Family Week and Family History Exhibits

September was a busy month as it is "Family Week". There was too much to be
containedin one week so it turned into "Family Month"! Elder DuPaix quickly
learned how tosend out displays, AND how to get them back because you have to
send a separate orderfor the forwarders to do the work. It all went smoothly though! 
We were involve in severalmajor events. Cavite held the first Family History Exhibit
of the month in their SM Mall.
We, Haidi, and the Birds all went up to celebrate the event.

Elder and Sister Bird and Elder and Sister DuPaix wearing our new
"Mormon Helping Hands" polos!

There was a parade early in the days a kids from several schools marched in it! 

 They all wore their school colors and looked so cute!

The parade was follow by a program. Our Public Affairs director, Haidi, was asked,

spur of the moment, to address the crowd!  She did a great job! After the speakers, 

a group of youth from one of the Wards did a Filipino dance.

The Exhibit open with a ribbon cutting and was well attended. They had computers 

available so people could actually look up their ancestors and these folks were the
 main support group!

Before we left the mall,
Elder Bird even found 

a great sign for him and
 Elder DuPaix!

Our next event was the actual Family Week Celebration which was hosted this year by 

our own city, Mandaluyong! Haidi met us and the Birds during the Parade then we
went to the city center for a wonderful program!

There were VIP's from government, lots of speakers, musical performances and 

they gave some presentations to outstanding families.

My favorite dance was this "Bird" dance performed by a group of deaf dancers. 

They were so graceful, that they really looked like birds in flight. 

Very beautiful.

Our mayor - Benhur Abalos. He gave a great presentation on the accomplishments 

of the people of our city.

Next activity was our Family History Exhibit at the Mall of Asia - 

the biggest Mall in the Philippines.

They also had a parade and exhibit opening but Elder and I

 only got to go for a short time.

We worked with DSWD and Famnet to plan our first annual
National Family Conference. 

It was held in the Buendia Chapel and everyone was so impressed with our facility. 

They couldn't believe that this chapel is 50 years old, the first LDS Chapel 

built in the Philippines!

We did a presentation on being prepared and talked about 72 hour kits. We worked
really hard to fill these backpacks with everything that was needed, then we
gave them away! What a GRAND PRIZE!

We got to one last event held in the Fairview Mall. We met up with Elder and Sis. Hatch 

who are our Family History missionaries - specialists for the whole Philippines.  

They are away training more than they are here at our Family History Center!

 We were there for the ribbon cutting to open up the exhibit and they asked 

Elder DuPaix and Elder Hatch to help their honored guests.

We are very excited about the Family History Exhibits as that will be our big 

emphasis in 2013 and we hope to have many exhibits all around the Philippines.

 For more information about Family History and The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, you may check out:
MormonNewsroom.ph
or go to:

http://www.mormonnewsroom.ph/article/family-history-library

 http://www.mormonnewsroom.ph/article/lds--rotary-showcase-family-history-exhibit-in-sm-malls

http://www.mormonnewsroom.ph/article/church-features-family-history-exhibit-in-sm-taytay