Cebu

May 2013

We have spent the weekend in Cebu. I really love Cebu.  It has all the beauty of the provences, yet all the conveniences of the big city.  I also love the Ayala Mall, located directly across the street from the Employment Resource Center where we are able to work while we are here. Then we are able to work and have really good food for lunch and dinner.  There is Sbarro's Pizza, TGI Fridays, Krispy Creme, Italian ice, a great Thia restaurant and some other we have not tried yet. The best of both worlds. 

Today we went to church at the temple complex.  There are four wards meeting in that building so we chose to go to the nine o'clock meeting.  Funny that is the time all the temple missionary couples attend also.  So there were five American couples and us there.  We have not attended church with American couples for a year so that was different.  I noticed that the American men essentially over took the Sunday School class and Dan said they did the same in priesthood.  I was sad, because the local members are so wonderful and humble and I love being taught by them.  At least in Relief Society the Sisters were wise enough to listen quietly. One of the couples the Browns just arrived yesterday from Salt Lake City. They were telling us about how amazed they were to arrive at their apartment there at the temple.  They said it is like being in the temple itself with its beauty.  They have drinkable water in their apartment and American washer and dryers for their clothes.  They are only here to serve for a year.  They also get two week vacation during the temple cleaning shut down.  I can do that family it would be just like when I was teaching and could only come to visit twice a year, so... just saying...Bless my heart...I might have to do this mission thing again if I get bored, but only a year!!!

Saturday we drove three hours to Bogo to train Sister Nolasco.  She has been waiting for training for a whole year.  She is the wife of the district president and they have four children.  Their children are 6, 4, 3 and 6 mo.  They had had another child who died who would have been 2.  She is amazing!  I just love her and her little family.  We took color books, crayons and cookies for the children so they would be entertained while we worked, they were so wonderful.  Other than the driving it was a special, wonderful day. 

Friday we attended the temple here again.  Since we were the first people there (Sinema curse or blessing) we were once again asked to be the witness couple, which includes being in the prayer circle.  I just was amazed that once again the concerns I have been struggling in were included in the prayer.  How does a total stranger (the brother leading the prayer) know I am worried about my family.  He asked that our families feel the love and comfort of our Father in Heaven through our service in the Philippines.  I felt that the prayer was once again just for me.  I love attending the temple.  What a blessing it is for us to have the Cebu Mission added to our responsibility so that we can come here and attend the temple.

Next month we will be in Bacolod, Cebu, and Iloilo for training and I have to say I love the traveling.  It makes the time go so much faster and I love the opportunity to attend the temple once a month. I am a better person when I can meditate and reflect during my temple visit.  In our two visits here we have already identified prospective church service missionaries with the Stake leaders and have trained one specialist.  Our goal is to train a church service missionary couple for each stake and district in the Cebu Mission before our mission is complete in April.  We have a lot to do with only 11 months to do it in.  Please pray for us that we will be able to complete that responsibility before our release in April.  Time is flying by and before we know it we will be on the airplane heading home.  I am so thankful for the love and support of our children and grandchildren.  They are the most wonderful people in the whole world, How did I get so lucky to have them all.