July 30th 2010 Friday night activity- viewing the MacArthur Suite and having dinner at the Manila Hotel followed by the Univ. of Philippines Choir

The University of Philippines Concert Choir - Homecoming concert
The concert choir perform as well.

The Philippines are known for their wood carvings.

MacArthurs bedroom as restored to original design.

Famous MacArthur photo framed in the suite.

The Kitchen

Our friends the Ayres

Some decor in the MacArthur Suite

Decor in the MacArthur Suite

Decor in the MacArthur Suite

Replicas of MacArthur's decorations donated by his wife.

Our guide to the suite, Makina. The chairs were salvaged when the Manila Hotel was bombed during WWII

Sitting Room in the MacArthur's suite.

Dining Table

Bedroom Suite
After another long week we had an evening out with the Senior Missionary couples. Its a break for all of us.

July 29th, Update on duties.

This is just an update of what we are doing. Security issues of the office here have been as result of an investigation that was stopped. However it opened the doors to presenting avenues of improvement for the security of the office. We will see what the outcome of that after next weeks presentation.

Also the outsource agency is now preparing to sign the contract delivered to them as of yesterday. We moved three guards to Cebu and that left an empty slots here. The supervisor asked to have an outsource agency to help us with our staff. We have full time church employees here which allows them time off for illness, leave and vacation. During their times off we need to double up on time and sometimes that is a problem. So as an experiment we will hire an outsource to see if that alleviates the problem. Our new MTC expansion will open up later this year which will mean more security guard posts. Getting the contract together and looked over by church attorneys' took longer than thought. Thus the guards have had to do a lot of overtime. Not tha they mind but it will be an issue as time goes on. So some progress has been made.

Kids swimming in the street flooded by rain water.

Thought you would like to see what the locals look like when it rains alot. This video was taken by Elder and Sister Durfey on their way back from a province branch that they were assigned to. It had rained alot and the traffic is always heavy but more so when it rains. When there is a pool of water the kids are in it.

July 26th, Dinner with the Senior Missionaries

I am just documenting this as one of the activities we did. Last night we attended a Senior Missionary function that included a catered dinner from one of the good restaurants nearby. There were about 50 in attendance which also included the Quezon Mission President, his wife and two of his children that came with them. It was good to socialize with them all.

We then enjoyed a DVD that was sent to us on a program that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir which was in celebration of 100 years of broadcasting. It was wonderful...and my cousin Ryan Murphy who is the Assistant Choir Director for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir led the choir in several songs. Elder and I kept nudging each other when we saw Ryan lead the choir. He was awesome. It was beautiful and gave us chills. Nothing beats the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. And since they have performed all over the world, it is now known as the "World's Choir".

The choir performed not only hymns but folk songs and Broadway show tunes. It was awesome. Several performers who had performed in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concerts made a special appearance in the DVD expressing their joy in performing with the choir. We attended several Christmas concerts and hope to do that again when we return to the states. No performance is quite like that.

July 24, 2010 sightseeing including the Manila Hotel

Inside the historic Manila Hotel
Inside the Manila Hotel lobby

The weekend July 24th, 2010

It has been a long week with security matters and because they are of security, they cannot be published. At least not for now. We visited a place in Manila called Intramuros that is surrounded by a block wall that encloses old Cathedrals dating back to the 1500's and other things like shops, hotels and restaurants. Of course the churches have been rebuilt several times due to hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, typhoons and fires. The Manila Cathedral is the oldest which will be pictured here. It is very ornate. There were rooms surrounding the chapel with exhibits of history and explanations of the organization of a diocese and how the front of the church is arranged and where the organ is at the top back where the choir sings. There were also explanations of the Virgin Mary and about their views of Immaculate conception. It was very interesting.

More pictures of Little John's birthday party

All Filippinos pose this way. Two fingers up on each hand. Good clown performance I thought
Our Security Officer Bary with his son "Little John"

July 20, 2010 Invited to a 1st Birthday party of one of our Security guard's son

Party guests eating spaghetti
The Clown hosting the Birthday Party of Little John

Little John and his Mom

We were invited to a 1st birthday party of the son of one of our Security Staff, Bary Tamparia. His son is name "Little John" and had quite a big crowd for a one year old. His parents invited the neighborhood and had a clown to entertain them. They fed the children spaghetti and rice cookies and drink. They also fed us also. Hope our systems can respond favorably to the food we ate. A Year old party is quite the celebration here and the parents will go to great lengths to put it on.

Sunday July 18th - Visited an Ex-Pat Branch

We decided not to go out to the provinces which turned out to be a good move since it rained and there was road construction out there. We visited instead the newly formed Ex-Pat Branch. In case you are wondering, the Expat's are American people living and working abroad. There are serveral Ex Pats that work for the American Embassy and also LDS people working to help establish businesses in the Philippines.

I have become friends with several of the women and enjoy talking to them and finding out where there are neat places to visit. The meetings are in English and that makes for a better spirit. The building which we met in has air conditioning and that is far more comfortable. The foilage around the building is neatly manicured and very green now that the rains have arrived.

Another time out. Movie day

On Saturday the 17th of July we went to a movie called the Sorcerer's Apprentice with another Missionary Couple, The Ayres. We started out to see Toy Story 3 but the theatre stopped showing it. Here is the interesting thing about the theatre, they sell assigned seats and there is someone inside that shows you your seat. Pretty amazing. And they don't want food inside the theatre so if you want some snacks you eat outside of the theatre, which is inside a mall, at tables supplied for you. The seating inside is stadium so you always have a good view. Also the sound is really loud so no problem hearing the dialogue. Or the action. Ha. We then went to an Italian restaurant which was very good and very reasonable. It was our second time there and the first for the other couple. They remarked favorably to it also.

July 16, 2010, having weathered the storm....and other things.

Looking to the front door of the apartment Back towards the window looking out over the city. Fortunately we could borrow some chairs from the Mission Home to seat everyone.

The storm passed, the air conditioning is on and life in the fast lane is back. Our office duties are getting the contract together to hire an outsource security agency to help with our paid staff. It seems to be slow so it is difficult to keep things going while we are understaffed. Not to mention (but gingerly) an investigation which has been laborious. No details on this sorry.

We took time out to have a get together at our place for a spaghetti dinner for no reason at all. Attached are some pictures of our Spaghetti Dinner with Missionary couples at our apartment. We fed 19 people. Elder B made the spaghetti sauce and he was adamant that he work on the sauce. We had two crockpots going and had just enough to feed everyone.


Pictures reflect what some of our apartment is like.

A Typhoon/tropical storm blew in last night.

Well, not much to say about this. At one in the morning a bright light appeared and then the power went off and the storm began. No AC in the apartment and no AC in the MPAO. But we have internet connection in the office so we are working on what we can. today is calm, no rain with some wind and just humid and warm. No electricity to the outlets so we can't run a fan. Well, we will survive.

What grocery stores in the malls look like.

This a grocery store in the mall called Market Market
And it looks very similar to a Wal-Mart. This is a clean store and smells fresh.

Relief Society Discussion 7-11-10

Sister Lovely Sabong and myself.

Yesterday I was asked to present a lesson or rather lead a discussion regarding some material from the manual "Preach My Gospel". Since Tagalog is mostly spoken in the Sapong Palay Branch where we are assigned to on Sunday's , I felt it important to present a topic that I named, "Why am I a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" The first few pages of this manual talks about basic principles of the Gospel and why people are looking for answers and investigating the church.

This branch is about an hour and a half from Manila. The people that live there usually live under humble circumstances and the meeting house does not have a library equipped with visual aids. The members may have seen visual aids, "pictures", during their investigation of the church but pictures other than general decoration are not physically there in the building. Not a viable library if you will.

This past week, I went to our distribution center in our building here and picked up a book of Gospel Art that is spiral bound and can be torn out. We have the ability here at the front desk to laminate documents or pictures. So I selected the following pictures: The Resurrected Christ, Joseph Smith the Prophet, Joseph Smith reading scriptures, Joseph Smith's First Vision, John the Baptist laying on of hands to bestow the Aaronic Priesthood to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, Peter, James and John bestowing the Melchizedek priesthood to Joseph Smith, Baptism of Child, Confirmation after baptism, Sacrament being blessed by Aaronic Priesthood, Lehi's dream/vision of the Iron Rod, Presidency of the Church today, and The Manila Temple. I had these pictures all laminated so that they were easy to show and tape on the black board. We discussed these pictures and I asked for their individual feelings regarding the Restored Gospel and what they remember learning about them. Because Tagalog is mostly spoken with some English I asked for them to respond in the language they felt most comfortable. Most all the time they can understand my English but the sisters are not really comfortable in responding in English with only the exception of a few. I asked for a couple of sisters to translate so I could understand them. There were a couple of sisters who responded in English and when they were touched by the spirit and felt overcome with tears, I just said, "Thank you for your answer". There was one sister who is faithful in attending church who responded to the question in Tagalog "How do you feel about the Prophet Joseph Smith's first vision?", said that she thought it was true but wasn't sure when she was baptized and still was not sure about it. She also had a very interesting question. "Where did John the Baptist receive his authority to baptize?" It was a really good question and the answer I rather take for granted. I wanted to get a Filipino to tell me the answer so I went to our Security Officer who is our receptionist and he also he serves as Bishop, Ryan Apduhan. I wanted to hear how well Bishop Ryan (Sir Ryan as we call our officers) knew the Gospel and represented the Priesthood with his knowledge. His answer I am sure is correct, the lineage of the Priesthood is handed down from father to son in Biblical times. However in the case of Moses who's father did not exercise his priesthood and rather rejected it went to another priesthood holder to receive it or by the ministering of Angels. I looked up Sister Cherryanne Delante on Face book and sent her a message to tell her more in detail the answer.

Then after the lesson discussion and closing prayer, the sisters helped me take down the laminated pictures. One by one there were requests if they could have a picture. I readily told them yes of course and asked them to use it as part of Relief Society Lessons as needed. Sister Lovely Sabong asked for the picture of the First Presidency. Her mother Sister Sabong requested the picture of the Manila Temple and asked me if I would sponsor her to go to the Temple. Which means she would need transportation to get out to the Manila Temple from Sapong Palay, about p50 (pesos) about a dollar. I can handle that. And the Temple Garments which is about p30 (pesos), around 50 cents per pair. I think I can handle that, no problem and to be her escort. Which I would feel honored. I contacted her through Face book to let her know that there are some requirements for her to receive her endowments when her husband is not ready yet to receive his. He is less active. When her requirements are met I will be proactive to assist her.

There were sisters who wanted pictures of Joseph Smith and one if the First Vision. Sister Cherryanne Delante wanted the picture of Lehi's Vision. She was most interested in that. And the others had interest in other pictures as they felt a spirit about them. I am so glad I laminated these pictures of Gospel Art so the sisters and members can have and use them. The Sabong Family that I visited had a few pictures on their walls that reflected the Church in some way or another.

While leading the discussion a thunder and lightening and rain storm came. Lightening is close so the thunder is very loud and the rain is an absolute downpour. It continued after the meetings and it was with the help of some members that helped Elder and I out to the car with umbrellas. It rained part of the way home to our apartment in Manila and then let up with still cloudy skies. Thus ended a very long Sunday. Going to our branch is exhausting. Tough job, but someone has got to do it and that is our assignment.

I will be interested in any comments through email or Facebook I get. Most everyone wanted my Facebook page and some an email. Can't wait to hear from them.

How fast food is delivered to the Manila Philippine Area Office

You can get KFC, Jolliebee, McDonalds and any Pizza delivered this way.

Gold artifacts from 1000 AD to 1300 AD

The pure gold was pounded very thin to make these shapes. There were fine twined gold necklaces also.

Very thin gold sheets made into shapes and designs.

Pounded thin like the gold plates of the Book of Mormon

More ornamentation

Photos taken by Elder Burningham's cell camera.

Education at Ayala Museum

Elder and Sister Ayres, missionary couple we were with today
Elder looking over the Gardens at the Ayala Museum in Makati

We enjoyed the day at the Ayala Museum in Makati City in Metro Manila. It educated us on the history of the Philippines from 1000 AD to present. Their early existance to trading with the Chinese, the landing of Islam to Spanish explorers and their teaching Christianity thru the Government struggles that they have had to todays new president Noy Noy Aquino III. We went with Elder and Sister Ayres and enjoyed a good time with them. The surrounding area is filled with nice restaurants, shops and a beautiful garden with Koi Ponds.

July 2nd 2010 - Bayanihan, The Philippine National Folk Dance Company

We went to the Philippines Women University to see the Bayanihan Dance Group with some other Missionary Couples. Elder Al was one of those selected from audience to participate in a group dance with the Bayanihan Dance Group at the end of the performance. I think he really enjoyed dancing with these pretty ladies dressed so beautifully.

This is Elder Jenkins who was selected from the audience to participate in the dance.

Performers at the end of their performances. I wish I could have taken a lot more pictures but was asked not to.

June 30, 2010 Ride out to Lingayan

Memorial Park with old armory
500 year old Catholic Church during a funeral service

On top of the roof of the Governor's Provencial Capital

Today June 30, 2010 is the inaugural day of Benigno (Noy Noy) Aquino III. It was a day off for all of us in the office so we took a day trip out to Lingayan about 3 hours away. There were actually freeways that look very modern and some very beautiful country. We were so glad to get out and about to see this country.

Lingayan is where the American Soldiers came and landed and rescued the Philippines in January 1945. As the Americans came to shore the Filipino's ran out to greet them and one in particular was waving an American flag. One Doctor just ran out to get the medicine so badly needed by the wounded. We also saw a 500 year old Spanish built Catholic Church. There was a WW II Memorial Park that was very well kept with some old war artillary weapons and one plane. There was a lot to learn about the Philippine History.

We walked out onto the beach and put our feet in the water......warm warm warm and then warm. So nice.