I drove the van!!!!...

Dear Family and Friends,

Before I forget, some have asked about this so here it is:

Our mailing address:

Km. 140 National Highway
Mangan-Vaca, Subic
2209 Zambales
Philippines

Life is good!!

We are settling in a little more each day. We have been on the road steadily as we go to our missionaries two zones at a time, to teach, be taught and so President can interview each one. This has been a choice experience for him! The faithfulness he encounters is humbling. 

Tuesday night we went out teaching with a pair of our Sister missionaries! They had a new family they were excited about so we drove up to San Felipe and took them to the lesson. It was another new experience that astounded us. These young missionaries can really teach! The family was warm and bright. It was taught in Tagolag with a little English thrown in. They taught the Restoration and we could tell what was going on by the visual aids and the pamphlet reading. The Sisters did a fantastic job! The family responded really well. The ward missionary that was there helped the father say the closing prayer! Our Sisters wrote contact info and a message in the front of a Book of Mormon and left it with an invitation to read it...how could they not?!

We have also been to a beautiful black sand beach (for about five minutes) and put our toes in the water. It was so warm! (Just threw this in here for those who haven't decided about putting in their papers to join us. :-D ) We were staying at a hotel there so we could continue farther up the road in the morning instead of going up and back that far.

We enjoy playing basketball and jogging around the compound here for exercise. Four sisters live close enough to ride up on Mondays and play with me. The APs and office Elders shoot around every morning and sometimes President Dahle joins them. Our first morning here I played with them too, and miraculously sunk my first shot! Instant respect! The Elders about tipped over that the mp wife is, in their words, athletic (well, sort of). Basketball really is a great missionary tool here. There are hoops in every church parking lot, and the young people gather! This is more than we have played in 30 years. :) 

It's interesting how you can fall flat into bed at night knowing you could never have the energy to get up again in the morning. No way! Then morning comes and by miracles alone we are able.

I HAVE DRIVEN our van down to the base and have done some grocery shopping. It was exhilarating to begin my way back to being a little independent again.  Sister Mercy (first name) came with me. She was so brave! :) She is the sweet Pilippina sister that has worked here at the mission home off and on through the years. She is a friend too, I hope. She showed me how to make rice in that enormous cooker! Then we deep fat fried fish and chicken and she made a yummy sweet and sour sauce. Yes, I was party to deep fat frying!  Oh my. :)

Tomorrow we get to go to Manilla to be fingerprinted and go to the temple with our missionaries that leave in the next six weeks. A bus will come for us at about 4:45 in the morning! At least we don't have to drive there, which is a really good thing! It will be so nice! The twenty or so missionaries that are going will be spending the night here tonight since it's so early. :-D. We are having 35 for dinner, (young single adults are invited) then an FHE, which is why I must get moving right this very minute! Thankfully, Sister Mercy is already here getting started!

Sweet Sister Mercy - my copilot and cook! What a saint!

Thanks again for your prayers. 

Love,

President and Sister Dahle