Dec 5

We had another very busy day at the office. I was very happy that four women were there to take care of everything. Sister Hoem was at the front desk, Jonah was assisting Elder Stewart, I was helping out with reports and Sister Stewart would run between reports, think of how she wanted information, and take over when everyone went to lunch assisting Elder Stewart.

Since Friday the office has been very cold. I am the only one who didn’t mind. The Stewarts could not figure out why the central air suddenly decided to go on after being here since July with only the fans and air conditioners at two ends of the office. They had the maintenance men come and try to figure it out. The Maintenance man finally asked if the thermostat had been set. Nobody knew where it was until it was found right by the front desk. It had been overlooked as a decoration because no one knew what it was for. On the opposite wall there are two wires sticking out of the wall that no one knows the purpose for.

Manila Monday - Missionaries from Manila on Monday

The Elders and Sisters were mostly from the Manila mission field who had traveled in and the companions sat in the waiting room cutting out angels for the kids at the Mabuhay house, writing testimonies and finding virtues of their companions to put on the tree ornaments. Sister Bowman gave us some things to cut out for the children at the Mabuhay house to wear for taking their picture, like a long Santa mustache, hats, reindeer horns, glasses, etc. Sister Bowman also gave us a Bingo game the Elders and Sisters could cut out and the angel decorations for the kids. We listened to the Christmas devotional as we worked. It still is interesting that we are in another day while the rest of the world is getting ready for bed.

Sam and Anna Bowman - my nephew and niece who will come to visit in December!

Have I told you who Sister Bowman is?  She is the wife of the financial controller who worked for three or four years in Africa and then was asked to come work for three to six years in the Philippines. He has a paid job. Mostly though it is a calling. The interesting fact is they are my youngest sister’s in-laws and I met them for one day over 10  or 12 years ago when my sister got married. I knew at the time that I was older than both of them. My brother in-laws parents are younger than I. Well now we meet up with them and find out how cool they really are! Sister Bowman is very creative and talented in the craft and homemaking fields as I’ve witnessed in Relief Society and Jeffrey and Brother Bowman talk on a wide range of subjects bouncing ideas off of each other.

My niece wanted her grandpa to baptize her, so the whole family is coming out in December at Christmas time and I’ll get to see my sister and her family!