Iloilo

We can now call in the Philippines. Ray was able to purchase a SIM card.  

Friday the office missionaries had Ray drive to our Self-Reliance Center and to our bungalow and past our church that we will be attending and then back to the mission home.  Ray drove very well and I believe he is really getting to know his way around.

Saturday was a duo-stake activity in the parking lot of the mission home and office.  Quite fun games: A paper plate was folded like a horn and attached to a rope and teams took turns blowing their own down the rope.  2. They put paper under arm, between shoulder and chin, between knees, and with one hand fan your face and go a distance around a chair and back.

We visited and met many people. Visiting is quite wearing when I can’t understand what they say.

Anyway, President and Sister Aquino took us and the office missionaries to a floating restaurant for lunch. We took pictures.  Ray tried to catch his own fish for dinner but the fish just kept eating the bait off the hook.  It was fun though.  The pole was a bamboo stick with a floater and a hook.  The other Elder who fished caught a big one but the string broke and it got away☹.  After lunch the elders helped us move into our bungalow and go shopping.  We shopped at Robinson’s Market.  It wasn’t the best place to shop; but everyone knows of it and teases that it is ours. I tell them it is not our business but we are “rich”; we have 8 children. I carry the calendar around to show everyone who will look!

We had a first night at a bungalow. I feel safe here. We have bottled drinking water. We use our purified water for washing dishes and hands and brushing teeth.  The stove doesn’t work yet, so we are really glad we bought a lot of fresh fruit:  papaya, mango, bananas …

Sunday the President and Sister Aquino picked us up for church to introduce us to the ward.  The Bishop had us bear our testimonies and tell something about ourselves.

We exercise each morning, shower, prayer and read 7 pages of the Book of Mormon and study ½ hour from Preach My Gospel.  This is a great experience.  I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Remember, remember, to follow our modern day “liahona”.  Remember, remember, it only works if we are praying, reading the scriptures, and having family home evening.

Our liahona  is to follow the words of Christ.  If we follow this course, it will protect our families and take us (even in this life) to a far better land (home) of promise.  But as with those who came before us, if we are slothful because of the easiness of the way, some of us may get lost and our homes and families will not be all they could be.  Don’t let other “good” things get in the way and cause us to be slothful.  Remember, remember the sacred things.  Do not mistake busyness for righteousness.  We are building families unto Christ.  Gather your families daily for dinner together where you can join in “thanks” to our Father in Heaven.  He said the way is easy.  If it is hard, we are doing something out of His order.  Love each other.  We love you, Mom

On the first part of this week we went through Immigration and we got our Philippine driver’s licenses. I still did not know that I would be driving here but I later learned that I would be driving a lot. The driving rules are “don’t hit anybody and don’t let anybody hit you.” They say that the traffic laws are really just suggestions. Our Mission President says that is not really true, but by observation it is mostly true. I can’t tell if it makes any difference whether a pedestrian is in the cross walk or not. No one stops.

On our flight to Iloilo we went “business class” because our luggage was much over weight and that was cheaper than paying for excess weight. It was only about $45.00.

We stayed at the Mission Home until our apartment was ready. Two couple missionaries came to give us an orientation. They mostly work in Member/Leader Support. Both couples live a couple of hours away. One couple took us on a ride around Iloilo so that we could become familiar.

We are in our apartment now but not everything works as it should. We took cold showers this morning but it wasn’t too bad.

We attended church in our ward and I realized that I was the tallest person in the room. Mom was very tall too, as usual.

Christmas starts here with the “ber” months. The mission has Christmas decorations and we sang Silent Night in Priesthood meeting. Do you think we will get tired of it by January? It is special that the people value the memory of Our Savior’s Birth.

A sister missionary told a story that I can share with you.

A young boy, living in Florida, lived near a pond just behind their house. The boy often went swimming in the pond. One day he went rapidly to the pond taking off his clothes as he ran. He jumped into the pond and went swimming toward the center. At the same time a large alligator came swimming toward him. The boy’s mother saw the alligator and began yelling for her son to hurry back. The boy began swimming back and arrived there at the same time as the alligator and his mother. The alligator grabbed his legs in its teeth and the boy’s mother grabbed his arms. They were struggling when a farmer drove by and had a gun and shot the alligator.

The boy was in the hospital for several weeks but did recover with many scars. Later a reporter asked to see his scars. The boy showed him the scars on his legs and then showed him the scars on his arms where his mother had dug her fingernails into his arms. The boy said “These scars are from my mother holding onto me. My mother wouldn’t let go”

The people here are fun happy and beautiful and many of them have pretty difficult lives.

I love you all.

Dad