Hello! We've been in the Philippines for almost a year so I thought it would be fun to share some pictures from the past year. Hopefully I won't repeat very many of the ones I've already sent. It has been a wonderful year.
We've met so many nice people. It has been hard to say good-bye to some missionary couples who became great friends but have completed their missions and have gone home. But then we get to meet the new couples and realize how blessed we are to become friends with them.
Progress is slow in our assignment. Like so many areas of our lives, there is an ebb and flow to our work. We are trying to get AATS called in each of 29 areas that the Area Presidency helped to align for our assignment. We'll get someone in one area then someone else will finish their mission in another area. Most of those we work with in the different areas are Church Service Missionaries, meaning they serve while living at home and doing all the regular things they do. Some of the missionaries will request an extension of their missions so they can continue working with technology in their areas. It is better that they train the local people because they can speak the right language and the people can understand them. There are more than a hundred and fifty languages spoken in the Philippines - 8 -13 major ones (depending on which Google site you read) but only Tagolog and English are taught. We often help with training meetings and feel like the people understand most of what we say but they are reluctant to ask or answer questions. Most Filipinos understand English pretty well but are reluctant to speak it because they aren't very sure of how well they speak and don't want to embarrass themselves. Having local people called to teach and train technology is the best way to help every stake and district become self-reliant in technology. Our job is to encourage callings to be made and to train those who do receive callings. In a couple of weeks we will be going to Cauayan to what we hope will be the ideal meeting - Stake Presidents, and Stake Technology Specialists. We feel we can reach them better with smaller group meetings - we'll let you know how that goes.
In Sacrament meeting today, a sister shared a scripture that helped her through a very difficult time when she was afraid she was going to fail the exam that would let her go to school to become a doctor. 2 Timothy 1:7 " For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power and of love and of a sound mind." Too often I don't recognize my anxieties and frustrations as fear but when I finally do, I know that fear does not come from God. He can and will help all or us conquer what we fear.
The Tuckers
Now for the pictures...
1-The first is of a Primary room in Olongapo. All the church buildings we have been to in the Philippines have white tile floors. The chapels have benches but almost all other chairs are brown plastic.
2- Early in our mission we traveled to Guimaras, an island known for it's delicious mangoes. We had a mango pizza. It is the best pizza I've ever eaten.
3- This man (I think he has feather dusters and some kind of microfiber cloths to sell) is one of many people who come out into traffic to sell their wares. They will stand at the side of the road until a light turns red or traffic is heavy and slows then they will come out to sell whatever they have. We have seen them sell nearly everything you can imagine - water, chips, rolls, bread sticks, single cigarettes, coke, balloons, flowers, dusters, peanuts, really just anything.
4- I love seeing signs like this in different towns.
5- Our mall recently added this special place for pets - a dog park and cafe
6- Lastly - this man carries his hammock with him whenever he is with his truck. I guess you never know when you might get a chance for a nap. To be fair these people work very hard - often 10 to 12 hour a day, 6 days a week.
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