A Philippine Christmastime on our Mission

MERRY CHRISTMAS-2014 and HAPPY NEW YEAR-2015 FAMILY AND FRIENDS

We do very much miss our family and friends on this our Philippines Mission.  
 Technically, the Filipinos have been celebrating Christmas for 4 months,  they call it the "bur" or "ber" months,, which is September, October, November, and December.  So, we have been singing Joy to the World, etc, in Church since September.  

This home decorated the first week in October.

This is how to say Merry Christmas in Tagalog language..Maligayang Pasko Po !

 We did not have any Nativity set, so our wonderful neighbor, Sandy Brown, a native Philippino who has lived in San Diego, California for about 35 years, made this for us.  We decorated home and Church activities with it and our tree.

 Almost no one had a Christmas tree, this one was about $4.00.  Sister Roberts crocheted "ice skates" to decorate it, and gave most of them away by Christmas.

We enjoyed going to Branch parties.

Even the Dad's get into the "festive spirit". (They had a costume contest).

City Christmas Trees, Nativities

 

People get very creative with decorations.  This is  from a 2 liter jug, cut into a flower..

 I had to put in a pic of back home in the USA of Salt Lake City Temple Square====Love it, miss it.

We had some boys caroling to us.  They said they were on a JAM basketball team.  We went to a couple of their Calasiao Community games.  We think,(we couldn't understand the Referee) that they won the entire Championship.  During the games, Sister Roberts showed as many of people as she could her 3D glasses from home that change sparkly lights into STARS and USA

After we showed them to everyone, Sister Roberts gave out about 35 pass-along cards, to share what is most important about the December season, the birth of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and Lord.  We did receive 2 referrals for the young Elders in this area to teach the discussions.

Elder Christensen (tall blonde) is from Spanish Fork, and has been allowed to extend his mission, wow.  Elder Bigelow  is from Phoenix, AZ.  There is also Elder Banuago and Elder Bermejo. 
    Check out our Missionaries video - all of us - at MY THREE WORDS on our Urdaneta Mission website..
http://urdanetanet.blogspot.com/2015/01/my-three-words-2014_1.html

We love the Lord and our mission.
Next we will send a blog about our away trip to the resort town of Baguio.
Love,
Elder and Sister Roberts