Visiting Devin's Mission!

Last Wednesday we woke up at 3am to start our journey up north, we first went to Bagio, then saw the Rice Terraces in Bontoc, then further north to Vigan, and Lagangilang. The trip's purpose was to go see where Devin served his 2 year mission (click to learn more about mormon missions) the trip was great, a lot of driving but well worth it, Devin was able to see many of the people he baptised and many people that he knew. And they were all VERY excited to meet us and see hime again. These pictures are all in reverse order- oops At our Hotel in Bangued, 20 minutes from the small town of Lagangaiang. We had the most incredible view at this beautiful hotel- the only one with in miles. Sunday morning.

This is the Sacdalin family, wife and kids, the husband had to work, but we got to go and visit him at work. When devin met them they had 8 children, but were unmarried, and since you have to be married to be baptised, Devin and Companion had them married by the bishop (the Relief Society even decorated the chapel I am told) on a saturday morning and then had them baptised that afternoon. Devin says it was one of the happiest days on his mission. They are a darling family, they know have 12 children and 6 grand children, one of which they named Devin. You can see how excited they were. The boy in the white shirt in front of his mom just had a birthday so Devin gave him his Tie.

This is the V*. Family. They live in Vigan which we didn't know when we were there, so on Sunday they drove the 1 1/2 (on Trikes) to come and see us at church in Langangilan. The dad bore his testimony about how the church has changed his life and how he was so excited to see Devin that he couldn't sleep the night before :). Devin says before this man joined the church he looked like a Punk biker with long hair and dark sunglasses.

This is the Dad of the Sacdalin family we went and saw him at his work since he couldn't come to see us. Devin and him both were teary at the meeting. Brother Sacdalin told me that he thanks the lord for the gospel of Jesus Christ and for Elder Wagstaff who brought it to him.

Sorry out of order, but family picture at the hotel in Bangued

One of the familyies in Lagangilan that we visited * at the chapel. When we arrived in town we went to the LDS church and the Relief Society sisters were already preparing for the Family Home Evening activity that they were having that night- which was planned because they new we were coming- it was so nice.

You can see Elder Paulin in the back (the only other white guy) he was so excited to see other white people :) and visa versa. Most spoke Tagalog but a few spoke english as well. My children were wisked away from me through out this weekend by lovely philipinos who wanted to play, touch, and entertain my children, there love was a little overwhelming and I had to play referee a few times to make sure we were all happy.

On Saturday Brother and Sister Omli invited us to lunch, we ate on their farm, they had 2 types of fish, shrip, mussels, chicken, rock roll ups (which I thought was a like an egg roll) and of course rice. It was a wonderful meal.

This is at the chapel in Lagangilan, look there is our Wedding announcement, they have had it for almost 5 years! Devin served in Lagangilan for about 7 months, and it was his favorite area.

On Thursday night we got to Vigan and stay at Grandpa's Inn, they darling hotel they is made to look like its early 1900s. It even has hot showers the first since being here in the Philippines.

The gorgeous sunset at Vigan's central Plaza. Vigan is set up like a spanish town with a central plaza and cobble stone streets. It reminded us a lot of Madrid, Spain. We loved it.

Here is the Bautista Family, Devin helped reactivate them on his mission. The father has been really sick for about 5 years, and hasn't been able to work, but he just found some medicine that will hopefully help, so we hope they will be doing better. These teenagers were just 4 years old when Devin saw them last.

In the coblestone streets of Vigan.

Marianne and her best friends her feet, she just loves them these days, they are very attached to each other, pun intended.

Yea nice hotel room (see not so nice hotel room below), we really enjoyed Grandpa's Inn which included Hot Showers, and breakfast!

The ocean that we saw on the drive up.

The WWII memorial, that we stopped and looked at along the way to Vigan on Thursday.

Wednesday we drove 5 hours to Bagio and then another 5 hours in the afternoon to Bontoc and then Thursday we drove 8 hours. We only had one car seat (we asked about renting one, and the car rental place looked at us like we were crazy). So depending on who needed to be strapped down the most Spencer and Marianne shared, and the other rode on my lap.

In bontoc we saw Rice terraces and went to a museum that happened to keep this fat pig as a pet, so they let Spencer feed him. Spencer was thrilled.

This was a beautiful place, so green. In fact the green was almost overwhelming. Do you ever wonder why Heavenly Father made some things certain colors. Like why green for al lthe plants, why not purple or another color? just a thought :)

Here is Spencer looking through one of the model baboo huts they had on display.

Looking out the window at the- not so nice hotel-, it had wonderful food and a great view at least

Our room, at the -not so nice hotel- it was very hot, the shower rained onto the toilet (small bathroom) but surprisingly hada a hot shower- the first in the philippines, but lets just say this is the third room we looked at before we decided to sleep in it (the first had ants all over the wall)- this room probably did too, we just didn't see them.

Our rented car, we really needed a 4x4 (you will see why below), but we were too cheap to get one, and really we made it- so I guess we didn't need one after all.

After driving 10 hours today on very winding roads (300 Kilometers of nothing but swichbacks), we got to .5 miles from our hotel and ran into this mud slide. So at dusk Devin borrowed a shovel from a few guys who were fixing their tire on the side of the road and they helped him fill in the ruts so that we could drive over this small hill. We were happy to get to the-not so nice hotel - above.

Rice Terraces, they are beautiful these and the gorgeous drive through the greeen mountains is why we drove 13 hours on switch back barely 2 lane high ways.

A little wobbly from driving.

These mountains were just breath taking.

Wednesday morning we left at 3 am and arrived to the Bagio Mission home about 8:30, Bagio is up in the mountains. And is NOT humid and NOT hot, it was like 70 degrees with a slight breeze and was perfect. Oh we loved it and wanted to move there.

We found this park in Bagio here is Devin and Spencer coming down the slide.

here is Spencer RUNNING towards the toys in this cool weather. He was sooo excited!

At this lovely park that has a lake in the center.

McDonalds is one of our favorite friends here, especially if it has a play place, which they did in Bagio and which we went to 2 x in 24 hours. Ronald McDonal greeted us Wednesday morning after our long drive.