summertime ... it happens once a year!

well, summer is back in the philippines.  that means traffic is even slower and crazier than usual and it also means more frequent brown-outs (which also means no water since it is supplied by an electric pump).  it also means rainy season is just around the corner and i couldn't be more excited about that!  we had our first long brown-out of the season last sunday so i wasn't able to post.  10 hours with no air-conditioning is hard but i think being without water is harder.  we were notified of a scheduled 12-hour power outage last thursday so we were able to make plans to be away.  talk about desperate ... we went to a movie that was anime ... in japanese ... with subtitles!  when it was over, diane said 'at least it was air-conditioned!' and i had to agree!  plus it was only $5 for the movie, popcorn, bottled water and a DQ blizzard!  the movie choices may be extremely limited here but you can't beat the price!  

don't mind me trying to drive here on this one lane road!  talk about road hazards!

our apartment was being painted last week so we were kicked out for a couple of nights.  we made the most of it though and stayed overnight at the nearby camayan resort (we still attended our meetings during the day so it wasn't a vacation ... but it WAS a very nice respite!).  it was so calming to relax in the shade of a beautiful tree and enjoy the beauty of the country that is the philippines.

we just finished a week of zone conferences.  we love it because we get to see every single missionary serving here in the olongapo mission.  they are remarkable young people ... devoting 18-24 months of their young lives to serving the Lord all day, every single day.  two of my favorite missionaries are in these pictures.  one of them is going home next week and it will not be the same here without them!  i'm excited for them to reunite with their family though so it's all good!  the little girl is chloe.  she is such a light!  when we go to baptisms for the castillejos branch, she sings primary songs while we wait for the people to get dressed.  she sings with such joy and fearlessness!  she just makes me smile so much!  

this mission has helped me grow in ways i hoped for and in ways i never imagined.  i will be forever grateful for the opportunity i've had to be here among the filipino people and the dedicated missionaries serving here.