Friends Who Have Visited

One of the greatest blessings of serving at the Philippines MTC is that it is right across the street from the Manila Temple, which is always a gathering place for missionaries who served with us in the Philippines Cauayan Mission back in 2010-2013, the members that we learned to love, and visitors from the US. There is hardly a day that goes by without us having a visitor come and say hello. We love seeing each and everyone of them and unfortunately we don't always have our cameras handy.

Here are a few of our special visitors.

The Wooden Family--Stayed with us on their way to revisit their two sons Philippine Missions. We LOVE this family!

The Bataras: Brother Batara was our night guard in Cauayan. He faithfully protected the mission offices, senior couple's apartments and the mission home almost every night for the three years we were there. Sister Batara is an amazing woman, an educator and fantastic cook! She shared her talents with missionaries on several occasions. What a joy it was to see this dear couple. 

You can imagine how thrilled we were a couple of years ago when our dear friends, Paul and Barbara Jones, called to say they had just received their mission call to---The Philippines Cauayan Mission. It was so much fun to follow their adventures among branches and wards and people that we love. At the time they left the US we had no idea that we would be back. As they ended their mission they came and spent a few days with us. We owe so much to these dear people. Paul was the one who called Rudy to be a bishop and later his counselor in the stake presidency. 

Rudy enjoy cooking for Sister Jones and dear Sister Crockett and her husband. 

Brother Galang, one of our finest Cauayan missionaries brought his sweetheart for us to meet.
They will make a wonderful couple.

Brother Villana and his wife. We always loved his energy in Cauayan and so happy to see he is still full of fun and life.
They are expecting their first child, we are so excited for them. 

Sister Torres from Bambang served in Temple Square while we were back in Utah. We had a number of opportunities to visit her there. She is home now, but working abroad in Japan. Here was recognized one of her friends during a visit to see us.

Dear Sister Tabudlong--she was truly a special missionaries, so sweet and diligent.

Oh what a thrill it was to see Brother Galiza from Cabatuan. While we were in Cauayan he got a mission call to serve in the  California San Diego mission. We were so excited for him. Now he's home and working hard.
He is such an intelligent and stalwart young man. 

Our friends, the Belessas, are serving in the San Pablo mission. Once in a while they come to Manila for eye exams and we get to spend a little time with them. We love this fun, faithful couple. Our friendship with Dave goes back to the early 1980s. And to think we still are friends in the gospel!

Dear Sister Roncal and her husband and darling baby paid us a visit. We are so happy that she found such a special man. They make a very powerful couple!

Dearest friends from Cauayan! We so appreciate their visit. They were here with a youth trip to the temple.
Danny on the left attended to our every need in the mission home in Cauayan. President Fernando, branch president of San Mateo branch, sits in the middle. He was a young married when we were there! 

In Cauayan we had the best house help--Sister Imelda. We were so happy when her daughter Mariel and her husband came to visit us. Along with our night guard's daughter, Sherizzah   and her fiance Brother Cuile.  These new couples will bring strength to the church in Cauayan as they strive to raise righteous families!

It was such a surprise to see Bishop Soriano and his dear wife Melanie. Bishop Soriano was our faithful gardener in Cauyan. We always had a soft spot in our hearts from Melanie and their four darling children. The other brother was from Alicia.

It was such a wonderful surprise when two of our best missionaries courted each other after their missions and ended up getting married. That's what happened with the couple of the left: Sister Bigay and Brother Cajumban with their darling loveable little boy--Kolob. Next was Brother Ardern a super missionary who now works in the technology department and caters to all our IT needs. He married a fabulous girl, whose father is one of the branch presidents here at the MTC. Next we see Brother Dupitas--such a funny, dedicated young man. He has a sweetheart but she wasn't here this day.