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.
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