Christmas week!
We run about 8 km every
morning at 5 AM . We really miss our
mountain in Baao where we used to run so we try to find quiet but well lit
streets to run in the dark in the morning.
We get up at 4:30 and are out the door before 5 AM. It is much easier to get up at 4:30 when it
is already 30 above and not 20 below.
Last week we ran into crowds of people at 5 AM. We thought it was Christmas excitement but
as we ran past the CES building we talked with President Botor, the night guard
and he explained it was 4 AM mass letting out.
We noticed that many were still in the church buildings
worshipping. We started running earlier
so we could view the mass. There is a
Catholic church every few blocks and many are magnificent structures that must
have cost a fortune at a time of poverty.
The people must have sacrificed to have these buildings.
As I begin to catch up for the week it is Tuesday the 22nd
so Santa comes in three more sleeps! We
spent Monday going out to Buhi to deliver family hampers and gifts that we
bought with money from the amazing Rosemary Ward who sent us $250 CAD. That translates into about 8600 PHP. We bought gifts for families that would not
get any gifts at all. It is not normal
for them to get gifts so this will be a memorable Christmas for them from the
Rosemary Ward.
This is a copy of the email
we sent Bishop Neilson for the ward to read.
Rosemary Ward:
We are so blessed to come
from such a supportive ward. We brag
about you daily and pray for you all continually. Thank you for your sacrifice for the people we work with. The saints in the rural districts where we
live and serve work hard just to survive.
Your offerings for them will go beyond their dreams of Christmas. We have inquired of the branch leaders and
they have received enough money from the church to make sure each of their
families will have food (rice) for Christmas.
They suggested we by toys because that is a luxury they could never
afford. Attached are pictures of the
gifts you helped us purchase for every age group and each gender of child.
There is also a family game in each “hamper”. It will directly affect at least
15 to 20 families. That means joy to
over 60 children and tears in the eyes of dozens of grateful parents,
grandparents and family. We love you so
much. Please share in the happiness we
feel from your sacrifice.
Mosiah 18:9 Yea, are you willing to mourn with those
that mourn; yea, and comfort those that
stand in need of comfort, and stand as witnesses of God in all times, and
in all things and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye
may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection,
that ye may have eternal life.
We love you!
Elder and Sister Watson
Naga Philippines Mission
We had to traverse some muddy
paths to get the job done but we did it.
The car needs a wash job. It
took us 1.5 hours to get back to the city from Baao because of holiday traffic. It is crazy here.
Tuesday we went to a mission
Christmas devotional. Each zone
performed in the morning and some of the songs and skits were priceless. We had some elders do the beat box thing
while his district sang a new version of a Christmas carol. There were a few skits, one was Sister
Magrath playing Sister Reeder making sure the missionaries were staying
healthy. Elder Bondoc was President
Reeder interviewing the missionaries and they both did a great job. We have several photos of the events.
This
is Sister Watson performing with the Iriga Zone.
On
Wednesday I drove the mission van with Sister Watson and the assistants to Daet
for the other half of the mission’s Christmas party. The mission is so big it is divided into two
sections for mission events. We have spent the last two days at mission
Christmas devotionals . The one yesterday is a 3 hour drive. I drove the van
with all the supplies and the assistants to the president. The talent shows at
each party were amazing and funny. I have to attach a picture of Elder Key, a
Samoan from Utah. He is a line backer for Weber State College. He is 6'6"
and over 300 pounds. He ripped three buttons off his shirt on
the jeepney ride to Daet yesterday. Both he and Elder Afoe are too big to fit into the back of the
jeepney so they stand on the back for two hours. It is lucky there are very few bugs in the air.
This is Sister Watson
helping Elder Key put buttons on his shirt before the meetings. I love that
kid. I teased him about having to have him mommy get him dressed. He has the
greatest laugh and amazing tenor bass voice.
Elder Afoe can pick a
guitar and sing any part. Four elders
got together to sing for the party and they nailed it without any
practice…amazing talent! This is a few
of the Elders from Daet and Pomplona zones at the party.
It is Christmas
eve! We are still meeting the
Catholic crowds as we run in the morning.
Today should be the last day of mass and tonight they go at midnight.
Valerie has been preparing to cook Christmas
dinner for the couples tomorrow at our place.
We have been busy with business and Christmas stuff. In the evening we got a surprise visit from
President Flores of the mission presidency with his wife, son and
grandson. The brought us the best gifts
and visited with us for 30 minutes. We
learned a lot about the history of this mission and area. The picture shows the two gifts. One is a model of a Filipino jeepney. I will treasure this forever as there is
very little in this culture that displays Filipino lifestyles. A jeeney is very Filipino. The other thing is a pig on a spit made of
bread and can be eaten. That is another
Filipino practice. They do a lot of
cooking outside and over a BBQ type of fire.
Valerie was given a basket woven by hand from a vine that grows here and
is very strong. We are so spoiled!!
We picked up
Hoopes and went to the home of Sandy Lopez and his family. They feed the couples every Christmas eve
then give the neighbors a feast or a gift.
Last year they gave the neighbors a live goat to keep or eat. Brother Sandy Lopez is a contractor that
does most of the churches work in this area.
His wife is a cook and does most of the catering for church events. She makes the best chicken I have eaten
here. They are waiting for their daughter
to return from her mission this week.
They are very charitable people and they spoil us!
This is the group in their home with a feast for
us and later for the neighborhood. Most
Filipinos usually party all night for these big events so they don’t eat their
big meals until midnight and beyond.
We got home about
8:30. It is crazy outside with noise,
fireworks and firecrackers. This is a
picture of our stocking (thanks Chelsey, Joel and Lexi) hung by our chimney
with care. We have the yule log and Christmas music playing for Christmas eve.
We miss you! Merry Christmas!
Santa
Came!! He gave Sister Watson a new
watch, a beautiful white gold ring with a diamond in it and perfume. I got a shoulder bag to carry our tablets,
cologne and pair of shoes. I need a
pair of shoes with grip and round toes so I can climb to Ibayugan without
sliding everywhere. I call them my
Ibayugan shoes. We got some razors,
nail polish, elf ears, vitamins and toys from Chelsey and Joel in our
stockings. We are spoiled! Thank you!
We
spent Christmas day arranging our little apartment to accommodate the Reeders
and Hoopes for dinner at 2 PM then cleaning up after. It was a wonderful day!
Sister Watson did a world class job of catering for the group. The fireplace and music made us all
homesick. Although it is 34 degrees
above we all took turns warming our hands by the fire on my laptop. We had many laughs and reminisced about
family back home. We love you all!
Naga Third ward had their
adult Christmas party at the church at 6:30 in the evening. We were a little surprised you would leave
your kids home on Christmas day but things are different here. We were on time and waited 45 minutes until
they decided to watch a movie to wait for the rest of the ward so we left. They watched about half the 90 minute movie
then started their party. They played
games and ate. It would have been fun
but we were beat.
Saturday the 26th
was Becky’s birthday and we cleaned the apartment and watched a movie in the afternoon. We needed a down day to catch up and rest a
bit.
We went to Camaligan for
church today. This is the ward where
the Lopez family attend. It is a
beautiful building and we enjoyed the services and especially being with the Lopez
family. We are still eating left-0ver
turkey and I am not complaining a bit!
It is great. We both passed out
on Sunday afternoon so we must still be wound too tightly.
This is good for another
week. The Filipino people know how to
party. Every celebration means being
together as family and friends, playing games, a lot of videoke and
eating. There is always firecrackers
and fireworks beyond normal and lots of activity and noise. There is just a feeling of excitement
everywhere. We are told that new year
is a bigger celebration than Christmas so we are waiting to see what that
means.
We love you all! We are missing so many things about Christmas but this is a great
experience and we are being spoiled by the people here. Merry Christmas!
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