Friday
while doing apartment checks, there was a young mother on the street
with her two young children. We were walking to Elder Crooks apartment
in LaPuz when this young mother and her children passed us, the mother
was holding tight to the little girl. The little girl stretched her
mother's arm to reach me and took my hand and pressed it to her forehead
as she bowed her head--a sign of great respect. Oh, it was so
precious. My heart just melted. Friday night we attended Sorilla's
going away party and Kyle (their return missionary son in June) 21st
birthday. I made a fruit tray that read "21" and a fruit salad to
contribute. They had it catered. It was delightful. Hopefully they
will visit us in the states when they finish their mission in two years.
Saturday 6:50am
we headed to Jalandoni to park and catch a taxi to Ortiz wharf. We saw
a sister we recognized from the Church and she signed our names in for
the pump boat. She was also going to Larry Abellas funeral. Larry had
just been put in the branch presidency two months ago. She told us all
about the pump boat capsizing, yes just like the one we ride all
the time and the same route between Iloilo and Guimaras. I am now a
little uncomfortable on the boat. It seems so safe before. Larry was a
very good swimmer but when the boat capsized, he was hit in the head
unconscious. The boat had an experienced crew also but you just can't
always tell when a wind gust will turn and flip the boat over. It can
change all of a sudden. A mother with 3 children died also and the
father who had sent them off for a vacation, committed suicide after
they all died in the boat capsizing.--Anyway, Lola was so happy to see
us and we hugged and cried. Ray took pictures of her and her six
daughters. It was interesting though all the conversations that Larry
and Lola had had that let her know it was all in the plan and they were
all in the Lords hands. I remember how comforting that was for me when
John died and conversations came to my memory that reassured and
comforted me. I found this to be a really heart wrenching day. Ten
days ago in the same branch, a darling happy sister's brother died in a
motorcycle accident. He was 30 with a wife and 3 children. It all
brought back to my heart and mind my own father and brother--so fighting
back tears left me with a headache. The day was very sobering but I
felt I was in the right place at the right time and was able to
administer some love and comfort to these people. Cushings picked us up
at the wharf and we attended the funeral together and they fed us lunch
after and returned us to the wharf. I was very nervous on the pump
boat going home--wind and bigger waves; we were even splashed with the
salt water in our faces and on our clothes. I'm glad to be in the
apartment. Fasting.
Sunday November 1 we attended Mandurriao, had choir practice for stake
conference; had a "non-Samaritan" experience in the road on the way home
which I will not describe here; ate sweet 'n sour chicken to break fast
and attended San Miguel group where we were blessed to be able to bear
our testimonies. Home 4:30 popcorn!
Monday brown out; cold shower. 8:30
power came on, started the wash; Jalandoni; went to Cozzens to try on
clothes that were made for the stake dinner/dance(must be sparkly).
Home for lunch. Worked on lunch for tomorrow, as there will not be any time for preparation tomorrow. Ray worked on a Sisters English test that didn't work. We will go to Arevalo at 4:30 to read minister the test. We purchased water on our way. Sister Lauti came late but we got it done. At 6:00 we went to McDonalds for apple pie and home.
Tuesday off at 7:30, 5 new shingles on the left side this time--Jalandoni for self-reliance missionary send off, 11:43
took the missionaries to Robinson mini mall and headed to apartment.
We ate lunch, brought in dry wash, and went to Arevalo to administer an
English test to a return missionary sister who did not get it on her
mission exit. After we helped Cushings with their four keyboards to the
wharf to get home to Guimaras. Then at 4:30 we took a brisk walk on the Esplanade--happy to be able to breathe to do it again. 5:15 home, ate mango/banana shortcake with whip cream! Yum! Relax and read.
Wednesday 8:00 am
we left for the airport--one mission truck is in the truck hospital.
It was a "lemon" to start with and should have been returned I. The
beginning to the dealership, but anyway, a blessing for us. We were
asked to help with the pick up of new incoming missionaries and their
luggage--woohoo, 4 out, 9 in! One sister is from Viewmont High School n
Bountiful and knows Jessica Wadley. One elder is from Anchorage,
Alaska. He wasn't even born when Elder Raymond Robinson served there
but it was a connection anyway. One Elder from Tonga is the only active
member in his family. He is the youngest of five children. Four
months before he came out on his mission, his parents split up. A lot
to deal with. His best friend and cousin was to enter at the same time
and his family was having problems and he committed suicide. These
missionaries deal with so much. He loved the MTC experience. He said
it was the best part of his life. He can't wait to be in the field.
Two sisters came in from Tonga, six elders overall. After we left the
missionaries at the mission office, we ate at Mang Inasal, so satisfying
and then went grocery shopping and to the apartment to put away the
groceries, take a rest, and then to Jalandoni. We came home around 6:00
and Sorilla's texted us as soon as we arrived to come over. We did.
They just wanted to visit; tell us all the details surrounding their
call. They will be so loved and appreciated in the Area Presidency.
They are charming; funny; and faithful, and dedicated. 9:30 back to our apartment. Bed with a happy heart.
Thursday
routine, load of wash, Ray opened a fresh coconut. Today is transfers
and we are waiting to pick up Elder Paxton, our district leader, to take
him and his luggage from San Miguel to the mission office in Arevalo
for the transfer meeting and change. At transfer meeting, I got a big
Cadbury milk chocolate bar for my birthday coming up. After the
meeting, we took Elder Swanton (from Nibley) and his companion and their
luggage to Molo. They are both new to the area and didn't know where
it was. Then we took a-new-to-area sister to Jaro. She transferred
from Roxas and no companion came to meet her. Then we took the luggage
of our new district sister to Mandurriao. Finally we took our new
district leader, Elder Gomez and his companion, Elder Villanueva to San
Miguel. Lots of travel. We came home at 2:30, ate, rested, went to Jalandoni. At 5:00 we took a brisk walk on the Esplanade, home, ate 6:00.
Friday cleaned the fans in our apartment, ate pancakes with mangoes and
whip cream😋. I baked carrot/pineapple muffins and cake; prepared
dinner/lunch. Then we went to Arevalo to return co detectors, deliver
English test results, and took pictures to the office for a missionary's
going home. We took the car for a car wash and shopped for a few items
at Robinsons mall store across the street from the car wash. Arrived
at Jalandoni to finish my weekly journal email.
NOTE: "punted" means like "stood up". If the missionaries find the
investigators or the members not home when they go for an appointment,
it is referred to as "punted". If we find our missionaries are not home
when we do apartment checks, we are "punted". Love you all, Sister
Robinson III
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| San Miguel Church Group |
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| 2nd such honor in the week |
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