Friday, August 27-Thursday, August 27 2015

Friday after 7:00am I made oatmeal cookies from memory😜 for President Aquinos birthday on Monday
, then cargo came from the office.  After cookies were done and our lunch packed, we headed for Arevalo with cargo "out" and baptismal records and apartment check reports from central zone.  On to Tiolas at 11:45 for facilitators training and a second round of "My Path".  The specialist just passed her social work exam and thanked me for inspiring her.  I took her picture and she has promised to email me her story.  It was so sweet.  They are so quick to give us credit.  She is glowing with the gospel and her new image from "My Path".  This is an amazing branch with a great humble but powerful leader.  Home at 6:30.
Saturday we bought water, picked up 5 items at the store, went to the center and....😖😓crashed (scraped) the drivers side of the truck front with the gate.  The experience ruined Rays day but now both sides match.😜. We texted the missionaries about the baptism but they didn't get to us until it was over at 4:45.  Usually the baptisms are at 5 or 6 o'clock so we were sorry to miss.  We go to that group often--San Miguel group.  But we did go visit with Cozzens.  He always has interesting stories.  He is working now three hours in the afternoon teaching English.  I bet he's a great teacher.  His wife, Erl teaches institute.  Home at 6:00.
Sunday 5:45 am we left Iloilo and arrived in Roxas 1st Ward at 8:15, record time.  Sacrament meeting starts at 8:30 and they invited Ray to speak.  He told the story of Ben Carson from conference.  Sister Paul, a rm from here who lives in Las Vegas, was visiting with her family.  She went home in December but they all came back to see her areas.  Sister Paul was one of four sisters in the apartment with a sister hallucinating on medication from a doctor here.  We finished up with 1st Ward and went with Strengs to 4th Ward and I got to talk in that sacrament meeting.  Then Strengs finished up with "My Path" and we talked and evaluated for a bit; 4:00 o'clock we headed back to Iloilo 7:00 home and exhausted.
Monday 6:45 am we headed to Arevalo for President Aquinos birthday party with the mission leaders and two couples.  It started with Zumba 7-7:45.  That was fun.  Then there was a movie "Saturday's Warrior", then we ate and visited.  We took Elder and Sister Cushing to the W. Visayas hospital where they met up with a mother from Guimaras who had a preemie baby in June, has been in the hospital since, and it needs a blood transfusion before he goes home.  The mother had not been able to find a donor.  Cushings later went to a store.  Someone saw their missionary tags and told them they were members from Arevalo.  As Sister Cushing told the story of the baby needing blood, this lady, her husband and brother each had the blood that was needed so it will happen on Friday.  It's amazing how the Lord works and lets us in on His miracles.  We, on the other hand, went to Jalandoni to prepare for the exiting missionaries.  Then we returned to the apartment, did lesson 10 in My Foundations about Integrity.  Bed.
Tuesday we picked up Sister Villagomesa and headed to Jalandoni for the career workshop--7 missionaries leaving--this is a good group.  After the workshop, we returned the missionaries to Arevalo, took care of some laundry, ate, had a rest, went for a walk on the Esplanade, returned to the apartment, read more from Christ's Church by Tad Callister and then went to Sorilla's for a Tuesday f.h.e. and dinner.
Wednesday 6:30 am we took to sisters to Arevalo for their departure and found out that President Aquino had spent the day until 9:45 last night in the hospital.  After Zumba, he was really sore so he took some ibuprofen and he had an allergic reaction.  Today Sister Aquino is to arrive from the hospital in Manilla.  New missionaries arrive at 9:45 am, six sisters, and one elder.  We returned to our apartment at 7:45 to exercise, shower, read scriptures, and eat.  We went shopping, tried 3 times to get money but it was all down.  We went to the center.  On the way home, we went to SM to get money again, still down, but we met Sorilla's and they invited us to go to Max's for halo halo (this is a favorite of Filipino's.  It is a large dish of crushed ice topped with navy beans or small red beans, corn, large tapioca balls, half scoop ice cream, sweet cream poured over, small colored gelatin cubes).  I can enjoy it but I wouldn't order and pay for it☺️.  They also ordered sweet potatoe fries but they are white, not orange like in the United States.  We stopped by McDonalds after that for caramel sundaes and apple pies.  We ate spaghetti at home and the pies and sundaes, brought in laundry and made up our bed with clean sheets.  It has been sunny for two days so we have been doing all the big laundry we can.
Thursday 6:30 am we took elders and sisters to Arevalo for transfers and for flu shots.  President Aquino was there working hard, also Sister Aquino was there trying.  Both are recovering but give it their all.  So good to have them back.  We took Cushings with us to SM and left them.  We went to get money and we're finally successful.  We left and went to Iloilo market to get bread and went home for squash soup, took a short rest and went back to Arevalo to pick up missionaries and take them and their luggage to new areas.--2 elders went to Arevalo apartment and our new zone leader is Elder Robertson from Orem, Utah.  He is 7th in a family of 9 children and his sister is also serving a mission at the same time.  Then we went to the center.  We talked with Nina.  And with Roland.  There is much excitement because Ninas daughter and Roland and some others have applied and been accepted to work in Zions Park at a lodge somewhere there and will go next April, about twelve of them.  Visas for work etc are in the works.  Everyone is buzzing and excited.  Soon to return to the apartment to exercise before bed.  No time this morning.  Snack. Read.
Friday 45 Years!  Wow!  Where has it gone?  I'm grateful every morning that we have another day to spend together😍. Now that is for tomorrow😉