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)