Malipayong adlaw sa kasingkasing!

Malipayong adlaw sa kasingkasing!

(Happy day of hearts) I am not too sure that is a real greeting or not but it was sent to us this morning by President Saballa, who is a Philippino counselor to President Tanner, and if he can use it so can I!  So there you have it, Happy Valentine's Day, Philippino style!  Surprisingly, Valentine's Day is celebrated here just the same way it is in the states; chocolate and flowers for the one you love.  At church today all the leaders started the meetings with a Valentine greeting and even centered the topic of the meetings around love.  I am happy to be spending this day with the man I love.  He is pretty good to me when you really stop and think about it.

I want to start off with the biggest event of the week….we got a new granddaughter!  Baby Violet was born February 11, a healthy and cute little girl.  If I am totally honest with all of you, it was hard to not be with Kariann when she had the baby.  I have missed the last two babies and it is one of the things I love the most in this world, watching my grandchildren being born.  So, I am a little sad to have missed it, but I am so happy she is well and healthy and that everything went well even though she decided to come breech.  She has one tough mommy!

                                                         Meet Baby Violet Lynn Fierro!

We spent most of the week off the island.  We were in Cebu at a Senior Couples Training.  We stayed in the home of President and Sister Tanner for three nights.  We spent Thursday actually training and Friday we were able to have a play day and all went to Comotes Island for the day.  Comotes is very beautiful.  I picture Hawaii to look like this back in the 60's before it became over run with tourist.

We left the house about 4:00AM so that we could catch the earliest ferry at 5:30.  So this is the amazing sunrise over the ocean.  I don't get to see that very often and it was beautiful. However…….

This guy missed the whole thing while he caught up on his lost sleep!

We got to participate in my favorite past time, Snorkeling!  Yeah!  The ocean renews my spirit like nothing else can.  Elder Bell and I were the only old folks snorkeling but some of the others enjoyed a refreshing swim.

The water was so clear and warm.  But, there were not that many fish down there and I didn't even care.  As long as my face is in the water I am happy!  Comotes has a few really nice resorts on it.  We asked about prices and they are not very expensive.  Maybe some day we will go back and spend a day or two when you come to visit!! (That is a pretty good bribe).

This is a picture of our senior couples (minus me as I am taking the photo).  Sister Tanner is the one in the navy blue shirt on the left.  President Tanner could not join us as he had a few too many fires to put out that day.  But, this is the lot of us and we love them all but, we are really short handed. So, if any of you are even thinking about a mission please come join us!  We need you desperately as the Halladays are going home in just a couple of weeks.

It was very renewing to spend a couple of days with people that are involved in the same work you are on a daily basis.  It helps us feel like we are not alone and that we have some pretty amazing team mates even though we do not see each other very often.  It is interesting to serve in a mission that has several islands included in the boundaries.  It really complicates mission work as travel inter-island takes so much time.  But somehow our good mission leaders have made it all work.  We love the Tanners and are so happy to have their leadership.  They are great people who work three times harder than any one of us senior couples.

I love you and miss you.  I hope our little Valentine's blog finds you all well and happy.  Remember the Lord is in charge.  Turn all of it over to Him and it will work out for your good in the end.

I love you forever,
Sister Bell (Nanay, Lola, Amigo)



Nahi Gugma Ako Si Sister Bell! (Thats what you say to the one you Love on Valentines Day! Well, except insert a different name because Sister Bell is already taken)

Well I will tell a little bit about the senior couples training.

We started out with a really great visit with the Assistants to the President and the Mission Home Elders. It is great to work with these wonderful and smart Missionaries.  Many thing were discussed and plans made to help us be more effective in helping the Missionaries.

We had dinner out at a great German restaurant Thursday night.

We also had a presentation given to us by Ray Goodson who runs a foundation called Rise & Rebuild. He was one of the first mission presidents in the Philippines in 1961.  President Kimball call him to be one of the first mission presidents and gave him a charge to convert a nation. 

Rise and Rebuild is working on projects making hollow blocks from scratch and putting public restrooms in public market places, drilling wells where needed and also many other projects across the Philippines.  When the typhoon hit Tacloban in 2013, he organized  and administered a project to rebuild appox. 3,500 homes for the victims of the typhoon.  They contacted many returned missionaries from all over the Philippines and within 2 days many returned missionaries made their way to the area and provided both temporally and labor to the project.  Our son Jason was one of those returned missionaries that answered the call.

We may see if we can assist with a project on Bohol that would provide employment for the members in the area and provide people with homes and public restrooms that were destroyed in the earth quake on Bohol 2 months before the typhoon hit in 2013.

Well a fun time was had by all as we went to the Bukilat Cave and explored for a little while.

 Sister Bell standing in the water that fills the floor cave.  It rises and falls with the tide and is very clear.

One of the fantastic beaches and resorts on Comotes

Well I will leave you with a portion on my Testimony

I know God is directing the work we are engaged in each day because I have seen his hand in all things.

I testify the Lord will bless you if you obey his commandments and call on him daily for his help in all aspects of your life.

I know Jesus Christ is our Savior and our Redeemer.

I know Joseph Smith was Prophet of God and that we have a living prophet on the earth today.

I love my family and all my friends.

I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Amping to all my Pamilya and Amigos

Elder Bell (Tatay, Lolo, Amigo) 

Manoa

Malipayon Gabii Pamilya & Amigo's

Well another great week has passed in Paradise.  Not quite as busy as the last one (last week would be hard to top). We spent our week doing this:
1.  Helping a potential missionary make preparations to serve a mission.
2.  Line up the stainless steel to have a luggage rack installed on the Multi Cab.
3.  Preparing and teaching seminary.
4.  Helping one of our dear friends who lost a new born baby and seeing to the funeral and burial.
5.  Doing a community service project for an investigator family in Sagbayan.
And that was a not to busy week.

Well I will take 1,2 and 5 and Sister Bell will do the rest.

We are helping a young man form Calape make preparations so he can serve a mission.  Claudius was raised without a father.  He has not had the easy life.  Last week was the first time they had power in their house.  He has a great desire to serve a mission and works with the missionaries every week.  He is a great artist and also has started being our language tutor.

Claudius

 He has a job in Tagbilarin he will start in a week.  He will be saving money for a year and attending missionary preparation class to get ready.  This will be a great blessing in his life and will help him to break a cycle in his family and give him hope for bright future.

Well as far as the steel there is not much to tell other than we finally found the steel.  Pictures will follow later when the rack and Basahon ni Mormon signs are installed.

The service project was a great success.  We were informed that we would work on a garden.  Well after arriving and starting to clear the area, we were informed that it was a coconut garden we were working on.  Come to find out you just trim all the underbrush and do not remove it and it provides mulch for the growing coconut trees.  You learn new things all the time.  The sisters prepared a great meal with fish and rice.  Work was completed and great times for all with a great meal.

Sister Preparing Meal

Sister  Claudia Cooking Fish

Service Project Underway

It is always great to have some coconut milk along the way.

Well I will sum it all up by telling you a transformation I have experienced in my life.  When you go on a foreign mission, you realize that you are foreign person in a foreign land and everything is very different.  Then one day after working as hard as you can to contribute everything you can, you realize that this land has become one of your homes here on this earth. The people and places you go to are no longer foreign, they are part of you and you are a part of them.

I love my home and family in Utah and Wyoming (and all other places you, our children live).  I love you to the bottom of my heart.  I also have a gospel family that I love here in Bohol in the Philippines.  The land and the people are so dear to my heart.

I thank the Lord each day for being blessed with such great people and experiences.  We are truly blessed.  I love the Lord and know the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. I say these things in the Name of Jesus Christ our Savior and our Redeemer. Amen

Nahi Gugma as Always,

Elder Bell (Tatay, Lolo, Amigo)

Greetings Family and Friends!

How has your week been?  You hear all about ours every single week but we rarely get to hear about yours.  Feel free to share!  We love hearing from you.

It was a week for me to catch my breath!  I actually got a short nap two days in a row and I feel a little guilty for that but I took advantage anyway.

I do want to share some of the sweet story of Baby Manoa.  As we told you last week he passed away on Monday late afternoon.  The Viodor family were finally all able to go home and get some much needed rest.  They were able to take Baby Manoa's body home with them also.  They do not have much in the way of money and so the Lolo had already fashioned a tiny little coffin for him.  He was dressed in the little boy outfit that Elder Bell and I had given them a few weeks ago.  At the time we bought it I thought it ridiculous that it had a hood as it is so hot here.  But there were not that many to choose from and so the purchase was made along with a little light-weight blanket.  What a tender mercy the little hood turned out to be as his head was very misshapen and large and so the hood covered it just perfectly so he looked just like the adorable angel baby he was.

Sweet Baby Manoa Seliote Viodor                                          

So, Baby Manoa lay in state at the family home and we got word about 5:00PM Monday evening that they would be having a short funeral service at 7:00 and would Elder Bell speak.  So we rushed out the door and headed up to Sagbayan, 45 minute drive from our house in Calape.  True to the customs of this culture, we were invited to share a meal with the family and we are the honored guest so we eat first along with the missionaries.  We leave the table and they wash the few dishes they own and sit the next group down for the meal of rice and bihon (noodles).  A third group was fed and then the Elder sitting next to me leans over and whispers, "Sister Bell, will you speak?"  Oh my goodness!  This couldn't have been mentioned a couple of hours ago?  So, I swallowed hard and said yes.  My mind was whirling and I just turned it over to the Lord.  I could not really tell you what I said.  All I know is that we were all crying by the time I finished.  Elder Bell did just fabulous, as he always does.

The next day at noon we all gathered again and once again were fed well from the family giving us all that they had, rice, bihon, and this time some fish.  The multi-cab became the hearst as the tiny coffin was loaded in to place by the Lolo and cousin, John Mark.

Maximiano and John Mark carry Baby Manoa to the Multi  Cab

We lead the procession to the public cemetery where earlier that day the Lolo, Maximiano had built a tomb out of hollow block and cement.  Everyone said their last goodbyes and then Lolo Max enclosed the casket with cement.  Our Elder Vuetibau had just the day before given this little baby his own name, Manoa, and the very next day had the privilege of dedicating his grave.  It was a lot for a young man to handle and he wept big tears at the solemn occasion but he did a beautiful job.

Elder Vuetibau, one of the great ones!                                      

I think the hardest moment for me was when Manoa's tatay (daddy) knelt at the grave and his shoulders shook uncontrollably as he morned for his baby boy.  Brother Viodor is the only person of the family who is not a member of the church.  It was a hard scene to witness.

A Father's grief…..                                                  

And that my friends is why I needed a nap, two naps!  It was emotionally draining to say the least.  

The most amazing part of this whole experience though was to watch the members of this Sagbayan Group come together and help the Viodor Family through this trial.  They are truly a Zion people in every sense of the word.  I am learning so much from them of what it means to be a true disciple of Christ.  I am blessed to be a part of them.

I am really going to let you go now as I have rambled so very long.  Maybe we can catch up on Seminary another time.  I love you all.  I miss you and I think of you everyday.  Stay true and faithful to your own convictions.  Help each other and trust in God's plan for your life.  He will make way more of your life than you could possibly make on your own!

Love you forever,

Sister Bell (Nanay, Lola, Amigo)

My Cup Runneth Over

Maayong Buntog to all my Pamilya & Amigo's

Our hearts are full this week with a whirlwind of events that surpass all expectations.  It is hard to know where to start.  So I will just start with the Group (Branch) party for Sagbayan.  Sister Bell and I decided we would host a party at our house for the members of Sagbayan.  Much fun, food and games were had by all.  There were 10 investigators that attended and all had a great time.

Games and fun by all.

Dirty Ice Cream (the best home made Mango Ice Cream you will ever taste.

There were approximately 55 in attendance.  Since they live about 45 minute drive from our house we transported them in our Truck and Multi Cab. This is what a Truck and Multi Cab look like with 55 people in them.  I took a head count and there were exactly 30 in the Multi Cab.  A new record.

Sister Bell on the go

The bar has been raised to 30

These people are so great. The feeling you get when you are with this group can best be described
by Moses 7 verse 18: "And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness" and Mosiah 18 verse 8-9: "As ye are desirous to come into the hold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light;  Yea, and a willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death", that is exactly how they support one another and lift one another.

We also received pictures from our beloved mission daughter, Sister Astilla, of her homecoming with her family as she returned home from a fantastic mission.  She effected and helped many people on her mission and we are two of them.  Thank you for helping us and also being a dear friend.

Well I am going to turn the rest of the wild week to Sister Bell.

Let me close by letting you know how much I personally love our mission.  We feel the prayers of our Family and Friends, also the prayers offered over the Alter of all the Temples every day.  I love the Lord and am honored to be called to his work.

Daghang Salamat (Deepest Thanks) to all my Family and Friends.
Elder Bell (Taytay, Lolo, and Amigo)


Maayong Buntag Imong Pamily!

I was telling my good husband this week that I cannot keep up this pace! I think I was retired too many years before this mission so I am not keeping up with the pace of each week very well.  I feel exhausted by the end of Sunday.  Happy but EXHAUSTED!  It was inevitable  that one day we would not be able to get our blog out on Sunday night and finally this week it happened.  Don't worry though, we are  okay and just trying to catch up this morning.

I wanted to share this week a really amazing experience we had on Tuesday evening.  We all got the transfer information on Tuesday at District Meeting.  And as expected some of our favorite missionaries got the notice that they were heading out on Thursday.  Elder Caluag from Sagbayan was one of them.  He was pretty sad because he had quite a few investigators that were progressing nicely.  One group of them are three sisters of a new member who all really want to be baptized but their mother who is a devote Catholic was not very happy about it and they were so worried to disappoint her.  So we invited Sister Nueva, our District President's wife, who had joined the church many years ago under the same circumstance.  So we (the missionaries, us, Sister N., and 3 members from the Sagbayan group) all ventured out to meet with the sisters.  We had a short lesson on charity and then Sister Nueva shared her story.  The sisters really responded well.  Then the missionaries turned to me and asked if I had something to share.  I felt very impressed to tell them that we become Christ's hands here on earth to take care of each other.  And that as members of the church we become family and take care of each other like family.  Of course at this point I became a little teary but held it together pretty well.  But poor Elder Caluag, thinking about leaving his 'family' became so emotional he could hardly speak.  Everyone in the room became emotional and could feel the power of the Holy Ghost bearing witness that what we said was true.  Long story short, they and two of their children are committed to baptism on February 13!  I was so proud of Elder Caluag and Elder Malinao.  This was the last appointment of Elder Caluag's service here on Bohol and he left the area still working so hard to bring people to the waters of baptism.  I was happy to part of that experience.  There are no words to describe the joy of the moment!

The sisters with many of their kids and all of us missionaries.  (Elder Caluag bottom left corner)

When we went up to pick Elder Caluag up to take him to the ferry, the entire group had come to his apartment to wish him well and there were so many people in tears I told Elder C that it was like he was attending his own funeral!  This is his first area.  Imagine what kind of missionary he is going to be a year from now!  They send the best missionaries to Bohol.  We love them all!

As we have said before, it was transfer week this week and Elder Bell did a little better than last time.  He at least did not cry in front of them, he waited until they had gone! (just kidding)  But we sent off some of our favorites for sure…..

These are a few of our missionaries heading off to bigger and better experiences in the Cebu East Mission.

Sorry to be so slow in finishing this today….We were called away this morning on an emergency and it took us 12 hours to get home.  It was a very sad situation.  Sister Evangeline, one of our new baptisms from a couple of months ago gave birth yesterday morning to a baby boy.  He was almost three weeks over due and was born with some serious issues.  They rushed him to Tagbilaran while Sister Evangeline stayed in a clinic in Tubigon 90 minute drive away.  We went in to see the baby this morning and they would not let us in until 3:00 this afternoon as they have very strict visiting hour rules.  We couldn't even pull the 'minister' card out.  We knew the baby was probably not going to make it but they still would not let us in.  So we waited until 3:00.

The NICU was such a shocking sight.  The two oldest daughters had been there for nearly 30 hours helping the baby breath with one of the little bags that they had to manually compress so the baby had air going to his lungs.  The oldest daughter is an adult with a son of her own but the other one is one of my seminary students who is only 15 years old.  What a heavy responsibility for these faithful daughters.  They were exhausted.  We had the Elder with us who had taught and baptized this mother.  She had wanted her baby named after him, Manoa.  And so Elder Vuetibau (we just call him Elder V), was able to give him a name and a blessing

Full Moon, Full Hearts

Pinaka Salamat to all my Pamilya (Anak and Apo) and Amigo's

Our hearts are full as we feel more and more part of the Land and the People we are going to love as our own.

1st Elder Lagahit:

This is a special Elder that we have only had the privilege of knowing for 6 weeks.  The first time we met him we could both feel the strength of his spirit and testimony.  After working with him in the field, church meetings and with the missionaries in his zone we realize how special he really is.  He inspires all who are around him to be better and achieve their full potential.  He is going home this week and we had the privilege of taking him to the ferry today.  As tears streamed down his check and ours also we sent him to the mission home from is his last area.  This is such a bitter sweet experience, we are happy he is able to be reunited with his family and friends at home.  At the same time our hearts break along with his as he leaves the land and people he has served and loved with his whole heart for 2 years.

Elder Lagahit is a special person with a very special spirit.  He was surely one of the "Nobel and Great Ones" saved for the last days.  To do the work of the Lord in the last of the eleventh hour before the Lord comes again.  If all men could have this strong of spirit the gates of ______ would shake.

Elder Lagahit

While attending District Meeting in Talibon this we had the opportunity to try out the new Multi Cab with missionaries.  We took the 10 missionaries in the Talibon District, and Sister Bell and I out to lunch.  This is just a snap shot of how 10 missionaries fit with room for more.

Great Missionary Transport

We were also able to stop by on the best restaurants on the Island.  They have great food and in US dollars it only cost about $ 8.50 for both of us to eat.  If you ever visit Bohol you have stop here.

Sister Bells favorite tree at Chellanne'

Night time dining at Chellannes

The Moon as it sparkles across the Bay from the Chellanne's (This was such a beautiful sight as the moon was full and sky pretty clear. We were eating in the open-air and the ocean breeze was blowing.  It was the only time I have been a little chilly since coming here.  Kevin however, was not chilly just for the record.)

We also have been privileged to see 2 of the young men and 1 older man be ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood.  They are part of the Sagbayan Group that is applying to become a Branch.  It is amazing to    be part of organizing a new Branch of the Church.  Two more families the missionaries and members have been working with decided to be baptized.  The struggling group of 20 we first visited when first arrived has grown to 50 or 60 and with 2 more families will grow even larger over the next few months.  This is living testimony of how members, missionaries and leaders working together can spread the truth of the gospel to all the people of the Earth.  One group, one branch and one ward at a time.  It is fantastic to be involved in the work of the Lord on the Island of Bohol.

Well time to turn this over to Sister Bell.

I Love the Lord and I am thankful to be engaged in His work. 

Pinaka Salamat (Most Thankful) to all of  you.

Elder Bell (Papalo) - Tati, LoLo, and Amigo 

Hello Dear Pamilya and Amigos,

It has been a really busy week (as they all are), but this week we had the added busy of moving to a new house.  Our Landlord built a new house right behind our other apartment.  It has two bedrooms and an unheard of, second bathroom.  I feel a little spoiled when so many people here do not even have one bathroom in their house.  But, as you can see, we are now ready for the visits to begin, so start booking your tickets now (but call and check on availability first or you may have to sleep on the hide-a-bed).  We are very comfortable here and it is a nice place to come home to at the end of the day.

We also spent Friday with the Halladays.  It was a very pleasant day and we so enjoy our time together.  They spent the day showing us all of the apartment on the other side of the Island that the missionaries live in so that when they go home in six weeks we will know where all the missionaries on the island live.  There is no other senior couple coming to replace them and so it means that we will have 30 apartments and 75 missionaries to care for when they leave.  (Did I get the count right Sister H?)  It is a little overwhelming to think about it but I am sure with the Lord's help we will be able to do it all.  But, just in case any of you out there are thinking of serving anytime soon……we would love to have you here.  You will be very much needed and be able to serve literally in Paradise.

Saturday of this week we attended a Missionary Musical Fireside in Ubay.  It was for members and non-members to just share the feeling of Christ through music.  It was well done and was spear-headed by our Elder Lagahit who just left today for home.  

Elders Kuhn, Lagahit, and Mina singing their hearts out!                                 

Well, we had to move seminary from Saturday morning to Friday night as most of the kids have to attend school on Saturdays for a few weeks.  Amazingly 15 of them showed up!  Turns out there is not much to entertain these kids on a Friday night so they were more then happy to show up for Seminary.  It takes a concerted effort on my part to get all of the homework books read and graded by the time class roles around again but, I have to say, I think this is the thing I enjoy most in my week.  I love how they love to learn and I am so impressed they do such a good job with their homework considering it is a second language for them. 

We had a really special class a couple of weeks ago that I forgot to tell you about.  I am not sure what the topic was for the class but it somehow evolved in to my sharing with them my testimony of the Atonement.  And as I spoke I looked around the class and saw tears rolling down the cheeks of most of the kids.  I was joyous because I knew they understood with their hearts what I was saying.  It was a very special moment for me and I think for them as well.  Most of these kids are pretty new members or not yet members and so they are hungry for gospel knowledge and I am so happy that we are the ones to share it with them.  Please pray for us to have the ability to teach them all they need to know at this time.  These are the future church leaders of the Philippines and I have to believe they (the members of the Philippines) will be in good hands.

I am going to close for now and want you to all know how happy I am to be serving here on Bohol with the best kauban (companion) ever.  He is so happy here I am not sure he will ever want to go home. I love you all so much and I miss you a lot some days but, when I do I just get up and go back to work so that I don't have time to mope.  The gospel of Jesus Christ is true.  We are happily engaged in the work of bringing souls to Christ.

Love you forever,

Sister Bell (Nanay, Lola, Amigo)

Crazy stuff

We see crazy stuff like this every day.  This is an 8 foot piece of plywood being moved on the motorcycle.  They move 40 foot bamboo poles, or giant pigs in crates on each side all of the time.  And 6-7 people is common place.  It is quite amazing really!

The Black Pig

Many people own pigs. Never more that one usually and they are not ever wallowing in mud.  They are usually very clean and always on a tether.  This is the only black one I have seen. Most are the pink variety.  I have trying to catch a picture of the man in our neighborhood who walks his pig on a leash down the road once in awhile.  He (the pig) is enormous and it is quite a funny sight.  I will keep working of the picture.

A little Anniversary R & R

Greetings from Paradise my Family and Friends!

Well, we actually got in a little rest and relaxation this week.  And I want to emphasize the 'little'.  It was our anniversary on the 16th and so we scheduled a night away from home at a little resort that is only about a five minute drive from our apartment.  It is called the Isla Hayahay.  This little resort is located on an island just off of Calape and is connected by a causeway, so we can just drive out there.  The resort was pretty damaged in the earthquake two years ago and so a couple purchased it and are really making it in to a nice place to stay.  The husband of the couple is from Australia and the wife from here in the Philippines.  They work really hard and are making some great progress with the place.  So we had planned this little get-away about a week ago and made the reservation.  We knew we could not get out there on our actual anniversary so we made reservations for the 14th.  And as luck would have it life got busier and busier and one emergency after another nearly derailed the whole thing.  But, we were able to get out there about 5:00 PM and have a nice dinner and an early bedtime as Elder Bell had to get up at 4:00 AM to take missionaries to the ferry.  He was so nice and let me sleep in then he came back and we were able to go snorkeling for a couple of hours.  That is the first time since we have been here that we have made it to the ocean to actually play for a while.  It was so great.  It completely and totally renews my spirit to stick my face in the water and watch colorful little fish swim around.  I just LOVE the ocean!  But, we were back at work by 10:30 AM so as I mentioned before it was a 'little' get away. All the same though, very much appreciated!

R & R at Isla Hayahay

The beautiful view from where I sat!                                           

We were able to make it out to work with a set of missionaries from Inabanga this week.  Sister Tahaafe is from Samoa and she is training a tiny little Filipina, Sister Samoya.  They are hard workers and I have watched Sister Tahaafe for a long while now as she has been here since we got here 4 1/2 months ago.  I have watched Sister Tahaafe work when she had been really sick. Her motto is, "My faith is stronger that my sickness.  God will help us if we help Him".  So not much keeps her down.  She called me for medicine the day after we had worked with them and so we ran up to their apartment to find her in bed with a fever and an ear ache.  I gave her the medicine and told her to stay in bed until the fever broke and she felt better.  She is pretty stubborn and before the day had passed she was up and dressed and out working.  We love these missionaries of ours.  They inspire us everyday by how diligently they work.

Sisters Tahaafe and Samoya with a family they are teaching.  (The family has 12 children in it!)

I was in the house yesterday preparing a talk when I heard this commotion out in front of the house.  I looked out there and saw this gaggle of boys trying to climb the new 'prison type' fence that just got installed around my yard. (Prison because it has really sharp pointy things all along the top).  They were trying to get to the large fruit tree that partly hangs over the sidewalk so that they could pick the fruit.  I opened the door to go talk to them and they all scampered down out of the tree and were about to run away.  I shouted for them to come over to the gate and they came thinking they were in trouble.  I told them they could come in and pick the fruit if they just asked me.  So they each took my hand and in turn blessed me.  (It is the custom here for children to take the hand of anyone older than them and touch it to their forehead.  They call it "bless', and all children are taught this respectful act from before they can talk).  They came in the yard and climbed the tree like monkeys and started picking the fruit.  I took them a box and they were having a great time.  Just then our landlord came along and shouted at them to leave the yard and never come back or he would call the police!  Yikes!  I had gotten them all in trouble along with myself.  I then got a 10 minute lecture on why he can't have the little boys climbing in the tree. I guess I can see his point, but talk about a party killer!

 The cute boys, so proud of their work!                                         

Sorry I have been so long winded tonight.  I can not tell you how much we look forward to writing our blog each Sunday night.  We think about it every day of the week and it keeps us motivated so that we won't disappoint all of you that read this.  Anyway, we really like to report our week to you.  It makes it  feel like we are all having this experience together.  So, as I close my part for this week, I just want to tell you all that we love you and that we would not be having this fabulous experience if it weren't for all of you.  Especially all of you that are taking care of our life back home, paying our bills, doing our taxes, taking care of our home and our cabin.  You are all wonderful and we thank you for your support!  I also want you to know that I love the Lord and His work.  I feel His hand in so many things that I do each week.  He really does care about the details of our lives and will make much more of us that we could ever possible make on our own.

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

Hello to all from the Great Island of Bohol!

Well we finally were able get our Jeepney (Multi Cab).  We ordered this 2 1/2 months ago and have been waiting for its arrival.  You may ask yourself why would they need a Jeepney when the just received and new truck from the mission 2 weeks ago?  Well to answer that question you need to understand the transportation problems that exist all over the Philippines.  Most people (98%) do not own anything more than a motorcycle and 75% do not have one of those.  So they ride public transportation that exists (Bus, tricycle or back of motorcycle).  Also we sometimes need to transport missionaries for 2 hour rides to their area at 9:00 PM and public transportation is not available. That's not too bad if there are only 2 missionaries, but more times than not there are 10 or 12 Missionaries with some baggage.  With a truck or a car that sometimes means you make 2 separate trips and are driving into late hours of the night.

Well to make long story short. We can haul all the missionaries in one trip with baggage.  We also use it to help the District President and his Councilors visit the meetings and members on the other side of the Island.  There presence in the District with the members makes more difference to furthering the work of the mission than we can possibly do by ourselves.

So here is 'White Lightning' (the new ride, as named by the missionaries)

Who says that 20 Filipino's will not fit in the back of a Multi Cab

Now for story about Pilar: 

Pilar is the father-in-law of the Branch President in Calape (President Perez). He is about 75 years old.  He has been taught the missionary discussions for many years and many sets of missionaries.  Well I went to visit the Perez family about a month ago.  Pilar climbed a coconut tree to get some buko juice for us to drink.  Pilar and I hit it off very well.  He has been a hard working farmer his entire life and is still doing the same today.

We started teaching him the discussions again and for the first time he agreed to come to church.  He showed up the next week and asked where I was.  I went over to his house and explained I have to go to other Branches that are not as strong in Leadership as Calape.  To make a long story short, he has been attending church and has committed to be baptized.  I do not get to go with the Elders ever time they teach him, but I try to go 1 time every week.  I teach him the lessons I have prepared in Visayan and he helps we with the words I struggle with.  For 2 people that do not speak the same language we always enjoy the lessons and understand one another.

This week he fed us boiled Bananas and Coconut meat and milk.  He climbed the coconut trees and I was able to take some great video and pictures before the lesson.

Pilar coming down the tree

Well is has been another week in paradise.  Kathy and I had a great time on the anniversary get away and snorkel. Thousand of fish to see and we had a fantastic time together.  It is great to feel the Spirit as we work with the missionaries and the people.  That is the greatest part of paradise, for it is something that will last beyond this life.  I LOVE THE LORD AND LOVE OUR MISSION.

Salamat Kaayo to all,

Elder Bell (LoLo, Tatay & Amigo)

Baptisms Baptisms and More Baptisms

Maayong Buntag Pamilya & Amigo's

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)

New Year's - Rice, Rice & More Rice

Happy New Year to All

Rice, Rice and more Rice

Most people in America have no clue how to grow rice or harvest it.  That is why I am doing a rice 101 on planting rice.  At a later date I will do rice 102 on Harvesting rice.

First you get a lot of rain and create dikes to contain that rain so you can plant your crop. Last week a typhoon hit the Philippines and we were on the very corner of the storm so it just rained for 2 days straight (that is not normal).  So the farmers have a very good way of retaining the water they need to plant their rice with terraces and ditches that most people from the outside have no clue they even exist.

Second you prep the field to plant rice.

Leveling Machine #1

Leveling Machine #2 resting before leveling the next terrace. 

These terraced sections are perfectly sloped so they retain enough water and overflow to the next terrace at one end.  The next terrace does the same and drains at the opposite end on down the hill.  These terraces were designed and made by hand.

Then comes the rice planting.  Little patches are grown for seed very close to one another, then planted in the fields.

Missionaries and Members working together on the Racoma Farm

The Racoma Farm House

The Racoma Farm house.  They have 13 children and grow 10 hectares of rice (that is 24.7 acre of rice) that is leveled, planted and harvested by hand.  They are the hardest working and most faithful people you could ever hope to meet.

This is one of the most beautiful rice farms I have seen.

We will attempt at a later date to show you harvesting and sending the rice to market.

New Truck:

Not much to tell but the old temporary truck we were driving lasted just long enough to get to the port in Ubay so we could trade it for a new one.  We left at 10:00 PM on Monday night for Ubay (2 hour drive away) to meet the ferry.  We literally prayed over the truck that we would make it.  At times it would spit and sputter and blow black smoke so much that we thought at times is was rolling to a stop.  We would pray that we could make it to the next town and we did.  HOORAY!

Check out the New Ride (pretty fancy by anyones standards)

The trip to Danao:

We took the Elders from Sagbayan to Danao this week to visit a member in the far end of their area, and check on some investigators.  I walked up the road with the Elders from the member's home.  We taught lessons at 3 of the 5 houses we passed.  Many were receptive and I enjoyed teaching part of the lessons I had prepared.  We had to leave and we were not to the end of the road.  We will visit in the future teaching and testifying as we go.  Many of these people sure have pure spirits.

A very well made baby swing in one of the homes we visited.

Well I have to turn this over to Sister Bell.

We are enjoying all the rich spiritual experiences each week.  The Lord has blessed us in so many way's.  It is a miracle that I can speak and teach in another language.  I still have a long ways to go before I can understand and speak freely.  But with the Lord's help that is possible.

May you have a Happy and Prosperous New Year.  And may the Lord bless you with the righteous desires of your heart.

Amping Elder Bell (Tatay- Lolo- Amigo)   

Dear Family and Friends,

Here we are in a new year!  It hardly seems possible.  We have been here for four months already.  I have a feeling the time is going to pass much too quickly for me.  It seems like the weeks are flying past. 

All of the missionaries were told to be in early (6:00) on New Year's Eve as apparently the Philippino population celebrate all night long with unpoliced fireworks and shooting guns.  The streets are not a very safe place to be on such a night.  So we were able to have a movie night in our districts.  It had to be a Disney movie and they had to be home by 8:00.  We invited our Calape district over to our apartment for the movie and treats.

Calape District Missionaries

This is our Calape District. Four sisters and four elders and one extra young man that is preparing to go on a mission from the Calape branch.

It was a fun evening and these tech deprived young people thoroughly enjoyed "The Good Dinosaur". Surprising how easily we are amused when we never get to watch TV or go to Movies.

Another adventure we had this week was working an afternoon with our Clarin Sisters Ross and Macadangdang.  They are great missionaries and we love to go out teaching with them.  Plus Sister Ross is the only Utahan missionary we have in our whole zone right now and so sometimes we Utah girls just need to see each other.  She is training Sister Macadangdang and doing a fantastic job of it.  We were trying to catch an older couple home that had not yet been taught but told the sisters they would like them to come teach them.  Turns out they were not home but their daughter, who lives next door was.  She graciously accepted our invitation to have a short lesson.  Turns out her house is the gathering place for all the kids of the neighborhood as she has 8 kids of her own.  

Sister Ross and Sister Macadangdang

This is the pack of kids with Sister Ross and Sister Macadangdang.  They love to have their picture taken and they loved the primary songs I sang with them.  But the thing that caught their attention the most was the hair on Elder Bell's arms.  I don't know what it is, the heat or the humidity, but the hair on Elder Bell's arms has grown in so thick and long that his arms look like a persian cat.  So all of the kids kept coming up and petting his arms, fascinated by the long hair.  It was pretty distracting for the sisters as they taught but the mom of the group said that we could come back on Saturday to teach her again!

Well, that just about wraps up our week.  It is an interesting experience to serve a mission.  I feel the refining process going on within my soul.  There is no other time in my life that I have lived so removed from the things of this world and I have found this change taking place.  I can feel the Lord molding me.  I think maybe because I enjoy so much quiet time without the distraction of modern technology.  I can hear the whispering of the Holy Ghost urging me on to change and growth.  It is a remarkable thing really.  I know now why our children come home so different from when we send them out.  They too went through this change and it is so good.  I highly recommend this to all senior couples.  You will grow in ways you never thought possible and when you are old, growth and change are a good thing!

We love you all so much.  I have to be honest and tell you that I did get a little homesick these past two weeks, but, I would not want to be any place else right now.  We love our mission and we love the Lord.  It is a privilege to serve Him in this way.

Take care my loved ones.  

I love you forever!

Sister Bell (Tatay, Lola, Amigo)

Sometimes the beauty of this place just takes your breath away!