2014 Mission Palawan Christmas Party

The Palawan Christmas Party began with a wonderful Christmas dinner of...

 lechon...a roasted pig with an apple in his mouth.  Yes, they really do just chop it like that.  It's a favorite meal. Lechon and rice....

          Pizza......... and Lechon and Rice Dinner for Christmas party

                           A little Filipino food and a little American food

Our wonderful couple, the Wirthlins, who serve so faithfully in Narra, a remote city on our island, Palawan.

If you only had a small idea of how wonderful and faithful all these missionaries are....you'd want to be in our mission.

After a delicious dinner, they all sang some Christmas songs.  All of a sudden, several strange-looking characters burst into the room, calling out
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!  It was President Ostler, his wife, son and the assistants, dressed in Santa, Mrs. Claus and elf costumes.  None of the missionaries knew we were coming.  We flew over and surprised them!

Santa explained that he wanted all of them to be happy like he is....and the way to that happiness is doing things for others.  So he reached in his bag and brought out supplies for all of them to make cards, bookmarks, snowflakes, games and puzzles for children in several orphanages in Manila.

We have never seen young men and women this age work so focused before!  They were amazing.

      President Angoy's son joined us for the party. President Angoy is one of the counselors in the mission presidency who lives on Palawan.  He and his wife are absolutely wonderful.

                        Everyone got involved and worked hard.

While they were working on the project for the orphanage, we took pictures of each of the missionaries and their districts with Santa, Mrs. Claus & the elves.  Our assistants were such good sports to dress up like elves!!!

                             

                     The Philippines Manila Mission Presidency & Wives
                      Angoys                       Ostlers                           Hiatts

                        Our wonderful photographer...got photographed!

                                          The Angoy's son.

                 Are the Wirthlin's the cutest! (They are wonderful besides that!)

 

After the service project was complete, the missionaries cleaned up the room and got ready for the Nativity performance they had diligently prepared.

                Their performance was inspiring and truly brought the spirit of awe and gratitude for the gift of God's only Son....for us.  We were asked what we were willing to give in return.

   

 

Sister Cobing was our amazing pianist!  She worked hard and played very well.

                      Caleb sang a solo at the end of the Nativity Program.