Pictures from December 25, 2023 -Jan 3rd, 2024

We had a wonderful Christmas dinner with the senior missionary couples in our mission! We love and appreciate each of these hard-working, dedicated, wonderful people. The Mabalots, Sister Orchard, The Hiltons, The VanTassells, The Rays, The Ericksons and The Velascos.

Our beloved senior missionaries!

Zone conference Photo Booth. Maligayon Pasko!

Merry Christmas Familia De Los Binghams. It has been a blessing to serve as a fellow-servant of Jesus Christ for the past 6 months. I love wearing his name on my name tag. As there really wasn't time for me to decorate for Christmas, buy many gifts, or do so many of the Christmas traditions I have always felt like we had to do my perspective has changed. I feel like Christmas will forever mean something different for me than it has in the past. I did have time to ponder on the earthly life of our Savior, Jesus Christ. My prayers some how are more meaningful and even though I have read the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon numerous times I have gained spiritual insight and power from reading. I can feel the supporting power of so many prayers of faithful members of this church. I think of the prayers that are offered in the many temples throughout the world. I think of the prophet and apostles and church leaders praying for the missionaries. I think of the wards and stakes praying for us. AND I also think of the individual families that pray every day for the missionaries. There probably aren't even words that can explain the power and strength this gives to me personally. Wow! We are so blessed. I am not sure why we get to have this amazing, challenging experience - but I am so grateful - every time I get on my knees and pray the first things out of my mouths are always "I am so much grateful for this opportunity to serve." I have come to more fully trust the Lord. Thank you family! Thank you for serving each other and others!

Christmas day with Elder Frias and Elder Roberts.

I am going to have your dad write the story behind these 2 photos of the Frias family. What a miracle. The Lord is in the details of our lives.

Hello Family:  I want to share a tender experience we had a couple of weeks ago.  For various reasons, Danielle and I spent some time with Elder Frias and Elder Roberts on Christmas Day.  The story behind that is for another day.  Anyways, I had given permission for Elder Frias's Parents to come to our mission from Cavite, in the Manila area to visit their son for a couple of hours.  We all met up at a restaurant.  As introductions were made and we were told that they live in Cavite, Danielle told them that my parents had served a mission there in the years 1998 and 1999.  The father, named Angelo Frias, remembered a missionary couple that had served there named Elder and Sister Bingham.  He went on to tell us that Elder Bingham (Gpa Bingham) was the mission counselor and district presidency counselor that interviewed him when he first went through the temple and was sealed to his wife, along with several children.  This couple, the parents of Elder Frias, went on to have 6 children, all of which are active in the Church.  Elder Frias, named Angelo Fritz Frias, is the second son to go on a mission, and the 3rd son, named Angel Moroni Frias ,is planning to go in a couple of years.  I found it interesting and very touching that Gpa Bingham had a connection with the father of Elder Frias , Angelo Frias, when he was quite young, and now I have a connection with the son of Angelo Frias, Elder Angel Fritz Frias.

Merry Christmas to me. Our new countertop ice machine. Yay for ice-cubes!

Making ice & feeling blessed!

Zone conference for Angeles & Mabalacat Zones.

Zone conference for Tarlac and Santa Ignacia Zones.

Zone Conference for Paniqui & Camiling Zones.

It was a wonderful week of zone conferences. We had a spiritual missionary feast in the morning and celebrated the Christmas season with the missionaries in the afternoon. The missionaries were able to decorate sugar cookies (I had sugar cookies for lunch 3 days in a row! ) and take photos in a Christmas photo booth. We enjoyed watching each district perform a skit, song, dance or talent after lunch. There were some incredible Christmas musical numbers performed by talented missionaries. Our mission is filled with musical talent. We watched The Christ Child at each zone conference and I was touched every time. What a miraculous story. I took time to really think about the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and then what it will be like when He returns to this earth. We are doing what we can to help the earth be ready for His foretold return. We felt such a powerful love and bond with each of these special missionaries. My heart has had to expand and grow to accommodate all of these incredible human beings!

Full moon on Christmas.

Sunset on Christmas night. Let heaven and nature sing!

A few of the pictures I also took on Christmas day as I got out on a walk. Second half of my heaven and nature sing pictures! Sorry they are out of order! Every time I am outside in this beautiful place - I feel my Savior's love in all the world around me. His spirit warms my soul in everything I see.

This is an area in the Super Mall Parking lot just for motorcycles. The pictures doesn't even really show it.

Sister Connie, our faithful house-helper.

Here is one of our favorite fruit stands

Getting this goat ready for the ward Christmas party. They were using a torch to burn off all of the goat's fur. This was just back behind the Padapada chapel.

Service project with the Vargas & Padapada Sisters & Elders.

A faithful primary president - Padapada ward.

Elder Buenaflor and his musical instrument. I can't remember what he called it - but it was some sort of finger organ.

This was in incredibly wonderful baptism. This 84 year old man was baptized. It was such a humble wonderful experience. After he was baptized he said - now I can go and meet the Lord. I am clean.

Baptism in the Padapada Ward.

Yay - so happy that returned missionary Kina Fifita could join us virtually for the baptism.

Ward party decorations for the Santa Thomas ward.

This guy can move so quickly across the road. I barely had time to get out my phone for a picture as I drove out of our neighborhood the other morning. He was big!

Another spirit-filled wonderful baptism! Three people joined the kingdom at the same baptism. Thank you Zak Sumiran, Elder Benitez, Elder Briguera, Sister Petil, Sister Mesa and Sister Raitere. What a special day.

Missionary Leadership Council Meeting - January 3, 2024.

 

BBQ hamburgers for lunch today at MLC - it was a hit!