August 14

Hi everyone.
I was just thinking this week, what a different life we live in the United States, compared to here. I suppose that life in the United states was more like this in the Philippines, over 100 years ago.
We have running water in our apartment, but many of the people who live on our street do not have running water. People in the neighborhood come to a pump across from our house and fill buckets to carry to their houses. Some people pour water over their clothes right there and soap themselves down, and rinse off. Most people have electricity in their homes. Most people seem to have enough food. I asked a Bishop what type of assistance people come in to ask for help with. He said that it was mostly for medical bills and sometimes rent payments. I have wondered why we are so blessed, to have all the material blessings and opportunities we have. Education is well accessible to people in the United States and here it seems to be a struggle for most people after about 15 years of age, when their high school stops. (they are just now changing it to a K-12 system, so that they can compete better in the world)
One theory that I have is that Heavenly Father blessed our nation as the birthplace of the Restoration, (although it was a considerable struggle to establish the church even in a “free society”). Without the wealth of members of the church and the nation it would have been difficult to take the gospel to all the world. Even though there are a good number of Philippine missionaries  serving here in our mission (well over half of the missionaries are Filipino), I don’t think that hardly any of them are paying more than a small percentage of the cost of the mission. It is a blessing for them to serve and many of them are excellent missionaries. They will be a strength to their wards and branches. I am convinced that it is the Lord’s way of providing for his saints.
One thing that I know for sure is that it is a blessing to have the fullness of the Gospel in our lives. May we all live our lives in a way that shows our gratitude for the many blessings we receive and that we love one another as our Father in Heaven and his son Jesus Christ has loved us.
Love, Dad

Small house on a nice small farm. Very peaceful and quiet. On island of Guimmaras.

Big spider in our house.

That’s me eating seaweed.

Small fruit stand.