The Work Goes On

Time is flying here, we do stay busy. We had 16 Missionaries return home last month, and only got 5 to replace them. We did get a new Couple, the Snows from Virginia. More work with less people, that causes all of us to step up the pace a bit.

We got to do some travelling, down towards Bataan. There are monuments built to honor those who were victims of that terrible time, along with milepost markers built where the highway and the sites of the march coincide.

It also seemed to be a time for snakes, Elder Kimberlin heard something behind him on one of his early morning walks, looked back and saw a 4 foot snake hastily slithering where he had just stepped, maybe a foot and a half away. And, needless to say, Elder Kimberlin did some hasty maneuvering of his own, putting some distance between him and it. Several days later, he found the carcass of what appeared to be the same snake in the same location, so he feels a little braver now.(Like maybe that was the only snake in the Philippines!)

As the seasons change, rainy season is about over and we're entering into the nicest part of the year, different fruits and vegetables appear in the markets. Mangoes and pineapples are about gone, palmellos(looks like a huge grapefruit, but a little sweeter) are here. And the bananas continue to appear. Everything is for sale here, snakes, lizards, crabs, you name it, they have it.

The farmers spread their rice crop out on the highway to dry, then as the clouds appear, they hurriedly gather it into bags. Traffic tries to avoid running over the rice, but sometimes it can't be helped.

And when Americans start looking toward fall(in September), here Christmas music begins to be heard in all the markets and stores. Christmas decorations appear everywhere for sale(there's no Thanksgiving here), with some Halloween masks thrown in for good measure. Halloween is celebrated in conjunction with All Saints Day(Nov.1). The cemetaries are all cleaned up, and people go to visit the gravesites of those who have gone on. Kind of like our Memorial Day, but much more celebrated.

But the good work goes on, the Missionaries keep working, keep praying, keep blessing the lives of good people everywhere. Its so exciting to be with them and watch them, they are so dedicated to their purposes. But for all the work, the sweating, Elder Kimberlin keeps gaining weight.

Two Months Went By In A Hurry !

Two Months Went By In A Hurry ! Time is flying by and things are seeming more comfortable, even the traffic. We are learning our jobs, little by little. We are having success with the people in our branch and feel a part of it now. We have felt a few times when we have been led or directed and have had some good experiences.One Sunday when we picked up the Sister's that take us visiting, they had a treat for us ! It was Cassava, A root that looks like a white carrot, they slice it and cook it in coconut milk and brown sugar. It tasted really good.
It's been a sick month for us. Sister Kimberlin picked up the flu around the 3rd week in Aug. and was sick on her birthday. It was a Sunday so the Relief Society sisters wrote on her birthday card they had for her, notes of get well. One Sister wrote ; The wind carry our voices telling you that there are Sisters sitting in an other corner of the world wishing you the best of everything , get well soonWe love you...Then Elder Kimberlin has his turn. It was just awful and lasted for ever.
Last week while in town doing our shopping for the week, it was time to eat dinner, so we picked a place we had not been to give it a try. It was a Japanese/Korean place. Brand new, very nice. We sat on the floor and our waiter grilled the meat on the table in front of us. Our waiter turned out to be an investigator . We were able to talk to him a lot because he was the one cooking the meat. He has a girlfriend and a one year old little boy ( no money to get married) He asked if he could ask us a question ? It was the one about how he had always been taught that God and Jesus were the same person. We had a good discussion.It just all makes me know that Heavenly Father really picked our restaurant that night and He is in charge.
Two couples go home tomorrow. Now there are just two couples left and the Mission President. We will get one new couple the end of Oct., until then it will just be hard.
We went on a trip up North a few weeks ago to One Hundred Island, it was beautiful.

Aug. 10, 2007

Tomorrow will be our forth Sunday. We thought we would put some pictures of the people we are working with in our branch. The San Narciso Branch is located 30 miles north of the mission home ,where we live.Sister Kimberlin is in charge of the primary and Elder Kimberlin has been the speaker for the youth. The branch President said he would have a Primary President called this week, the last one just quit coming.

Enrichment meeting was a very spiritual experience. There were five of us.

It was great those ladies just carried on like there were 50 Sisters there. Opening prayer, song( the song " As Sisters in Zion" was so touching and spiritual,we could hardly hold back the tears.) Special number by Elder Kimberlin ( on his new guitar) a personality game by the Pres. , then the demo by Grandma, on how to make cell phone carrier out of bamboo, which none of us could follow or ever do. About midway the RS Pres, disappeared for a while, came back with a dish called lupia, kind of like egg rolls.You have to understand that they are big into cooking and sharing, part of her opening, before the game was the sharing of a new recipe. So we are not supposed to eat their food but there are only 5 of us, I'm sure someone would notice if we didn't. The lupia was so good. The people do not have ovens so they cook on 2 burner hot plates.The last couple missionaries showed them how to make rice krispie treats, big hit. So I need some recipes for treats on a 2 burner strove. We got talking about how we don't know what to buy at the palenkes or markets outside. They took us downtown and helped us shop and told us what everything was, it was great. Grandma made me a purse and Elder Kimberlin a cell phone holder. Everyone here has a cell phone, they text, that's how they communicate.
Church was good the two families we visited came. That afternoon we had family home afternoon with them, Sister Kimberlin brought cookies and pickup sticks to play, it went well so we will see.

The hospital. No, the nightmare or the war zone would be more like it. It was worse than I would have ever imagined.Very few sheets, no clean sheets. Blood, filth, no nurses, no PJ's.Everyone crammed in a big room or hall ways. It was just terrible. Everything was old or rusted. If one of us gets hurt just take us to the airport and fly us out.

Our First Week

Our first week is over.We are not as tired as we were at first.Today at church during the prayer I know we both fell asleep.
Yesterday was our first day in the car. Kerry is very good at driving here, we are still not too good with the direction, yesterday while going to town we forgot the map, that was bad. The streets in Olongapo remind me of China Town, just big enough for two cars on the road, but three or four are trying to make it work. The little mall was a disappointment, very junky, crowded and loud. We went to the palenke. which is the city open market, very smelly with little children begging you for money. We bought some fruit and vegetables and left, but I know that is where the Sisters go to have their clothes made and to buy the things they need, so I guess we will be going back. I'm thinking maybe we can go to the smaller towns to their Palengke, maybe it would be better.Kerry did find a guitar shop ( our purpose for going and risking our lives) and he bought a very nice guitar.
Subic Bay is what they call, on the base ( although there is no base) there are gates and guards and no poor people. There is a grocery store with a little of our American stuff. President Burtenshaw was right " You can't always find what you want, but you can get what you need." American stuff is very expensive so if we can learn to eat like the Filipinos all will be well. The rice and vegetables and fruit seem to be very good so far. It's funny in the store because there are aisles and aisles of candy and junk food, I'm not sure what's up with that.
Our jobs in the office have been hard to try and learn this last week, I think particularly because we were so tired. We will try harder this next week. We don't want the Pres. to fire us because we like the air conditioning in our apartment and if we get shipped out it will be bad and really hot.
It is beautiful here especially in the mountains. In the little towns that are on the highway
it's hard to see the beauty because it is so poor and junky and sad. There are goats and water buffalo everywhere, and a million skinny dogs.
We went to church in our branch today. Nice building, very warm. We both got to speak today along with the Burtenshaws. We met some very nice people there. We had packed a lunch and knew we would be staying to go visit some of the people after Siesta time, which is from 12:00 to 2:00. So at noon we ate our lunch in the car and took a nap. Then at two the Relief Society Pres.and her first Councilor came and took us on visits. That was interesting. These two sisters were very sharp and spoke a lot of English, however in the homes we visited they did not speak much English, most of the visit was done in Tagalog , We understood some but not enough to help.Everyone lives in very poor homes, they have very little. Next week we will go back with these Sisters and have a family night on Sun. afternoon with a lot of the families we visited. Sat. afternoon is Enrichment meeting we will be learning to make cell phone cases out of bamboo or some thing like it, everyone has a cell phone.

This is Subic Bay. We will be close by. We thought we would put a web site address if you would like to look some more - subicbaywikipedia.org -
This will be our address if you want to send money (just kidding) but maybe a Christmas card.

Elder & Sister Kimberlin
Philippines Olongapo Mission
National Highway
Mangan-Vaca
2209 Subic, Zambales
Philippines

The church has what is called a pouch service. Use a regular stamp and send to;

Elder & Sister Kimberlin
Philippines Olongapo Mission
POB 30150
Salt Lake City, Ut 84130-0150

There are rules for the pouch service. Only letters, this means no pictures, money, checks,credit cards or stamps. So if you want to send us your credit card please us the first address.

Olongapo Mission Here We Come !

It's been long and Hard but we are finally ready to go. We will be checking into the MTC on July 2 . Our assignment has been changed from proselyting in the hills to the office couple in the city, it's all good, we are excited to go! Our un/farewell talk will be on June 24 at 9:00. It will be hard to say goodby to our wonderful ward here in Snowflake, and our family.