Email Sent October 2, 2009

Kamusta Ka? How is everyone? We are doing really well. Weare doing much better than Manilla. We were at a members home and saw some newsreports about the flooding in Manilla from the typhoon. We had some bad winds and hard rain, but nothing likewhat they had. Our friends Elder and Sister Jafek were here in Bacolod for ZoneConferences until Friday. They are the Philippines Area Doctor and RN nurse. Theylive by the Manilla Temple. We haven’t heard from them to see if they got home in time to get flooded. It was so funto see them again and share stories. Wewent to a fun Branch Family Week Activity on Saturday. We played some games.Theprimary kids had to carry a hard boiled egg on a spoon around a chair and backto the line without it dropping.It was cute to watch. Some held the egg on thespoon so it wouldn’t fall. The youth wasdivided into groups and was given an piece of elastic that was sewed together.The first person had to put the elastic around them and run around a chair and back . The next person had to join themin the elastic and run around the chair,and so on until everyone on the teamwas in the elastic. Then they had to run to the bishop and slap his hand. They reallyhad fun. The RS sister were divided into teams. We had to put on a skirt,blouse, scarf, shoes,hold a basket and umbrella, then walk or run like an oldperson around a chair. My team lost, but we had fun. The men had to do anobstacle course. They had to hold 3 green coconuts to a certain point. Slidebetween chairs and not touch any, crawl under 3 tables, put a elastic band around their legs and hop to the finishline. They were divided into teams and then they were timed to see who did itthe fastest. Steve’s team lost, but had fun. Then they did family teams for thesame course only they added at the end they had to finish by standing inside arubber tube. Each family member finished at the tube, then when they were allinside the tube they had to so slap the bishops hand. They were timed to seewho was the winner. Steve was in a family group that lost but they had fun. Thenice thing is we are all winners in Heavenly Father’s kingdom! We had aspiritual thought and movie about the Navaootemple in the chapel. Then we had a Filipino meal: rice, chicken in a sauce,and a drink. The fun part of the meal was no fork or spoon.They were trying tofind some for us and we said no thanks. We washed our hands good and ate withour fingers. The wards back home should do this. It would save a lot of money.Elder Adams and I also danced with the children. They were shy at first and afew I drug out on the floor and twirled them around. Pretty some they werecoming back for more. It really was a fun evening! I alsotook pictures of the families that wanted them taken and a branch picture. Wewill get them developed and give them a copy. Life is good here in thePhilippines. These people know how to have fun even though life is hard forthem. The decorations were pendants cut out of old church magazines and tapedon a string and hung across the cultural hall and lettering stapled to thecurtains on the stage. I am learning a lot from these people how to make thingswith very little. Another good idea: they didn’t have glue guns for everyone sothey had candles burning, you held the glue stick in the flame until it gotsoft and then used it were you needed it. We were outside of course. This wouldwork great for girls camp. We just want everyone to know that we have atestimony of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are so gratefulfor the Atonement so we can live with Heavenly Father again if we do our besteveryday to follow His plan. Love Elder and Sister Adams Sept 28, 2009