FROM THE TOP OF THE CHOCOLATE HILLS

Komusta Ka (How are You) to all Family and Friends

This has been a spiritual uplifting week.  Many times it feels as though there are countless numbers of angels going before us.  The experiences we have with the Elders and Sisters are a true testimony that the Lord really does support and protect missionaries.  These Elders and Sisters testify with authority and power from God.  Many of them have only been members for 2 years or less and they have the light of the gospel in there eyes.

I will give the story that comes from the top of one of the Chocolate Hills of Bohol.

Elder Foot and Elder Pairat told us they had whole Baranguy (Family Group) of 20 or more they were teaching.  They we walking thru the jungle, at the far end of one of the trails, on top of one of the hills they discovered a family group.  This family said 8 years ago they were meeting with the missionaries and for some reason they just quit coming.  So they started to teach them and invited us to go with them to one of the discussions.

The Tatay

When starting on the path (1/3 mile), the Tatay (Dad) met us and insisted we drive the truck down the path.  We followed with not much problem to the base of the hill.  We chose to not climb the hill and walked the rest of the way.  They called all the family together and brought out benches for us and others to sit on.  Sitting on the top of the hill you could see 360 degree of totally beautiful tropical forest full of Coconut, Banana and many other kinds of trees, surrounded by meadows of grass with Caribou and Goats.  It was a sight to behold.

The view from on top

We started our discussion with 3 generations of the Pamilya (family) present.  The commandments were discussed and we bore testimony in what of the language we could and the rest in english.  The Elder translated for us and we are starting to a small degree understand what is being said.  The Lola (grandmother) was really special as she interacted with her grand children and all were edified together by the teachings of the Elders and Testimonies.

Cute kids

Enjoying my Buko

At the end of the discussion the family apologized for not having a snack for us, Sister Bell gave all the children a little candy and we said we would call that the snack.  A few minutes later one of the 12 year old boy climbed to the top of one of the Coconut trees and threw down 6 Coconuts.  The Tatay (father) cut off the top of the Coconuts and gave one to us to drink.  He also made a spoon of part of the shell so we could eat the meat of the Coconut.  We called that the snack.

Ever day we are here we have both spiritual and grand experiences you could never buy with money.  This experience is truly a testimony of the parable Jesus gave of the Buried Treasure.  After finding the treasure (that was greater than anything he had experienced before), the man hid it in a field and sold all he had to buy the field.  That is how we fell about these experiences we are blessed with.

We also enjoyed today listening to Conference (a week later then you did).  The spirit was strong and witnessed to our hearts the Words of the Living Prophets.

We love all of you and pray for your welfare and safety every day.  May the Lord Bless you with the righteous desires of your heart.

Love  Elder Bell (Dad, Grandpa & Friend )


Ayo!  I hardly know where to begin.  We have had healthy missionaries this week and so have not had to go to Doctor appointments all week (except to get Sister Stanley's cast off). So that means that we have had time to go out with the missionaries teaching.  This is our favorite part of our mission.  Everyday that we go out I think that I have never been in such a humble home and the very next day I meet someone who has even less than you can believe possible.  That was the case this week.  We had the opportunity to go out with our Loon Elders one afternoon. Elder Santos and Elder Ferrer are both Philippino and so not much phases them.  We trekked back through the jungle with them and came to this house.

A Humble home

This was the home of a little old Lolo (grandpa) and a little old Lola (grandma).  They have been left with 3 young grandchildren to raise.  The parents of the children have gone to Manila to work and earn money but I am not sure they send any money home to help with the apo (grandkids). They invited us in to their home. As you can see it sits about 3 feet off the ground and the floor is made of split bamboo.  There was no furniture of any kind.  The youngest of the apo had a fever and lay across her Lola's lap. The Lolo is a convert of two years but his wife was not baptized. He can not walk so can not get to church. The Lola collects sticks in the jungle and with a machete peels the bark off of them so they will dry and sells bundles of them to make money to buy rice.

Lola with the Elders

The Elders wanted to talk about the importance of partaking of the sacrament each week to renew our baptismal covenants. They wanted to know if the Lolo wanted them to bring the sacrament to his home on occasion.  His eyes lit up at the offer and he told them that he will stand true to his testimony and his covenants until the day he dies.  He also told us that he is teaching his apo how to pray.  Sometimes.....it is hard to hold back the tears when you hear these testimonies of great faith from people who feel so blessed and yet have so little.

We visited another home this week of a woman who has 6 children.  The baby was in her arms and the other 5 at school when we stopped by.  The Elders from Calape have been teaching her.  She has a bana (husband) but he works out of town all week and comes home only on the weekend.  They live in a tiny, tiny hut with only mud for a floor.  She did not have a single piece of furniture in her home.  No chair, no table for preparing food, no cupboard, no beds.  The elders went into the house and hauled water jugs out for us to sit on. Fashioned a bench with a fallen log and two other water jugs for them and the sister to sit on.  The baby had no diapers and so just wet on his mothers lap.  All of this is just normal life for them.  The elders taught her about the restoration and prophets.  I tried really hard not to weep in front of her.  I asked Elder Bell if we could just go buy her a plastic chair.  It would change her life.  I asked the Elders if people in such desperate situations could even think about the need for religion when their basic survival needs are not even being met.  They said yes, the Lord works on them and they change and see the truth.  (We bought two chairs and 6 stools and will drop them off this week).  These beautiful people are so humble, so gracious, so kind.  We love them and we feel so blessed to be here serving them in anyway possible.

We are so grateful for all of you.  Thank you for your love and support.  We race to our computer every morning to see if anyone has written. It means so much to us to hear from you.  Thank you. Thank you.

We love the Lord and we love His gospel.  We love these young missionaries.  We feel so privileged to be able to work with them.  Please know that we are well. Oh and....we bought a sofa bed this week in preparation for any of you that are planning on a trip to see us (build it and they will come mentality). So just let us know so that we can pick you up at the ferry dock!! One and all are welcome.

We love you forever family and friends,
Sister Bell (Nanay, Lola, friend)