17 April 2016

Happy birthday to all the birthday kids at home!!  (children and grandchild)

James -  April 15, Jon- May 16,  Jason - May 10, Justin - April 26
Jesse,  April 18, Jennifer and Jacob (center back row), Jared - May 13

As kids Jennifer and Jacob could never figure out why they didn't get to celebrate their birthdays with everybody else!

I am going to  hit this week really fast.  It is getting really hard to put anything in here that is different or interesting.   So, let the reader beware.

NOTE:  This week's post is being written by both of us.  So read with understanding.

Sunday last:  We decided not to fight the crowds at the Stake Center for General Conference so we stayed home and watched it on the internet.  Sister Hoopes has had a bad cold which is still continuing today.  Her coughing was bad last week so that was part of the decision.  She still has the cough today.

Monday:  We got a call on Sunday night from the Assistants, wondering if we would take a Sister Missionary to the airport for a flight to Manila.  She is going to the Reno Nevada Mission and finally got her visa.

Tuesday:  Again to Pasacao for piano lessons. I only had 1 student there this week.  This was Lian's last piano lesson as she is returning home to somewhere by Manila for the summer.  She was going to take the keyboard that they had been sharing so she could practice a recital piece and return at the end of May.  She has been doing very well and has been playing for relief society .  She is excited to learn and claps her hands every time she learns something new.  She is committed to learning and teaching piano to others.

Ariana with Sister Hoopes.  Ari is from Italy and comes
for a month every year.

Wednesday:  We took the afternoon and went with the Watsons to a water park about a half hour away.  None of us had ever seen it but it was quite interesting.  I guess it is world renowned and people come from all over the world to train at wake boarding.. (mostly because it is sooooo cheap compared to other places in the world). When we arrived we saw a young woman from Italy that we had met last year. She had been traveling alone last year. This year she has 2 friends.  We had a nice conversion over lunch last year and this year I was greeted with a kiss and hug.  She explained what they were doing so we took a series of pictures.  It's like water wake boarding from the sky.  The tow ropes descend and off you go, over obstacles, around and through.  Many were doing twists in the air and flying off the jumps.  I listened to an instructor help one of Ariana's friends.  Reminds me of my water skiing days.  Face plant after face plant.  Ok, it must be fun when you are young.

Thursday:

 To Iriga for District Meeting.  Elder Hoopes ended up being the workshop that day.  He trained them in helping branches with membership records and finding people; also English test preparation. I visited with a young sister about the keyboard grant program.  She has in the past taught piano but had to move to Manila area in hopes of finding work.

Friday:  At the end of a quiet day, we had a truck show up with supplies for the office.  It was exciting because it contained the 30 new Keyboards for Sister Hoopes along with some piano books.

Saturday:  We left at 1:00 pm for Goa with the Watsons.  They had a Family History event that the Missionaries had put together.  Sister Hoopes delivered 5 keyboards to Sister Kathleen Bonon in Goa for the students she will be teaching.

Sisters Cruz and Blad

Goa missionaries had a Luau with singing and dancing.  It was fun.  It is also the last week for Sister Blad, as she is going home on Wednesday.

Naga Panganiban Chapel - demolition starts tomorrow

Sunday (today): Last Sunday was the final Sacrament meeting at this chapel.  We attended church today at the improvised old Mission Home, which will act as the chapel for the next 18 months. We stayed in Naga for the farewell of Elmer John Nebrea Galon who is leaving for the MTC in Manila on Friday.  He will be going to the Baguio Mission in Northern Luzon.  He is a convert of about 3 years and a wonderful young man. We really wanted to be here to share this day with him.  We will be going to his home on Wednesday night for a going away party, and of course, I'll be bringing cookies.

We just finished talking to our son James and was wishing him happy Birthday as he traveled into work at 4:00 AM Utah time.  As he arrived at work, our son Jason was there, so we got to say Hello, to two sons at one time.  A great day.  We are so proud of their great work ethic.

Until next week.