Apostle of the Lord and a whole lot more.

Maayong Gabii Pamilya & Amigo's,

Well last week was the first week without a blog since the beginning of our mission.  The main reason why is we were traveling from Bohol to Utah and that put us off schedule. So I am going to recap the last 2 weeks.

So on November 18th Elder Quentin L Cook of the Quorum or the Twelve Apostles visited Cebu and meet will all the missionaries in our mission. It was an inspiring meeting with a living Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.  He bore a special witness of the Savior and talked of how he knew the Savior personally in his life.  It is a strong testimony to hear from a living Apostle.

A rare picture of our entire mission gathered in Cebu

The missionaries from Bohol traveled in the morning to Cebu on the ferry and retired  back to Bohol that night.  Sister Bell went home with the missionaries and I stayed in Cebu overnight for a meeting with all the Branch, District Presidents along with all the Bishops and Stake Presidents on the Islands of Cebu and Bohol.  That was also a very inspiring meeting with Elder Cook.

Then, on Sunday we started our travel home to the USA so I could testify in a trial for a court case that stared in 2009 while I still owned K Bell Plumbing.  It was frivolous lawsuit where attorneys were just chasing insurance money.  To make a long story short the suite was settled out of court 2 days after we returned home and we no longer need to testify.  Well the insurance company bought our plane tickets so we will return to Bohol on Dec. 15.  We were able to visit our family and be home for Thanksgiving.  A great time was had by all.

Sister Bell helping Jason preparing Thanksgiving Dinner

(It was amazing Jason!  Thank you!)

Shannon, Kalea and Ever waiting for dinner to be served

Jason and Alley with our new grandson Zealand

Kelly & Will with Max and Rock

Keri, our sweet daughter

Robin our daughter from Michigan

We had a great Thanksgiving and we will have more family pictures next week when the rest of our family comes into town.

We also were able to attend the welcome home for our dear Sister Ross.  We served twice with her for half of her mission.  She is and was always an amazing missionary.  The 2 stories she spoke of in her talk were concerning miracles she had experienced while on her mission.  We were in the middle of both of them as they happened and between Sister Bell and I their were not any dry eyes.  We were also privileged to see President and Sister Tanner at the farewell and we loved seeing them again.

Elder & Sister Bell, Sister Ross, Sister & President Tanner

Well I will close with my testimony of the great work we are engaged in.  The Lord's work is moving on in the mission field and also at home.  Hearts are being prepared and testimonies are being given to all who will open their heart to receive them.  The Lord truly is in change and this is His work.  My prayer is that we will always be prepared and ready to help or serve in any way we can.  I know the Lord lives today and he loves each and every one of you. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Elder Bell  (Tatay, LoLo, and Amigo)

Sister Bell (gihapon)(also)

My Large Cup Runneth Over

Maayong Buntag Mo!

This has been a very eventful week.  I would say this is what you go on a mission for.  It makes all the trials and hard work worth ever minute of it.  On Tuesday and Wednesday we traveled to Cebu Temple with two sisters from our branch who were planning on taking out their endowments.  We came home for one day and then headed back for a youth temple trip.

Well I am going to let Sister Bell tell you about the first part of the week and I will tell you about the youth temple trip we made on Friday and Saturday to the Cebu Temple.

We started the youth temple trip on friday morning at 6:00 am rounding up all 21 or us to go the temple.  Each of the participants came in for an interview to receive a limited use recommend for the temple.  It was Nindot Kaayo (very great) to talk with all the youth one on one and hear of their great testimonies. About 3/4 of them have been members for less than a year, some only a few weeks and many scattered over the year.  So we traveled to Tubigon in the Multi Cab to get on the ferry.

Ready to get on the Boat.

In arriving at the temple at approx. 11:00 we prepared to a 12:00 to 2:00 session of baptisms for the dead.  Well my councilors were planning on going and at the last minute did not end up going because of work. They informed us at the temple that only endowed members holding the priesthood could perform the baptisms.  That left just me. So I told them I would do all the baptisms if they could get temple workers to assist with other necessary duties.  This not like it is in Utah. The temple workers are very limited so groups are instructed to bring their own priesthood holders.

So I proceed to do 68 baptisms on that session.  We also had a session lined up for 6:00 to 8:00 pm. We preformed 108 baptisms in that session.  It was great to witness all of these youth humbly go down into the waters of baptism for those they could help on the other side.  It just doesn't get better than that.

That afternoon and the next day they spent time in the Family History Library. Elder and Sister Grey assisted them in setting up LDS accounts and start on their family tree.  One of the newest member brought names of her relatives to be baptized for.  She learned how to start the process to make that happen.

Elder Grey with Jamaica Jandayan starting the work for her family

  

Sister Grey with Jaiquin Jandayan

The couple that works in the family history library does a great job and they sure love working with such humble and thankful people they have met in the Cebu Temple.  They are a great blessing to the work of the Lord in Cebu.

A great shot as we are getting ready to depart.

Today in Sacrament meeting Sister Bertoldo spoke as she is leaving the mission field today.  Sister Cook sang a song with some of the members.  I could not hold back the tears as I started thinking about  her and Sister Ross leaving the mission field.  These missionaries hold such a special place on your heart as you serve with them.  As we have found in the past those who will come will also be very special also.

I leave you with my greatest love and feeling from my heart.  My cup runneth over does not describe the fullness of the love we feel from the Lord when we are actively engaged in his work.

Cebu Temple

Kita Kits sa sunod simana (See you next week) for the one of the most beautiful places sa kalibutan (the world).

With Love  Elder Bell (Tatay, LoLo & Amigo)

Ayo Family and Friends!

It was a glorious week!  Nearly the entire week was spent at the Cebu Temple.  As Elder Bell said we were able to take Sister Claudia Enad with her daughters Cathlene (13) and Claudelyn (10) to the temple.  We also took Sister Analie Calunia so that she could take out her own endowments.  It was really so amazing.  Both of these Sisters and the girls have been baptized since we have been here so we have been with them through this entire journey so far.  Claudia's husband was killed in a construction accident 4 years ago and the minute she learned about eternal families she has wanted to go be sealed to him.  I am sure it was a bitter-sweet moment for her.  But, with the eternal perspective of temple sealings, there is great hope in the future.  Cathlene and Claudelyn were also sealed to their parents.  They all looked like angels.  

Cathlene, Claudia, Claudelyn

Claudia, Cathlene, and Claudelyn looking so beautiful!

Sister Claudia had been waiting and dreaming of this beautiful day for a long time and so she decided she would never have the opportunity again to let the girls have such a wonderful day.  She rented wedding gowns for all of them so they could feel like princesses for just one brief moment!  And they really did look like princesses!  It was very special for us just to be a small part of it!

Sister Analie

This is Sister Analie after the endowment session.  We love her so much.  She is married and has one daughter.  She and her daughter are members but we still have to work on her husband because she wants that forever family too.

It was a very special day for me to be able to be escort to both of these sweet women whom I so dearly love.  They are remarkable woman who love the Lord and show their faith by taking these monumental steps to be able to return to live with Him one day!

Another thing that we got accomplished this week is the paperwork finally submitted for Marjonilo to go on a mission.  It is no easy task here in the Peens to get through the medical part of the application.  It has tested my patience more than once and I suppose will do so again.  Nothing about the medical world here is orderly, or efficient.  But, we finally accomplished the task after only an 8 hour day of waiting on doctors last Monday!

And now the waiting begins for Marjonilo Seliote Viodor!

We love this young man!

Sister Morales

While we were getting checked in at the Patron house on Friday, we ran in to this dear old friend, Sister Morales who we served with last year.  She has since gone home from her mission but was in Cebu attending the temple as the Manila Temple is closed for cleaning currently.  What a joy to run in to her and get the best bear hug ever!  We love you Sister Morales!

Well, that was our week in a nut-shell!  It was wonderful and tiring!  If you have not heard yet, we will be in Utah for the next few weeks.  We have to come home for a trial that should have been settled some 8 years ago, but alas, it is a law suit that is just now going to trial.  We may or may not be able to write the weekly blog….it will be boring as we will be in court all day every day, but we will try.  We will not be able to get around to see all of you but if you see us on the streets of Hooper….don't be alarmed, it is really us and we are really still full-time missionaries.  We love you all and ask that you pray for us these next few weeks…that this law suit can be settled and we can return quickly to the work that is so much more important than the silly law-suit!

Love you forever,

Sister Bell (Mamala)

Banana Splits!

Ayo Family and Friends!

We had a great week!  Busy, but great!  We had the great opportunity to have a conference this week with Elder and Sister Haynie.  Elder Haynie is from the Quorum of the 70 and his current assignment is counselor to the Area President here in the Philippines.  The Haynies are truly wonderful people.  They are really down to earth and had the most wonderful teaching conference.  They were touring the entire mission so on Thursday we were able to meet with them and all of the missionaries on Bohol.  The thing I really loved is that they took 40 minutes at the beginning of the meeting and wanted to shake every missionaries hand.  And it was not just a quick little shake-all-the-hands-line.  Elder Haynie took the time to visit with each missionary and find out some personal things about each one of us.  I also loved their messages.  Elder Haynie talked about 'Gathering Scattered Israel' and gave us some very practical, implementable advice on how to go about doing that.  So today is Fast Sunday and we Sagbayan Missionaries had a joint fast and several joint prayers to help us be able to do all of those things we were taught in our efforts to gather Israel right here in Sagbayan.

The reception line…Sister Maughan, President Maughan, Sister Haynie, Elder Haynie

All the missionaries on Bohol for the conference

Well, we were really hoping to get all of our missionaries to do a better job of cleaning their apartments so we threw out the challenge a few weeks ago to all of Bohol….Any zone that got every single apartment in their zone with a perfect score (60/60) when we did apartment checks, would get banana splits!  Man oh man!  These missionaries really, really love a good treat.  So, out of all the apartments on the entire island only 2 apartments did not score a perfect score.  So, then we had the dilemma….do we punish all of the perfect apartments for the lacking of 2 apartments?  This was our solution….we ordered a big batch of 'dirty ice-cream', and bought a whole bunch of bananas and a whole bunch of toppings and we let the errant missionaries scoop ice-cream (for a very long time) for all of their fellow missionaries so as to redeem themselves!  It was the perfect solution!  And they really enjoyed the treat!  And we got a lot of really clean apartments out of the deal.  (Bribery works every time!)

Dirty Ice-cream (Homemade) Banana Splits!

So on our Monday it is P-day and also Halloween back in the USA so we decided to have the 6 Sagbayan missionaries and the zone leaders over for a Halloween dinner at the end of their P-day.  It was a bit last minute so I decided to finally open up the singular but hallowed can of Pumpkin that my sweet sister-in-law, Holly, sent me last year.  And I made for dinner pumpkin-spice pancakes and made the missionaries decorate them like jack-o-lanterns.  We have only 2 Filipino missionaries in Sagbayan but they soon caught on to the whole idea of a jack-o-lantern.

Elder Crowley with his jack-o-lantern

Sisters Cook & Bertoldo with their jack-o-lanterns

It was a holiday week here on Bohol!  Apparently November 1st and 2nd are a holiday, much like our Memorial Day, where everyone honors their dead ancestors and decorate the graves of their loved ones.  And just like our holidays, there are a lot of family gatherings and we were lucky enough to score a dinner invite on Tuesday night.  We have such good members in our branch. They are always taking care of all of the missionaries….which is no small task when you have 8 of them living in your branch!

Today in our fast and testimony meeting, I was just tickled to watch the testimony meeting unfold!  One person finishes speaks and several stand at once to make their way to the front.  One of them makes it to the microphone and the rest have moved a few rows closer.  After that person is finished the whole thing happens again and in this way many people eventually make their way to the microphone and share with us the joy and happiness they have found in becoming members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  It is just a remarkable experience month after month.  It reminds me of the joy I feel in not only my testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel but of the joy I feel serving here in Sagbayan.  It is a joy to be part of God's Army!

I love you my family and friends!  I miss you and pray for you and hope you are finding joy in your journey through this life!  May God bless you all during this election week….I think you are going to need it!

Love you forever,

Sister Bell (Mamala)

Kamusta ang Pamilya Ug mga Amigo!

Well another post for the other side of heaven where the uwan (rain) ug mga panalangin (blessings) anhi kanunay (come continually). This year the rain is more steady each day than it was last year and just more of it.  Its quite muddy at times but we are shielded from it most of the time in our vehicles and the nature of what we do each day.  On the other hand we are more focalized in a branch with a certain group of people that are literally on fire when it come to missionary work.  The Elders and Sister in our area are seriously the best missionaries we could have ever hoped or prayed for and the members are the same.  We feel the Lords' hand in our work daily and the blessing you receive from that are marvelous.

Well, we will start with the baptism on Saturday.  Sister Joenalyn Cansancio was baptized at the Tubigon Chapel.  Her sister was baptized a couple of months ago in the branch and she was very happy to see her sister join the church. 

After listening to Elder Haynie's talk last week we see how the gathering of Israel is happening right in front of our eyes.  He told us that scattered Israel normally hang out around gathered Israel.  We see that every day as we prepare people to go through the Temple many of their family and friends feel the same spirit and see the changes on their lives and they want the blessing of the gospel also.  The missionaries are seeing this vision unfold in front of their eyes.

 Marjonilo with Sister Joenalyn with her sister, Jovelyn, and Sisters Bertoldo & Varias

The Sisters were talking with us tonight between the 2 two sets they have 5 or 6 more baptisms coming over the next month or two.  The Elders are opening a new area and have many coming along also.  Sometimes it takes a couple of months to get the ball rolling.  With the fast we had today and also the dedication of the Elders we expect great things from their area also.

Well on monday we had a youth activity in Tubigon. It was the missionaries P-Day so we joined with them to have great fun in volleyball and basketball. It was great to see them allow all to be involved regardless of the skill level. They just have fun with each other.

Volleyball at youth activity

Basketball at youth activity

So on Wednesday I met with two representatives from Manila that handle the real estate for the whole area in the Philippines.  We were looking for a building site to build a chapel or an existing building that could be used as a chapel with room to grow in the future.

The first week we came to Sagbayan at the beginning of our mission I saw a large house, that was 3/4 of the way built and had been left and not finish, on the main road coming into town.  I remember saying that would make a great chapel for future growth in Sagbayan group.  Now we are part of the Sagbayan Branch I can see that the Lord knew something we did not know at the time about the growth of the church in this area.

I took one representative from Manila by the site a couple of months ago and he contacted the owner and provided us with a set of plans for the house.  So we went through the building and decided it would be sufficient for the present time and also provided space to expand for future growth of the Branch. 

Possibly the new Chapel in Sagbayan

So if everything goes ok with the purchase price of this house and land we could be in the new chapel as early as 4 month if things go well.  That would be great to see this new Branch have a good place to meet before we leave at the end of July.  The Lord truly does direct his work.

Well the last story happened today.  We were planning on visiting one of the members and when we tried to leave our home there was a string of people filing past in front of the gate at the end of our driveway that seemed like would never end. Come to find out that a group from Thailand that was donating 20 kilos of rice to each family in Sagbayan and the center of distribution for the rice was at the school behind our house. These great people from Thailand give each family a sack of rice once every 4 months.  They have been doing this for 3 years since the Earthquake.  Sagbayan was the center of the Earthquake and this is their way of giving their neighbors a hand up.  It is great to see a thing like this in this part of the world.

A charitable act from their neighbors in Thailand

Well its time to close and start another whirlwind week starting on Monday.  We have Temple Sealing trip this week and also a youth Temple trip.  That along with branch business and missionary work we may be able to have a few minutes to catch our breath next Sunday and share it with you.

I love the Lord and I love His work.  His hand truly is gathering Israel at this time in this part of the world.  May we all be worthy to stand at the last day.  I know the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true. God did put forth his hand to restore the Gospel in these latter days and we are grateful to be part of this  restoration that is still taking place as we gather the lost tribes of Israel.

May the Lord bless you with the righteous desires of your heart.

Elder Bell   Kita Kits sa sunod Dommingo (We'll see you next Sunday)