Thanksgiving Day!!

Thanksgiving day..we had Thanksgiving dinner American style!  It was fabulous!  My favorite 'moment' was walking into the Wright's Christmas decorated home and smelling the smells of Thanksgiving dinner!

Our hosts were Elder and Sister Wright.  They are "stay at home" senior missionaries.  That means their home is here in our mission.  They are serving as missionaries and get to go home to their own bed every night.  Elder Wright met his wife here in Subic when he was in the Philippines with the American Navy.  They married and raised their family in California, and now they live on some beautiful property here in the Philippines.  

Diane with Sister and Elder Wright...in front of a bamboo plant

We took a walk around the Wright's property.  They have many, many varieties of fruits growing.  They all have their season.  While in the Philippines Donna and I are enjoying learning about and tasting many new things.  

Papaya, bananas, Dragon fruit, and a cacao tree (new) orchard

Enjoying our Thanksgiving feast...8 senior and 8 young missionaries

Our day was so enjoyable!  Only two of the 8 young missionaries are American, but the dinner was a highlight for those two, especially!  I asked our 2 Filipino Elders if they enjoyed the American food...one claimed to have an American stomach and the other one didn't like it very much.


We senior missionaries are involved in a service project next month.  Before the young missionaries joined us for dinner, we put together candy bags for 100 children and also food bags for families.  We'll have pictures and more information next month.

Look what else we did...we had many new experiences this day!  

We had our first tricycle ride through the streets of San Antonio and San Marcelino.  The 'trike' is the most popular mode of transportation in our area.  It is a motor bike with a cab attached.  Sometimes the cabs are built to hold cargo instead of people.  We have seen whole families piled into and on the trike.

What about this??!!...another mode of transportation!  We see the carabao not only working the rice fields, but also on the streets with the carts.  We had to take time for a 'photo op' when we got the chance!  Here is Donna on the back of a carabao!

Just a walk in the park...on a carabao??!!!!!!!

I was going to tell about our whole week, but this is plenty for one sitting.  We did work in the Mission Office until lunch time on Thanksgiving. Then, it was time for our senior missionary activity, service project, and Thanksgiving feast.  

Have a wonderful week!

Donna and Diane

One of many Christmas trees... December is this week!!