our trips back to our home from a zone meeting in Siaton, we saw a boy leading this carabao down the national highway.  We immediately stopped as we are so interested in their lifestyle & how they live plus those who know Elder A very well knows how he loves animals!!  We asked the young boy if Elder A could sit on the carabao's back - the entire neighborhood came out to watch & laugh.  I do not think they spoke much English as there was a lot of gesturing going on but they nodded yes so Elder A crawled up for a picture.  We then tried to visit for a minute with the people but the language was a barrier.  I held the babies which immediately makes others feel like we are ok people.

The Filipino people love basketball - there are basketball courts in every town - some more elaborate than others so we are never surprised to find a court.  I posted this one so my sons could appreciate the work that was done to prepare it.  If you notice it has been dug out carefully so the court itself is very flat and relatively level for a dirt court.
The goal posts and the fence are all made of
bamboo.  This was just so classic with the laundry on the fence & the carabao cooling in a mudhole.  This was really unique because it was just along the road with no houses around.  In the background are the mountains and between the court and the mountains is farmland.

The wave of missionaries continues - the Cebu mission was split in July with about 130 missionaries here when we arrived in August.  We are expecting 60 in the next two transfers and only losing 15 over those transfers.  That gives us an additional 45 missionaries in the next 12 weeks who are assigned by Pres. Schmutz and if they are assigned to Negros Oriental island we have the responsibility to find them a house & make certain it has everything in it to survive.

Most of the homes come furnished which means a table & chairs to eat on, maybe a bed, and a couple of chairs in the living room.  No hot water or ac.  The mission has created a list of necessary items, such as a 6 cubic foot fridge, a two burner gas stove (no oven), a couple of fans, beds, etc.  I have done more shopping within the past 6 weeks than ever before in my life.  I am finally starting to think in pesos rather than dollars and not freak out when a fridge costs 11,500 pesos!!  Even Elder Anderson does not complain about the shopping.  We now know where most of the deals are & people seem excited when we show up to shop - they know we are going to spend a lot of money.

This picture does not do justice to what was happening.  The truck is loaded to the gills and we have one more mattress to get in - they are pushing with all of their might with the sweat literally pouring off of them especially Elder Anderson.

We know that this phase of the mission won't last forever but we also know how important it is for these young elders and sisters who mostly have never lived away from home to have a place that is clean, comfortable, and has some of the conveniences of life as they have known it.

I am going to include a few random pics just for fun!!

2 isolated homes along the national highway

The carabao Elder Anderson sat on - my skirt wasn't going to let that happen so I took a pic with the family instead.

Nuns in a boat - one of the attractions along the boulevard on the sea in Dumaguette.

A very loaded Jeepney.  The guy standing on just been standing on the side.  We road one from Dumaguette to Valencia for 12 pesos each.  (44 pesos = $1)  It is about a 20 minute drive.