Saturday, December 5-Friday, December 12. Happy Birthday Talmage

Saturday we enjoyed an Institute Seminary leaders meeting with people all over the island and Guimaras, the whole mission area.  One message:  Be careful/instead of casual in our study of the gospel.  Each stake group of teachers sang songs except Iloilo stake who didn't seem to know we were going to do talents.  In Ilongo they began conversing and the group volunteered "Elder and Sister Robinson".  Ray thought they were kidding but no, go up front.  I told the story of the Christmas Orange and Ray played his one inch harmonica, "We thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet".  It brought a nice spirit to the festivities.  There was a gift exchange and Butch made sure I got his.  He had picked the bag and pearls out for me.  He spent more than the allotment of 200P.  It was so sweet.  Cozzens invited us to go to a movie.  We had a couple of hours free, so we picked them up.  The first place we went to see the movie, they had changed the schedule and it was not showing until 6pm--too late for us, so they wanted to go to Robinson Mall.  The show they wanted to see was also there.  So we drove there and they had also changed their time from their posting and had moved it up one half hour so we were too late and they don't let you in after the movie has started.  So we ate there at the Robinson's.  I was relieved as I wasn't sure it was the right kind of movie for us to see even though it was rated PG, so I felt the Lord's protection.  After we ate and visited quite a while, we took them back to the SM Mall to see the 6 pm show and we went on to the Mandurriao Ward missionary meeting and activity.  Cheska and her husband came.  She is from Mandurriao Ward and her family is broken.  Her husband was a missionary here but is Australian.  They went to Cebu and were married in the temple yesterday--just the two of them.  Home at 8:30.  It was a full day.
Sunday we attended Mandurriao Ward sacrament meeting and Sunday School.  A sister from North Stake sat by me in sacrament meeting and asked if she could ask me for help but then she didn't speak much English so I guided her to the Relief Society president and then the president interpreted for me.  Her husband was in the free hospital by our church.  He has liver cancer.  Her bishop had given her 5000P but it was gone because he had been in for several weeks and she needed food.  Ray and I went home and made a big fruit salad with bananas, mango, pineapple, papaya, and apples and cream and green jello bits and a Gouda cheese sandwich.  It will take care of her for two days and then the Relief Society president can get more food for her on Monday.  I'm thankful for the lessons I've learned:  Keep some food storage and be ready at every moment to serve.  DO IT NOW.  Also among the learnings is a change of heart, not being distracted by less urgent or less important, or less needful things when there's a call for HELP.  No matter how small the call for help.  Fast Sunday and we also went to San Miguel for meetings which we always enjoy.  We gave some returned missionaries a ride back to Mandurriao.  Quennie didn't come to church and she texted for help with paying her rent; her parents will not help her anymore.  She will come over tomorrow to talk about it.  So sad we can't help monetarily but we can counsel😓.  Then the zone leaders who live above us ran out of drinking water.  This was a good day to have a supply of food and water.  I feel a little overwhelmed with all the needs.  Ray has been making posters for our zone skit for Christmas conference.  I'll cast my burdens on the Lord.
Monday we took sister missionaries with us for another zone practice for Christmas conference.  We had to leave the practice after one run through because we needed to do English tests.  At 9:30 we took two sisters from Arevalo area with us to the mission office where one of them, Sister Casil, took the English test.  She finished at 11:17 and we waited until 12:15 for Sister Robertson to come in to take her English test.  I visit with their companions while they take the test.  It takes about an hour and 20 minutes to do the practice and then the test.  At 2:15 we stopped at McDonald's to eat before going to the apartment.  We expected a worker to be there to replace our sink faucet and fixed the leak in the c.r.(comfort room). Or our bathroom.  A man was there to fix the sink.  Yeah!  Then we met with Quennie.  She needed a loan to pay her rent for maybe six months.  We spent a few hours with her trying to lead her to the bishop.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is so different from other churches.  It is not a man's church;  it is the Lord's.  It runs differently.  Anyway, we fed her a Gouda cheese sandwich and a bottle of juice.  She left around 5:00. Boiser texted for a meeting around 5:00 tomorrow--so we texted the group to come but we will be substitute teaching at 5:20-7:10.  We feel badly but it was too late for us to change.  One crazy day!
Tuesday 7:30 off with all our district in tow:  4 sisters, 4 elders to zone meeting.  The APs, Dorman and Craythorn visited our meeting.  Sister Casil in her training told about King Richard III losing his throne for the lack of a nail in his horses shoe.  What lack I yet?  After zone meeting, we went to our office area and Ray downloaded the First Presidency Christmas Devotional.  After we returned to the apartment for lunch, we listened.  We stopped to withdraw pesos at the BDO on our return to Jalandoni.  There we prepared more for the Book of Mormon class at 5:30 (13 students).  Ray discussed the cycle of pride and prosperity and wickedness.  He talked about "pondering" and how Nephi would only ask to do what the Lord would want done.  He told a story from the manual about Marion G Romney and his wife, Ida, who had had a stroke and the doctors did not recommend life support because of brain damage.  After several months, he pleaded to know the Lords will. At 2:00 am in the morning, he was pondering and reading the scriptures so he could communicate more fully with the Lord to know the Lord's will concerning Ida.  He was reading Helaman 10:4-5 when Marion heard as it were the Lord's voice saying it is not against my will that Ida should be healed.  He quickly put on his coat and tie and went to the hospital and laid his hands on her head to give her a blessing. As he sat down in the chair next to her bed, Ida opened her eyes and asked, " What are you doing here, Marion?"  And in his typical sense of humor, he asked how she was feeling?  She lived to see her husband called to the First Presidency.  I talked about knowing the Lords will and following the Prophet.  There is confusion in the world and we and our peers all have veils or blind folds on us but the Prophet is directed by the Lord who sees all things past, present and future.  The Lord will never let His prophet lead us astray.  We can follow him and be safe.  I hurried to the self reliance meeting down the hallway already in progress but it started an hour or so late.  A young man asked Ray after class to give him a blessing.  He has a mission call to Queson City, Philippines but he is very anxious about going there.  Ray gave him a blessing and then joined us in the meeting.  Home.  Sang 191 "Behold, the Great Redeemer Die", and did our scripture candle.  Christ was submissive to His Father's will--Father, from me, remove this cup.  Yet if Thou wilt, I'll drink it up.  I've done the work Thou gavest me."  Ponder and learn the Lord's will and do it.
This song spoke to me.  Because of this song one sacrament meeting, my life changed.
Wednesday routine, Ray ironed shirts; I washed eggs, 9:30 we went to the Atrium to purchase bread and other food items, then to Jalandoni.  12:30 home for lunch and put food away. 2:00 back to Jalandoni to study lesson:  Faith in Jesus Christ gives us power to provide for ourselves and others.  We had five students.  It's a good sign--it's not decreasing.☺️. We love these people!
Thursday we went to the mission office;  apparently our rent check is lost.  If the missionaries don't find it by tonight, another one will be issued.  Then we went to and shopped at Robinson's Mall while the truck was being washed and vacuumed.  Back to apartment for lunch.  The sisters called and we will "missionary sit" so Sister Miggin can take a Ward sister with her to do their appointments.  Sister Averion has scoliosis and is in too much pain to work.  She will start therapy tomorrow.  Also, the elders found our missing check.  Elder Robertson just stuck it in his bag and didn't notice what it was.  We went over to pay it at Sorilla's office right away and called the office to let them know it was found.  It's not even my money and I'm a wreck about it😝.  Sister Averion stayed in our apartment and when Sister Miggin came back, she stayed and visited until 7:00.  We had a snack and did scripture candle.  Received a letter from President Arrington today that Elder A.J. Robinson will be a district leader now.  We are so happy for all his opportunities.
Friday routine.  Made banana, carrot, pecan (only pecans we have ever found here so it all went into this one recipe), pineapple bars since that is the only one I have is a bars pan.  President Omar texted us for money to help a lady in his branch who has a tumor and needs an operation.  We have been counseled not to give money--that is not our purpose here and it makes other missionaries coming here "unsafe" .  There is no end to the needs here.  I'm giving my clothes away before I go home.  The struggles break our hearts.  10:00 purchased water, went to Jalandoni.  Ha long, Sister Robinson, Mom, Grandma