Easy week

We needed a little respite this last week, what is amazing is that The Lord arranged it for us.
Received Happy Birthday song and family cheer from the Thanksgiving crowd!  It was so very fun.  Yes, I showed it to everyone who would look or listen...that means, of course, all the missionaries at zone conference.
Sunday we attended Mandurriao ward and Sister Geraldine came with her three year old boy. She left after Sunday School.  She will be baptized this Saturday.
We broke our fast after church then went to San Miguel Group church.  The elders spoke.  Elder Staples from Utah gave his talk in Ilongo about gratitude in any circumstance from a conference talk.  So at least I knew the talk.  Elder Bacay talked about his life.  His father was a bishop; he got skin cancer and died when elder was 15.  He is the oldest child and his mother was expecting their fourth child when his father died.  He talked about how he grew from this experience.  And tied it in with being grateful in all circumstances. He is our district leader and he is really great.
Then we went to our 90 year old's house and took her a candle with scriptures to read Dec 1-Dec 24 advent calendar-like.  Her daughter copied the scriptures and bought candles and gave to her inactive brothers and sisters, nine of them.  We went to the Center after that to receive emails.  Bungalow last, our landlords have gone back to Guam now.  We will miss them.  Helen gave me her sisters' address to give to Charity because she lives in Sacramento.
Elder Andrew asked if I felt at home yet?  You all might be interested in the short answer:  home is where the heart is, where hope and love abound.  Home is where warm circling arms go all the way around.  Home is where Ray is and each of our children.  Family gathering, even with one, is Home.
I will have to add that the people and the missionaries have taken their place in our hearts.  We feel attached to them all.
Monday we did wash and went to the Center.  We got to speak with Amy and Nathan and hear some children's voices.  We were also able to speak with Sarah and Tim and hear some more visiting...Dallin did some computer lighting outside, Lillie played the piano and told about some school activities, Lydia thought about reading:), it was all wonderfully delightful!
We went to the mission home to give them a candle.  They have a 9 year old girl that will love lighting the candle each night.
At the bungalow, Ray and I sang "I need Thee every hour" and read Dec 1 scripture about raising the daughter of Jarius.  We are also reading different stories every night.  The last week we read A Christmas Carol together.
Tuesday was zone meeting and we sang "We are all enlisted" and of course, I thought of Elder Robinson and Sister Robinson (the younger) and all of my children. Our new zone leader drew a magnifying glass on the board and talked about how the glass must be focused on an item along with the sun(Son) in order to generate heat or to raise the temperature.  Like the magnifier, we must be focused(heart, might, mind, and strength) with the Son to raise the children of men to a higher state.
We read emails and took care of Christmas.  We went to our 6pm meeting all prepared with song, inspiration, etc. but no one came, one sister texted us that she would not make it.  We went home and lit our candle, sang and read.
Wednesday, I cooked a pork roast and started soaking beans.  I washed my pink skirt because it got butter on it, I forgot to wear my apron.  We went to the Center and visited with Bernard Magbanua.  He lives in New Zealand now but he and his wife were born and raised here.  He works for Hewlett Packard.  They have a daughter who will enter the Provo MTC in January and serve in Thailand.  We stopped at a grocery store, but no one has sour cream.
Thursday our meeting with Boiser was cancelled because of the typhoon.  Life is pretty cautiously quiet.  Our neighbors' father died.  President Insignes mother and whole family met the week we substituted for Institute.  They met in Manila.  They all live in the states now except him.  Anyway, when his mother got back from the gathering, she died.
Saturday Geraldine was baptized and I got to give the talk on the Holy Ghost.  I used L. Tom Perry's 2014 address about training horses and being obedient to the driver, who is Heavenly Father, and the bit and reins being compared to the Holy Ghost.  When we know who is in charge, it just takes a gentle tug of the Holy Ghost to direct us, of course, we must still lift our feet.  This was in connection with always knowing what is right and wrong.  It was a wonderful baptism.
Love to you all, Sister Robinson, Mom