Happy May Day - May 8

1 Nephi 17:3. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them
Friday, May 1st after we did the car wash etc., we went to Arevalo to have a referral sent to Texas.  A Filipino girl, who was born and raised here is a nurse and works in the Houston area.  She needs some young single adults to fellowship her.  Her mother has been taking the missionary lessons but has not been baptized yet.  Also we went to Jalandoni and visited with Hazel Garcia.  She is 25 returned missionary, has a nursing degree and is going for a law degree.  She would just like to get married and have a family and she is darling.  Anyway, the single adults just returned from conference where we presented.  We locked up the church and went home when all were gone.
Saturday I made muffins, banana,pineapple,carrot.  Ray and I cut up watermelon and pineapple--we are prepared for Sunday night after the fast.  We also went to Iloilo Market to get what I needed for a Sunday bag for Geraldine and her three year old.  Then to Jalandoni to cool.☺️. Oh it is Labor Day here.  We went home at 1:30. Between 2:30-4:00 there was a crazy rain/wind/thunder storm.  It cooled things off to probably 85.
Sunday Ray is wearing his fast-tie from Pinegars that tie us to Andrew on fast Sundays😇 We have increased our scripture study now to also include the Book of Mormon for 30 minutes a day.  I figured it out for me if I read five pages a day, I will be finished and ready to start again with the schedule in October.  It feels good to be regularly reading in the Book of Mormon also.  There is comfort and peace and love in that book, a spirit that I like in my life every day, every day, every day.😃
Sunday has been fast and testimony meeting and we attended Mandurriao ward at 8:30.  We broke the fast at 1:00 and then went to San Miguel group meetings at 2:00.  (Elder) brother Baccai, our past district leader, returned here for a visit and business.  We gave him a ride after church to the jeepney stop in Jaro.  Hazel and Chesca, 25,22, respectively, came over and we played rummicube and visited.  They are both darling!  They left at 9:30.
Monday I put one load of wash in and we had an appointment at 10:00 in Jalandoni.  It was for PEF.  After, we came home, cooked fish and vegetables, ate took a nap, and returned to Jalandoni.  At 5:30 we watched Arevalo and Leganes young men play basketball.  Leganes came back from a 7 point deficit to win it by 3 points!  We bought apple pie and ice cream at McDonalds. F.h.e. Was Foundations number 4 Manage Money.
Tuesday was district meeting.  The lesson was on inviting others to be baptized.  I did the closing song and prayer and taught them how to lead the song "How Gentle Gods Commands."  They know how to swing their arms but not on the beat.  They generally don't know that part.  We went to McDonalds with them and took them back to work.  We challenged them to keep up with their scripture reading and we will have a district breakfast and movie "Meet the Mormons" on p day.  How are our children and grandchildren doing in keeping up with us on your scripture reading?  May 8 is page 896.  Because missionaries change so often, we can just repeat the same activities.  Then we went to the Center, at 5:00 games started: girls volleyball and then ym basketball and older men basketball.  So we watched and cheered.  We gave Sisters Cozzens and four youth a ride home before we returned home.
Wednesday was triple zone conference:  North zone, central zone, Guimeras.  We picked up our district missionaries @ 7:40 and went to LaPaz for the conference.  The meeting was great.  The theme was "What Think Ye of Christ?" TODAY I WIL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. To do this memorize scriptures, memorize hymns, 1-testify more often of Christ 2-teach of Christ from the scriptures 3-use the words of Christ 4-apply the questions of Christ to yourself.  "I will not let past failures haunt me.  Even though my life is scarred with mistakes, I will not rummage through my trash heaps of failures.  I will admit them.  I will correct them.  I will press on, victoriously.  No failure is fatal.  It's OK to stumble.  I will get up.  It's OK to fail.  I will rise again.  TODAY I WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.  Then he, President Aquino wrote his own daily psalm.  (It might make a great f.h.e. Activity). My Daily Psalm:  today I begin a new life
I will greet the day with love and a smile in my heart
I will persist until I succeed
I am natures greatest miracle
I will laugh at the world
Today I will value a 100-fold
I will act now
I will pray for guidance"
Just a side note, if you remember at the beginning of our mission, the president was gone and we were called to visit the four sisters.  One was crunched up in a fetal position and wouldn't open her eyes.  I thought maybe she was hallucinating?  Well, anyway, I won't retell the story but she gave part of the training on being a consecrated missionary and she was amazing!  She has grown exponentially!  It is so rewarding to see.  She gave me a note along with a painted wooden strawberry key ring.  The Lord is amazing--the love and support He gives us.After zone conference at 3:00, we delivered 8 missionaries to their areas and picked up President Sorillas, a counselor in the mission presidency.  We went to Iloilo DRS. Hospital.  What a difference.  It is a private hospital and is almost as nice as some in the USA.  Ray and President Sorillas administered to Sister Tupas.  She was visiting from Norway and got pneumonia.  Her father was the first stake president in Iloilo but he is dead.  She lives in Norway with her husband.  We also met her brother who is a U.S. Citizen getting his nursing degree here and then he will return to the states.  He was in the Army and served in Iraq and in Afghanistan.  The mother lives in New York.  Then we left President Sorillas at home and visited Mel Cozzens.  We were there just in time for Ray to help his relative resubmit her PEF loan papers.  It was great timing.
Thursday we threw in some wash, went shopping and went to the Center.  Ray took me to the Promenade for dinner, for Mothers Day.  I had salad and brought home pumpkin soup.  For the two of us the equivalent of $14-15.  It is the nicest restaurant herein Iloilo, or on the island.
Friday I am writing emails and looking forward to calls on Monday from the missionaries, Elder Robinson and Sister RobinsonIV!
Happy Mothers Day!