New Year and Christmas (with pictures)

[From Sister Stamps] 

We did have a nice short Christmas with few of the couple missionaries. We spent it relaxing in John hay. We ate american food and it was a treat for all that was there. Our room was located in front, centered stage of the hotel. The whole backside was decorated with Christmas stars and lights. Looks like rain drops falling from the evergreen trees. It was so beautiful.They had choir singing and ballet all americanized show.
This was Christmas Eve and the food was all you can eat of excellent food and different deserts. All in all is superb.

Before we went to Baguio, we had our Christmas party with the branch. Before the party, President Stamps played Santa for the members, with a bag full of goodies for each family in the branch. In it we had made cookies, different kinds candy cane cookies, chocolate chips [which we carefully saved in the fridge for knowing that we will do this for our members - President Stamps had so much self control not to eat the chocolate
chips while we wait for December to be here], lemon bars and store bought candies for the Christmas plates.
We also put some canned ham and rice and milo drinks and few little things for those families who have little children. After all Christmas is for children and people young at hearts. We were thinking of our grandchildren when we are putting things in the bag. How they are so blessed to have loving parents and a home in a great country.

Our church is the same all over the world, the gospel that is. Only the buildings and people are different. Some members gives us bananas tons of it so we make banana bread and share it with them. One sister who is now coming more active has given us a live chicken for christmas. She carried it in a sack and walk with it 3 miles to give to us, is so touching. When we got home I asked my landlord if I can put the hen into his chicken coop.
He have a few of his own. I told him that I intend to have baby chicks and that he could have half and I will have
half to give back to the sister that gave me the gift.

New Years Eve, the neighbors was alive practically all day and seems like all night. Fire crackers a constant noise, 2 or 3 karaoke's are being herd all night long.

 

We are looking forward to our next baptism this month. The interviews for the candidates will be this Saturday.

The day of baptism will be on the 19th. We have 11 all converts so we will not know how many will be qualified

at this moment. The field is white ready to harvest (Doctrine and Covenants, Section 4). We are tired but loving what we do. Tired in the body but not our willingness to do our calling.

 

Address correction

Sister Stamps sent the following request for any packages sent to them:

"Please make sure to put the name of Reynaldo Sagun on any package that you send. I quess the mail people will always ask the Sagun's name. Thank you and HAPPY NEW YEAR."

Corrected address

Elder and Sister Stamps

c/o Reynaldo Sagun

386 Malibong, Urbiztondo

Pangasinan, Philippines 2414

Phone if needed for mailing packages:
075-062-9173093716

Christmas Pictures

We haven't heard much from President and Sister Stamps but we did finally catch them on Skype for Christmas. They are doing well and keeping busy. They were able to spend some time with Sister Stamps' family for the holiday. Here are a few pictures that were posted to Facebook.

Temple Trip

President and Sister Stamps are keeping busy.

They are teaching the temple preparation class to two potential Elders. Both have their papers in and are waiting for their mission calls.

They are going with members of their branch to the temple this week. They will leave at 1:00 a.m. to arrive at the temple in the morning, returning that night. They'll take pictures!

Christmas Greetings

MAABIG YA CABUASAN ED SIKAYO

Mangandang Umaga from Pangasinan.

MALIGAYANG PASKO

We are busy learning and serving. We see a lot of this province and the people. They are great. We are enjoying the local festivities. We are spending Christmas in baguio.

We wish that all of the world would be happy and peaceful. Then it would really be more like heaven. Everyone here is full of hope for that which they understand.

The great message of Christmas is the hope for eternal life with a perfect peace.

THIS IS THE PROMISE OF JESUS CHRIST

MAY YOUR DAYS BE MERRY AND BRIGHT

WE PRAY THAT YOUR LOVED ONES WILL BE CLOSE TO YOU.

Updated Mailing Address

Elder and Sister Stamps
386 Malibong, Urbiztondo
Pangasinan, Philippines 2414

Sister Stamps reports that they had two baptism this month. They are busy still and tired but love what they are doing.

Baptisms!

Farmers plowing the fields for the second palay planting

It's Different...

It’s different when:

The gecko in the corner sings better than the karaoke down the block at 1 am.

The karaoke is so loud that the dogs quit howling and the roosters quiet down.

You can sing better than the guy on the karaoke.

The ants quit biting because you have too much talcum powder on.

You go down the road ten miles and have a crises because you forgot your cellphone.

You get lost because the map is older than you are (and you are old.)

Your glasses get lost under your computer.

The lock on the front gate can be picked with a nail but won’t work with the key.

Mcdonalds is 8 miles away but it takes two hours to get there. (the bridge is washed out).

You turn on a light and the rooster thinks it is morning.

The country air is refreshing (unless the neighbors have pigs).

When someone has a party and the tables and chairs are set on the highway.

You have to ask for the threshing machine to move off the back road so you can pass.

You meet a large truck on a back road that is ten feet wide.

You go through a mile of mud and bamboo to find the pavement again.

The food at the market looks good and smells great but you are afraid to eat it.

Friends give you ten pound of bananas from their trees.

The mangoes are big as a softball on the tree next door.  

The papayas are the size of basketballs and fresh.

You can buy fresh juice from the pushcarts.

The push carts are all on bicycle side cars.

Most people are friendly and will say hi. Even if they have never met you.

All the chairs are made of bamboo or plastic.

When we come into a home we are always offered a seat of honor.

Some floors need to be paved.

When in someone’s home you are always offered a drink, usually a coke or orange pop.

No one can name the other guy, but everyone wants to know what we think of the president.

You can’t turn the car around because the bamboo and banana trees are too thick.

The whole neighborhood comes to see how you will turn around this time.

You get stuck on a tree root.

When you put the jack under the car, the ants keep biting you.

The next time you drive that road, you remember the tree root but forget the bamboo fence.

Scratches from bamboo don’t show on gray paint.

Bamboo has thorns which are hard on tires.

People are bathing the kids at the community well at 6 am.

The kids are back to the well by noon to cool off.

The mansion by the road looks better than anything back home.

Behind the mansion is a nipa hut made of bamboo and grass.

Some trucks are bigger than the ones back home.

The trucks own the road.

You get cut off in traffic by someone on a bike. He owns some of the road too.

Everyone walks on the road. It’s their road too.

No one goes very fast. Except late at night when the road is clear.

Gas is sold in pesos per liter.

You wade through water a foot deep to get something to drink.

You wait in line to buy water.

You sweat a gallon of water each day.

It is a crises if the aircon dies.

You are saved because the car has aircon.

You are glad when it rains cause it cools down but, but you forget the umbrella.

The school rooms are open air with center courtyard in front.

No one is upset because a guy plays hookey from school.

Everyone in a store or office is soooo polite.

You know more about local politics than that back home.

Everyone speaks English but no one understands it.

You understand more of what is being said when they mention your name.

No one will answer a phone but they will text you back.  (it is much less expensive).

Computers are rare.  Tvs are common. You can tell who has electricity, they have tv at night.

The cheap pharmacies have the best medicine. Everyone buys there.

You have to go to the dealer to get an oil change.  

The dealer is two hours and 25 miles away.  (no one travels fast).

Life in the slow lane is usually pretty good. Most people here like you…..

You can lose weight and not even know it.  Life is good.