Many Blessings with Many Irons in the Fire

Welcome back to the Other Side of Heaven!

This week has been action packed with with daghang (many) irons in the fire.  There are many programs and things going on in all direction. Nindot kaayo (very great) mga missionaro ug Nindot kaayo Branch.

I will start with the self reliance program.  If you want a first hand look of your donations to the Perpetual Education Fund of the Church then keep tuned as we show this program unfolding from the grass roots up in a newly formed branch of the church.

I am the facilitator for the group Starting and Growing My Own Business.  The name of our group just happens to be called Helaman's Warriors.  The name was created by our group.  There are 8 members of the group not including myself. We had our first meeting this week with is a great discussion of fundamental ways to be successful in business and also spiritual values, that when applied to business, help all involved to benefit from the blessings of the Lord in our entire lives. Starting and running a business in the Peenes is not as complicated as in America but the basic principles are the same.

Great shot of Helaman's Warriors at our first meeting.

The business interest here range for Joaquin Jandayan (second one in on the right) 16 years old.  Joaquin wants to make and sell ice cream.  Other interest include making and selling natural oils, stating and running retail outlet in the market, running a fruit and vegetable stand.  Other possibilities are being explored as they do simple market research over the next 12 weeks to start or improve existing business. It will be great to see how this all unfolds.

Second is the CSP (community service project) at nanny Claudia's balay (house).  She receive and small humble home from the Habitats for Humanities organization after the earthquake 3 years ago. All the branch member went out on Saturday to help level the floor to receive concrete.  She is widow with 2 young daughters and is most appreciative of all help she receives. These homes are interesting construction. They have an aluminium frame and then they weave bamboo strips throughout the metal framework.  Some folks live in them like this but usually they do stucco work on both the interior and exterior of the bamboo and it makes for a cozy little home.

 The leveled floor and the lunch after

We are going into town tomorrow to finish the last medical requirements for Marjonilo Viodor's mission papers.  He is my branch clerk and my right hand man.  We will keep you up to date on his progress as he gets his call.  January 7 will mark 1 year as member of the church.  What a difference 1 year makes in the lives of these young people as the Holy Ghost teaches them the Gospel and they have amazing testimonies.

Well I will turn the rest over to Sister Bell.

I love the Lord and I love his work.  May all of us love and serve others in a way we can feel His love in our lives. When you lose yourself in the service of others you find the real you.  Just try it some time and you will also know of His love and spirt in your life.

Kita Kits sa sunod simana (See you next week)

Elder Bell (Tatay, LoLo & Amigo)

Ayo!  How are all of you this week?  Just a little reminder….we write you every week!  We would love to hear from you once in awhile…in fact we would love to hear from you every week but I am realistic!

Well, I am going to be doing a little bragging here….today we had the very first ever (this is historical) beloved Primary Program!  After our disastrous practice last week I have entertained serious doubts all week that we could pull it off.  But, I was so pleasantly surprised.  These kids did fantastic.  They all said their parts. The big kids all came with actual talks written and we sang 13 songs!!!  Can you imagine the magnitude of this?  Less than a year ago these kids had never heard of Primary or heard any Primary songs and today they performed flawlessly!

We were soooooo proud of these kids!

Claudalyn and Miezel working on their posters

Sister Anderson and Janalyn

So after Sacrament Meeting we took a little break from singing and drew pictures of our wonderful program.  This is Sister Anderson and Janalyn showing off their picture (really Sis Anderson is the artist but she gifted the picture to Janalyn).  I might add here that Sister Anderson played all of those 13 primary songs for the program plus all of the other sacrament meeting songs today!  Thank you Sister Anderson!  You are wonderful!

Our Saturdays are always crazy busy and yesterday was no exception.  We had our typical seminary class (I might note here that we are exactly half way through with this year's studies now) and then the youth had planned an activity they called…Visiting and Home Teaching.  These programs have not yet been introduced to this branch (But will be very soon) and so it was cool of the kids to realize that everyone in the branch needed a visit.  We all split in to 6 groups with a full-time missionary leading each group and with the addition of 2 or 3 youth it made up each group.  They met for a few minutes and planned a lesson and then I took 3 of the groups and President Elder Bell took 3 of the groups and we headed out.  It was really dark when we headed out as the sun always goes down at 5:30 year round and so it is a little unsettling for me to drop off groups and see them march out through the jungle on the very darkest of nights with usually only one dim flashlight.  I wondered several times if we would ever see them again.  But, we were able to collect them all up after 6 very successful visits.  Today, a less-active member that none of us had ever met before came to church with her 3 children because that little group took the time to go visit her last night.  This amazing branch takes seriously their missionary work and it shows.  I have said it before and I will say it again…..they are the most 'Zion-like' people I have every known.  They teach me so much of love and patience and unconditional service.

Mariel and Lowella working on a 'Doctrine Mastery' assignment.

So, you know how I have told you before that a mission really brings in to focus ones short-comings and faults?  Well, it is no secret that one of my biggest short-comings is patience!  You throw my 'A-' type personality in to a third world country and it is a recipe for some serious stress.  I am a person that abhors meetings starting late, waiting for people to arrive, etc, etc…..Well, you add that to the fact that generally speaking, even though I have a smart-phone, I can rarely communicate with other people (It turns out that you need a smart network to support a smart phone) and you have one very impatient, stressed out senior missionary!  I find this a problem on a daily basis.  And so I am going to publicly state here and now that I am going to pray for more patience!  I am going to pray and work for this Christ-like attribute that has here-to-fore eluded me.  So, keep me in your prayers people….I am going to need them!

Well, that is going to wrap up another week here in Paradise!  We are living it and loving it and will confess that it is one of the hardest things I have ever done but one of the most wonderful things I have ever done.  The challenges are real….the blessings are many…..and that is what makes it all worth it!

Love you forever,

Sister Bell (Mamala)

Tyhoons and Earthquakes!

Ayo Family and Friends!

Yes you read that correctly….Typhoons and Earthquakes!  We have been in the midst of them all week.  We don't get any news so I could not tell you how strong the earthquakes have been but we have had our bed shaking several nights this week!  And we have had the most spectacular thunder and lightening and rain!  Lots and lots of rain.  I think we were on the outer edge of a typhoon that came through this week.  Fortunately we did not get the wind just the rain.  All is well….no worries here.  These island know how to handle rain!

It has been a really busy week and I hardly know where to start and where to stop…I guess I will start at the beginning of the week with the sisters conference.  We had a conference for just the Sister Missionaries here on Bohol.  We were joined by three of the senior sisters from Cebu, Sisters Maughan, McNett and Weatherston.  It started Monday morning with the funniest, funnest Missionary Zumba.  Our district leader, Elder Caindoy, was a certified Zumba instructor in his previous life…who knew?  Anyway, he knew that "Babylonian" music was against the rules so he made up this wonderful routine that was all about missionary work…(no Babylonian music President Tanner!) And it was so much fun!  We loved it!

TC (testifying contact) contact to the right, 2, 3, 4 and back…TC contact to the left, 2, 3, 4 and back!

Ayo..ayo…ayo…ayo (right then left then right then left repeat 16 times)

'Ayo' is the greeting made at the gate to see if anyone is home (hence the reason I always address you'all with 'Ayo" each week when I write!)

After Zumba we had a workshop on scripture journaling and then headed to lunch at McDo's in Tubigon and then on up the hill to Sagbayan Peak for some play-time and pictures!

Me with my fellow senior sisters at arms!

Sisters Bell, Maughan, McNett and Weatherston

Other events this week included a visit to the Bitang Family who have not yet been very active in the branch as they are Tagalog speakers and the Cebuano is hard for them to understand.  Anyway, the Sisters visit them regularly and we knew that one of the older daughters had just had a baby girl so I went out to visit with the sisters last week and met this adorable baby…..

Rowella Bitang with her baby girl…Jack Bitang.

While we were visiting the Bitang family we asked them if they would like a name and blessing for the baby?  They showed up for church today and let President Elder Bell give this sweet baby her name and a nice blessing.  Behind her on the bench you see her mother and three of her younger siblings.  There are nine (I think) children in the family.

Another day this week I had the chance to go out with Sisters Bertoldo and Varias teaching one afternoon.  We got to go to the Gambe family and visit.  You remember they are the family that got sealed in August.  I just love this family and while we were there we helped with the corn…

Sister Bell helping with the corn

They grow the corn, harvest it and let it dry for a few days.  Then the kernels have to be taken off of the cob so the corn can be ground in to a meal.  Just doing my part to help. It was fun but the members will rarely let me help with the daily tasks as they think it is beneath me to get dirty…oh if they only knew me!

We had the much anticipated visit with the Smalley's on Thursday.  We just love to go to the other side of the island and make that beautiful drive but we really enjoy visiting with the Smalley's and always enjoy a wonderful meal with them.  We were hoping to get to do a little ocean time that day but it was not to be…..oh well, maybe next time!

Man!  I wanted to jump in that ocean soooooo badly!

A real third world problem….car traffic on the same road as caribou traffic!  

Well, as I close for the week, I just wanted to share a few of my thoughts this sabbath day…..we were in Sacrament Meeting today and Brother Gambe was conducting.  He is the second counselor in the branch presidency and he is very nervous to conduct the meeting and then to top it all off today he had to speak in the meeting.  He gave his very first talk ever!  I was so proud of him.  He is the perfect representative of our young branch.  All of them so new in the church and yet so willing to do their best at what ever they are called upon to do!  It is amazing to watch it all unfold each week.  There are 'firsts' every day around here and the branch is really growing in experience.  They will be so ready for our departure in a few months because they are willing to try and the Lord helps them be more than they could have ever been without Him!  He qualifies whom He calls!  That is the lesson of the week.

Love you forever,

Sister Bell (Mamala)

Hello Family and Friends

Well another action packed, fun filled week in the books.  I wish all weeks could be as productive and this one, even though we are on the go kanunay (always).  

In the branch this week we had 6 baptisms, a branch family home evening and started the Self Reliance program for the members (I will explain Self Reliance program later).

I will start with the baptism.  The Jandayan (Han-di-an) family of 5 was baptized in Saturday along with Kim Racoma grandchild of Pres Racoma (my first councilor in Branch Presidency).  We have already spoke about the Jandayan family in past blogs.  The great thing about this family they are full of faith and acceptance when they hear the truth.  The first week Bother Jandayan came to church he heard the lesson in Priesthood about tithing and paid his tithing that day.  The missionaries had not taught him that lesson yet.  They have also been using the Gospel Principle book to teach their family.  They have family scripture study matag adlaw (daily).  They take the gospel to all of their friends and neighbors.  I lent them our television we purchased to do fireside with and a zip drive with the sessions of General Conference in Cebuano.  That day they were showing General Conference to their parents and neighbors.  Their parents are now investigating the church and some friends also.

Jandayan Family

Baptism of Jandayan Family and Kim Racoma
Sister Cook and Sister Anderson

Jandayan Family with Sister Cook and Sister Anderson and on the far left side, Kim Racoma

The Jandayan's have 5 children. The three that got baptized are Jaquim 16, Jacob 14, & Jamaica 13. Kim Racoma is 10 years old and actually got baptized when he was 8 but…..no one filed the baptismal report so there was no record, so he had to be dunked again!  Have you ever seen so much white?  We love it!

Well on Saturday night the youth planned a Branch Family Home Evening at the church after Seminary.  There were many in attendance and fun was had by all.  If you ever want to go to fun FHE where all have the time of their life and do it with simple means and games that bring all members to interact with each other, you need to attend one in our branch!  The unity it creates is amazing. They were honoring the new members that were baptized that day.  Most of the branch was also in attendance at the baptism.

Joan Racoma executing a very fun game that kept them on their toes or they got caught.

We started the Self Reliance program in our branch today.  This program is known to most in the church as the Perpetual Education Fund.  We teach members of third world countries how to apply principles of spiritual and physical self reliance.  They learn in three basic areas. 

1. Education for Better Employment.  Basic principles of how they use education to help get a better job and improve living for your family.  This is the program that allows members to obtain low interest loans for schooling they would never have a chance to obtain without the program.  It also gives them a certificate from LDS Business College that in some case makes a 4 year schooling program into a 1 year schooling program.  For those who attend and get good grades they receive credits on the loan that make it possible to repay.  Meanwhile they learn to be responsible for commitment and are rewarded for doing so.

2.  My Job Search.  Teaches members skills to apply for work and use the skills they have to obtain better employment.  In some cases they just need help in preparing a resume and showing future employers the skills they have.  They have never been taught those skills so it is a great help for them.

3.  Starting and Growing My own Business.  Teaches basic principles of finance and how to do basic research yourself to know what business you should start and how to improve a business that is already in operation.  Many bushinesses in the Philippines are Ma and Pa tindahans (stores) that remind you of early America.  Those who apply basic principles and follow them can really become very successful in the world they live in and bless many lives at the same time.

Well that is enough for this week.

Just want to let you know we are living a dream.  Sometimes dreams are not always easy but these kind are always worth it.

I love the Lord and I come to know him more personally than any other time in my life as we do his work.

May the Lord Bless you with the rightous desires of you heart.

Elder Bell  (Tatay, LoLo & Amigo)    

PS…for all of our animal loving grandkids...

Baby goat twins!  So cute!

        

BYU Game in the Peens?!

Ayo Family and Friends!

I never would have thought it possible but yesterday while we were home preparing for all of our Sunday events, Elder Bell was able to connect in live to the BYU football game!  Now, my husband has not once whined about missing BYU football, which is something he really loves, so when he was able to connect at half-time you can not believe how excited he was.  He plopped himself right down on the bed hoping to listen to the rest of the game.  He got in about 10 minutes before the phone started ringing and he was needed elsewhere.  However, he was able to catch the last few minutes of double over-time for the WIN! Hopefully that was enough to get him through the season.

It was a few minutes of BYU football bliss for this old man!

We were really excited to welcome a new missionary to Sagbayan this week.  Elder Crowley was due to come out last week with the new transfer but got sick just as he was to be sent out of the Provo MTC and so they detained him for a few days.  But here he is and he is so lucky to be assigned to serve in Sagbayan.  We have great missionaries here, great members here who love to work with the missionaries, and a great new branch here so his training here will be great!  We hope he loves it as much as we all do!

Elder Minoc who is training Elder Crowley

Just after Elder Crowley arrived we had a zone training.  We have these once a month just a couple of days after our Mission Leadership Counsel meets in Cebu.  Our young leaders then go back to their respective zones and give us all of the news, announcements, and training that they have received in Cebu.  It is a really beautiful process and you can definitely see many future leaders emerging from the group.

This is us gathering for our zone training.  Our leaders are on that first row, Sisters Bertoldo and Varias on the left of the row and Elders Goulding and Santos on the far right of the same row.

This is Sister Elsa from Calape Branch, she is the person who always serves us a great lunch following zone training.  Thanks Elsa!

We have a lot of 'brown outs' here on Bohol.  But this week has been particularly riddled with periods of no power.  So a few nights ago the power went off just as I was about to start preparing dinner.  Well, my elaborate plans for citrus chicken and pasta got simplified really quickly and I cooked a pot of stew.  It was just finishing up when two of our neighbor sisters stopped by on their way home.  They had been out in the rain and dark and not realized the power was out.  So we invited them in to share our meager dinner and we love for them to share with us their day and all the happenings.

Sister Bertoldo on the right and Sister Varias on the left.  These are our STL's (Sister Trainer Leaders) 

I was telling you about earlier.

Another thing we give quite a lot of time to is getting missionaries from Calape District ready to go on missions.  So we spent a day this week at the dentist office with Marjonilo, who if you recall is Elder Bell's branch clerk.  He will be able to serve a mission when he hits January 9, having been a member for finally a year.  He is so excited to be able to go on a mission.  He will be a great missionary and we will really miss his constant presence in our branch.  He is Elder Bell's right hand man!  He is determined to teach us Cebuano and sometimes just laughs and laughs at how badly we slaughter his language!  But, we really do love to help these young people get ready to serve.  We now know first hand how much this experience will change their lives forever!  

Serving a mission is not easy.  It is the one time in your life that you truly consecrate every minute of your day, of your week, of two years to serving Heavenly Father with all of you whole heart and soul.  It is a remarkably refining experience.  My own weaknesses and shortcomings have become very clearly defined.  I feel some of the really rough edges being sanded off.  I have to really stretch some days to do all that I am called upon to do, but with all of that said….I love being a missionary.  I love serving here in the Cebu East Mission!  And I love serving with my husband.  I have learned to really honor and respect the fact that he is a man of such great integrity.  He serves with out complaint, he serves with his whole heart, he honors his priesthood and worthily blesses the lives of many with that priesthood.  As hard as it is…it is worth every minute!  I can not close without thanking our kids and grandkids for their sacrifice.  It makes it so possible to do knowing that our kids support us 100%.  I know they will be blessed for their sacrifice.  

Well, sorry for the long speech…sometimes a just get a little nostalgic.  Please know that we are well, happy and working hard.

Love you forever,

Sister Bell (Mamala)

Maayong Buntag sa other side of heaven

Well I will start of a good shot of a motorcycle turned into delivery truck.  This happens ever day.  We have seen 4x8 sheets of plywood hauled on a motor (as they call it in the Peens).  This was a new one and I do not even understand how they start out with some of the loads they carry.  It is amazing to see people with very little resources just make what they have work.

A load of woven mates being delivered to be used for siding on a balay (house).

So the YSA (single 18 to 30 year olds) are taking a trip next week to Bogo on the Island of Cebu for a Conference with the YSA of Bogo district.  This is a great opportunity for many of them because they have not been able to travel to most places on the Island of Bohol let alone the Island of Cebu.

So as part of their conference they allow those who are willing to put on a presentation for the rest of those in attendance.  This is a shot of the practices for the presentation.

Tis & Jane Racoma and Meljun and Marjonilo Viodor

Well we had another barn burner attendance at seminary again this week.  There were 18 students which included 3 investigators.

Seminary Students

After seminary we had Young Men and Young Women's activities.  The Young women had Sister Bell teach them how to play piano (I know you are smiling at this Sister Halladay) while the Young Men went with me to practice basketball for a game later on in the month with Tubigon Branch young men (I failed to get pictures of basketball practice). Fun was had by all.

Group piano lessons for the Young Women

This is just a great shot of showing how soon we start preparing potential missionaries in the Sagbayan Branch.

Sister Louisa Umbang with her future missionary son.

Well that about wraps it up for another week in Paradise. So just adding a few things to what Sister Bell mentioned about serving a mission.

Serving a mission is a great opportunity and privilege.  As with most a lll opportunities and privileges ever thing is not easy.  It is not easy to prepare to serve in many ways.  Will I have enough finances to support me and my wife?  Will I have the enthusiasm and will power to keep up with the young missionaries?  And will I be able to adjust to a different culture and way of life?

Well I have learned that whom the Lord Calls the Lord Qualify''s.  The Lord will put things into your life that will be obvious to you if you can not live up to certain calling you are hoping for and give you another that you can handle.  He is truly in charge of this work.

We meet many good and righteous people here in the Philippines each day and many are not members of our church.  But they are good honest people and the Lord will look upon them with open arms and open heart when He comes.  We are doing all we can to reach and help these wonderful people and we are blessed to serve among them.

The refining process does take place in our lives as we serve.  Priorities change as the Holy Spirit guides you through the process.  I always wonder what was the meaning of the parable of the lost treasure found in the Gospel of Mathew chapter 13 verse 44.

"Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field."

I did not understand what that could mean until serving this mission.  The Lord and his purposes become the main central focal point of your life.  And like with most things we do not understand until we experience it ourselves.

I love the Lord and a Love his work.

May the Lord Bless you with the righteous desires of your heart.

Amping Mo  (Good day to all of you)

Elder Bell  (Tatay, LoLo, and Amigo)

From the Other Side of Heaven

Maayong Buntag Brothers & Sisters

Well another whirlwind week with missionaries transferring, missionaries leaving on their mission and most important of all to listen to the Prophets and Apostles speak.

I am going to start with General Conference.  In the Peens the satellite broadcast does not work because the time of General Conference is in the middle of the night.  So we download conference from lds.org on a zip drive and play it the following week on Saturday and Sunday.  This time I was able to down load the entire conference in Cebuano and in English.  The Cebuano version is not available until 2 days after conference.

So yesterday and today we showed Conference at the Church.  This is a shot of the Sunday Morning session.

 We had 67 people attend.  Not bad for a Branch that only has 70 members.

The people here are so humble and have a desire to always listen to the words of the Prophets.  They feel it in their hearts and act upon it.  There were 10 investigators in attendance and they stayed for both sessions. Seven of these investigators are going to be baptized on Oct. 22nd.  We already have callings for  these new members on Oct. 23rd.

I also had the privilege of helping Marjonilo Viodor (my branch clerk) fill out his papers to serve a mission.  He will be in the church a year on January 9th.  He is planning on leaving as soon as possible after his one year mark.  I am glad to see him go but I sure am going to miss him. He is my right hand man, translator and teacher when we visit members. He works with me 2 or 3 days a week and knows first hand what it is like to be a Branch President.  He will do a great job on his mission.

This is Marjonilo baptizing one of the newest members of our Branch 

Well I will close now.  After listening to conference and being on the front lines of missionary work, I feel the Lord working to prepare us for things that are coming.  We must stay centered in Jesus Christ and do His work always or we could loose our way.

May the Lord bless all of us with the strength to be valiant in following and teaching his word.

Nahi gugma ko kanato (I love all of you). 

Elder Bell (Tatay, LoLo & Amigo)

Ayo!

How are you all doing?  We are, as always, busy.  It was transfer week and that means lots of nerves and anticipation among the missionaries.  Some are happy to get the call to move but most just want 'one more transfer' in their current area.  We always tell them that the one thing they can always count on when serving a mission is change because that transfer call will come!  So this is how it all stacked up for us here in Sagbayan…..

We lost these two amazing missionaries, Sister Ross and Sister Monteras!  

We lost these two amazing missionaries, Sister Ross and Sister Monteras!  Now, you have seen Sister Ross on this blog many times.  We have served with her here in Sagbayan and earlier in our mission for quite a long time in Clarin.  She was our Sister Trainer Leader (STL) here and we really miss her.  Sister Monteras just completed her first 12 weeks of training and she is a dynamite missionary.  She is going to be fantastic wherever the Lord calls her.

This is Sister Varias with Sister Bertoldo. 

This is Sister Varias with Sister Bertoldo.  They are our STL's now and we are happy to have them.  Sister Bertoldo will finish her mission here in Sagbayan after she trains Sister Varias.  Sister V is also well acquainted with us as she lived right next door to us when we lived in Calape.  

Sister Cook and Sister Anderson

These are our other two Sagbayan Sisters…..Sister Cook has been with us for a while now and was so happy to not get transferred and her new companion is Sister Anderson from Minnesota!  This is her first area.  We told her that we feel a little sad because she is starting at the top as far as areas go.  It is all down hill from here.  These two Sisters have lots of baptisms in the near future and have an amazing teaching pool.  Sister Cook is one of the best trainers ever!  Sister Anderson is in good hands.

This is our Inabanga District before transfer day!  We love them all!

We also had the opportunity on Tuesday to take Sister Cerbas to the airport to begin her mission.  She has been called from our Calape District to serve in Berlin, Germany!  I think this is amazing that Filipinos are being called to serve outside of their country.  Especially considering that these missionaries have to be able to speak English well  enough to learn German as there is no Filipino to German language training only English to German.  She is a sweetheart. We have enjoyed getting acquainted with her.

Sister Cerbas is the one next to me….with her father and sister.

I wish I could tell you what else went on this week…but if there is no picture this aging brain has a hard time retrieving it!  I know that we were really busy and staying really happy….I guess that is all that matters, right?

We are happy to be here. Everyone always told me that the last half of your mission moves so fast and I am believing that.  We still have so much to do that it seems impossible to get it all finished in the time we have left.  The longer we serve here in Sagbayan the more entwined our lives become with these dear people.  We know that even if we don't feel prepared to leave them in a few months, that they will be ready and able to stand as an independent branch when we leave.  They are all so willing to learn and serve in ways they have never known before.  Today, after conference, our primary president came over to the apartment so that the Sisters could help bridge the language barrier as we wrote the primary program for the children.  The sweet, brand new primary president asked, "How many times a year do we have to do these programs?"  She was so relieved to know that it was only once!  But at least now she knows how it is to be done and next year will be able to do it!

Well, I will leave you with this…

…...another beautiful ending to another beautiful week!

I love you forever,

Sister Bell (Mamala)

Running faster than we are able!

Ayo Family and Friends!

Have you ever had a week that was so busy it felt like a month had passed in just 7 days?  Well, we had one of those weeks!  Just last Monday we were lounging on Alona Beach on Panglao having a foot massage with the other senior sisters but it really seems like it was a month ago there have been so many things happen in the space of just one week.

Sister McNett and Sister Maughan and I were all having foot massages (They thought I was asleep but I was really taking pictures of them)

The foot massages were not all that relaxing.  I was wincing in pain for most of it!  But it was nice to stop for an hour and look at this….

Ahhhhhh……the ocean!

We really only had one night at a fancy resort and half of the next day to spend with the other seniors but it was nice to get away for a minute.  Just after lunch we took our leave and had to get ready for apartment checks!  My most dreaded responsibility of the month.  Oh well, someone has to do it and we are so thankful to have the help of Bill and Emma Smalley who are taking care of all the apartments on the other side of the island that are such a drive for us.

Tuesday we were able to attend a baptism in Carmen.  We held the baptism in the most beautiful spot called, Pangus Falls.  It was only a short hike to the river and there were three water falls that all fell at the same spot.  There are two big rocks that stick way up out of the water and so they built waiting sheds on the top of the rocks and bamboo bridges to climb up to them.  I want to go back here and play some day…wanna come?

One of the waiting sheds with the bridge that leads to the other one on the right.

Elders Martin and Ludbey with the baptismal candidates, Laurice Amit and Orvile Jorillo Ingario.

Now that is a pretty place to be baptized!

On our way home Tuesday from the baptism we decided to check out this place we had driven by many times.  It is called "Hill Top" and it provides a 360 degree view of the Chocolate Hills.

None of my pictures did the Chocolate Hills justice, but I promise to take you here to see them when you come to visit me.  It is the best place, so far, that we have found for viewing the hills.

We started apartment checks on Wednesday and continued on Thursday.  While we were up in the Ubay area we decided to hike up to check on the house we told you about a few weeks ago that had been burned to the ground.  Remember our favorite business, K-Bell Plumbing had donated more than enough money for the family to rebuild.

The beautiful new house

Well, this is the new house and they are just thrilled.  They asked us over and over to tell Jason, Spencer and Eric salamat kaayo (thank you)!  The house is made out of bamboo.  It is one room with a raised floor and a lean-to room off the back that is the kitchen.  It is much bigger than the one that burned down.  Julius has done all of the work himself and Maribel is so happy to have a new home.

Well, that takes you half-way through the week and I am just exhausted reliving it! But, before I leave I just want to tell you about our testimony meeting today.  It is such an interesting experience to attend fast and testimony meeting here.  There is never a moment when someone is not at the microphone and several others that had tried to get there but were bested by others that sat closer to the front.  They are heartfelt and so, so sweet.  Today we had first the wife and then the husband of an investigator family stand and share their testimonies.  They are so overjoyed to have found the church and are just so anxious to be baptized in a couple of weeks along with three of their children.  We are so thrilled to be witness to what is happening here in Sagbayan.  There is something so powerful at work here.  You can feel the strength of the people here.  They are so ready for the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Each week we have many investigators attend church and the next week even more.  The Lord has really prepared these people for this time and we have four sister missionaries that are working themselves so hard to teach all of the people that are ready to be taught.  Hooray for our missionaries!  They are amazing!  So happy to be here and be a small part of this whole process!

Love you forever,

Sister Bell (Mamala)

Hello to all!

Well this is an exciting time in Bohol with much going on all the time. There are many new investigators in the branch and they are preparing to be baptized soon.  Attendance 4 months ago averaged about 50 to 60 each sunday. Then it jumped to a average of 65 per sunday.  Now it is resting around 75 to 80 every sunday. The sister and the members are visiting all less actives and some are starting to attend on a regular basis. They are also bringing in more investigators every week.  Not all stay but a good number of them do as the Lord does his work in the Sagbayan Branch. We are just sent here to watch over and be part of this great work as it rolls on.

These are the Chocolate Hill in the rainy season when they are all green and beautiful.

A little bit about the house that was rebuilt.  The brother in the picture that Sister Bell posted cut all the structural lumber for the house with a chain saw from the trees in the surrounding area. The bamboo on the floor was striped off with a machete from lengths of cut bamboo and also in the surrounding area.  The tin on the roof was brought in by a cart drug behind a Caribou like one the picture below. The woven mats that cover the walls were purchased  and also brought in with a Caribou.

A child riding a Caribou down the street in nearby Carmen

So in all total this family has spent about $400 to $500 US dollars to rebuild their entire home. They a happy as larks and feel they are very blessed.  There is another older gentleman in Ubay that is sleeping with no tin or anything else on his roof.  So the Branch is going to help him put roofing on his home. The owners of KBell Plumbing have instructed us to use the rest of the money they sent to help others in need. So the material for this project will be provided by their generous donations.  

On saturday night we always start off with Seminary at 4:00 and following we have youth activity night.  This is alway a great time.  This week Sister Bell showed all the youth how to make pancakes. So each one of them cooked their own pancakes. None of the 15 students in attendance had ever made pancakes!  The simple joys!  They all loved it and ate and ate!

The boys and the girls all like such simple things and find joy in all they do.

Saturday we were so busy helping sick people get to hospitals and doctor appointments.  It is hard to have so many people we love having difficult health/life problems.  I wish I could help them all in significant ways with all of their needs….but sometimes all you can do is pray for them and hope the Lord can do the rest.  The more entwined we become with our beloved members, the more we mourn with them in their sorrows and rejoice with them in their joys.  But, isn't that what this life is suppose to be about…becoming a 'zion-like' people.  We will just keep doing the best we can.

The green hills near the Ubay area!

I love the Lord and I love this work that we are engaged in.  When the Lord puts forth his hand to hasten His work it is wonderful to be part of it.  That is exactly what is happening now in many places in the world. May we all be found worthy at the last day for his blessings and love.

Kita Kits sa sunod simana (See you next week)

Nahi Gugma ko kaninyo (Love to all of you)

Elder Bell (Papalo)