Wednesday 4 July - Home Again

Actually, it felt like I got 2 Fourths of July.  Got up at 6 and finished getting everything together. Had to get the stuff from the office into some place in my bags. Lent shampoo to Danielle as they thought they were going back to the ship but needed up staying with us because of the traffic for the bus in the morning. The men carried our heavy bags down stairs. Waked over to the temple and took pictures of it and the Philippine MTC. They are expanding it. We loaded up the bus to take us to the airport.

The young girls who are all staying for the rest of the trip were standing there out side the bus waving and crying  which made us all cry. I really came to love them and especially Jennifer. It is amazing how close you can become friends in such a short time. I guess this what a mission transfer feels like. The member who did our travel log was on the bus with us. He told us that during the 1998 Coup, the rebels stormed the temple grounds to fight the military.  The only damage to the temple as a bullet grazing the side of one wall. It truly is protected. The ride went fairly fast as the traffic was light. We dropped off Shannon Williams at one airport as she is meeting friends at some resort for a week and then going home. We pulled up to our airport (there are 3 airports) about 9. Our plane is to leave at 12:20. When all the bags were unloaded mine was not on the bus. The men had taken it down the stairs for me but had got out it of the bus since they didn't know if the bag was going home or back to the ship. I had gone out to the bus and saw all the bags were underneath so I had thought they had out it on there.

So my big blue bag was still I the lobby at the temple housing. About 1 hour drive each way. Jarstads had met us at the airport so Pat stayed with me at the restaurant and the bus, driver and the member and Brother Jarstad went back to the housing to see if they could get it to me before I had to board.

They were able to get it and take a cab back and only took 1 1/2 hours. That was a miracle because it can take up to 2 hours to get from the housing to the airport in the morning traffic. I thanked them and thought after we should have just had a cab bring it from there and save the round trip. If they had not made it I would have had to ship it home via FedEx. Glad it all worked out. 

Got to know Pat better and she is a wonderful lady. Made it through check-in fees, exit fees and security in 20 minutes. They do a pat-down on each person before they get through security. There is a male line and a female line.  The group were all watching for me and hoping I had got my bag. I know the men who took it down the stairs for me felt bad but I just kept telling everyone it was my bad as I should have looked to make sure it was there under the bus and not assume. Just did not think to look I the lobby with everyone standing around. 

We were spread out the back part of the flight and I got a 1 hour nap. The connection flight was about 1 hour wait so we found a cultural art center and made a pepper lithograph old style Koan. It was fun.  Looked at the duty free stuff. Sprayed some perfume so we smelled better. Funny how a little helps so much!! Checked out the Tiffany store. And still had time to FaceTime dad at 4:00 Utah time to say hello. Flight was 11 hours long so i watched "the Hunger Games" while I ate dinner and then took an 1/2 of an ambien and slept for 6 hours or so. Felt pretty good even sleeping half sitting up. I woke up when the lights went on to serve breakfast. Ad started watching "the Lorax." almost got it finished. I must say the last two flights were some of the more bumpy ones I have been on in a long time. Just constant turbulence all the way on the pacific. 

Had to fill out the customs forms and guessed that $400 was the money spent. It is a wild guess on that. When we deplaned  had decided everyone just get thru as fast as we could. Chantelle Rowe was the first off and told one of the immigration people we had 20 people in blue shirts that needed to make a flight in just over one hour. They gave us a bright orange express pass and we were put in the short express pass lines took about 20 minutes to clear immigration, pick up our bags, customs and recheck the bags. Pretty slick.  Thank you Chantelle!!!  Many of us were starting to break off to catch flights to different parts of the country. It is hard to say goodbye as some I may never see again. 

We made the plane with plenty of time. Arrived early in San Francisco so had time to grab a quick bite. American food tastes so goood!! A bit sad to see this all come to an end. We are setting up a LDSC PP12 face book account. You can upload pictures for others to see but it is restricted only to those whose names are listed. Chantelle is doing this.  Barbara winters is setting up a flicker accounts so I will have to get things on both. 

We could see the wild fires burning on the mountains and most of the cities' fireworks displays as were flew into the valley. Fun to come in on the 4th of July. There were a few families who were there to greet us as we arrived. Most had people picking them up. Lots of hugs and some tears but they talked that every year they have a dinner in the fall to get together. Hope it happens. I called dad and they were at the Murray fireworks. They were there to pick me up by 10:40 so i did not wait too long. So nice to be home but so glad I have the chance to do this. Changes in many lives, including my own.

Mom/Caroline

Tuesday 3 July - Departing the ship

Today is the day to pack up and go. I was up at 4:00 to do my hair and get everything upstairs to casrec. Just had a few things to throw in one bag. It was sad to see it so empty. Tried to call home but the Internet and phones are down for 24 hours. After roll call and check out with the navy they provided breakfast for us one last time.

Finally given my passport. Was worried if they had not processed what we would do. The bus picking us up could not come into the base security so we had to walk about two blocks. The bag I bought does not do well in wet so it dragged on the wheels and basically tore up the whole bottom of the bag. It will make it home, just ripped up the fabric. We had one large tour bus and a van the held about 8. When we boarded I sat next to Jenni. The man form the ward told us it could take 4-5 hours to get to Tagayta. Most people slept for the first two hours. It was raining so our hopes to see the volcano are slim.

The trip through the city of Manila was slow.  We had to go about 18 km and it took 2 hours to just get through the city. Very  similar to Panama. The ward guy told us about the local way of transportation. They are called "Jeepnies " the army had jeeps after the war and the people have taken them and extended them so there are two benches along each side and then people also hang off the back and hold on. Most ride these into town, then catch the metro. A typical commute is 2 hours in and 2 hours home. Traffic was almost at a standstill. They invent lanes and honk to tell others to watch out when changing lanes. Everyone pretty much goes about 1 mile an hour.

The restaurant at the volcano was fabulous. But we could not see the volcano, as it was misted over. Will have to look online. Jenni found a gift shop so we bought pearls and souvenirs.. We missed the group pictures because we couldn't get checked out fast enough.but oh well. Found an ATM to get cash for the dinner and temple and members selling at the office building dinner. On the drive back, I kept seeing a bakery-pastry store called Colette's - they were every where. Tried to get a picture from the bus. The church humanitarian office hosted us a dinner. They also had some of the locals bring their stuff to sell. I need to get LaMont to contact Abe and order the crèche for the local member. You can order and wire the money then he will hand carve and mail it back to you before Christmas. About $100 US.  We bought pearls from a lady than is not a member. I bought a strand of chocolate pearls. She did a complete necklace instead. I kind of wanted the strand, because I think I would have got more but they had left to go over to the temple to do a session. Ok but such confusion.

Back to the dinner. As the group, arrived Shari Hugh's asked if my husband's name was LaMont and someone wanted to meet me. It was the Human Resource group - all three of them. I took pictures with them. They said dad had asked them to check on me. They gave me dried mangos to take home. The dinner had rice, couple of meat dishes, egg rolls and mango juice. The lady from HR had to make me my halo halo. Was talking to the missionaries and the other area office people. I barely had time to eat and look and the things for sale. I had to go get my recommend in the bus so that added time. Heather had to also get hers from the bus so we were able to walk under an umbrella with one of the senior missionaries. She was able to get us over to the check in a lot faster that I would have found it. They rented the temple clothes for 35 pesos, about $1. We had to split into two groups since each room only holds 25 people total and only 2 temple workers.

The men wore a loose white shirt this some decorative sewing on it and NO tie. Cam and Dad would love this. It was so nice to have time to just enjoy something so sacred and so familiar.  We had one of our husbands and wifes act as the witness couple. Such a peaceful feeling to just be there. After the session our whole group met I the celestial room. The spirit was so strong. I could close my eyes and feel other people there. I did not want to leave until I knew and could feel they were no longer there. Brother Jarstad went around the whole room and shook each of our hand and personally said thank you. I sat there feeling so touched by everything that has happened in the last 6 weeks. I thought about my patriarchal blessing that says I have the gift of healing and felt this is what I was supposed to do with that gift. Not just the body, but emotionally and mentally and spiritually. 

Danielle Taysom came over and sat next to me holding my hand. She expressed she was going to miss having me there for her to talk to.  I too will miss being there even though there was times I felt stressed or unsure what I needed to be doing or how to do it. We took some night pictures and then checked into the temple housing which cost $1.50 US. The room slept 8. Four sets of bunk beds. Jenni and Heather had signed me up in the room with them. You got a fitted sheet and a pillow case for a travel size pillow. Nothing else. The room and an air conditional and a ceiling fan. The hall way outside was not cooled nor was the bathroom. There was 4 individual shower stalls and toilets with toilet paper!!! 

Some of the people were leaving to  sleep at the airport hotel so we said some goodbyes. The younger girls wrote a song and sang it for us. It was about the life on the ship and pretty funny. I took a shower since I was soooo sweaty and figured I wanted to sleep feeling clean and not fight the crowds in the morning. Got most of my stuff packed onto the bags so I am good to go in the morning. What a wonderful way to end the trip. Doing service in the temple and giving those names a chance to be healed for the eternity.

Mom/Caroline

Sunday 1 July - Happy Canada Day!!!

Happy Canada Day!!! O, Canada.............. Today was pretty much nothing to do day. I packed part of my bag. Mailed some stuff home. They said it would take 3 weeks to get it home. Just some clothes so I have room in he bag and it won't be over weight.

We left Samar at 13:00, so we are on the final leg of the ship's journey for me. Happy and sad at the same time. Looking forward to getting on land to find some things. The church members are bringing some of the things they sell to the church so we can purchase them. Finished getting the required signatures from all the departments to get off the ship. Our commander for the support services was promoted to captain. He said he has been in the military for 18 years. I cannot imagine spending that much time in the military.

We were a bit late to sacrament meeting. It they had just done the song prayer and were doing the announcements when we arrived. It was testimony meeting but we only had the room for 11/2 hours so only a few were able to share.  They changed up the tour plans again so now we a going to look at some  cemetery instead of stopping at the pearl market. Some of the ladies are not happy with that so we will see what comes.

The  Canadians served dinner and we had ice cream sundaes. Pretty much that is all I can eat as I still have two big cankers on my top and bottom lips. Tonight our LDS social worker is doing a presentation on emotions. Then the Canada group is hosting "are you smarter than a Canadian." Jenni talked to the navy media guy about getting copies of all their pictures so she is going to share them when we get home. I have some already but this way I can have the whole group. Pretty much ready to go. I took a lot of my stuff up to x-ray and then gave somebody my citrus body spray to a navy lady that liked it and gave another my hair gel as she wanted to use my face lotion on keep her hair slicked as she had run out of hair spray. Kind of fun to see people smile. I am giving the body wash to Jen and Danielle. So girls see if they still have the Malibu heat body wash and the small spray tires spray and bath and body works. I can leave the hangers I the locker for the next person. We will put our bags on the beds for tomorrow or on the floor by the lockers.

I am writing notes to some of the people. Just saying thank you.  Getting excited to be coming home. Love you see you in 3 days. Mom/Caroline

P.s. the Canadian event was great. People learned a lot about Canada. So did I !!!