Christmas Eve Celebration

Our Christmas Celebration this year without our family was with the Mission President, President and Sister Allread at the Manor Hotel in Camp John Hay. It was an inside and outside affair. A cool breeze was wisping through the pines. There was live choirs, and a band that were playing Chrismas music as we ate our buffett dinner. They even had strawberries with chocolate covering. Yum. It was a fantastic evening. You can see the decroations which abound here during the holidays.


The hotel was decked out with beautiful Christmas decor.



This is the small choir that seranaded our evening. They were outstanding singers.

This is our party going group. We had three waiters taking care of everything for us. It was grand!.

Hey look a beautifuly decorated Christmas tree. We had to get a picture of one. Ours is non existent. Kind of puts us in the spirit for Christmas.

Christmas Zone Conference

What a great day it was on the 23rd of December to be with all the missionaries in our area of responsibility. Here you see the preparations for the gift exchange that we all participated in after the spiritual side of our meeting and lunch. Sister Perkins and I were amply rewarded with a gift from the missionaries.


This is the San Fernando La Union Zone who presented a skit on Brother Lehi and his missionary work. It was very entertaining.


Agoo Zone skit was about Alma and the Sons of Mosiah teaching the Zoramites. They even created a Rameumpton. Fun, Fun, Fun. Who said missionaries didn't have a sense of humor

The Baguio zone did an off scripture story of the convesion of King Lamoni. Again very entertaining and innovative.

December in The Philippines

On Christmas Eve day President Jensen, President and Sister Allred and President and Sister Perkins took time to drive up the very steep and sometimes rocky road to the top of Santo Thomas Mountain. There are just a few of the pictures from the top.

The picture at the start is a resevour at the top of Sto Thomas Mountain. It supplies to water to the people who live up hear at 7400 ft elevation


This is the terraced farming of vegetables that is all over the mountain. I like farming the lowlands myself.




This is the edge of the road going up to Mount Sto Thomas. Yes it is straight down and my stomach was very queezy at this point in the trip. Fortunately I was on the other side of the car.




This is looking down at Baguio and the airport from the road going up to Sto Thomas. We live at 5100 ft elevation in Baguio and are heading up to the top of one of the highest mountains. People live up at the top and farm vegetables up here. Unbelievable views!

The Accident

Sister Perkins wanted to go to Manila to visit the Temple and finally got her wish. Only she did not get the wish in a manner that was pleasant. Falling down steps and breaking a leg will not provide the kind of event she had in mind.

She was rushed to the hospital in Baguio. They put her in casts, but under advisement we setout for Manila and St. Lukes Hospital for surgery. One for the broken leg and one for the sprained ankle. I don't think you can walk around with both of them out of order.

It took 6 1/2 hours to reach the hospital, but Sister Perkins was under some heavy medicine and smiled and joked all the way. In fact she continued to have a happy attitude during this long ordeal.

Here are the results after the operation at St. Luke's in Quezon City just outside of Manila.

Finally after 9 days in the hospital they turned her lose, of course in a wheel chair, but she gets around quite well with a Walker and wheel chair. She can be dangerous if you get in her way.

Finally she gets well enough to go to the temple in Manila. Soon to return to Baguio and get back to work. All is Well in Manila.

The Beartiful Philippines

Will Nancy get in the outrigger canoe and haed out into the South Chaina Sea? Probaby not, but there is a gleam in her eye I think she would love to go out in the water, but we have a meetin in Buang and have to head back soon. Perhaps she will yet go into the China Sea before we leave this wondrful country.



Just a few more inches and I could be in the water, but I don't think I am dressed for the occasion. The weather is very hot and humid, but the breeze off the ocean brings a brief releif from the on slaught of heat.




A beautiful sunset over the China Sea going up the



mountain to Baguio. Look no rain yet today!






As we travel down the mountains each week
to reach the lowlands in order to attend church
the views are spectaular. Here we are looking
out from a mountain top and we can see the
China Sea in the backgroud. Maganda!

A Little Bit of Sharing

How many cars can you get on a two lane road? As many as you want. Baguio has taxi's Jeepney's, buses, motorbikes and an personal occasional car. I thought we ought to catch a picture of the streets I have to drive on daily. It is more congested in Baguio than when we go to the lowlands. Trikes and Pudchucks are not allowed in Baguio due to the fact that there are few streets that are level. They wouldn't make it up and down the mountain roads without causing traffic jams.

It has been a while since I wrote on the blog, we have been very busy getting the Mission Office organized, making changes to procedures, and cleaning. We are about 1/2 way through all the files. We also travel to the lowlands, an hour each way, each weekend to attend church in the many branches scattered through out La Union and Pagasinan provinces. We are happy when we are busy and so we are happy almost all of the time. We love the Philippines even though it is really hot and humid in the lowlands, but the wonderful people here just make it a joy.

Nancy wanted to ride on a jeepney, but all she could do was climb into one at our transfer day in Mangaldan. This is one of the most beautiful Jeepneys we have seen here at least for our taste. All chrome.



As we go down the mountains to the lowlands Nancy caught this view of the Lingayen Gulf. We are so grateful to be in such a beautiful country. Of course we like green, that is why we live in Western Washington State. In the Philippines it is green all of the time so it adds to our happiness.


Magandang Maganda ( Very Beautiful)

If you think the Pacific Northwest has rain then we all need to think again. As you can see by thi small phonto we have our own waterfalls at the Mission Office. Every afternoon the rain begins and goes until it feels like it has soaked everything. I can better understand Noah story of the rains inundating the world by being here. The nice part is that when it rains it cools down here in Baguio, in the lowlands not so much. It just addes to the humidity. Fortunately we only go to the lowlands a few times a week.

Here is a view of the City of Baguio from the top of one of the mountains where the SM Mall is located. They have balconies on each side of the Mall so you can get a beautiful glimpse of the city. This view is of Burnham Park similar to the concept of central park in New York City only not as large. They have a lake which you can see here where small boats go our for an afternoon relazation until it rains.

We love being here and associating with many wonderful people. They have much love in their hearts and a very friendly demeanor. It is a joy!

This is the mission office looking out our window. This is where we go each day to support the missionary efforts in the Baguio Mission of the church.


This is our apartment building. The car you see is the one we use to get around Baguio. the most challenging driving I have ever experienced. Our apartment is the one above the car. The two windows on the far right is our living room and bedroom. We have to sit on our beds to get internet access. We have the WIFI setup in the mission office window. We are learning and growing each day and getting to know the people in Baguio. This is a great experience.

As we go out our packing place we see a shanty where a single man lives with a light bulb as his only light at night. Next to modern you have poverty





This is a look down the steep hill to our apartment building.

Finally In Baguio

We finally made it to Baguio, Benguet, Philippines. This picture is our group of missioaries that arrived at the same time along with President Jensen and Sister Jensen and the current office missionaries Elder and Sister Thompsen from Canada.

The 747 we flew to Manila on getting ready for us to board.

Our first view of the Philipines from the air over the northern mountains of Luzon.

We are finally settled in our small apartment on the top of a mountain in Baguio. All of the homes are precariously perched on the mountain sides. The city has about 300,000 people living here in an area planned fo 25,000. It took 6 hours to drive here from Manila. The traffice here is congested, but nothing like Manila. You have to drive defensively in order to survive. There is no road rage just a confusing mass of cars working there way through cross streets and around traffice circles. You just have to drive with patience and calmness working your way into traffic. It is a very beautiful country mixing modern buildings with small shanties. The people are so friendly and want to get to know who you are and what you are doing in the Philippines as a foreigner. It is strange being the foreigner. Nancy and I are fine and loving being here.

Busy Sr. Office Missionaries learning all about the IMOS programs (Internet Missionary Office System). We spend 4 long arduios days in small rooms, but everyone seemed to keep up and at the end feel comfortable with all of the many funstions of the programs. I am still working with computers. Can't seem to get away from them.

We are now going to pack our suitcases again, balance out the weight in each bag and avoid over weight costs. Sister Perkins will be the packing guru. This is getting so exciting to be able to travel to the Philippines.

At the Missionary Training Center

Our MTC District, Elder and Sister Anderson from British Columbia going to serve in Fiji and the Temple. Elder and Sister Hepworth going to serve in Brazil Curitiba Temple. Of course there is Elder and Sister Perkins going to serve in the Baguio, Philippines. It has been a long hard, but enjoyable week learning our duties. Up at 6:00 am every morning and not going to be until 10:30 at night. Run and sit, learn then run, sit, and learn. Evenings were spent with Tom studying Tagalog with a tutor and Nancy and Tom studying. It has been Hard, but a wonderful experience.




This is where we are going-a long way from home.

More Baguio Pictures

This is our Mission picture. As you can clearly see the one on the left is such a beautiful lady. The one on the right is passable.

President Jensen sent us some pictures so we could see what the area is like in Baguio.

And We Begin

We are now starting the packing of our "STUFF" in our home getting ready to move them to storage. Our daugter Shanae is moving her "STUFF" into the house so it is now a bit of confusion and mess, but will all be sorted out by the 28th of June as we get on our airplane and head off to the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. The picture above is the mission home in Baguio where our Mission President lives and we will be spending some time.