Friday, November 27-Friday, December 4, 2015

Friday night as we sat around the table at Annie's restaurant in Kalibo with now Brother Green, yes, there were five of us at the table visiting and something fell on my head just off my forehead.  I tipped my head so whatever it was would fall off, but I still felt the weight so while my head was tipped, I used my hand and fingers to flip whatever it was out. Scurry, scurry, that little lizard ran right in front of Ray across the table and gone.  😫. Why me?!  Brother Green provided the hotel for us which was so kind, we were not expecting it.  We were really happy to enjoy his company again as he and Wendy left in September and have been good friends to us.
Saturday President Aquino texted us while we were at the hotel and said they had a surprise for us.  Could we come to the mission home at 11:00?  Well it took four and a half hours to get there, very bad roads, and lots of repairs going on.  We ran into horrific traffic taking Brother Green to the wharf to get his boat back to Bacolod, but President said to come when we could so we went right to the mission home.  They had prepared their version of Thanksgiving dinner for us and 24 other missionaries but all had eaten and gone by the time we arrived (hastening the work) so it was just saved for us.  Of course, I was so appreciative of their thoughtfulness and hard work.  They are such good people.  Since this is my journal, I will tell the truth:  I had thought the surprise was a new missionary couple😓. But...well, I guess food is not my first priority.  I know President Aquino would really like a new couple.  We have lost two, early, and no replacements.  At 3:00 we had a meeting with Iloilo Stake Self Reliance committee in the Arevalo chapel.  Be self reliant.  "Mission Possible". "Mission Impossible" is only at the cinema.  At 6:15 we gave Butch and Michele a ride home and went straight to Mandurriao for Gerald and Marcel Salem's reception.  I was asked to be on the program to give advice.  Ray told me he had something to say.  He told the story of Sir Thomas Moore when his wife and love of his life got small pox and was scarred on her face and would not come out of her room but stayed locked in there in the dark.  He sang and slipped a note to her under the door:  "Believe me, if all those endearing young charms, Which I gaze on so fondly today, Were to change by tomorrow, and fleet in my arms, Like fairy gifts fading away, Thou wouldst still be adored, as this moment thou art, Let thy loveliness fade as it will, And around the dear ruin each wish of my heart Would entwine itself verdantly still." Ray recited this from memory.  It was so touching and others were crying.  Here is the second verse which he did not recite because he thought it too long, but he also has it memorized:  "It is not while beauty and youth are thine own, And thy cheeks unprofaned by a tear, That the fervor and faith of a soul can be known, To which time will but make thee more dear; No, the heart that has truly loved never forgets, But as truly loves on to the close, As the sunflower turns on her God, when he sets, The same look which she turned when he rose."  I loved standing beside him as he spoke with emotion.  Oh, how I love this man.  Then it was my turn and I told them to remember that inside her is a little girl and inside him is a little boy.  Be so kind and tender to those little hearts inside each other.  Before getting in and out of bed each morning and night, kneel together in prayer, holding hands.  If you are unhappy, do not look at each other.  Look at yourself and your relationship with Heavenly Father.  Is it slipping?  Are you reading the scriptures?  After giving Sister Cordero a ride home, we went home 9:30.  Ray put out the garbage and threw out my fermented fruit salad😫.
Sunday Sister Cagape, San Miguel elders...everyone here texting me wishing me a happy birthday.  We attended Mandurriao Ward in the morning.  President Insigne visited and announced from the pulpit that it was Sister Robinson's birthday.  I had more well wishes than I have ever had in my life.  One was particularly special, Brother Maximo, who speaks little English or at least converses little in English, wished me a happy birthday with a warm, sincere handshake and blessed me with power.  What a tender wish from the heart.  He and his wife have eight children, the oldest girl died in a motorcycle accident as a teenager before they knew the gospel.  The next daughter, Christine did the Job Search class with me.  Then there are six basketball hustling boys.  The meeting was the Primary program and every mother in the audience is worried about their child's behavior and sending hand motions to sit, to be quiet, to sing, to listen, to sit up😊. It was fun.  At 2:00 we attended San Miguel group sacrament meeting, 8 actual members attended.  It was more interesting than usual--a chicken was running around through the doorway; bread was lacking for the sacrament so they used Skyflakes crackers, broken...talks were given in Ilongo; well, we don't understand most of it until they read scriptures in English.  We left after the first meeting to pick up Mel and Erl Cozzens to go with us to Arquiolos-- their first grand child's first birthday and mine and Mel Cozzens.  It was a catered dinner for at least 70 plus people.  There was a lechon, salads, rice, noodles/vegetables, chocolate fountain with lots of stuff to dip along with cupcakes--some riding in a ferris wheel, decorations, Filipino style piñata--we took pictures.  Chairs and tables were decorated and set up outside with a nice breeze.  It was perfect.  We took Cozzens home after dark and they invited us in to use their Internet and WIFI.  My iPad is not picking up Elder Andrew's letters and pictures this week; lucky for me, Ray's did.  Came home at 8:00, ate popcorn, bed.
Monday left at 7:00 am for a buffet breakfast at the Promenade to celebrate my birthday with Elder and Sister Cushing, who are missionaries on Guimaras.  Then we went shopping for missionary gifts 200P and went to the new section of SM Mall.  It's beautiful--lots of food places coming in.  Ray and I had gelato, he had dark chocolate/mascarpone(soft cheese, like eating soft butter) and I had mascarpone/mojito(lime).  We let Cushings off to go to the boat and we shopped some more.  At 4:30 we went to Jalandoni, 6:30 we headed home.
Tuesday was district meeting.  Ray captured a mouse, a lizard, and a worm in our apartment today--all are disposed of and he is mopping the floor😊.  7:50 we went to the meeting with the sisters in the truck.  9:45 the meeting was over and we headed to Arevalo to hand in the vehicle report and other things for our district leader.  Returned to the apartment for lunch, rested 1:40 purchased water.  I have five new shingles.  Are they ever going away?  Then to Jalandoni to prepare the Institute lesson, 6:15 home, snack, wrapped Christmas presents for missionary Christmas conference, went over and did the scripture candle tradition with Kyle Sorilla.  We sang Precious Savior, Dear Redeemer, and read the scripture for December 1:  Luke 8:41-56.  Back to the apartment for bed.
Wednesday, 12/2 started the wash, no water.  Ray climbed up the stairs to the second level, over the rod iron rail, around the corner to a short rod iron ladder attached to the side wall and onto the roof to fix the floater that gets stuck rather regularly.  9:30 went to the center, worked on the Institute lesson, worked on our own budget together for returning home to the states, did some gift shopping again, shared a buko juice, home to eat and rest.  We received a great email from Charity today.  Now we are returning to Jalandoni to teach "Managing Financial Resources Wisely".  We had four present.  One girl told about how she was saving her money because she needs to pay for her school uniform but she didn't have enough.  It was Sunday so she paid her tithing at church.  Her aunt came to visit that day and gave her some money...enough to pay for her uniform and some extra.  She knows that was her blessing from paying her tithing.  5:00 we walked the Esplanade.  Home.  Snack.  Scripture candle.  9:00 pm bed.
Thursday 9:30 am we went to the mission office for Elder BJ Villavert to be set apart for his mission in Naga.  11:00 we headed to the airport with Grace and President Villavert and Elder Villavert.  The mother did not come.  She is in the hospital since yesterday.  We had lunch with them at the airport and at 2:00 he was off.  They were so worried about him being alone and just 18 and having never been away from home.  But the Lord knows our concerns and it is amazing how He sends tender mercies.  We happened onto another father sending his son also to Manila for ten days before he goes to Australia for his mission.  He is 25 and from Estancia, North Stake; his daughter is in San Diego for the winter but she has been serving in the Salt Lake Temple Square Mission.  She will come home and marry Arquiola  son, where we had dinner for my birthday.  Anyway, it gave Villaverts comfort knowing this 25 year old missionary would be on the plane with their missionary son and would be making the same connections in Manila for the same hotel and going to the MTC together.  BJ was happy to have a companion, as well, I'm sure when he found the other elder on the plane.  We left the Villaverts at the Molo van/bus terminal to go home to Antique, we were blessed to FaceTime with Amy for ten minutes.  At 4:30 we went to the Esplanade for our mile and a half walk and while there some college girls asked if they could take a pictures with us.  Of course.  They said we were their "dream couple".  One girl said, "You are so cute."  It is the closest I will get to a Princess Diana experience.  All the people love to say hello to us.  At 5:30 we came home, ate a cracker with tuna, did our scripture candle and to bed.
Friday we washed, waited for someone to come check out the leak in the c.r. ceiling.  Then we went shopping, ate, rested and 1:30 went to Jalandoni.  Went to the Esplanade for our walk at 5:00.  It's been another good week.  I love being with Ray all the time😊.  Love Mom, Grandma, Sister Robinson