What if?

Maayo Gabii kaninyong tanan!

Another week in paradise filled with work, fun and always new adventures with those we love.

Well now I am not the Branch President any more so we were able to find the time to go out with the Elders teaching.  It is great to have Sister Bell by my side as she brings a dynamic to the meetings with the people that the Elders like to have. We get to walk the trails in the dark and testify to the message they bring.

As we teach Sister Verona she always has tears in her eyes as she hears the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. She has a baptismal date set for June 17, 2017.  She is a regular attender at church and has been for awhile now. She will be a great addition to the Sagbayan Branch.

Elder Acedilla & Elder Ramos two of our diligent missionaries in Sagbayan

We also attended a FHE this week with the Tampon Family.  It was Sister Tampon's birthday and it was great to meet with such humble people who have so few worldly possession but are so rich in Spirit.  They are just new members but it seems like we have know them forever and maybe we really have.

I lost the 'speedy tie' game (or I was set up to lose) and had to do a talent.

So I choose the good old stand by of Little Bunny FuFu.

The Tampon Family and the Missionaries.

WHAT A GREAT TIME

This afternoon we attended a tradition that we did not know existed.  A formal engagement of a couple to be married. So the couple is allowed to find their own mate as we do in America but the families meet together and the Tatay's decide the marriage arrangement and agree of the timing of the wedding. They try to help the couple get off on the right foot from the start and try the help them plan for future work, support and everything else that goes into a successful marriage.  The young couple are very supportive of the efforts of the parents.

The couple getting married is Mel Jun (Sagbayan Branch Clerk) and Sister Iris Rabina (returned missionary and District Young Women's President).  They are a great couple and will be married in the Temple in October.

Tatay's planning the timing of the marriage.

Bright young couple planning their future together with their family

Well, I am not even half way done so I am going turn this over to Sister Bell (my better half).

As I ride a bike in the mornings for exersize through the coconut groves on Bohol, I realize that I will not always be able to do this. This is such a beautiful land filled with such beautiful people.  We are now and will always cherish the days we lived on Bohol serving the Lord.

May the Lord bless each and every one of you with the righteous desires of your heart.

Elder Bell (Taaty, LoLo & Amigo)  

Ayo Pamilya ug mga Amigo,

Komusta mo? (How are you?) We had a really busy week (as usual) and it was filled with many events and activities….not the least of which was our zone conference.  We always love to be in the presence of our President and Sister Maughan.  They have a grueling schedule as they now must hold zone conferences every six weeks and interview all the missionaries in the mission every six weeks.  I don't envy their schedule.  They live on the run and on the road rarely having time in their own home.  But we so appreciate their happy smiles and wise counsel each time we are with the.  Thank you so much for your dedicated service to us and to our mission!

As Elder Bell said we had a couple of Family Home Evenings to attend this week and I want to share the funny game that we participated in.  It is called 'What if'.  Each person in the group writes a 'what if' statement on a paper.  The papers are then passed a certain number of times around the circle and the 'what if' question is answered by the person who now has the paper.  Then someone starts the game by reading the 'what if 'question but not the answer.  The person next to them reads the answer on their paper and so as you can imagine the game gets hilarious as the answers don't always match the question.  So here was the funny one…."What if Elder and Sister Bell could stay in Sagbayan forever?" The answer on the next paper was, "Then God would shout of joy!"  The room erupted in applause, viewing it as divine direction for Elder and Sister Bell.  We get reminded daily of our looming departure date with sad embraces and faces.  We don't want to think about it yet!

We had the great opportunity to attend this great concert last Tuesday….

Can you read that?   Brigham Young University Chamber Orchestra!

Shamrell's joined us at the concert

With these great people….Sister and Elder Shamrell.  We really enjoyed a little piece of Utah right here in our own back yard!  One of the musicians had actually served in Calape District just before we became Cebu East Mission and were still part of the Cebu Mission.  He actually had interviewed the Racoma family (our new branch president's family) for baptism in 2012!  He was very excited to hear about the growth in Sagbayan because when he was here the Racoma's were the only members in the entire town!

We had our last 'Mission Prep' class with the seminary students Saturday.  We talked about budgeting and how hard it is to step in to the real world and have to pay for all the things your parents have always paid for.  We also encouraged them to begin now saving for their missions and gave them all a bamboo bank and a little bit of change to start the savings…..(Dewey, remember all of the money of Grampa's that you counted?  Well now it is in the bamboo banks of the Sagbayan Youth!)

The adorable Jamaica Jandayan and her bamboo bank!

This little guy greeting us when we came home the other night.  He was sitting on our gate…...

And this guy greeted us the next night…..

It has been really rainy this dry season.  It has rained nearly every day this week and so it brings the frogs out in force!

In closing, I just want to share a moment I had this week….We were sitting in on a discussion with the Elders as they taught about the plan of salvation to Sister Verona.  As they read the scripture from 1 Corinthians 15:54, my heart felt like it might burst.  The last line of the verse is 'Death is swallowed up in victory!'  What joy I felt to be reminded of that most beautiful gift that our Savior has given us.  We need not fear. We need not sorrow.  Because of this great gift we have hope!  Hope of being with our loved ones again someday.  Hope of meeting Him, our great Redeemer face to face one day!  What joy this brings my heart!  What purpose this one great promise gives my life.  I know that my Redeemer lives, that He loves me and that one day I will kneel at his throne.

Love you forever,

Sister Bell (Mamala to all)