Breakup parties

Monday September 2:  biked 8.77 miles. Our baptistry group that we have served with most of our time here under Elder and Sister Cornish on Saturday afternoons is breaking up because of slow downs that occur this time of the year.  So we enjoyed a potluck dinner with meat purchased from the new bbq restaurant in Nauvoo.  I made cheesy garlic potatoes. And Cornishes set up the Arrival Center with tables and chairs. It was delightful and we shared our most memorable experiences in the baptistry this season.  A “feel good” time.

Tuesday:  early morning time as usual 6:00 am. After our temple session we rode the bike 10.24 miles in 51 minutes, ending at 4:50 in just beautiful weather.

Wednesday:  temple is a later start at 7:00. It’s amazing what a difference that hour later start makes to my body.  After our temple shift, we went to Keokuk and I had my nails done with the acrylics.  They look and feel much nicer.  When we returned home we rode the bike 8.77 miles—another beautiful day. 

Thursday:  after our temple shift, we ate a lunch I packed in the temple break room and then took a family name through an endowment session after I did 5 initiatories. We met our Thursday baptistry team with Brother and Sister Drosty as the coordinators at Angelina’s in Keokuk.  There were 8 couples. This was the team that we were not inside with but we served at the Arrival Center.  I had chicken/bacon/ranch thin crust pizza.  Highly recommend!  Home at 7:30

Friday:  bikes 8.92 miles in the morning, showered and went to an endowment session at 11:15 before our shift started at 1:00.  We arrived home after first quarter of BYU game start with SMU. We listened until BYU won!  

Saturday:  biked 8.56 miles in 45 minutes. Sent Venmo $13 for potatoes to Rachael. Thanks for splitting with me, Julie and thanks Rachael for getting them for us!  I love Idaho potatoes and it seems that the prices have dropped.

Worked, of course, our afternoon shift but it was not in the baptistry as it has been; it was regular positions in the temple.

Sunday:  we enjoyed church.  Our time here is going so fast now.  After church I made us smothered beef burritos with side de galo. Then we attended “Our Saviors Love” again.  We don’t get tired of it.  Then we walked 1/2 mile just to enjoy and test out my knee.  It went well👏🏻.  Thanks everyone for joining the family call.  It feels so good to look upon each of you.  We love you more than words can express!  And we pray for each one of you that your testimonies are growing and deepening and that your understanding of the “Family Proclamation” and Heavenly Fathers plan for each of us individually and as a family is deepening.  I’m so happy that Heavenly Father has shared His Love with us in our own family unit.  Love Mom, Grandma, etc and Ray❤️

54 years of eternity

Monday:  biked 8.95 ; grocery shopping and made an appointment for next week to have my nails done; laundry

Tuesday: pre prep meeting dressed in whites and in meeting by 6:05. After the temple three couples (Daes, Favero, us) went to Keokuk in Favero nice truck and Daes bought us all dinner at the Hawkeye Restaurant. I had hall rack of ribs, loaded baked potato and house salad—score!  (Can’t compare to Raymond’s, Nathan’s, Andrew’s, or Dads but I was so hungry for bbq ribs). Then we went to the Dam Museum (even in print it sounds like I’m swearing) and Favero paid for all of us.  We had a good time.  The museum was quite interesting and worth our time and the couples are great so…good company.  We biked 6.2 miles only.  The weather was threatening—thunder and lightening so we ended early.  It kept getting worse.  It was quite a show in the skies all night.

Wednesday:  got mixed up with temple coordinators texts and went early again 6:05 so I slowly prepared for the later meeting. We were endowment leaders in the 8:00 endowment session.  Thanks for joining us for a temple session.  We so enjoyed thinking about our children joining us this week in the temple.  Today was our actual anniversary and I feel like a Queen, so blessed to have been sealed to a man of God, a gentleman.  Ray wanted to take me to dinner again so after the temple, we drove to Keokuk, back to the Hawkeye restaurant.  We both ended up having soup and salad, Wisconsin cheddar cheese soup mmmm.  When we returned to Nauvoo, we went on our bike ride 8.3 miles. 

Thursday:  today was our last day as a baptistry group because we don’t have patrons coming so the group brought family names and Sister Hunter was baptized for 47 female ancestors of the group and Ray was baptized for 39 males, plus he did the baptizing for the females.  We ate lunch in the temple break room and then we’re patrons for an endowment session.  I went through for Constance Stokes.  I thought that was pretty cool.  Then we biked 8.59 miles 

Friday:  biked 8.94 miles, came home and showered and went as patrons to a 10:00 initiatory session for 7 sisters in our family line. Then an endowment session at 11:15 and another repentance opportunity.  There was a female who sat by me that has some weird problems. She was fidgeting and kept looking back at her mother and laughing.  It was very distracting.  I didn’t want to sit by her but she made an effort to sit by me, so I was actually flattered but each time we changed rooms, it was a different seating arrangement so the next room I had to walk between rows of chairs, which I try to avoid because of my knee.  We’ll, ordinarily I would have gone to the next row but (PRIDE!) came up and I thought others in the session would think I didn’t want to sit by her so I went between the rows and caught my foot which twisted my knee. Yes, I hurt it again but I’m hoping ice/heat/time will heal it. Pride can creep in so easily and almost catch us unaware. I’m grateful for these opportunities to become aware of my weaknesses so I can change. After the session, I went to the break room and Ate fresh cucumbers and tomatoes from Carrolls garden that they bring to share and then had preprep meeting at 1:05 so I could serve early, 1:15 pm at floor 1, chair 2😇. I enjoy this position because I get to talk to whomever comes in and tell them how to get where they want to go and find out where they are from😁. 

Saturday:  my knee is pretty stiff this morning but we still tried to bike.  I only made it 2 miles, then iced it, then heat in the shower. Last baptistry as a Saturday team. 

Sunday:  we taught our class “Jesus is my Foundation”. Great lesson for me to focus on doing the right things for the right reasons and to remind myself to build a foundation on the character traits of Christ.  Kevin attended plus some support for Sister Squires and the Maucotels.  It’s fast Sunday so we were assigned to host again and our people were the Olsens from Ephraim, Utah, a part of our baptistry teams and President and Sister Church.  It was a nice time and we heard some special stories of miracles.  I got to practice on my new found recipe from Thurstons, smothered beef burritos.  They all loved it and even had seconds!  Nice. 

We love you and so appreciate your support of our anniversary by joining us in the temple wherever you are. It was such a happy thought all week, knowing you were each joining us.   Teresa and Ray

August 12-19

Monday:  I guess bikes are like cars, they have to be maintained after so many miles. Ray and Elder Blocker changed the tire and took out a broken spoke and balanced the tire.  It took a lot of time. Elder Blocker was so nice to stop and assist. They finished what they were doing just in time to go to Keokuk for me a haircut at 11:30. She washed and cut and masssaged my head. And then straightened my hair. 😁. Wow!  It lasted that day, then the bangs first curled and then by the end of Tuesday, it was all crazy. Funny what humidity does.After we got home, we rode the bike 8.4 miles and while he was fixing the bike earlier, I had made baked beans and potato salad, peach lemonade with and we went to the park close by and had a picnic with Favero, Whittier, Whitney, Blocker, and Hartvigsen—all are temple missionary couples. 

Tuesday:  temple time 5:45 am  After 2:00 we ran errands, picked up garden tomatoes and potatoes and went to the missionary mail room for a package of hair curlers, water filters (we used our first ones out). And then our bike ride 9.32 miles. 

Wednesday:  temple at 6:45 am (much better time). We were the endowment leaders for the 8:15 session. After our scheduled time, we went on another endowment session as well as several other worker missionary couples and we all went up for the prayer circle.  That was pretty powerful.  At 5:00 pm we went for our bike ride 9 miles. We also picked up a package of miracle arthritis. Ordered for Rays hands. It was recommended to us by Sister Osterly, temple matron.

Thursday:  no more Arrival Center but we went to the baptistry. Not much happening there but we did our own proxy baptisms along with other workers in our group. Ray was baptized for 42 proxies!  After that, our coordinators released us to do an endowment session and I went through for Dorothy B Stokes from Middlesex England.  After the temple, biked 9.28.  At 6:30 I went to Relief Society simple personal history at the church.  At 7:30 we went to Whittiers place above us for game night. We played scum and some other group card game. Wilkersons, 

Temple Evans, our neighbor (Marianne’s brother in law) all came.

Friday:  biked 5.83 miles and ran out of power.  We walked 1/2 mile and went to Lions Drug. It was great. Outside we saw the arbor, the birch umbrella tree, and the buckeye bottle brush bush. The bottle brush looks more like it’s name earlier in the season.  We also went to Patty Sessions log cabin and Orion Hyde’s cram home with Miranda Johnson. At 7:30 we attended a music devotional.  This community really does a Terri’s job of including all ages of youth.  They had primary age children sing, grade school to adult in the orchestra, and older adults with young adults in the choir.  They put on a show on new hymns going in the hymn book.  They had refreshments out on tables through the whole thing to keep people busy, I guess😀. My grandchildren would have thought it was great!

Saturday:  biked 8.79 miles, walked .57 miles, served in the temple and had hoped to get to adult session of stake conference but missed that.  We’ll, we got there for the last half hour as we were next to the last persons to leave the temple at 7:30.  Conference was from 6:30-8:00.

Sunday:  we did get to stake conference 10-12:00. The theme was Jacob 5 dig, nourish, prune—as a stake, as a ward, as a family, personally.  When we’re young, we choose friends if they play our same sports or if they are “cool”. Popular.  The stake president joined the church when he was 19 and all of a sudden there were so many varieties in his ward and stake.  He grew up and chose friends who him to be good like our best Friend, Jesus Christ.  He said, in our associations, let the mix of variety simmer like a good stew until the flavor is just right.  “Let go” of offenses.  Be grateful for each other, “Each life that touches ours for good”.

At 2:00 we attended the new group of performing missionaries, “Our Saviors Love”.  It was still wonderful. There were a lot of our friends who had the same idea as us; we temple missionaries were probably 20 of us.  Elder Weed from Fallon Nevada fell face down as he tripped going down the stairs.  He was bleeding on his forehead, hopefully he doesn’t feel worse today..

We love you and are so grateful for our associations the Lord has blessed us with!  

We pray for you each daily.  Love Teresa, Mom (Dad). 

Week of Aug 5-11

August 5:  Raymond III and Rachael. Happy birthday!  

Biked 8.99 miles. Went with Elder and Sister Kroger in their electric car to the Dutchman’s store run but Menonites, we heard. A very old fashioned store with everything in it in Cantril, Iowa.   We purchased peaches 3.  Oh we wished we had purchased a box. They were so yummy.

Tuesday:  Darrin birthday. Happy day! 

Woke up at 4:20 am😩. Alarm goes off at 5 am so no reason to not get up, shower, dress, fix and eat breakfast  usually I don’t have time for that last part . Arrived at the temple at 5:45 am. Biked 8.2 miles

Wednesday:  our regular temple schedule 7-1. After dunch and a nap, we started our bike ride—1.78 miles; my knee could not do it.  Here is one of those tender mercies from God. Elder and Sister Booker saw me on the elevator and asked if they could come over after their temple schedule. He recently had the same surgery I had and he’s doing very well.  He had it done somewhere in this area and goes to physical therapy. He gave me some of the exercises he does that were different. Their temple schedule and ours never are the same. Any way, I am working on recovery again.  

Thursday was in the Arrival Center again.  One family came from Rigby and were watching two grandchildren while the parents were in the temple. Another family came to use the bathrooms; another family came from Pleasant Grove.  Jane, I understand “nothin” kind of days.  

After our assignment, we took out the bike again. 7.1 miles👏🏻. Progress again. We stopped at Brother and Sister Carrolls house. They have a beautiful garden. We purchased some red potatoes and huge tomatoes. She had a noise going off in her garage that Ray tried to fix but he couldn’t find the battery. We tried to help her. Trying counts😇

Friday:  biked 8 miles. We were the leads for the 5:15 endowment session. 

Answer to each of my challenges:  increase my faith and trust

1-study the scriptures

2-choose to believe in Jesus Christ

3-act in faith

4-partake of sacred emblems

5-ask Heavenly Father for help

Saturday:  biked 8.25 miles, made sour dough crumpets, apple crisp with green apples Amy left at our door, and exercised before going to our temple responsibilities.  We went to our meeting at the baptistry and not many were signed up.  We assisted one family of five with a recommend missing and Ray walked them over to the temple and then our coordinator said we could go to an endowment session with a family name. I had one and we went and then were sent home as there were no patrons for us.  It was great to go to a session and stand in the prayer circle and come through the veil with someone I knew.  Just imagine how it might be if I knew Jesus Christ and through Him I am able to enter our Fathers kingdom.  

Sunday:  I woke up with a thought of covenants and my next thought was how grateful I am for my marriage and the confidence Ray has always had in our covenant relationship. Sometimes his confidence in us has kept me holding on. Then in relief society the lesson was on two talks about covenants by President Oaks and by Elder Soares from the last general conference. Then in sacrament meeting we listened to a return missionary who gave a practical and powerful talk on doing those things that keep our covenants active and meaningful. Then two sisters sang, “A Window of His love”. And by now the tears are streaming.  What a blessing to look at our  eternal companions and see into their hearts and remember the many times he or she has been a window to the Lords love for us.  Those occasions when I have been thoughtless or unkind or whatever and ray has been totally forgiving and fully accepting—a window to His love.  Eternal marriage and families are such a grand blessing from a Father in Heaven who shares His love with those who desire and keep covenants. I love you all!  Mom and Grandma, Sister Robinson

11th Ty’s birthday

Halfway mark

Jack wanted to know if were coming back to Bountiful. 😁

Monday

Rode our tandem 10.53 miles this morning. Made bread and pizza and spinach artichoke dip after we went shopping. And Aunt Ranae sent me four pictures to give away of the Nauvoo Temple with a rainbow at the top that Uncle Lance took. 

Whittiers invited Alveys, Littles, Wilkersons, Shultz and us for games. Rick Whittier made a Nauvoo Jeopardy game that was very good. And we played one lie/2 truths. That was difficult. Ray and I both wrote down 3 truths—terrible at that game we are. They served us pizza, toss salad and gluten free cake.  We all laughed and laughed. It was a great time..

Tuesday

I was notified to be to the temple early—by 6:05 dressed in white and at the ppmeeting; then Rays phone showed up that he was to be at the temple dressed in white at the recommend desk by 5:30 so we were there at 5:00 just as security arrived. I was ready in five minutes headed down to the recommend desk and coming up were Elder Cornish and Elder DAE. They asked why I was there so early and I told them that ray was told to be at the recommend desk with Elder Cornish. They both looked at each other. Turned out. For some reason the phone showed that message but it was from back in May.😭😂. Joke was on us. After our shift we rode 10.5 miles.  Wilkersons brought us a dozen ears of corn from a farmer. It was so good.  And we received a water heater pitcher from Tim in the mail.  I need to be more careful about my speech. It is really nice to have foe oatmeal and dandy tea etc. so thanks Tim.  

Wednesday 

10.3 bike miles and saw the group gathered by the mansion house so we stopped and listened to Parley P Pratt and wife sing (Jake and Susan Slader). It was over too soon but was so lovely.  We went at night to the British Pageant and sang in the finale with the missionaries.  The crowd always cheers for the missionaries.  It’s fun to be part of that group!  Before it began, we met the Omans from Ogden—a senior couple that were so nice, their granddaughter was in the band and one of their families was in the blue cast, I think. So we had bragging competition😂. No.  We let them win and let them enjoy their posterity memories. 

Thursday

We were at the Arrival Center, rode the bike 9.8 miles And we walked from our apartment to and from the pageant!  First real walk since arthroscopic knee surgery for meniscus tears. It was a little much but ice, heat, and ibuprofen helped.

Friday

Biked 10.5 miles. Saw Nathan Rockwell at the beginning of his Scottish bagpipers practice and got a hug.  Listened to a talk be Elder Gary Stevenson from Education Week, I think 2022 about the Book of Mormon. It was so inspiring. Temple started at 1:00 today. When we finished we walked again to the pageant to sing with the missionaries again at the end and walked back to the apartment. This time I didn’t need ibuprofen, just ice and heat.  Awesome.  I’m progressing still.

Saturday

Biked only 6.44😔. And crashed after fulfilling our temple assignment in the baptistry.  It was so busy.

Sunday 

No one showed up for our class so we went to the teachers instruction class.  The instructors 14 year old son died 8 years ago and we talked with him after.  It 2as one of those moments with the Spirit.  We enjoyed our family call and thank everyone for participating. It feels so good to hear your voices and see you and know of your ups and downs as we all cheer on each other.  

Alma 31: …continue in prayer and supplication to God daily, that (you) might not enter into temptation.  :32. Alma set his brethren apart as missionaries …:34 O Lord wilt Thou grant unto us that we may have success in bringing them again unto thee in Christ.  It’s wonderful to be set apart as a missionary and we’re grateful to be in His service for our brothers and sisters in this special temple in Nauvoo with so much of our heritage in the gospel.  True to the faith that our parents have cherished ..faithful and true we will ever stand.  We love you each so much!  So glad He picked out our favorites for us!  

Visitors distracted—2 weeks email. Stop reading when you are through before I am😀

July 1:  8.6 miles on the bike. Temple missionaries family home evening (talent show). Thought about telling a mole but one Elder here is so funny, I didn’t want to waste time.

July 2:  heat of the day bike ride 7 miles only, ice knee when we returned home

July 3:  11:15 we were endowment leaders; bike ride 8.66 miles; Tim and Dallin came in a Tesla rental car at sometime after 10 pm

July 4:  our assignment today was Arrival Center—for baptism groups.  I don’t know if I’ve explained what we do here but it is across the street from the temple and we run everyone’s recommends so we can fix any problems before they get to the temple like reported missing recommends so they don’t work, or expired recommends so bishops have to be contacted, or recommends left at home or the hotel or wherever and then ray calls the recorder and gets them cleared.  Then those who want to print family names can do that at the Center and cut them out.  They can get drinks, use the restrooms etc.). 

We rode the bike 8.38 miles

We had a practice for the British pageant at 8 pm at the stage for the ending of the British pageant. 

July 5:  9.55 miles.  Filled our temple assignment. 

July 6:  Tim and Dallin went home; rode 9.65 miles, Angela and Darrin, DJ , Hunter, and Jenny arrived.

July 7:  fast Sunday, I taught the lesson; it was nice to have Angela’s family to participate; Kevin also came, a member less than a year.  Attended “Our Saviors Love “ concert at the visitors center. Later Darrin and Jenny played Chinese checkers with us.

July 8:  10.27 miles, Ossians first birthday, soaked in epsom salts bath at Amy’s condo. Saunders went to sites and Carthage, Ty called from his mission, went to the pageant stage to watch dress rehearsal for British pageant. 

July 9:  early preparation meeting 6:05 am

July 10Saunders did an endowment session at 11:15, Family did temple baptisms at 4 pm; 5:00 we all went to the Nauvoo Hotel dinner buffet with Saunders. Ray and I had the salad buffet only.  6:30 Ray and I sold snacks at the concessions stand for the ward young women and young men activities fund raiser..

July 11:we left for our AC assignment and Saunders left for home.  I saw Dr. Grant at 4:00 and we rode the bike 9.75 miles. 

July 12:  biked 10.29 miles out to the Villas after we picked up Amy’s kindle. Sang with the missionaries at the end of the pageant. Interesting story…when we were at dinner, a man saw our name tags saying ROBINSON.  His young boy asked him twice to see if we knew an Amy Robinson.  Her name was written on the kindle and it had been lost.  It showed up at this man’s house. Ray said , “yes, she’s our daughter in law”. He said a kindle showed up at their house with her name on it. Ray texted Amy and she told him that her and Cole were just praying to find it when we texted.  God really does care about us and our seemingly unimportant wants.  

July 13:  we rode the bike 10.14 miles. I cut my own hair; all I can say is that it looks better😊. Ava went to pick up Rock at the airport while we were at the temple.  

July 14:  we went to the 9:00 sacrament meeting for the visitors branch so we could tune into Dallins talk before he leaves Tuesday for the mtc. He spoke of the JOY of the gospel life with examples of faith, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost.  He used a combination of sense of humor with a depth of testimony and honest understanding of joy.  After we had tacos for dunch, we kept our spirits up as we were missing family gathering, by going to visit Wilford Woodruffs home and Heber C Kimball’s home with an addition by his grandson.  And we went to the Seventies Hall and a sister missionary was there who was a full-Mongolian, her parents had moved to the states from Mongolia and she had Jane on her tablet. Small world, always connections🥰. 

The Lord is in the details, Love Grandma, Mom Robinson

June 10-16

Now there’s an interesting subject line😳

Monday I made bread, we shopped for groceries—I’m still riding the handicap machines. And later we biked 5.38 miles

Tuesday:  Have I received His image in my countenance?  A friend who served on my shift in the Bountiful Temple, Rachel Shaw showed up as I was on floor 4 and her family was seeing Nauvoo— 2 of her siblings are young performing missionaries this year and she was with her fiancé. I think they got engaged out here her sister told me later.  That was so surprising and fun. Another performing missionary came to do initiatories for her ancestors and , of course, I don’t visit with them then.  But she came and found me after she finished her time in the temple to tell me “thanks”. She really enjoyed my light in the temple service. 

We’ll, all that was the Lords tender mercy as I am so sad that our friends, the Groberg’s have decided to go home after just two months. The doctor they saw told them they needed to go as there are no doctors here to give him the help he needs.😢. Everyone in our house went to their apartment to hear the news and we played “Bank it” for their farewell.

Wednesday we worked from 7-1:30, had a snack in the break room and stayed to do initiatories for our ancestors at 2:00, then did a 2:15 endowment session and our good friend that we knew in Jerome was in the same session and came for dinner after we all finished.  We also rode our bike 6.3 miles after all that.

Thursday we served in the Arrival Center and after, we went to Fort Madison for dinner at Fort Colony. When we got home it was storming so NO bike ride😩

Friday Bike ride 6.3 miles, showered and went to the temple for our 12:50-9:15 shift. 

Saturday we had our second service at the Arrival Center. This baptistry group is taking turns serving in the Arrival Center. It was full of really young families, eating everywhere and crazy.  But in the morning we biked 6.7 miles. And we went to visit the four people whom the Bishop wants to attend our Sunday “Come Follow Me” class.

Sunday. Father’s Day. I cried through sacrament meeting.  A couple here is going to Frankfurt to serve a mission.  He sang during his talk:  “These Hands, these mighty hands”. It was —well, there aren’t words, but tears flowing tells how it felt.

After church, we fed Groberg’s and their son who came to take them to the airport, then drove their car packed all the way home.  Farewell meal and they drove off.  Then Steve and Michele Miller came for dinner after that.  They moved out here, had their records moved so they could serve in the temple.  They called the temple president and cleared it that they would be used but they are not missionaries so they don’t get included in all the fun.  They are really nice wonderful people and they live in Syracuse, Utah so we can get with them after the mission.  They got us tickets for the Sunday show at the visitors center, “Love of the Savior”. It’s worth seeing.  We’ll try to go again.  After they left, we had our family call. Thanks for taking time to gather once a month.  It’s magical for us just to see you on one screen and hear your voices.  We love each of you.  The church is where we learn to be like Jesus and we practice what we learn as we mingle with our family. This is JOY.  Love, Mom, Grandma, Teresa ray(the wind beneath my wings)

Sunday

Finding people and connections

Monday:  Met the Turners today at the Printing Offfice in old Nauvoo, a senior sites missionary couple from Ty’s branch in his mission where he is right now.  While there Ray found his great-great grandfathers name in the old newspaper saying he had mail.  Lewis and Thurston from Cedar City came to celebrate my Dads birthday with hamburgers and we played Chinese checkers and Fast Track. We visited the Sarah Granger Kimball house. 

Tuesday 5:50 am temple shift time. Two Robinson women came through my initiatory booth, saw my name tag and refer to me as cousin. After our temple shift, we rode our bike 3.88 miles and half of that was without power assist as we ran out of batteries.  We went out later after we plugged in the bike to power and down the road we saw my second cousin, Stephen and Renee Packer visiting with another couple from the temple.  We whirled around and had a nice visit.

Wednesday:  a sister caught me after her endowment session as I was stationed near the clothing and asked where I was from.  Bountiful, Utah. Do you know a Ray Robinson?  She was in the family cast back some years and knew all the Ray and Julie Robinson’s. She lives out here now with her husband going to medical school.  After our temple shift, we ate and drove to Fort Madison to Lily nails to have my acrylic fill-in and that was different than anything I have done. But it is so nice to have my nails done so the one I took the box cutter to when I was first time pregnant doesn’t get caught on everything anymore ;and came home to bike 5.68 miles

Thursday:  baptismal arrival center is our assignment 7:00 am- 1 pm.  While doing our work at the Arrival Center a young man came in looking for his wife and found us.  “You’re Andrew’s parents!”  It was a friend of Andrew’s from Preston, Zack Roper. We processed over 100 people who wanted to do baptisms for the deceased.  We ate at LOCK 19 after the temple. I had loaded fries (2 burgers, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, sauce over fries.  That was fun and different.  That night Groberg’s wanted to teach us how to play 5 Crowns. That was fun;  but they are always delightful to be with. 

Friday:  exercised first, bike ride 5 miles and shower etc for temple from 12:50-7:15 with us leading the 5:15 endowment session.  I was outside the chapel door with the people counter and a couple came up to me, “Aren’t you Nathan’s mom?  They were our neighbors in Texas.  Didn’t you come with the new babies?  Their daughter was with them preparing to leave for her mission, she is in between Ellie and Ava.  “. They are the Maxwells from Humble, Texas. It was a fun week. 

Saturday we rode 5.8 miles.  We were assigned to the Arrival Center again.  12:50-7:00 pm. Kids come in from Arizona and always know the Porter Brothers (Michelle and Dennis family and of course, I brag that I am their Aunt😇

It was a little strange because we have showers in the center for those who do baptisms. But some men 25-35 ish had been on a long bike ride, at least six came in and used the showers.  I was a little uncomfortable because we have youth using the dressing rooms and shower.  These were just bikers. We’ll, anyway, it was interestingly uncomfortable.

Sunday we were able to watch Janes mission farewell and Emma’s piano after our church services.  Janes talk gave me reason to repent (change) to do better in my relationship building with my Heavenly Father and with Jesus Christ and with each family member.  Talking with and listening to and serving are key to this development.  I hope I got it right Jane.  We ate dinner at Groberg’s after Janes farewell so while we missed all the family and food, we weren’t totally without a good time.

And my last treat to report:   A sister from the Czech Republic came to my initiatory booth and was so full of the Spirit.  She found me later in the Celestial room and gave me a hug and said, “I was so full of the Spirit.” And hugged me again.  

It was a great week in the Nauvoo temple mission!

Journal May 6-13

Ray dug up tulips on the temple grounds with other senior missionaries and tilled and prepared the planting area for the next plants.  I did wash, prepared food and then we went to Keokuk for another bike tire.  I am trying a new blood pressure pill (senior moment news😊❤️). 

May  7 (I’m a little less dizzy and still working on the physical therapy for my knee)

  Tuesday a typical temple day 6 am-12:30. Right now the temple closes when we leave at 12:30 for the day.  We were able to ride bikes again 4 miles but after 3 days without, I took ibuprofen. 

Wednesday Ray went to get the car as usual and I sat on cement right by the temple gate to wait.  I had a small bout of shingles last week on my stomach but this was so many stinging sensations, I tole Ray when I got in the car, the shingles  must be worse than ever—they always sting before they break out and itch and burn.  I adjusted my dress and zing, a wasp flew out and I rolled down my window.  We couldn’t believe it!  It was as big as my phone, the redness and my thigh swelled up like a grapefruit cut in half.  

Ray was asked to give Brother Groberg’s a blessing. He’s been just going out with seizures so Elder Cornish came over and they administered to him.  Ray remembered to bring blessed oil with him, that was nice.

The fun news of the day:  Dave and Ruth Thompson who lived in Jerome when we did, came to see us and stayed a couple of hours.  It was so fun to visit with them! 

Thursday we spent most of our time in the baptistery; Ray was the recorder and I was the card runner.  After every group of 5, Ray put the cards by the railing and I picked them up and took them to the desk to file in alphabetical order for the patrons to pick up and take for confirmations .  I was tired after an hour. We had quite a few in the baptistery.  After the patrons re gone, then our team cleans up the baptistery, taking wet stuff to the laundry and rugs, towels, jump suits…then we squiggly floors, bring in clean, dry things for the shift on Friday morning.  It really is a lot of work, so much more than what patrons see.

Friday was Angela’s birthday and our shift was in the afternoon on this day 2-7 except the second and fourth weeks, when two hours are added at the end so 2-9.  We were all so tired.  

Saturday morning we were finally able to ride the bike and in the middle of our ride, we stopped at the wheelwright/wainwright shop. The missionaries there were really good with lots of information. Captain John Robinson must have made wheels for the saints in Maine after he was converted on his ship bringing the early saints from Europe.  Then probably made handcart wheels at winterquarters.  The young band was on its ride through Nauvoo when they saw us on our tandem bike and the senior missionary recorded them playing “A bicycle built for two”. They were excited and so were we!  After four miles, we went to the apartment to shower before the temple.  We were in the baptistery again.  It’s a different team than Thursday but same work. We were released at 7:15 when the temple closed and we had everything cleaned up and ready for Tuesday morning.  After we went for Mothers Day dinner to KFC. It actually hit the spot for both of us.  We were hungry.  Then we went grocery shopping.

Yay for Sunday!  Church, then we had Elder and Sister Weed from Fallon Nevada over for dinner.  They left at 3:00 and then we had the family call.  After we just sat on the couch enjoying the warmth of the call.  Thanks for all who were able to get on.  We had a fulfilling Mother’s Day and hope all of you did.  One funny:  Ray wouldn’t let the Weed couple leave until they look over our family picture magnets

and pointed out all our missionaries coming and going👌❤️. 

We love you. Mom, Grandma, Elder and Sister Robinson

Red brick store

Our visits to the Red Brick Store in the past have been under the ownership  of The Community of Christ. The store was used as a retail outlet, with fun candies and souvenir items. I am sure that it was a fun destination for visitors.

Now that the store has been purchased by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints, the store will (it  seems) be presented in a different way. When we visited the store a couple of weeks ago, the shelves were bare. There were three missionary sisters there to greet us. The sisters explained that they were not sure how it may be presented in the coming weeks but that it would probably be presented the way it may have looked in Joseph Smith's time, with commodities and grocery items as they may have looked at that time; with nothing for sale.

The missionaries talked to us about the store and how it was used and then invited us to go upstairs and see how the building was used up there. We saw Joseph Smith's office and (i think), Willard Richard's office. There was also a large room where meetings were held including the first meeting and organization of the Relief Society.

The missionary then said that Joseph Smith recorded some of his revelations in the office and also that the "Wintworth letter" is thought to have been written there. The Wintworth letter contained the Articles of Faith. She asked us what our favorite Article of Faith was. I could not think of a favorite Article of Faith at the time but later I chose one that had increased meaning to me in connection to our mission assignment in the Temple.

The third Article of Faith:

We believe that through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the Laws and Ordinances of the Gospel.

(We help provide the ordinances to many of Heavenly Father's children in the Temples).

Another part of the Wintworth letter contains the "Standard of Truth" , which the missionary invited us to recite with her. (many missionaries are encouraged to memorise the Standard of Truth and recite it often in District Meetings). It  always stirs my soul, and I think "who writes like this?"

The Standard of Truth has been erected: no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions nay rage,mobs may combine.armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say, "the work is done". 

     Joseph Smith Jr.

The Red Brick Store was actually re-built by the Community of Christ on the original spot. Now our missionaries are able to give meaningful tribute to the history. 

I love you all

happy days from Nauvoo

Mondays

I’ll have to say I love mondays. We get to stay in bed until 6am, I get to eat breakfast, I have time to wash clothes, exercise my knee, and do some baking. AND find the missionary emails to read?!  

Monday April 29:  we rode the bike 5 miles

Tuesday: I had left my recommend in the temple and the presidency wasn’t there yet to let me in so finally a sister said she would go to the fourth floor, find my bag and get it out of my pocket. Ugh. Hoping to do better this week. 

I discovered one of the ladies here is related to Lucy Gibbons from Bountiful and Renee Packer—-they are all sisters, maiden name Wood. She said we are related to the Woods from Burley. Their father was Grandpa and Grandma Stokes bishop there. 

We, all the senior couple missionaries were blessed to attend an endowment session at 11:30 today. Right now there are only two endowment sessions a day. 

We rode the bike 6 miles today

Wednesday we rode only 5—6 turned out to be too much as I had a lot of swelling. 

Thursday we did seal some families, we were trained in the Nauvoo baptistery area, and Sarah sent me a dicky for my neck and it works great!  And after our temple time we went to Keokuk and had Mexican food. Their green sauce has lime in it and very different and yummy. We started our bike ride but got rained out in two blocks. We came home and played Chinese checkers!  Yay😂. Dad won. I discovered why I like to play———-I love the bright colors!

Friday, of course you understand I just tell the extra things we do. Every day we are in the temple. I exercised and rode the bike four miles. 

Saturday we rode about four miles and discovered a flat tire so we had to walk back. We are assigned baptistery on Saturdays so we were trained there again.

It was interesting because four Elders came in to do baptisms and there was a black girl that wanted to have it performed for her names in Haitian. The temple printed it up, laminated it and one of the Elders seemed to know how to read and pronounce it.  The girl was just beaming, her own native language!  After our session at the temple at 7:30 we drove over to Keokuk and purchased a new tire for the bike. 

Sunday after church, we drove to the old Nauvoo cemetery, dad took some pictures. Groberg’s stopped over and saw BYU tv on and asked dad to come make theirs work. He did and showed them how to do it. So that was fun. At 5:00, we went to Palmer’s apartment and broke the fast with them and two other senior missionary couples, everyone brought something. We stayed and visited until 8:00 pm. 

The weather here is perfect. We love you all. Btw, Brother Palmer served in the Philippines when he was an Elder.  That was fun for us to hear about. ❤️. 

Our sort of regular schedule

Tuesday we get up at 5 am so we can be at tHe temple at 5:50; we get our temple clothes on and report to our meeting at 6:20 on the third floor after we pick up our schedule for the day. Mostly we are rotated every 30 minutes. We work until 11:30. Then we may have a meeting after. When we get home we have lunch, take a nap( do dishes) and go for a bike ride. We are up to 5 miles now. Read scriptures I’d we didn’t get it done and relax. I make some kind of snack for evening and we go to bed.

Wednesday is almost the same but start is an hour later 7:00-12:15. This last Wednesday we biked to the sewing room and they offered to hem my temple dress and make a scarf out of the hem, which I will try to use for my neck and see if that works to ward off the air conditioning. Our neighbors, the Groberg’s, he is a documentary film maker, they know Raymond from the old stake.  They lent us his film on the Nauvoo Temple, “Sacred Stone”. It was really greatly inspirational.

Same schedule on Thursday except I left my recommend in the temple so I had to wait to get permission to go in and I forgot another dress since I had taken my other one to be hemmed, so I had to borrow one from the temple.  So you see what being upset set me up for for the next day.  

Thursday same schedule

Friday I made sourdough bread and it turned out perfectly. So I took some to the neighbors, Groberg’s and some to the counselor in the temple presidency. 

Our schedule on Friday is 2pm-7:15 pm (our schedule said) but after we got to the temple we found out that the second and fourth Fridays are two hours later because the wards and stakes have an extra endowment session for their conferences.  Before we went to the temple we had our bike We finish at the temple after 9pm.  But I had a wonderful day. A girl just came up to me in the celestial room and gave me a hug and made friends. Later the next day she was looking for me because she forgot my name and wanted it in her journal. Wasn’t that so nice!

Saturday schedule was 12:15-5:00pm. Dad had a neat experience in the sealing room.  He was asked to help there in a session and the patrons were Joseph Smoths third great grandson. That was really neat. 

We rode our bike and went to a restaurant that opened the day before on Main STREET. IT WAS HAMBURGERS AND HOT DOGS. funny. We went to Groberg’s with the other two couples that live in our building, the Wilkerson’s (he had a PHD and couldn’t get a job except teaching high school). , the other couple are Whittier’s from California.  He started with his dads company and it was going out so he was clever and made a new company out of it. We visited and played a game “ Buzz Word”. It was a lot of fun

Sunday we went to church in the ward we’ve been assigned 9 am in Nauvoo.  It was Aprils birthday and we were invited to Groberg’s for dinner (roast beef, potatoes, carrots, peas, gravy, rolls.  😊. I know you were waiting for the food😊. And I took dessert:  lime truffle pie.  It turned out yummy👍. Between church and dinner, we drove to Carthage and went to the jail and enjoyed our time there visiting the sight of the martyrdom.  It was a precious week.  I’m very grateful to have my own picked companion of 54 years almost. Since were the longest married in the family, I’ll say that it gets better.  Hold on during those times that feel difficult—this shall pass away.  A covenant relationship is the true plan of happiness. We’re all becoming, not arriving.  We love you all, Mom, Grandma

MTC-Second Week

The Book of Mormon records much contention, jealousy in one family.  But the father continues to exhort them to righteousness.  Be of good cheer no matter what part you play in a family.  Be believing and trust God.  “Frankly forgive”. Look for God’s hand as trials change my nature.  

I love this by Dallin Oaks:  “any philosophy or organization that opposes belief in God brings captivity of false ideas.”  Ensign March 2015. The Lord prepared us a liahona—the Book of Mormon.  If we feast on it and follow Christ, He will lead us to the Promised Land.  His word helps us face challenges and teaches us how.  Liken the scriptures to me.  

So wonderful how we can look at each story we read about the Savior and we can discover His character.  

Sunday Ray and I went and spent the day with my mother and her husband at Courtyard at Jamestown.  We went to fast and testimony meeting with them and Sunday School, had lunch with them.  Some of the nicest people live there.  We really enjoyed our time with them.  Monday morning at 8 am found us in class learning IMOS, the computer program the missionaries use.  I am really good at touching the buttons the teacher tells me to touch.  I would like to take one of the teachers with me!  Monday night we attend fhe again and listened to Elder Bednar.  I would like to listen to it at least 4 more times.  

Tuesday was more office programs:  Lettters to family of arriving missionaries, ...

At night it was a fireside with Elder and Sister Bassett for all the missionaries.  I was responsible in our district during the day for the spiritual thought.  Of course, I told what was still on my mind:  the story of Lucy Mack Smith’s brother, Daniel, who has admonished his friends not to go swimming in a river they were by and other fellows were there too.  But one fellow said, I’m going anyway and he jumped in followed by 2 others.  All were doomed for a watery grave as they got caught on undergrowth.  Daniel asked the rest of the group if any of them would dive in to save them at the peril of their own lives.  No one spoke.  Daniel dived in and pulled each one out, one at a time and told the others to roll them over barrels to get the water out of them.  As they recovered, they told Daniel they would always remember him, that they wanted to always live by him.  Though the spurned his counsel, he still went in after them.  

So much like us.  Sometimes I don’t recognize the Lord;s counsel; but He jumps in and saves me anyway.  I learn good from evil from my experiences in life.  And hopefully I love the good and seek His counsel as I develop and turn from the natural man.  

Wednesday was more office programs:  entering baptism records, how to split the screen, making the President’s message, transfers...  Yes, I’m over my head and my brain has turned to mush but with God nothing is impossible.  

Thursday there was training for the finances, the vehicles, ...wow!  The vastness of the mission and the Lords church!  We received a thought today by Ezra Taft Benson: 

 “When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in the moment God will endow us with power.” 

Friday we returned to Bountiful to wash and repack.  Tomorrow the Lord’s WORK.  Aloha!

Farewell -- First Week MTC Provo

This has been an amazing week.
On Monday, it was expressed, “With one touch of the  finger, we can bring heaven or hell into our life.  Speaking of our devices.  When we think of the Character of Christ, He turns “out” in compassion—not “inward”.  He is not self-absorbed, selfish, self-centered.  In Matthew 4 as we read of the temptations, it was pointed out that in all the temptations, it was about “if” you are the Son of God, “if” is the key of pride, self-centeredness.  What a glorious gospel to be centered on the atonement, change, conversion—being consistent in living what we know. The opportunity to turn away from self (what I want, like the Cookie Monster “I want cookie”) to turning back to God.
Tuesday We spent more time looking out:  What are we doing each day to become more converted to Jesus Christ:  How can we serve?    How do you know if it’s the Holy Ghost or just me? Elder Bednar said: “  Quit worrying about it! “. 
Elder Bednar told a story about a time when Elder and Sister Packer came as visiting authorities to Elder Bednar’s mission as a young missionary.  Elder Bednar was working in the office and so it was his opportunity to pick the Packers up and send them on their way to their destination.  As Elder Bednar put them on the train, he thought they might get hungry so he gave them 20 marcs because he knew that was the only exchange that would be useable. 
Well, as the Packers were on the train, the Germans came to check on their passports and his wife’s passport was one that had a three year extension on it.  They were not recognizing the passports with extensions.  They were going to throw her off the train at the next stop.  Elder Packer reached into his pocket and pulled out those 20 marks and  put them in their passports.  She was able to stay on the train.  Elder Bednar said, “Was
 that the Holy Ghost or just him that put those 20 marks in Elder Packer’s hands”?  Quit worrying about it.  Just move on those impressions without trying to figure out if it’s the Holy Ghost or you. 
Wednesday we learned some basic teaching skills.  Help \ Invitation \ Promise\ Doctrine
We discovered the meaning of being a true disciple:  student, learner, example. Our purpose in life is to become like Him, to be one with the Godhead.  Oct 2012 Conference Daniel L. Johnson spoke on “Becoming a True Disciple”.  Jeffrey Orlando said in an mtc devotional, “Remember this truth, everything in the conversion process must happen to you before it can happen to them—-everything.”  So important to remember as we raise families, influence friends...  Each of us must be converted first before we can extend our influence on others.
 When we went to another building to see some murals, I was holding the door with Sister Bartschi and her husband tripped and fell on his hip.  They were in our district; he was our district leader.  Ray and Elder Noel went and administered to him at the hospital.  They were assigned to the Salt Lake City Mission.  We’re down to two couples now.
Thursday’s theme for me was communication.  What?  I’m a good communicator!  Well, I’m a good talker and easily sidetracked. I don’t know if I’ll learn this one lesson:  LIsteN!
Do NOT think of my own experiences.  ASK questions:  Why?  How do you feel about that?  Tell me more...  Have a clear purpose.  Avoid prying questions???!!!  What.
More important than speaking is listening.  Once I heard a statement that went like this, “God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth for a purpose.  Listen twice as much as we talk.
We watched a video of the blind man since birth and his healing.  There were some interesting observations for me—-the blind man went and did what the Lord told him to do and then he could see.  Another wonderful day.  Our district is now just us.  The Noel left tonight to begin their travel for their mission.  They are driving to see family first and then they are called to Tempe Arizona Mission Addiction and Recovery.  This is their second mission.  Previously they served in New Zealand Addiction and Recovery.  They are amazing people.  What insight and and deep understanding they have.
Today we saw the mural of The Sons of Mosiah. 
Friday.    Who do I want to be when I return from this mission?  I want to be more Christlike.  I want to be better at listening to others and through the Spirit, engage others to feel heart to heart experiences with the Spirit.  We love you!  Aloha!
~Teresa, Mom, Grandma

Leaving the Philippines, Coming home, Saturday March 5, 2016

Saturday we arose 3:00 am, left at 3:30 to pick up the AP's, Elder Smith and Elder Dorman to drive us to the airport in the vehicle we have used for 18 months.  We were early to the airport and had to wait for it to open about 30 minutes.  We made it through security and then we received a phone text asking where we were from Sister Cozzens, Cordero, and Arquiola.  They had gotten out of bed and come all that way (30 minute drive) to say goodbye.  They are such fun ladies.  Anyway, Security brought them all the way through!  It was fun.  6:20 flew to Manila--landed at 7:15, church transportation picked us up half an hour later and while we waited, I called Elder Gomez's parents to say hi and what a fine missionary their son is.  They invited us to dinner but we were too scheduled.  It just took a half hour to get to Quezon City.  Jan Jones and Diana picked us up at the office building where we were able to store most of our luggage until Monday.  We went to their apartment and then to Italiana for lunch and after to the fish spa.  The spa only had small fish, it was not as nice as the one in Iloilo and it was more expensive:  Quezon City P400/Iloilo P180 for 30 minutes.  The little fish only do not do as good a job as little, bigger, big.  Fasting begins.  7:00 we went to the Microtel Hotel.
Sunday Jan and Diana picked us up again for church at 8:00--fast and testimony meeting.  Few were going to the podium--Ray went up and bore his testimony.  Then it picked up and people began one after another giving their testimonies.  We enjoyed all the meetings.  Afterwards Jan and Diana prepared a yummy dinner; but before we sat down, there was a knock at the door.  Jan told me to answer it.  Surprise!  It was our batch mates from the MTC, the Lemmons!  What a fun surprise.  They had dinner with us.  They fly out tomorrow but they are touring Japan before they go home.  After dinner we went to a fireside "Travel back in Time" at the Buendia Chapel about an hours drive from Jan's apartment--6-8:30.  It was long but very interesting as some of the first members in the Philippines 50 years ago shared their memories, their trials, their joys.  9:30 back to Microtel Hotel.
Monday routine in the hotel.  Jan and Diana picked us up at 9:00 and we went to the American cemetery.  Then we ate at Jollibee, first time. Then toured the Manila temple grounds, the MTC,and the office.  Well, we went to the office of the area presidency.  They were not there . They have Monday off. But Sorilla's were there and they took us to their apartment.  It was a grand reunion with them.  We enjoyed our visit and then they took us around the temple grounds and then back to Jan's office.  The transportation took us back to Manila to the Remington Hotel where we stayed the night after we walked next door to a mall there and ate at Parmigianos and we all shared lasagna, salad, and mars alone pizza.  It was yummy.  So fun to have April with us to experience a bit.
Tuesday morning we caught the shuttle bus to the airport, security, etc, plane took off at 8:45am to Hong Kong, changed planes during 2 hour layover to Los Angeles, California.  Four hour layover in LA gave us time to pick up our luggage, go through customs, ugh. But then it was just a two hour flight home to Salt Lake City where we were met by:  my 95 year old mother and her husband as of September, Harold Giles, an old time friend from Twin Falls, Idaho; and Angela, Darrin, a welcome home balloon, DJ, Hunter, Ty, Jenny and Raymond, Julie, Susan, Tia, Raymond IV, Boyd, Joseph, Samuel, Eve whom we had not met yet since she was born after we were in the Philippines.  Then at the house we were met by Dave, Rachael, Dietrich, Kate and Enoch and a great home dinner of potato soup, tossed salad, Julie's homemade artisan bread, and BYU mint brownies.  Mmm...  We got to visit and hug an hour before we went to the stake center to meet with President Jackson, our stake president at 8:00.  In our release he said, 1-not just our initial family but generations would be blessed because of our faithful service as missionaries 2-bundles of people will be gathered from our efforts 3-our sins are forgiven;  we are home innocent.  It was a blessed release.  While we were gone, Susan Makell made our bed so nice on our own mattresses that Raymond III had brought from our storage.  It was a nice bed to lay down on.
Wednesday break, we went to the condo garage to look for clothes, went to the bank, purchased a phone, ate a perfect burger at 5 Guys!  At night we went to Tia's 8th grade school play "Once Upon a Mattress".  She was regal looking on stage as a lady of the kingdom.
Thursday I was sick all night.  Threw up 6 times, diarrhea more than that--it was awful.  Healthy for 18 months, take off my missionary badge and sick, sick, sick...
Friday as we got up slowly, we drove to Jerome in the truck to watch Talmage and Lillie in "Lion King Jr.".  Talmage was a great mean, devious Scar and Lillie was a cute faithful Nala with a beautiful voice.  It was so fun.  And...we collected hugs from all 10 Perry's.  At the play, we saw President and Sister Olsen, Barbara and Tanner Johns, Francis and Margaret Wilcox, Dan and Nila, Brenda Tolman Hiatt...it was fun to connect with so many friends from our past.
Saturday we returned to Bountiful--Ray drove the truck; I drove for the first time in 18 months.  I don't remember exactly all the exits...  But just a mile before my exit at 500 South, I was pulled over by the police.  He pulled in front and to the side of me with a yellow flasher.  I thought he wanted everyone to slow down, so I did but he put his arm out and waved me forward then he got behind me with his red flashers so I pulled over to the far right and he came to my passenger window and asked me if I knew why he pulled me over and continued to tell me that I was holding up traffic because they couldn't pass me in the double white passenger lane and I should be in the slower lane.  He asked for my license.  I only had a paper temporary from 2012 so he went and checked me out, came back and said he was just giving me a warning but that I should not hold up traffic.  I told him I was in that lane because I was getting off at 500 South and I thought it was coming up soon.  Then he said, oh, I get it.  He told me to get my speed up on the side and move into traffic - the exit was in a mile or so.  Oh...  Dad had stopped for gas so I got home to Raymond's.  Dad came later.  Enough.  To bed.
Sunday 7:50 we reported to the high council.  What a fun time.  We really enjoyed our time with them.  On to Mueller Park 8th Ward 9:00 church.  It felt like home.  Oh how nice it was to see everyone.  We had a wonderful welcome home.  Love, Teresa Robinson, no more Sister

Saturday, February 27-Friday, March 4, 2016

Saturday routine.  In the scripture reading, OT...406. Saul loved the Lord when he was young and thought of himself as the least in the least of the Israelites but after he was king and began take credit for all things instead of recognizing God's hand in everything; he became proud and his heart was discomfited (troubled feelings).  Such sad stories.  It reminds me to be watchful of my own self, to not take glory but to recognize it is God.  Wash.  8:30 off to Arevalo to administer our last English test.  The sisters came, Sister Tabyocyoc took the test and at 10:30 we took them back to their apartment in Jaro.  SM for some fruits.  Apartment 11:45 fixed lunch, cleaned.  Took mail from past missionaries to Quenie and Brakie.  We did get in the house and eventually had a nice visit after we waited 20 minutes plus.  We reminded them to keep reading the Book of Mormon.  After we went to Jalandoni.  5:30 went to McDonald's and brought home a "Big and Tasty" and apple pies.  Just celebrating April's less than twelve hours arrival!
Sunday 5:00 am left for the airport to pick up April.  Returned to the apartment so she could shower after the long flights, ate breakfast, and visited until 7:55 when we loaded up 4 sisters plus 2 elders plus three of us to attend church at Mandurriao.  They had the three of us, yes, April, too, bear our testimonies.  President Insigne was there and commented on how usually parents who are wealthy pick up their children from his/her mission but here was our daughter, April,picking us, the parents up.  That is very special.  It was very fun comments.  He had seen us at the airport but we didn't see him.  President  Insigne was taking his son to the airport to attend BYU-Hawaii.  His son is an rm and has been counting the days to go to BYU-Hawaii.  Anyway, at church we introduced April to everyone we could, took lots of pictures, enjoyed hugs and expressions of love.  Then we went to the apartment for lunch.  Next to San Miguel for group church. A family of four investigators attended today, parents and two daughters.  They are great, should be a golden baptism, then Solvent family.  Brother Tigno spoke.  He has been inactive but returned two months ago and he and his wife plan on being sealed in November in the temple in Cebu.  His wife was in the business class and has a macaroon business.  Samples coming home😋.  We gave Sister Salvacion, Anne, and deacon brother rides home and then April took a rest, we ate popcorn😀.  We have a dinner appointment at Arquiolas at 7:00.  Couples should only go on missions if they really enjoy being loved.😉. We had a wonderful time at dinner and they had all the missionaries in our district there except the zone leaders.  It was a beautiful sit down dinner with a cake that had written on it, "We will miss you, Elder and Sister Robinson"
Monday routine.  Sister Cagape asked us to meet her at her sons' car wash at 9:00 in Pavia as she had some native gifts for us--a whole box.  Then she met us at the Promenade to feed us lunch.  What a good woman she is.  She has treated us like royalty.  She loves to take care of everyone.  With April, we showed her the SM, the Atrium, walked the beautiful Esplanade and went to Smallville 21 for a night of karaoke and food with friends--10:00 apartment.
Tuesday routine, zone meeting:  "Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less."  After zone meeting, we went to Tatoys to eat fish and vegetables and a halo halo,then to Ephrathath Farm.  We walked around the farm then Ray and April took the zip line (I had forgotten to bring along some pants).  So I took pictures.  We drove back before it was late and ate a little.  At 7:30 we went to DitS, Desserts in the Sky:  black and white cheesecake, banana Carmel cheesecake, berry white mousse.  Home 8:30.  Ray is trying to take care of some self reliance stuff for the San Miguel group.
Wednesday routine then to Jalandoni, taxi to wharf, pump boat to Guimaras, picture taking and Cushings picked us up.  They took us to the Family Hills, then to Seafdec (a fish hatchery in the ocean) that we took a boat ride out to and back, then we went to Raymen's to eat and everyone had a mango shake.  Back to the wharf to return in the pump boat, taxi ride to Jalandoni, checked mail and visited with some people, then to Healthy Kitchens where President and Sister Aquino and Jasmine were waiting to treat us to dinner.  It was Vietnamese healthy herb drinks and salad and some pasta.  It was so sweet of them to spend the time with us.  Picked up mini apples pies on the way to the apartment.  8:22
Thursday routine.  Washed eggs.  Stopped by Arevalo 9:00 to visit with President Aquino.  He thanked us for our service and said they will plan to visit us in 2017, September.  Onto San Jose over the mountains.  We showed April the Pinnacle Hotel and saw Sister Leah Pomel and bought a swirl cake from her.  She gave us donuts.  We took the cake and visited President and Sister Villavert.  Her father died on Friday.  We had lunch at Mang Inasal and had a buko shake.  Back home along the shore.  It was all so dry.  El Niño has made the country unrecognizable since we drove here last.  We watched a movie with April after we got home.
Friday routine.  Had the car washed.  Then went to SM for a salad at Iloilo Cafe.  Worked on packing then at 2:00 we headed to pick up Julianna, stake Relief Society secretary and Darlene Casas, president and stake self-reliance specialist and went to Dumangas for a boodle fight in Navas yard with both counsellors and a young man from the Ward.  We gave them all a ride back to the city and went home.  Finished packing and loading up, then Sister Cagape came by with more native souvenirs.  Where to put them?  Then we went to bed.  It's a short night.  An hour later we hear the missionaries and four ladies calling "tugboly".  They brought us four boxes of macaroons to take home as a goodbye.  They are all so good to us.  Pictures then they left and we returned to bed.
Saturday up at 3:30 and to the APs apartment to get them to drive us to the airport.  I had made breakfast the night before so we ate at the airport the delicious egg sandwiches, Guimaras mangos and juice.  Then about 5:00 am we were surprised that Security brought Erlyn, Elady, and Sister Cordero up to say goodbye to us.  These crazy fun friends!  I love these people.  A most painful goodbye Iloilo...  We are so thankful April came to pick us up.  We didn't know how much we needed help with the goodbye process.  She was just who we needed to stay above water.  Love Mom, Grandma, Teresa

Saturday, February 20, 2016-Saturday, April , 2016

Saturday routine.  Ray ironed shirts. 9:00 on our way to the wharf to pick up Boiser for North stake Relief Society meeting at 10 am at LaPaz stake center focusing on self reliance.  Only 19 showed up at the leadership meeting plus us and Boiser.  They fed us a beautiful lunch.  Then we returned Boiser to the wharf.  He gave us a going away gift.  It is handmade wall hanging of a marriage event.  For him, we are all about a marriage that we all want to have...how Elder opens my door...like that.  He and Annie say they want to be like us when they get older.  Home.  Mandurriao Ward primary parents activity at 3:00.  I was assigned to speak to the parents about teaching children 4-11 about reverence.  It was fun, though not many came.  Hurried to adult session of North stake conference 4:30, with visiting authority, Elder Pajaro of the Seventy.  The stake choir is always astig (awesome).  Elder Pajaro called on Ray to tell how multi-generational ancestor members have affected him.  He discovered in college how he had gospel roots.  He was given an assignment in a class to research the family history or his ancestors.  It made him feel that he wasn't an outsider.  After conference we took a picture with Elder and Sister Pajaro.  We were invited for two dinner appointments, so that was fun.  Also, Elder Ramos, a past assistant, surprised us and introduced us to his fiancé.  She was the chorister for stake conference.  They will marry in Manila temple the first week of June.  Home 8:00 pm.
Sunday 8:00 Mandurriao Ward with 6 missionaries;  my name was mentioned in both talks but I don't know what was said.  It was embarrassing to have so many references.  9:30 rushed to LaPaz for Sunday session North stake:  President and Sister Pajaro with the new Cebu temple president and Sister Perez.  One of the best stake conferences.  After conference Sister Cagape invited the Pajaros, the Perez's, the Aquino's and us for a very nice dinner.  We got back to the apartment at 3:45.  What a delightful day!
Monday routine.  Washed clothes.  Brought the sisters with us to Arevalo for Sister Averion to take the English test.  It was different than our tests in the past. We gave them a ride to Robinson's Mall then to Jalandoni for us.  1:30 home for lunch, brought in the dry clothes, rested.  Filled the truck up with gas, washed the truck, shopped a bit, picked up some liquid vitamins for me, apartment, gave Ray a hair cut, Ray ironed shirts.
Tuesday routine.  District meeting. After we all went to Mang Inasal to eat.  Elder Bowen, our district leader from Salt Lake City, surprised us with a halo halo for Ray and I as a farewell sentiment.  Oh, he is so nice.  After, Ray and I went to Jalandoni.  Then at 6:00 to LaPaz where we were invited to dinner at President and Sister Tigulos.  Delicious.  Healthy.  She makes the best drinks.  They would be our best friends.  Home 9:00.
Wednesday  routine.  7:30  Arevalo all sisters conference.  Amos 3:3. "Can two walk together except they be agreed?"  Mosiah 18:21  UNITY: 1-obedience 2-inclusive 3-service.  After sisters conference at 3:00, we went straight to Jalandoni to teach our last Institute class "Serving one another".  Since it was our last, we wanted to play charades and pictionary with the lesson.  I think they enjoyed it.  At the end of class, President Insigne brought a treat for everyone:  a boiled white flour ball with meat sauce inside, siopao.  Quotes from lesson, "...sometimes we look for opportunities to serve others when those who have the greatest needs are within the walls of our own home."  Elder Ballard "To those of you who have served full time missions, please remember that you were released from your missions but not from the church...we expect you to look and act like one of His disciples.  Look the part.  Act the part.  Don't follow worldly trends and fashions...  The rules for happiness and success after your mission are pretty much the same as they were during your mission:  pray hard (study Christ's attributes), work hard (serve), and be obedient ( read the scriptures daily).  Marion G. Romney:  "...service is not something we endure on this earth so we can earn the right to live in the celestial kingdom.  Service is the very fiber of which an exalted life in the celestial kingdom is made.  Oh, the glorious day when (service) all come naturally because of the purity of our hearts."  In that day we will not need a commandment or a calling.  We will have experienced for ourselves the joy of unselfish, unassigned service.  For now we practice, like babies learning to walk, to talk, to eat.  Some take to it faster and easier but as we make it our lives, we will become as God is.  President Gordon B Hinckley:  "It is our responsibility divinely laid upon each of us to bear one another's burdens, to strengthen one another, to encourage one another, to lift one another, to look for the good in one another, and to emphasize that good."  What a great time in life it is when we have our children at home, when we can notice and express all the good we see in them.  It is so convenient then to teach, to share, to love.  And children can do so much for their parents at that time because they can notice and express appreciation for the food prepared and provided, the clean clothes, the house they live in, the rides they are given, the opportunities provided them for developing their skills, their talents, their habits, the blessing of family scriptures and family prayers.  As we develop in different areas, we have more to share and to develop each other.  Some of us get tall fast, some grow slower-- and the blessing is "pulling together", helping, lifting, encouraging one another--kind words, helping hands, looking outside ourselves.  Oh, I wish I had had the missionary experience sooner.  Henry B Eyring:  "Obedience always includes service to others.  Service in God's work allows us to feel a part of what He feels..."  Certainly parenting is 24/7 service.  This question was for me:  "Do I share some of my free productive time with my children..."  Service opens windows in your life instead of just mirrors that always just reflect yourself."  Conference '89. Elder Backman:  "This is your world, a beautiful world with unlimited opportunities to grow, to learn, to serve.  Make it a better world through your preparations now and the noble service you render as a token of the love you have for Heavenly Father and His Son."  I loved this lesson.  I can't go back but I'm determined to serve my family better from now on.
Thursday routine.  Plan. Prepare. Wash. Purchase water.  SM-pay phone bill. Sony (from Guimaras district presidency) was there and he helped us communicate for ending our phone service.  Now we know we have to go in to end it on Friday, March 4 or try to do it in Manila on Monday, March 7.  It was nice to have his help.  We also got some pesos, then went to Jalandoni, only to find that it is a holiday again, People Power.  We went to the Atrium for four grocery items.  Home for late lunch.  Took a rest.  Writing journals and history of our mission experience.  Walked the Esplanade.  Home 6:15.  Read. Worked on details, garments for Analisa, bookmarks, etc.
Friday routine.  Wash.  Found out a baptism of a family was cancelled--hoping it will go forward next Friday before we leave.  Everyone was so sad.  Paid power and water bill with Sorilla's.  Then to Jalandoni.  Working on arrangements for a taxi to Queson City from the airport.
Received our new missionary yearbook today!  Yea!  Baptism is back on.  President Aquino interviewed Brother Solimon and the family was baptized around 6:30.  He, his wife and twelve year old son.  Both elders baptized.  It was one of the best baptisms.  Elder Solimon just hugged Elder Crighton after the ordinance, buried his head and cried.  It was so touching.  They each bore testimony at the end.  It was great!  He has a big construction job as a boss man.  9:00 we are home after taking the San Miguel group and the elders from there back to San Miguel.
Love, Sister Robinson

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.

picture

Cut off parts of my missionary clothes made into a rug by this Sister in Arevalo who took the My Path, Foundations and SGMB. This is her business.

Friday, February 5- Saturday, February 13

Friday-- to finish last week:  we gassed up for our road trip and purchased water and made a sack lunch for our trip.
Saturday no time for routine-- sit-ups only.  Picked up Boiser at 7:20 (roadblocks around town) probably a race of some kind, often happens on Saturdays.  10:00 we arrived in Antique and had a meeting there, mostly in their dialect so ...it was about organic farming.  It was our last meeting with them before we go home so they asked us to speak at the end.  We do love these people.  Grace Villavert came to see us.  We talked about her boyfriends and marriage etc.  After the meeting, I requested that we go see Sister Villavert, the district president's wife.  She is still not well.  I gave her a foot and head and shoulder massage.  It felt good she said and then we went on our way to Kalibo, where we will stay the night.  The road was beautiful but windy and mostly coastline.  3 1/2 hours and unfortunately, we had our first casualty--we hit a dog hard and ran over it with front and back tires.  We couldn't swerve.  There were people on both sides and we couldn't brake because we had someone behind us.  I'm sure the dog died soon.  It was sad but we just had to keep moving with traffic.  We arrived at the Marzon Hotel, rested a bit then went to get something to eat.  I had a salad and Ray had fish and chips.  His was okay. We shared both.  It always tastes good to get a real salad.  Not much here.  They don't eat rabbit food (lettuce).
Sunday we started our fast at night so we didn't have breakfast at the hotel.  We are fasting and praying as a family that the Lord will provide a buyer for Allred's house in Hailey, Idaho. It is quite a financial burden as they have taken a cut in pay to move to Preston.  8:00 Boiser checked us out of the hotel where we saw President Aquino.  We visited for a bit and then we went to the stake center as they are having stake conference then we decided to hurry onto Roxas and catch church there.  Roxas leaders contacted Boiser about 9:00 and wondered where we were.  They were waiting for us.  Somehow he had not taken care of the details.  And Saturday night Boiser's wife called him with a fever and she is expecting a baby and is in the early stages so he was worried and anxious to get home.  We arrived in Roxas about 10:50 and sacrament meeting was over and the stake president, President Olivera and Nestor, the stake specialist and Ward and branch specialists and facilitators were waiting for us.  Boiser went over the reporting process on the iPads with the overhead projector so we hope everyone figured it out.  How to register and how to report. They asked us to speak also so we did and some of them were wiping tears.  We will probably never see these people again.  I love these people.  It felt good to be with them.They all have amazing stories. 1:00 headed home.  There was another church at 1:30 but Boiser was anxious to get on the boat so.....we missed church all together.  It was soooooo....disappointing.  3:30 we left Boiser at the wharf to head home, no churches here at that time so we went home and listened to the last Conference, Saturday morning session.  At least we were blessed to fast.  Conference was wonderful again.  It struck me at the first and again as we re-listen how well the talks fit together.  One talk about the potters clay and how it must be perfectly centered on the wheel as our lives must be perfectly centered on Jesus Christ and then the next talk was a poem about the Lord being the potter and me being the clay.  And in our scripture reading, we are reading about how we must love only God, keep his commandments and statutes and serve Him and He will bless us, multiply us.  I just want to be fit for entrance into His kingdom, surrounded by all my family and in laws families.  I have been so blessed by the hand of the Lord--"As I gather my children around me, each one I fondly embrace.  Each a gift from my Maker--God has such wonderful taste."  Each has married companions that we love and their families have become our best friends.  And now the Lord has blessed them with increase.  When I read on fb(Facebook) Aunt Ranae and Rachael were counting how many in our family and they came up with 49.  I thought it was wrong but I used a calculator and came up with 49.  How we have prospered in the land.  I'm so thankful for the abundance in my life and the many tender mercies of our Heavenly Father on a daily basis.  The details...how grateful I am for the blessing to serve a mission in the Philippines.  It couldn't have been any better.  Just what, when, where, and who....a perfect fit for us.  I want to go and do whatever He wants for eternity.  He always blesses me and knows what I need.
Monday routine.  Wash machine doesn't work so...  We picked up Sister Crisanto and took her to Arevalo at 8:30.  She goes home along with eight others, only four will be coming in.  We worked a while in Arevalo and then went to Atrium and picked up Cushings to just hang out for the day.  We ate at the MOOON and looked at the Chinese New Year stuff and visited and visited.  We also had churros and chocolate--no comparison to Spain but they were satisfying.  We visited at our apartment and then took them to the wharf around 3:30.   We stopped at Jalandoni to give some things to President Insigne for the departing missionaries from our stake who needed some things and also to prepare some things for the career workshop tomorrow.  We are dragging a little after our road trip on the weekend.
Tuesday 7:30 after routine, we headed to Jalandoni for career workshop with 9 outgoing missionaries--all were zone leaders and all we knew well.  I'm a little down about it.  I feel sad to see them all gone from us:  Elder Fongavai (American Samoa),  Elder Kei (New Zealand/Tongan), Elder Stewart(Canadian), Elder Watkins(silver lining- he is from Malad😃), Elder LaFaele(New Zealand), Elder Swan (N SLC), Sister Crisanto from our Mandurio District, Elder Latchumanan from Malaysia.  These were all outstanding missionaries.  Nice that some are close to home and some are promising to get on BYU teams and will keep in touch.  So...this is our last workshop with going home missionaries.  It went well and we hope they are better prepared to job interview and to continue in the mission pattern:  daily scriptures and prayers and service and study.  The pattern for success.  Car wash and lunch.  Did some wash.  Ray is hand pouring the water in because when the water gets low in the tank, black stuff plugs up the machine.  He cleaned it out yesterday but it is plugged again.  The sensor on the water is not working and it is difficult and dangerous to climb on the roof, especially in the dark.  When the sensor doesn't work, the water tank doesn't fill until it is out of water.  Then the black stuff comes along with sediment.  Back to Jalandoni, visited with Kyle Sorilla there and Ivan Lim.  Then at 5:30 we took a walk on the beautiful Esplanade--it was very romantic in the evening with the lights on and the breeze blowing.  Oh, last night it was 73 degrees.  Ray was cool and turned off the fan.  Today at lunch there was a brownout.  I don't know how long it lasted because we went to the Center but it was on when we came home.
Wednesday no time for routine 7:00 bad traffic; took an hour  to get Boiser from the wharf 8:15 ate breakfast with Boiser at McDonald's on our way to Diversion 21 where we picked up Butch and Ether and Mike soon-to-be Callado.  They will marry in Cebu Temple March 2.  The couple are the filming crew.  We went to Tiolas to film President Sedano's piggery.  Before SGMB class, he had two sows and a boar.  Now he has seven sows and a boar.  He continues to grow his business and learn things on the way.  When we returned back to Iloilo around 2:00 we went to eat at Tatoys:  fish and halo halo mmmmm... At 5:00 we walked the Esplanade.
Thursday routine.  Fast.  We had to be at Jalandoni to open the Center for a Job Fair in our office 8-4.  Paul Agua, a member is the guy running the job fair for RC. cola who is starting up a new plant here in Iloilo.   We are sitting on the couches in the Institute part of the building.  This is a holiday in Iloilo so no classes today or anything.  But people keep coming in to hang out.  We visited with Pomello from Antique who came for the job fair and Roland from Mandurriao and Jason from Mandurriao who was here to be set apart before he went to the airport for his mission.  We went to his Called to Serve last week.  We went home for lunch so we could be back at 2:00 when Butch needed to leave.  We purchased water on our way back to the Center.  Home by 4:00 after we gave Roland and Alfie a ride.  They live by us.  We watched Meet The Mormons and ate apple crisp, in a manner of speaking.
Friday routine.  Fixed wash machine again.  Then we went and had the passenger back tire vulcanized again.  10:00 we went to the Center.  Cushings came and we visited and went to SM, Irish Potatoes for lunch and churros and chocolate for dessert.  Great day.  Then we went to the Atrium and parked, walked three long blocks and sat on the curb to watch the Chinese Monkey New Year parade.  We were glad we went because we saw Brakie, our inactive convert in the parade.  We also saw a sister from Dumangas who was so happy to see us.  She is a young widow of just one year.  Also an American Texan was happy to see us and another member of the Church, Americano living in China and just visiting here for three weeks met us again.  After the parade 5:00 we walked back to the Atrium and shopped.  We are not buying much these days as our time is short--3 weeks from Saturday we will go to Manila. 5:50 arrived at the apartment.