First Days in Manila

We spent the first few days in the Philippines in Manila visiting all my friends from my mission. It was great to see them after 5 years. I didn't realize how much I missed the Philippines and the people until we were there again. The pic above is us with Pres Cangas and his family and the Bautista family. It pretty much explains our first days in Manila. It was so much fun to be with everbody again. And everywhere we went, they just had to feed us. We probably ate more in there than in all the other countries we've visited combined. Plus the food was absolutley delicious.

Everbody loved Kaycie and she made friends will all the women in the ward. She chats with them on facebook all the time and they gave her beautiful jewelry as rememberences. They also taught her how to do reflexology massages, which is definitely my favorite gift.




This is Sis. Nancy Magbanua's house. She's the one standing. We baptized their family right before I finished my mission. Her husband, Marlon, was in Korea working when we were there, but I was able to chat with him for a couple of hours on the internet. Nancy always had lots of really good food for us. Sometimes though, we went to their house at the end of the night and I couldn't eat as much as I would've liked, because I was so full from eating everywhere else. It was so great to see them again. Their kids have gotten so big, and they've even had another since I was there last. That makes six. Analyn Sabio is the one seated on the left. She met us and took us around to everones' houses (much has changed in the last 5 years, so many more houses and people). She came with us everywhere. She is also a great cook and made sure that we were full before going out to see people everyday. We love Analyn and her husband Edward. Edward was in Mindanao on business, but we decided to spend less time on Palawan so that we can see him and spend a few more days with everyone in Manila. The woman seated on the right is Riza. She also had to feed us when we came and made some of the best adobong baboy (Pork with potatoes cooked in soy sauce and vinegar with black pepper) I think I've ever had. So a quick explination on the whole food thing. Filipnos are very generous with what they have. They are some of the nicest people in the world. And feeding people is how they show how much they love them.





Here we are with Nanay Chagas and her daughter Butchai. Butchai, pronounced boo-chai, is not here real name, it is just her nickname. Her real name is Maria Teresa Anghela Salazar Chagas. Hence the nickname. Nanay means mom in tagalog, and considering how much she worked with me as a missionary and how much she fed me, Nanay is pretty fitting.





This is most of the Alegrea Family. The parents have moved to the province to farm, but the kids and their spouses still live in the branch. They are so much fun to be with, and Riza and Jun just had their first child, Daniella, and have a second on the way. I was very sorry to hear that their pet monkey had died.






Mario Velaquez and his wife Joy and their daughter Jam are on the left. They are another of my favorite families in the branch. (I know, it seems like all the families are my favorite. And pretty much they all are.) Mario helped the branch do some of its best service/huumanitarian work when I was there. Pres Cangas and his wife and youngest daughter are on the right. Pres. Cangas was the best Branch President I ever worked with on my mission. He has since been moved up into the District Presidency.


We're going to Palawan next to see the beautiful sights of the Philippines. We're coming back to Manila for a few days again though before we leave to Germany.