Out of Exile!

Maayong Gabii ang Tanan Pamilya ug Amigo's

Well we are out of exile and up and running again.  There is much to do and little time to do it in.

So after moving back home to Sagbayan last week we hit the ground running with transfers this week.  All the foreign missionaries were moved of the Island of Bohol with the exception of the senior couples.  We feel very safe now and still heed the precautions the security representatives for the church have given us. It's always a busy day during transfers and especially this one.

Normal transfer day with our Sister in Tagbilaran

The Elders in Tagbilaran and Elder Wilson, our US Zone Leader, we will miss him.

Sister Haskell transferring, we will miss her also.

So yesterday we had a long fantastic parade in the street in front of our house.  Every year in the month of May there is many Fiesta's (parties) and much celebration.  It just happens that we live next to the school in Sagbayan where all celebrations start.

A colorful part of the Parade

Well tomorrow is my birthday and the members knew we would be away from Sagbayan tomorrow so they planned a little surprise FHE sa akong balay (at our house). So about 1 1/2 hours ago I received a text from John Mark to come to the front door.  As I opened the the door a lot of members from the Branch were standing in the rain singing a Filipino Happy Birthday song. Many had walked for miles to attend and it was very special. So after going around the room and hearing from each and ever one of them it was one of the happiest crying moments I have experienced in my life. One miracle I realized is that as they all spoke in Bisayan I could understand every word they said to me. They are so gracious  and thankful for everything.  For people who have so little worldly possessions, yet they are truly rich with the things that really count in life. Needless to say there were many tears of joy shed by all and I really loved it. (It was kind of like a eulogy because they all know our departure is creeping ever so close and they are as sad as we are at the thought of being torn apart.)

Many choice members form Sagbayan Branch

Well we have many other great stories this week and will defer to my better half for them.

We are truly blessed to have meet so many special missionaries and members while serving on the Island of Bohol.  They are all as beautiful as the Island they live on.

May the Lord Bless all of you with the righteous desires of your hearts.

Elder Bell (Tatay, LoLo & Amigo) 

Ayo Family and Friends!

Can I just say we are so happy to not be on the run anymore!  It is nice to be back in Sagbayan that is for certain!  While we were gone our little branch did some amazing things.  The youth all worked hard at getting all of our new members and investigators visited.

Jamaica, Angel, Cathlene (all 13 years old)

See these three amazing young women?  Wednesday they stopped by the house in the evening.  They had been out teaching all day some of our people.  So I asked them who they had visited and they named off 8 people!  Then I asked them if they taught lessons to all of them and they said yes!  Then I asked them what lesson they taught.  Jamaica whips out her gospel essentials manual and opened the front cover where she had recorded all the people and lessons.  They had taught a different lesson to each person based on what that person needed.  They taught a lesson on the word of wisdom, fasting, families can be together forever and they even taught several young men about the priesthood!  When all was said and done….Jamaica had taught all of the lessons and the other girls testified about what she taught.  (Sister Cook…you did well teaching this young lady!)  This was just one of the stories…it turns out all of the youth had been working the week we were gone at keeping the missionary work progressing.  What amazing young people!  I would say this branch is in good hands upon our departure!

We had the chance to attend the district youth temple trip with three of our own Sagbayan youth and about 17 others from the Calape District on Thursday and Friday.  

Ronel, Justin, Jecelle

These three were able to attend the temple trip.  The entire district can only take a total of 20 youth and so each branch is only able to send 3 kids.  These three were not members when we took our other kids a few months ago and so they were happy to be able to attend.  All three jumped up first thing today in testimony meeting to share their experiences with the branch.  It is so amazing what these trips do for our branch.  The spiritual strength can nearly be measured upon the return.  Justin, in the middle, is so shy he can hardly speak to us face to face but he could not contain himself today and stood at the microphone and boldly declared his testimony of the temple and many other things.  The gospel changes people in mighty ways almost instantly!

We came home from Cebu on Friday so that we could hold our 'missionary prep' class on Saturday morning.  My idea for this class was to keep the kids spiritually focused during the Summer break from Seminary.  So we spend the first part of the class in study groups working on Personal Progress and Duty to God requirements.  The last half of the class I taught them how to iron a shirt, sew on a button, hem a skirt, and repair a ripped seam….all useful talents when one is a missionary.

Mission prep….sewing a button

More mission prep

None of these kids had ever done any of these tasks before.  Some of them were amazingly good at sewing…even the boys!  They will thank me someday!

Well, I will close for now but I just want to say….it is going to be really hard to leave these people.  They have filled up my heart and taught me so much of love and devotion.  I love these wonderful saints.  They are humble and faithful people who serve with dedication and love without reserve.  I am so blessed to have traveled the same path as they for these last two years.

Love you forever,

Sister Bell (Mamala to all)