It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas!

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Another week has come and gone.  It is really amazing how the weeks fly by.  As we say in the mission, the days are long, but the weeks and months are short.  It is so weird to me that it is November.  In the land of summer every day, it is hard to believe that time goes by.  I am not missing the cold weather at home.

This week was a busy one. Monday night we were able to go out with the Elders in the evening to teach with them.  I love to see how the gospel blesses families as they learn and act upon the truths they learn. I still don't understand much as they teach in Tagalog, but I get a little.

We were in Santiago for interviews on Tuesday.  That was a long day, leaving home at 6:45 am and not getting home until around 10:00 pm.  We have two Zones of missionaries in Santiago, and then we had to make an emergency transfer and move some Sisters around, so it made for a long day and lots of driving.  I was so happy to get home and get into bed.  Wednesday morning was New Leaders Training.  That was fun.  Thursday was Halloween and the Banaue trip.

This group of departing missionaries included 10 Sisters, 1 Elder and 1 Senior Couple




They don't celebrate Halloween here, but a few of us dressed up for the day.  President Craig and I dressed up as Book of Mormons.  Yes we got rained on for the last part of our hike!  Luckily we were not cold.


"Scarecrows" protect the rice crop

fun "soother" candies from home!




I was happy that I was not nearly as sore this time after the hike of 1,780 stairs as I  have been on previous trips. We don't have any departing missionaries in January, so we won't be going back until the end of January with the February departing missionaries.

On Saturday I finally caught up with the times and got the Christmas decorations out.  4 lovely "elves" came over for a couple of hours and help me set up and decorate the tree while President was at his CCM meeting.


We went out to Cabatuan Branch for church today, and a cute young sister got up to announce that she had received her mission call.  I was so excited when she announced that she had been called to the Canada Calgary mission!  I forgot for a moment where I was and may have exuberantly cheered and clapped my hands... oops!  Luckily I was sitting at the piano and not directly at the front!

Sister Estioco has been called to the Canada Calgary Mission, speaking Tagalog
You may notice the shorter hair.  I finally gathered up my courage and went to the hair dresser this week!  She's not Melissa, but did pretty well at understanding what I asked for.  Haircuts, including scalp and shoulder massage, are the equivalent of $4.00!

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