We are the Manila Mission

It has been a week of singing those words. Elder Smith wrote a second verse to the Valiant Song in the Children’s Songbook. It is about the Manila Mission and has been adopted by the Mission President and Sister Howard. We are traveling to every Zone and teaching it to the missionaries.

This week we were in Cavite Zone Das Marinias Zone Naic Zone

(We got Pizza for having the most baptisms in a month, again!) and Pasig Zone Next week we are going to Manila, Makati, Pasay, San Gabriel, Las Palmas and Paranaque Zones. What a treat it is to meet all of the missionaries! We’ve had great fun visiting with Naic alumni and meeting many we’ve only heard about before. We will be singing the song next month during Mission Tour and it is going to be terrific. We aren’t thrilled with all the travel time but we’ve cleared the calendar for the most part so that we can spend as much time as needed.

Last Monday evening we were invited to dinner and FHE at the home of some members of the Tanza Branch. What a lovely time we had. They treated us like royalty and the dinner was masarap! We’ve had Graham cake several times but not one as tasty as the dessert the other night. Yum! The nanay (mom) is the District choir director so we were visiting about music. I commented that I had enjoyed hearing the choir sing “Celebrating the Light” at one of the Branches last month. Since I’m a big fan of Michael McLean’s music I told her how glad I was that his stuff was being performed here also. She started talking about her favorite McLean songs and went crazy. The entire family is huge fans of his music. When she learned that we know him I thought she might have a heart attack. We are now the heroes of the Pesa family in Tanza. We’re going to arrange a time to watch “The Forgotten Carols” with them as they have the CD, love the songs, have read the book but have never seen it performed. Now, to get in touch with Michael and arrange for an autograph will probably secure us a spot in the Celestial kingdom.

We went to dinner in Makati on Friday evening with the Taggs, Husseys, Howards and the Hussey’s friends from UK, Mark and Mary. We had a lovely evening at The Spaghetti Factory. Not exactly what we’re used to in Utah and Nevada but actually very good. It’s a bit strange to go to an Italian restaurant in the Philippines and be greeted by the owner who has a German accent.

We were able to visit some investigators this afternoon with the Punta Branch Elders. We always enjoy going out with them and bearing testimony. We were able to visit about the Plan of Salvation, Restoration and Families today. We had the pagkakatoon (opportunity) of speaking in the Tanza Branch this morning. Elder Smith did great. He’s getting better all the time. I’m still just the back-up cheerleader. Really do hate to speak in Church.
I did mention the new mutual theme for 2010. I really like it! Everyone needs to read Joshua 1:9!