Well this was the week for Zone Training and Baptism's.
We started off the week at Zone Training Meeting with many great instructions from Zone Leader and STL's (Sister Training Leader). These young missionaries are fantastic in filling leadership callings and bringing training back from the Mission Home to give all of us renewed direction and commitment in the work.
Saturday was the day for baptism's. We started off with 5 baptism's in Sagbayan. Two young men Marjunilo, 18 yrs. old, Meljun 22 yrs. old, one Lolo, Maximiano about 65 yrs, and two young mothers in there 20s Sister Mezeil and Sister Ma Lourdes.
 |
| The Lolo (Grandfather) was the first baptism I have been asked to preform, it was great experence. |
The young man Marjunilo (18), during his testimony after the baptism accepted the challenge I gave him to him to serve a mission. The young man Meljun was challenged to serve a mission after the confirmation today. He sounded very positive and will let us know this week. These are 2 young men we will be engaged in helping them prepare to serve a mission a year from now. There is also another young man from Calape that we are helping to prepare to serve a mission.
 |
| Sagbayan Members attend baptism in groups |
 |
| The Caravan of members from Sagbayan going home from supporting the members of the Group at the baptism. |
There were also 2 other baptism's in Calape. I had an opportunity to help teach these 2 young men. They will be great missionary prospects in 3 or 4 years from now. We arrived so late that day from Sagbayan, we were not able to get pictures that turned out.
The Gospel is spreading in Bohol and it is great to be part of it. We are seeing units of the Church be organized right before our eyes. It is great to be a part of the Lords Army.
Love Ya Always,
Elder Bell (Tatay, Lolo & Amigo)
Komusta ka?
I am so happy to be writing to you all again. It is crazy how fast a week flies past out here. It is an amazing experience to serve a mission. Every day is unique and busy and blessed.
This week I thought I might give you an update on the seminary class we started in Sagbayan. It is pretty fantastic! We have had sixteen different students come and sign up in this little Sagbayan group. Every Saturday we have class at 9:30 in the morning and usually we have 12 students show up. Each week a few don't show up but then the next week they will come and others don't make it. But the encouraging thing is that even if they don't make it to class they send their homework with someone else to turn in for them. This is considered 'Home Study' Seminary. So each week the students do four lessons on their own and then we meet for a fifth lesson all together. This would not be so amazing if it weren't for the fact that these students are Cebuano speakers and they are doing their work with English text books and turning in work with answers in English. Amazingly their answers are pretty spot on and I can tell they are really comprehending the lesson material. It is so rewarding to work with teenagers that are hungering and thirsting after gospel knowledge!
 |
| This is how we do seminary. |
This is how we do seminary. We meet in the garage that we call our church in Sagbayan. So with no desks we improvise and use chairs as our desks, but still the learning goes on and we have a great time together!
 |
| John Mark with his new scriptures |
This is John Mark showing off his mini scripture box. We gave all of the students a new set of scriptures when they came to seminary because none of them had a Bible and this year we are studying Old Testament. If you look really close you can see that on the side of his box that is showing he chose to put a picture of himself with Elder Bell and I. He calls us Lolo and Lola because we are his 'church grandparents'.
 |
| Sister Mamala, You are so beautiful! |
Please excuse this selfie, but I had to share it. Saturday as we waited for the rest of our Sagbayan group to arrive, we sat at the piano and sang all of the primary songs we had learned. I could feel the little girls playing in my hair but had no idea what they were doing. Finally they said, "Sister Mamala you are so beautiful!" They marched me into the CR (bathroom) to see for myself. They were so proud of their handiwork I didn't have the heart to remove the flower crown and so I attended the baptism adorned with flowers and even had to lead the singing! The little girls beamed with pride!
Another event that we had this week was a visit to an NICU unit at a hospital. A young teenage mother had given birth to a premature baby girl. She was nearly full term but the baby had a few minor complications and so we went for a visit to show our support and love. Oh my! Be very grateful for our modernized hospitals. It was a room that was full of babies. None of them in isolets or even individual beds. It was a big rack that looked like a vegetable stand and the babies lay side-by-side with bright lights shining on them. The mothers had to squeeze in to find a place to sit and be able to hold or feed their babies. It was not very clean and I left ever so grateful for our clean, well-equiped hospitals back in the states. I think little baby Barbie Rose will be fine and be able to go home soon.
Well, that is about all we have for this week. We are still busily engaged in many great things. We still love the Lord and our opportunity to serve Him here in Bohol. We are mindful of all of you and especially our good friends and neighbors, The Hansens, who lost their beloved husband and father this week. Lon Hansen was a great man. We will greatly miss him and pray for the comfort that only the Holy Ghost can bring at this time. We love you all and pray for you each day.
Love you forever,
Sister Bell (Nanay, Lola, Amigo)
No comments:
Post a Comment