Saturday, February 13-Friday February 19, 2016

Saturday routine.  8:30 left to pick up Boiser at the wharf then right to Molo 1st Ward for a self reliance meeting.  9:30 we were at the meeting already in progress.  12 people attended plus Butch and Michele, Boiser and us.  They invited us to speak at the end.  They had a beautiful catered dinner for us at noon.  Sister Once from Arevalo Ward catered.  Then we took Boiser to the Center to get some information off the computers there and then to the wharf.  2:30 we went to Arevalo to make sure there were no instructions for us before departure.  President Aquino was not there so we will try to see him on Tuesday.  Home.  Wash.  Walked the Esplanade and then ate at Latte:  salad and chocolate mousse. mmmm......
Sunday 8:00 we took four sister missionaries and two elders to church at Mandurriao at 7:50   We spoke and then Brother Cozzens spoke.  He paid us quite a tribute.  Lunch.  2:30 we attended the San Miguel group and gave Sister Cordero a ride out there as she was a speaker.  Elder Bowden spoke first (it's not about where we worship but who--Jesus Christ), Sister Arquiola spoke on Elder Bednar's talk:  Do not be offended/we go to church; it is the Lords commandment.  Visit members; you're on the errand of the Lord; offense is our choice).  Brother Maximo spoke on honesty.  One brother in the San Miguel group had planted coconut trees and they needed water badly.  Before he came to church, he prayed for rain. He told Heavenly Father that if he didn't send rain, his coconuts would all die.  No rain was scheduled for the whole week.  Not a cloud in the sky.  During sacrament meeting it rained and rained until church was over.  Home 4:45.  Popcorn.  Cheska came over for a visit.  The last time she came over, she was single but her missionary who had served here from Australia came over and they went to the temple in Cebu and got married.  They are waiting for her to be allowed to migrate to that country.  He had to return to work.  She lives right behind us.
Monday routine.  Wash and iron.  Cleaned fans.  Purchased water on our way to SM to get money and shop and get a hair shape.  Lunch.  Then went to E&F to have the same tire vulcanized for the 3rd time.  The second time was just last Friday.  Yes, it's cheap but not really fixed.  Then to Jalandoni.  Venus Kate Sorilla came and visited for three hours.  It was fun.  She is working towards going to the United States to work as a nurse, probably somewhere in Texas.  5:00 headed to Esplanade for our walk, then salad and mousse at Latte.  I think valentines should be celebrated twice when it's on a Sunday😇.  Home 7:00
Tuesday district meeting.  Jalandoni.  Lunch.  Rest.  Jalandoni.  Sister Tolentino brought me the rug and hot pad she made me from my clothes scraps.  As I wash my dresses and shirts, they grow because they are hung to dry.  Anyway, it made a fun rug.  Walked the Esplanade. A man who had seen us once before decided he could talk to us.  He told us we were a walking ministry.  He went home when he saw us last time and told his wife about this couple on the Esplanade holding hands.  They think it is really great.  Now they want to be like us, he said.  He and his wife have been married 26 years.  They have a good start.  The little children want to "high 5" us and the teenagers call out forever and the college kids want to take our picture.  Home 6:45 snack.
Wednesday routine. Maximo's came to clean:  wash walls, bathroom, floors, and doors.  They will come back after we leave to clean windows, screens and refrigerator on March 5.  Jalandoni while they were cleaning then we took the Maximo's home.  Returned to our apartment for lunch and then to Jalandoni.  Institute class:  "These things shall give thee experience."  Diane Grace in our class is a convert along with her sister.  She is amazing and knows all the answers.  It is fun to go to class.  Visha is another student and she is an overachiever also.  She missed a class and wanted to make it up so she read the lesson and wrote a paper for me to read.  Then she said,  "I know the lesson here was better than the book.  I wish I could have been to it."  We will miss this place.  We walked the Esplanade again before going home.  6:30 home.  Snack.  Bed.
Thursday routine.  Went to Atrium to shop for a few things.  I started not feeling well and went to the cr .  Ray said I was a little pale.  Still have shingles but they are more mild when I take the children's liquid vitamins, which is the only thing we found with lysine in it, adult vitamins here don't have it in them.  Went to Jalandoni next.  Lunch.  As we returned to Jalandoni, the CSM were still there to make their monthly wheelchair report?  Ray helped them some more until 4:15.  Then we invited Sister Nina, the secretary to show how to send it. We received an email from Mueller Park 8th Ward requesting us to speak on March 27 at 9:00 am sacrament meeting.  It caused some emotions for me.  My heart is torn.  What a blessing it is to serve a mission.  5:30 time to go to the Book of Mormon class that we are substituting for Butch while he is in Hong Kong on business.  Six students showed up but we enjoyed them.  After we picked up apple pies at McDonald's.  Home.
Friday reduced routine as we needed to leave at 7:30 with all our district piled in and out of the truck bed and backseat 4 large elders and 4 sisters for multi zone meeting.  It was great.  Sister Aquino spoke:  Counting other people's SINS does not make you a Saint.  Elder Holland she quoted:  "We are not in a race against each other, to see who is the saltiest, or the most talented, or the most beautiful, or even who is the most blessed.  The race we are really in, is the race against sin, and surely envy is one of the most universal of those."  We divided into four groups and went to different rooms for specific training.  Came back together to discuss the "Teach Repentance, Baptize Converts" missionary training video from Salt Lake. Repentance is life.  It is a change of attitude, of heart.   Be worthy vessels of the Holy Ghost.  He will teach, testify, comfort, PURIFY us as well as our investigators.  In 2 Kings the Elisha story of the widow--the widow went and did.  Faith-action-power.  This is all so relevant to each of us:  children, missionaries, members, parents.  A mission is God's University and when we apply what we learn and experience, we are taught as we teach.  Then we leave at a higher level of commitment, testimony, understanding, pattern..  Don't fall back to the way we were.  Keep going onward and upward.  President Aquino talked about Alma 16:23 cleaning the inner vessel.  Jesus Christ is our boss--know your sheep--  Joshua 16:  we will do, we will go. Joshua 3:5  "Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you."  Here is our pattern:  Arise 6:30. Exercise 30 minutes (45) shower. Read scriptures. Planning.  Breakfast.  Treat your mission as your HOME.  Go out.  Establish and strengthen the church.  Strengthen new and less active members.  After the conference, we went to Jalandoni for "Called to Serve" but it won't start until 6:00.  Two sisters we know are having this tonight--Sister Jasmine Aquino and another sister from N Stake who will be serving in Salt Lake East Mission.  Bishop Gerardo from Leganes Ward invited us in person in December to attend their Couples Night tonight at 6:00.  Then last week, he reminded us by text.  Then today, he called us to make sure we would be there.  So we were there but we're sorry to miss the Called to Serve.  But we had a great time at the Couples Night.  We were the judges for best costume, best couple and we were speakers, SURPRISE.  Dinner was first, games, dance contests, pictures-- so much fun! 10:30 home.