Sunday, January 31-Friday, February 5, 2016

Sunday 6:00 am we left for President Roxas (city) then up to Manoling from there.  Arrived at 8:50 for 9:00 Ward meetings.  Beautiful place, beautiful church, beautiful people.  Pictures tell it all.  There is a little hut that was the first meeting house and the beautiful meeting house was built and dedicated since we arrived here, sometime in the past year.  It is harder to remember exactly when because the weather is the same.  I can't mark spring, summer, winter, fall--it's warm and hot and dry or rainy.  But it was dedicated in the last year.  The bishop asked Ray to speak about self-reliance in sacrament meeting and he did a great job.  We left them all the materials we had left and they were thrilled.  The facilitator is the bishops wife and she had been dreaming about the books.  A group, the bishops wife and sister and some young men and two missionaries accompanied us in the back of the pick up to the falls after the meetings were finished.  It was very fun.  They were so desirous to go with us.  Fun.  After we stopped at the bishops house and they gave us all bananas.  The bishop is in the process of building.  His house already has five bedrooms.  Manoling is way at the top of the mountain and nothing but bumpy dirt, gravel roads.  They raise what they eat because it is too far to any store.  The bishop does have a chunguy, picture, in front of his house--stand alone.  Anyway, we took the missionaries in the back all the way down to President Roxas where they will stay the night with the elders there.  They thought the ride was fun.  President Olivera saw us on the road and stopped to visit.  He was very happy that we visited Manoling.  When we returned to Iloilo, we took Cushings to the wharf and headed home 6:15.  Very rewarding weekend.  Silently, I wish we could have been transferred to Roxas so we could have been more helpful to Kalibo and Roxas Stakes.
Monday yeah.  Routine.  9:23 we went to the "drew" Cagape car wash.  The truck was dirty after that ride on the weekend.  The granddaughter served us soup and bottled water while we waited.  It was so nice.  10:16 onto Jalandoni.  2:00 lunch at the MOOON restaurant--new to SM city.  We had been waiting for it to open because we had eaten at one in Bacolod with Elder and Sister Green.  We had onion rings, pumpkin soup and nachos supreme.  They are good for the Philippines--not a familiar American taste.  3:20 home.  6:30 Cordero's invited us with the sisters missionaries and an investigator for dinner and a message that the sisters prepared.  They had two pieces of paper, crumpled each separately with a rock inside of one and then requested three different people to blow them off the table.  Of course, the one blew easily.  The one with a rock inside didn't blow at all.  Why?  Because when we are not founded on the "rock of Jesus Christ", we can easily be blown away by every wind of doctrine.  Jesus Christ is our anchor.  I was asked to give the conclusion so that is always fun.  I love to bear testimony! Of Jesus Christ, the sure foundation and his prophets and apostles in these latter days .  We had prayer and dinner.  8:30 home.  We gave the four sisters a ride home.
Tuesday 7:30 zone meeting.  Elder Robertson and Elder Swanton are our zone leaders.  They are terrific!  Elder Swanton is from Nibley.  At the end of zone meeting, they asked us to bear our farewell testimonies along with Sister Crisanto, who leaves  next week.  It is always a blessing to bear testimony.  Then they said the closing song would be, Let us all Press on.  As we were looking up the song, they surprised us with singing, God Be With You Til We Meet Again.  Yep, I lost it and the Sister missionary really lost it.  We may never see some of these people again.  😓. We love the missionaries, the people, the country, the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me.  To have blessed me with this experience.  Words can't express my feelings.  At 11:30 we packed who we could inside and outside and we all went to eat at Pizza Hut, in the Robinson Mall, the zone leaders saved us a place at their table--that was so nice.  We enjoyed our time with them.  2:00 we went to Jalandoni, read our emails from our missionaries--so thankful to be doing this at the same time as Elder Andrew John Robinson and Sister Charity Robinson.  4:30 home.  Read.
Wednesday routine.  Wash.  Then to Arevalo to turn in our monthly vehicle report and get information for next weeks career workshop for outgoing missionaries--our last.  We visited with Sister Aquino.  Her health is not good since she had thyroid cancer last year and after treatments.  She is swelling and bruising.  But she is giving all she has to keep working here in the mission.  I left her with a bottle of "blue magic" that we purchased from Sister Zabala in North Stake.  Lunch at home.  Jalandoni next, Institute class:  Selecting and Becoming an Eternal Companion.  Quotes:  In true marriage there must be a union of minds as well as of hearts.  President Kimball:  "...marriage within the church, where husband and wife have common backgrounds, common ideals and standards, common beliefs, hopes, and objectives...We recommend that people marry those who are...of somewhat the same economic and social and educational background". President N Eldon Tanner:  I suggest people ask themselves these questions:  "What kind of mother or father do I want my children to have?  What kind of parent am I prepared to be?  Am I analyzing our similarities and differences in background, culture, and intellect?  Am I prepared to adjust to these differences?  Do I realize that such adjustments need to be made before marriage?"  As you seek an eternal companion, look for someone who is developing the essential attributes that bring happiness:  a deep love of the Lord and of His commandments, a determination to live them, and willing to give of self with a desire to have a family crowned with beautiful children...Neal A Maxwell: "Obviously, family values mirror our personal priorities.  Given the gravity of current conditions, would parents be willing to give up just one outside thing, giving that time and talent instead to the family?  Parents and grandparents, scrutinize your schedules and priorities in order to ensure that life's prime relationships get more prime time!  Take especial care of your family."  I loved the lesson and especially enjoyed Ray's closing testimony of our marriage and relationship.  5:30 we finished our walk around the Esplanade and headed home.  Got to talk with Jan Jones today in Queson City, Philippines.  She was sick so she had some time to visit.
Thursday routine.  Ray ironed his four shirts and then we shopped for some groceries.  Lunch.  Jalandoni.  4:30 Esplanade.  Home.  We popped popcorn and watched "Facing the Giants."  With God, nothing is impossible.
Friday routine then made cookies with the last batch of stuff from other couples leaving.  They are like a brownie, dark chocolate but not real sweet, dipped in powdered sugar--still not sweet😜 but Ray likes them.  Jalandoni is next.  Lunch.  Back to Jalandoni and three missionaries for "Called to Serve". Pictures follow.