Finally! Training!

Maayong Buntag! (Good Morning)

The most challenging part of our week is deciding which of all our adventures to share.  There are so many that we have to limit it to just a few or this blog would be much longer than any of you would care to read.

So this week we have decided to tell you about our amazing weekend full of baptisms!  You have heard us talk of the Sagbayan Group that is growing so fast we can not even keep up with it?  Well, yesterday we had five baptisms in this ever growing group!  There was Claudia and Cathleen who are a mother and daughter. Claudia lost her husband about a year ago and she just loved learning that her family could be together forever and so she was only an investigator for the four weeks required to attend church before baptism.  John Mark is a young man who is 15 years old and has no other members of his family who come to church but he is on fire! He wants to go on a mission today.  He goes out teaching with the missionaries every single day and could not wait to be baptized yesterday. Angel is a little girl who is about 10 years old and the first of her family to join but others are soon to follow.  And the last baptism yesterday was the 8 year old son of our group leader, Eljie Racoma.

It was an amazing experience and we were so happy to be able to participate.  Elder Bell was able to confirm John Mark, Angel and Claudia today in Sacrament meeting. I asked John Mark after the meeting how he felt and he just touched his hand to his heart and smiled.  He has taken a special liking to Elder Bell (why are we not surprised?) and so they have some great talks together and he always seeks Kevin out when we are around him.  I have a special connection with Cathleen because we share the same name.  She is the only person in the Philippines that knows my name is Kathleen.  But I call her 'My Cathleen' and she gives me a big smile and hug when she sees me.

Our new baptized members of Sagbayan! And our mighty

                                          missionaries who taught them!

                                       

My Cathleen!                                    

There are two more baptisms for Sagbayan on Monday and several more in the next couple of weeks.  It is so fun to part of this 'hastening of the work'. We have heard that the District President is putting in a proposal for Sagbayan to be made a branch this week.  Yeah!!!  And I have to say we have some pretty diligent, hard working missionaries in our district.

I think another note worthy piece of news is that they colored the pictures today! I had only to add the instructional phrase "Koloran kini ug paghuman" (Color this and after) and added to last weeks instructions of "Please return to Sister Bell after church", they finally got it!  It was so amazing.  Most of the children sat so quietly and worked on the coloring pages all through sacrament meeting.  I feel like we are making progess in understanding one another.

I think it is also noteworthy to let you all know that I actually bore my testimony in Cebuano today and no one laughed out loud and I think they could even understand me.  This was a big step for me.  It is so scary to speak a foreign language publicly for the first time.  I am happy I did it and will keep working on the language.  The gift of tongues would be such a great blessing at this point in time.

We also this week had a Senior Couples training for two days.  Now mind you we have been out here for two months and when I arrived I asked President Tanner what he would like us to do and he smiled and said, "Sister Bell, do what ever the Spirit directs you to do", and off he sent us to decide what it was we were supposed to do.  So imagine my surprise when in training this week I find out Elder Bell and I had been breaking several mission rules on a regular and routine basis.  It was truly good to get some training on the mission rules.  Well, we were not fired and we will repent and work a little harder at helping all of our missionaries obey all the rules all of the time!

I am going to turn this over to my good Kauban (companion) and let him finish off the blog.  Please know that we love you all and we appreciate every thoughtful word you write.  It is so fun to hear from you and we love getting those letters so keep them coming.  I want you to know that we know we are in the right place at the right time.  We feel our Father in Heaven directing us and pray that our service will be acceptable to Him.  I love Him and know that He guides His work.

Love you forever,
Sister Bell (Nanay, Lola, Amigo)


Maayong Gabii  (Good Evening) to all my Family and Friends

I will start off by telling you about Senior Couple Training. I will name them from left to right and give brief exclamation of what they do.

Senior Couples

President and Sister Tanner:  They were called as mission president and their calling is to train and send back into the world hundreds of missionaries that will be future leaders of the church in the Philippines and all over the world.  While doing this many people will be baptized in the mission and Stakes, Districts and Branches will be created and strengthened.

Elder & Sister Bell:  They are working on Flood Bohol with Book of Mormon Program, helping a new Branch of the Church start, help organize primary, scouting, and priesthood leadership in the Calape District.  Assist in watching over 40 of the missionaries on Bohol.  Many other items will be put on the plate as the Lord directs.

Elder & Sister Halladay:  Elder Halladay oversaw a lot of construction of the replacement homes after the Earthquake on Bohol in 2013, also served in District Presidency for Calape District. Sister Halladay has and is still teaching piano lessons to many.  Assist in watching over 40 missionaries on Bohol.  Before we came they watched over all 80 missionaries on Bohol.

Elder & Sister McNett: Have been in the field for 2 weeks.  They work in the mission home keeping track of the entire mission.  Many other items will be put on the plate as the Lord directs.

Elder & Sister Bock: Work in Bogo on the island of Cebu.  Elder Bock has worked with the self reliance program organizing a piggery that has provided a way for many members and non members to become self reliant and support their families. They both work with Branch and District leaders in the area and have organized sports and youth programs for young people.  They also help oversee missionaries in their immediate area.

The reason for explaining these calling to you is to let you know how each mission couple that serves the mission finds by fasting and prayer from the Lord what calling they need to magnify while on their mission.  If you are thinking of serving a mission the Lord will use your talents you have in a unique  way.  Your mission will be what you and the Lord wills it to be.

We visited some of the homes Elder & Sister Halladay oversaw the building of.  None of these people in Mantacida are members of the church.  They just had a great need after the earthquake.

This mother lost her husband a year ago and had built this 2nd floor in the house for her 8 children to sleep.

Inside the house

More interior pictures

Suspended bamboo bridge over Loboc River

Dinner Cruise on the Loboc River.  This is a must see when you visit Bohol.

Loboc River

The couple training was a great time with some amazing people we experience great adventures with.
It is great to see our brothers and sisters in the Lord while doing his work.

We have several other stories unfolding all the time.  We will keep you informed of others as they develop.

We are very grateful for all our family and friends.  We love to hear from you even a few short lines.

The work of the Lord is amazing and we feel blessed to be part of it.

Ayo Ayo to all my Pamilya, and Amigos.

Love Ya Always
Elder Bell  (Tatay, LoLo, Amigo)

(I don't think this video uploaded sorry)