Malipayon Pasko!

Malipayon Pasko!

Merry Christmas Cebuano style!

Every little town around the island seem to go all out decorating some part of their town with lights, manger scenes, Christmas trees and stars…lots and lots of stars.  This one is in Tubigon and made of banana leaves.  It has a whole manger scene as well.  I liked it.

Carmen Christmas Lights

This is in the town square in Carmen, which is in the middle of the island by the Chocolate Hills.  It is so giant. Those are adult people under the tree.  We have driven past it many times this month but always in the day light and I thought then it was beautiful.  But, to see it lit up at night was Nindot Kaayo!! (Very Awesome!)  It took my breath away.

So this is how Poinsettias grow!? Why do we try to grow them in Utah?  They are tropical plants!

It was a very busy week with more holiday parties.  We attended three more this week.  We went as Elder and Sister Claus to two of them and shared our suckers with all the kids.  It was very fun but I am not the party animal you all think I am and so I am really ready for the parties to be over for this holiday season but we still have two more branches having parties this coming week.  So, we will put on the Claus outfits two more times before we box them away for the year. We also attended a social for all of the adults in the Calape District.  It was a very nice affair with linen table cloths and catered food.  Again we participated in the riotous games they always play here.  Our Philippino friends really love fun party games and they are so simple and so much fun,  We are going to bring a few of them home when we come and see if we can't spice up some of those ward parties back home.

We did not fall in the path of the typhoon that plowed through the islands this week but we did receive an unusual amount of rain from the edge of the storm.  It rained steady for two days and nights and there were lots of fields flooded.  But, apparently rice farmers like flooded fields so we are all well.  Steady rain is not the norm here.  We are islands in the middle of a big ocean and so it rains a lot but the rain clouds are quickly blown away and so the storms are not usually all day like this last one was.  The church we attended this morning had two inches of water in the primary room which was in the basement.  No one seemed worried about it though except me.  So I made the Elders help me mop it all up before we left.  I guess it is a common occurrence when the ground water gets too high.  I will know better next time and not jump to mop it up so fast!

I just want to wish all of you the Merriest Christmas possible!  It will be a little unique for us but please be assured we are happy and staying very busy.  We love you all and think fondly on our memories of past Christmases with you.  Malipayon Pasko!

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



Maayo Pasko Pamilya & Amigo's

Sister Bell told you a lot about all the parties and such.  We work in the entire Calape District with 6 Branch's and two Groups, it is a formula for a lot of Elder & Sister Claus Parties.

We also had transfer week this week that made things really busy.  This transfer we had 3 Sister and 8 Elders.  It is hard to see some of them go.  A few of these Sisters and Elder were the one who helped us so much when we first came to Bohol.  They helped us set a path of learning language and customs of a foreign land when we moved here.  In a sense they were our trainers and they did Nindot Kaayo job of it.

Sister Stanley, Sister Morales, Sister Astilla (All three have been our trainers. We are going to miss these Lovelies)

Goodbye Elders!

Elder Navarro

Well that sums up a lot of our week.  Transfers, Parties and teaching Seminary filled up all the time.

Just a few pictures from one of the most beautiful places on the earth.  If we can't have snow for Christmas at least this comes in a maayo (good) second.

Sunset at Loon. (Elder Bell was in the right spot at the right time for this shot)

Tubigon Port Waters in the morning are very calm

This is early Thursday morning at the Tubigon Port when we dropped missionaries off for the Ferry.  The calm before the storm the next day.  The sea was so calm and the smoke from the cooking fires over the town was ethereal. This is a truly beautiful place to serve.

Merry Christmas to all from Elder Claus.  This is a great time of the year for all of us to remember our Savior and the great miracle He has given to all of us.  Because He came to this earth people have hope and promise for a happy future now and forever.  May we remember Him at all times and in all places.

Malipayon Pasko,

Elder Bell (Tatay, LoLo, Amigo)