Week 70

Hello Family and Friends,

This week was really great.

We have continued to help with the clean up of typhoon Lando.

This week we spent one day helping build the house of our branch mission leader. His house sadly was completely destroyed in the the storm.

It was fun however because of my little experience in that sort of thing.

His house was made out of bamboo with a thatched roof. I wish I could send pictures but the Internet is slow today so next week.

We have found some new families that we have been blessed to work with and have seen great help from the amazing members here.

It has been so rewarding to see that we really are one in the work of the Lord. No matter who we are, we all know people who need the gospel in their lives, we all have friends who are ready to hear the gospel.

I am very grateful for the time I have been able to serve here in Gabaldon. I love this area. I love the people here.

One interesting thing here is that people do not really celebrate Halloween, but celebrate something similar to Memorial day. Everyone, I mean everyone, goes to the cemetery to remember their dead. At night they put candles for each of the their family members who had past-on on a table with their favorite food and water and so on. It is a very interesting and a superstitious belief. They believe that the dead come down to earth once a year on Nov. 1.

I thought it was interesting. Filipinos are very family oriented and that is one thing I love about them.

They love to each together, and that is one thing that is true they love to feed the missionaries!

They have great respect of the elderly and a way to show your respect to an older person is by taking their right hand and putting it to your forehead.

The culture here is wonderful. Very respectful hospitable and very family friendly.

One example of this is the word "po" there is no English translation but literally is a word that adds respect to what you are saying.

I love the Philippines. The people are very kind and very service oriented.

I thank the Lord for blessing me to be apart of the people here for a short time of my life.

I love you all. I pray for you.

I promise that people are waiting for you to share the gospel, I encourage you to open your mouth.

Mahala kita,

ELDER MURDOCK