A Cool Getaway

View From The Breakfast Patio

Time For Breakfast

This past week has been spent getting better acquainted with some of the Temple missionaries with whom we have the opportunity of associating in the Temple.  Due to the Temple being closed for maintenance many of the Temple missionaries have filled two vans and traveled to Baguio.  The travel time was eight hours each way.  This gave us time to gain a better understanding of each other’s personalities and background.

One of the Sister Missionaries grew up on the island of Mindanao.  She immigrated to the United States when she was in her early twenties.  She married an American man and shortly after they were married, they joined the Church.  After about thirty years of marriage her husband died of a heart attack.  Some time before the death of her husband, she had a dream that she was serving on a mission.  Her husband was not in the dream and she wondered why.  After her husband passed away, she remembered the dream and felt strongly that she was being prompted to serve a mission.  She has been here for nineteen months and is due to return home soon.

Banana Tree

A senior couple from Washington tell an interesting story of conversion.  Neither of them were from religious homes, and yet, after the birth of their first child they felt a need to associate with a church as they raised their children.  Shortly after they had decided to search for a church, the missionaries (coincidently?) knocked on their door.  Her husband was at school and in response to the question of whether she would like to hear their message; she said, “no, I don’t think I would be interested”.  They left a Joseph Smith pamphlet, which she laid on the coffee table.  When her husband came home and saw the back of the brochure with the gold plates, his mind was triggered to a time as a teenager, while driving around town with a friend who had just joined the Church, was told of Joseph Smith and the gold plates.  His curiosity was peaked and he asked if the missionaries were going to come back.  She said she told them she was not interested so she didn’t think they would return.  Within a couple of days the missionaries did return.  The couple heard the discussions and was baptized within weeks.

The New Temple Site

If you want to travel around the Philippines it will be by tricycle, car, van, Jeepney, bus or plane.  There is no luxury train to hop on and avoid the traffic.  You can imagine maneuvering through the country roads and village streets competing with trucks, cars, vans, tricycles, jeepneys, and buses, all wanting the same space and ignoring any traffic lanes.  An eight-hour trip is not eight hours because of the distance alone.  Arriving in Baguio brought with it peace and relaxation.

The city of Baguio is the Summer Retreat for the Filipino government officials.  It has a mile high elevation with cooler temperatures.  Tourists are attracted to the clean cool air and beautiful vistas.  It is densely populated with three to four hundred thousand people.

Baguio

On our way home we stopped by the Thunderbird beach at San Fernando, La Union.  It was a wonderful break from being in Manila.

That’s all for now.

Enjoy the Gallery

The Road Up To Baguio

We Were Met By The Lions Club

Baguio

Yes They Have Electricity

Another View

Starting Down A Side Street

Can You Imagine The Vistas?

Close Neighbors

Beautiful Flowers Without A Yard

Even A Papaya Tree

No Running

The President's Summer House

The Suburbs

Mile High View

Some Native Costumes

Some Other Natives

A Rice Harvest

Drying Rice Along The Highway

Recalling Her Children's Childhood

Contemplating The Sunset

The End

We love you all,

Mom and Dad

Elder and Sister

Larsen