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