Saturday, March 21

Saturday we got up at 4:00 a.m. To exercise, shower, and pack a lunch and then drove to Jalandoni to have our vehicle behind locked doors and we caught a taxi to the wharf, met up with the North stake leaders, along with Darlene and we took an Ocean Jet boat to Bacolod.  There is an education fair there with Brother Franco from Manila.  We arrived back at our bungalow about 6:30.  Greens had left us some games to keep and give away and before we got out of the hallway one was requested by Franco and when we drove into Jalandoni, we gave one to President Suya.  We kept two😃.
Sunday we attended Mandurriao sacrament meeting then went to Pavia Ward and did "My Path" with about 30 in attendance before their church.  Afterward they served lunch, but we were fasting.😞. It looked really good.  At 11:00 we spoke in their sacrament meeting.  The high councilman, Raymond's age spoke also and again it was amazing to me how our talks were like they had been written together.  How the Spirit works to give one united message:  1 prayer, 2 scripture reading daily, 3 fhe. Dad told the story of Naaman and how he wanted the Prophet to speak to him face to face and ask him to do some great thing.  Only one person ever did a GREAT thing and that is Jesus Christ---the Atonement and Resurrection.  R E M E M B E R we must completely immerse ourselves in the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We have been commissioned by our Heavenly Father to prepare a people to meet Jesus Christ, according to Elder Russell M Nelson.  At 5:30 we returned home.  The entire block was wonderful!  The Spirit was great!  The Relief Society president asked where we lived,  and if I could attend every week.  Isn't that so sweet.  I really enjoy the way the people treat us.  I could get used to this.  I hope I can remember when I get home to treat others like we have been greeted here.
Monday we went to the Center; returned to the bungalow for dunch😊(dinner/lunch), took a little nap and then went with Sister Cagape to look at houses again....I think we are satisfied to stay here.  We saw her two daughters' houses and their businesses---a laundry service and a front end food store, in front of the house.  They make the most of every bit of space.
Tuesday we attended district meeting after missing two weeks in a row.  We hate to miss.  It was good to be with our district again.  Sister Haun and Elder Watkins were not there.  They were required, along with other foreigners to go to Manila to be fingerprinted.  After the meeting, we went to the Center to read our emails--15--that was fun!  At 2:30 we had lunch and a nap and went back to the Center at 4:30---the next meeting was at 6:00 with self-reliance volunteers.  We came home at 8:00.
Wednesday we skipped the service project at 6:00 a.m..  We weren't really needed.  It was a two-missionary project cutting grass.  We picked up Elder and Sister Green at the Bacolod wharf and Elder and Sister Cushings at another wharf and then went to Mamas Kitchen in Arevalo which includes Sinamay.    They have a large loom where they weave beautiful, sheer table runners; Greens bought one and we ordered one like it.  We went to the Promenade for the buffet lunch and then to "Casa Marquit", a two hundred year old house owned by the Lopez family.  We took pictures, of course.  It was really a neat house.  Afterward we went to the Bamboo shop.  Then it was 3:15 and we returned every one to their respective wharfs.  As we drove home, we decided to go to a movie "Cinderella".  I like "Ever After" better but it was fun to see and to remember our own love and choice.  I was able to endear my prince and I'm so happy he chose me to marry.  In the beginning, even in the middle, I never knew how good it would get.
Thursday the cleaning lady and her son came.  When they were finished, we went to the Iloilo Market upstairs and purchased vouchers and pens for Kalibo and Roxas for distributing their PIN numbers for after graduation kits.  Then we picked up the zl's and went to Teresa's, an investigator who wants to be baptized and has been waiting for her family to come home from foreign lands to tell them.  Her family is all home.  Her husband works in the L.A. area and her daughter works in the Houston area and another son works in Abadabe or some place like that.  There are four children in all and all are nurses.  The youngest son just graduated cum laude and will start doctor schooling for kidney in June.  We took pictures of the meal they spread.  And we also met the mayor of San Miguel and visited with him for thirty minutes or so.  He thanked us for what we are doing there to serve his people.  Of course, he meant what the Church is doing.  A very amazing family.  The daughter in Houston gave us her address so we can send her in as a referral, very exciting!  We took the missionaries to their next appointment and went to the Center to copy some things for Sunday.
Friday we went by the mission office to pick up some packages to take to the missionaries in Kalibo and Roxas and started the four-hour drive to Kalibo.  When we arrived, Brother Streng met us and escorted us to their house where we stayed overnight.  We visited and relaxed for a short time and then went to the Montfort Technical College graduation which started at 3:00 with mass.  We were escorted to the front row to sit with the school leaders and priests, both the same.  About a hundred of our members were enrolled in the school for short courses through PEF/ER perpetual education fund emergency relief after they were affected last year by Yolanda.  And we were the representatives for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  At 4:00 was the graduation ceremony and they requested Ray sit on the stand.  He helped hand out 500 awards and certificates, shaking hands, taking pictures.
That was really an interesting experience.  A public relations honor, an out-of-yourself experience, very personal but not about us.  It was 7:30 when pictures were over and Elder and Sister Streng and us went to dinner.  Then back to Strengs' house palace where they so graciously put us up for the night.
Another wonderfully interesting week.  How the Lord is blessing us!  And I hope all of you that I love and miss.  Sister Robinson III.  Otherwise Mother Teresa😊