Friday November 20-Friday November 27

Friday we went to the mission office to send email.  Then went to the mission home about 11:30 to go for lunch.  Strengs decided on the Promenade buffet for lunch.  There was ginger fish, delicious!  After lunch we went back to the mission home so Ruby could lay down and we visited there.  We left them at 4:00 to go walk the Esplanade--it's like being a famous princess when we walk--school kids call us "forever ", they wave, everyone says "hello".  It's the closest I've been to being "famous".  Before most of my fame was being the mother of one of my famous children😄.  Home 5:00.
Saturday routine--off at 8:00 to pick up Brother Boiser and his wife from the wharf--meeting at LaPaz for all stakes and districts self-reliance committees and bishops at 9:00.  Boiser texted this morning for a ride.  Meeting started at 9:30--ended at 2:00.  They sent us home with two Inasal chickens and I left them on the table😓 so sad.  It is yummy chicken.  Also served for lunch was ice cream with soft cheese bits in it.  It was good also.  After the meeting we took Boisers back to the wharf and then went to the mission home to visit Strengs and then about 4:00 we went to Tatoys for halo halo in a coconut shell.  Their last hurrah!  Tatoys is across from the beach--a restaurant, a resort.  We took them back to the mission home and headed to Mandurriao to Ralph's baptism at 5:00.  I got to lead the music again.  The elders were in charge and they had a program made up!  Ralph bore his t sit only and couldn't control his tears.  We understand he was pretty much homeless.  His parents don't care about him.  He is 16 and has been taken in by a Ward member family.  Ralph is "golden".
Sunday Mandurriao Ward--Ralph was confirmed.  After church, home with 6 missionary riders, lunch, and then to San Miguel group.  One lady announced to me she is getting married on December 27 and then baptized.  They have two children.  I couldn't understand so I grabbed one of the elders to interpret. He was so excited!  White Americans are still a novelty.  After church we went to Arevalo, to the mission home, gathered suitcases, took pictures, and took Strengs to the airport.  7:15 home.  We are pretty sad to have them gone.  They said that every couple who has lived in their house in Kalibo has gone home early--Yatzes, Robinsons, and them.  Since we have been here, two couples have gone home early 5 months and 3 months early;  there are only two couples left, us and Cushings.  Ate our Sunday popcorn.  To bed.  I'm tired.
Monday 8:00 we went to practice for the zone skit for Christmas conference at Mandurriao church.  Elder Craythorne, the assistant called about the Christmas conference devotional.  10:00 we went grocery shopping, home, ate, rested 1:30 we went to the center.  4:30 we walked the Esplanade briskly.  Received an email from Strengs that they got home; the first part of the trip was awful and Ruby cried, but the flight from Manilla the next day was much better where she could lay flat.  We returned to Jalandoni 6:00 headed home.
Wednesday zone conference:  North, Central and Guimaras.  Our district was the first to arrive 7:15.  I guess we had the wrong time; pictures started at 8:30, conference at 9:00.  Last time pictures were at 7:30.  Maybe President decided that was too early.  Sorry or our district, nobody told us it was different.  Both assistants, Dorman and Craythorne presented, Sister Aquino talked about the Holy Ghost.  We have to develop sensitivity to the Spirit, pray for the Spirit, and be worthy to receive the Holy Ghost--not perfect.  How do we invite the Holy Ghost?  Prayer,  Feasting upon the words of Christ (scriptures), Obedience, Service. -Elder Bednar-  1 Nephi 17:45. ..."yea, ye have heard His voice from time to time; and He hath spoken to you in a still small voice, but ye were past feeling, that ye could not feel His words..."  Every whisper of the Holy Ghost is worth listening to.  D&C 88:33 "For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift?"  Think of a time when you ignored the Holy Ghost.  I was surprised these missionaries could even think of a time.  She went on to say, what happens when you ignore the Holy Ghost?  Answers were:  sickness, guilt, loss of opportunities, loss of blessings...there were actually ten listed but I don't remember the others.  For lunch we were served Snail soup.  I took a picture of Ray eating it.  He didn't finish.  President Aquino presented after lunch.  We had to leave by 2:30 to teach Institute but then no one came until 3:30.  We had 7 attend; only 3 signed up☺️.  IT was great.  Home at 6:30.
Thursday routine, made pumpkin cheesecake, cut up fruit for a salad with mango, bananas, and papaya, peeled, cooked, mashed potatoes, did wash, went shopping at the Atrium for rolls, and then went to Jalandoni.  Home for lunch, finished cooking squash for dinner tonight.  We will meet the sisters, Miggin and Averion, at Queenie 's house and bring our version of Thanksgiving dinner:  mash potatoes and gravy ( with coconut cream), squash and onions, papaya, mango, and banana fruit salad, wheat pandesol, and cream cheese pumpkin pie.  5:00 to Queenies.  We left at 6:45 to go to Cordero's.  We thought we were just buying stuff from her but it turned out to be dinner😮 with her and 6 YSAs.  I ate 7 bites, one each of four different dishes and three small bites of blueberry cheesecake.  Ray ate and had heartburn during the night😫.  We returned home 9:45 after giving Sister Cozzens and brother Katipunan and his son a ride home.
Friday I made a lunch to pack and went to the wharf to pick up Brother Green.  We took him to Kalibo to do some unfinished business from their mission experience here with PER-ER.  He was so generous to pay for our hotel room at the Marzon Hotel.  It was nice to hear all about his legal stories and about his mission stories and their trip home by way of Africa and Paris.  When we got to Annie's we had mango shakes and then went to a Sister and her business then went back to Annie's where she fed us dinner:  mushroom beef, curry chicken, rice and roll ups and mangoes for dessert.  7:39 to the hotel.  Love Sister Robinson, Mom, G-Mom