A New Year

A Wonderful Year New Year has Dawned-2015

We went to the Mission home on New Years Eve and celebrated with the Lilo-an Zone missionaries. They watched the movie about the wicked witch in "Snow White". The Senior Elders watched it, but Sister Tanner, Sister Booth and I hung out in the kitchen. We had Caramel Corn and I made a Bean Dip with chips for munching.

We learned new traditions that the Filipino people have concerning the new year from the Filipino missionaries . The traditions explained to us by our Filipino missionaries include having 12 round fruits represting good fortune for each month of the year. Jumping by children  midnight to grow taller during the year, wearing of polka dots as round shapes signify prosperity and happiness, cash in your pockets ensuring a prosperous year, keeping the doors and windows open before the clock strikes 12 to invite fortune and prosperity, and do not clean the house on the first day of the year with the belief that you will be “sweeping out” the luck that came in during New Year’s Eve. Foods served are pancit noodles for a long life and sticky rice, biko so good fortune will stick. Another tradition is giving red envelops with money to the children (maybe next year for the grandchildren).

There were fireworks going off until 1:00am they do everything in  a big loud way, even the Karaoke is loud. We celebrated New Years Day at the Mission Home with the other office Sr. Missionary Couple. We dined on bacon wrapped water-chestnuts, bean dip and chips, artichoke spinach (equivalent) dip and toasted baguettes, Mango Pineapple Salsa and Enchilada soup. Good company and air-conditioning. 

Sister Tanner bought these hats and so I thought we should model them. I would love to bring one home and hang on the wall but I don't think they would fit in our luggage. The tapestry she got at the mission president's conference. They visited a weaving  place and she made the purchase. It is a very lovely piece of art work, with beautiful colors and texture.