As the Truth Goes Marching On

Maayong Buntag Pamilya ug mga Amigo!

Well the truth really does go marching on in Sagbayan, Bohol.  We had an amazing week this week with many activities, and many new experiences.

I will start with church today. Well, we had 89 in attendance in our covered garage meeting house!  It is about the same size as 3 class rooms with the curtains drawn in our Hooper 3rd Ward Chapel. The space fits about 60 nicely, but when you cram 89 bodies in to it….it gets down right tight!  We had 3 complete new families attend today and they all are seriously investigating the church. The four Sisters we have working currently in Sagbayan are the best!  They really work hard and diligently and the miracles are beginning to happen.

We had the homecoming talk for Sister Joan Racoma. She is the first missionary returning to the new Sagbayan Branch. Their were maybe five extra people for that event.

So in the near further we will have 80 to 85 per week attend church.  The Lord sure is putting forth his hand bringing so many new people into the church.  The young missionaries find new people all the time and we try to maintain them as active members as they enter the church. It is amazing to be part of it.

I am meeting with a representative from the Physical Facilities division of the church from Manila on Wednesday this week to discuss either purchasing a building in Sagbayan that is still under construction or starting the construction of a new building to handle the growth.  It is a amazing to be part of this process.

This week we went with our missionaries to Danao to visit members and teach some investigators.  This is an area that is being considered for starting a new group off the Sagbayan Branch.

Marjonilo, John Mark, Sister Bertoldo, Sister Ross

Great Members and missionaries from Sabayan working in Danao with us

Teaching the investigators in Danao

(We saw these babies six months ago when they were newborns)

Well on other activity we had this week was Hump Day party with the Zone Leaders and Sisters in Sagbayan.  They planned a surprise party for us knowing that one year of our mission had passed.  They brought some tasty treats and some ice cream.  It was great time with some missionaries we really have grown to love.

Really Good Selfie taken by Sister Bell

(These are our sisters that live next door and our zone leaders, Elders Santos & Clark)

Today we also had our first YSA Devotional in our living room after church.  It is great to get together with these future leaders of the church.

YSA Group watching the World Wide Devotional

On Saturday I also able to attend a Baptism for the Inabanga Sisters. These Sister work so hard all over the mission and bring many people into the church.  In the past we have seen the pattern of the brethren joining the church after the sister join and they see the positive influence it has on their family.

Sister Delos Reyes, Sister  Flordilona Mar, Sister Larabelle Lantafe, Sister Lovenelle Latafe, 

Sister Jhenjhel Daguplo, Sister Calagui 

Well it seems like we have a months worth of activities to tell about every week.  But when we look back it is only a week every time.

I am so blessed to be part of the Lords work in this part of his vineyard at this special time.  And also to spend my time with such a beautiful and loving companion.  I know this is the work of the Lord.

Love to all

Elder Bell (Tatay, LoLo, Amigo) 

Ayo Family and Friends!

It has been a busy week!  There are so many events that happened this week it is hard to remember them all.  I will back up to earlier in the week….We were invited to a YSA activity in Tubigon for all of the Young Single Adults in the district.  It was a sweet party for two sisters that are leaving on missions and for a couple who got married Saturday.  The two sisters you already have met as we escorted them through the Cebu Temple a couple of weeks ago.

Sister Sefuentes, Me, and Sister Cerbas.

I also made a new friend at the activity…..

The girl on my right is my new friend, Kathleen (common name around here but hardly anyone spells it the same as me so I was instantly drawn to her)  and my old friend, Cristal who you met many months ago.  She is from Talibon and she is deaf but has always been a good friend to me.

They have a very active YSA group here.  These young adults are busy going to school and working but always make time for Institute and activities together.  They are a lot of fun to hang out with.

So just a couple of days after this activity we had the opportunity to take Sister Sefuentes to the airport to depart for her mission.

The Sefuentes Family.  Shajhin is the oldest of the 4 kids.  Setting a good example for the rest of her family.

And just moments later we greeted Sister Racoma home from her mission…..

Sister Joan Racoma greeted by her mother!

The Racoma Family have 13 kids!  Joan is the first missionary to be sent off and return.  She has three sisters that will follow over the next 4 years.

So that was the comings and goings of the week.  Saturday morning we had a Calape District Seminary Activity.  I filled up the multi-cab and took 15 kids from Sagbayan to the activity.  When we all got there and started I counted heads and we had a full half of the students in attendance from Sagbayan.  We had a good showing and they had a lot of fun.  We even had 3 kids that are investigators and they answered questions and won prizes with the best of them.

President Galotera teaching the district seminary class!

It is pretty fun to be me!  We are really have so much fun helping this branch grow.  We just shake our heads in disbelief every week at the astounding growth.  The challenge to all of this is to have the organization in place to help the new members mesh seamlessly in to the branch.  For instance, when you have brand new primary leaders and they have 25 kids that show up for primary instead of 9, well, it can be a little bit of a challenge for them.  That is where we come in and teach them how to roll with it and help everyone feel included.  The new leaders are really doing well.  We see a lot of 'firsts' every week as we watch people fill their callings for the very first time.  They are nervous but so willing to try.  The Lord does not ask for more than that, ever! 

When we think of the fledgling days of this branch a year ago when there were about 20 in attendance each week, we too are amazed at the growth.  There is something really special about Sagbayan.  The sisters agree.  The people in the community are so helpful, and kind.  They are friendly and always greet us and want to know who we are and what we are about.  Our four sisters ride bikes everywhere with their skirts just flying.  All of the people get a big kick out of that. Anyway, there is just a real sense of community in this place.  You don't get that feeling in every community on this island, but we are sure happy to have landed here in Sagbayan!  

Well, I will sign off for now.  We are really busy and trying hard to stay focused on what we have been sent here to do.  We are looking forward to zone conference and district conference this week.  We love spending time with President and Sister Maughan and our missionaries.  We will report next week on all of that!  Love you all madly.  Hope your week goes well and that you are happy and progressing forward.  Write if you have a minute!  We love hearing from you!

Love you forever,

Sister Bell (Mamala)

The Hand of the Lord in all we do!

Maayong Gabii Pamilya & Amigo's

Well the work of the Lord is hastening and this week was not a break from that. There are so many good things going on all over that we just have to pick the high points and let the rest just happen.

First we told you about a family in Ubay that had their house burn down a couple of week ago and were living in a make-shift shelter until they could find some way to come close to recovering.

So when we heard of the disaster we contacted our son Jason from K Bell Plumbing and asked if they would be willing to donate to a family that were truly in need.  They responded very quickly and provided enough money to buy the materials to rebuild the home. So we made a trip to the top of one of the chocolate hills by Ubay and delivered the first portion of money that was needed.  We walked about 1/2 mile up a muddy slippery trail to their house.  We have walked this trail before but never in a driving rain.

The trail up the mountain.

When they meet us they had smiles on their faces and they greeted with such positive happy faces you could not help to see how humble these people really are. The father had been cutting down trees and making them into lumber with a chain saw he had borrowed.  So they took us to their humble abode.

The little hut the family of four lives in.

This was the only shelter from the driving rain.

It was built from a few pieces of burnt expanded metal from the burned structure.

  

This is what is left of their old home.

The couple and the group of us that climbed up the mountain.  The lady in the front in the blue shirt is Maribel and her husband is the face just to the right of Elder Bell, Julius (he is so shy)

We promptly gave them the first installment of money to buy materials to start the rebuild project.  One thing you need to understand, that a very small amount of money in the US will give them more than they ever dreamed of obtaining.  So they asked for a meager amount that we gave to them and told them when that ran out we could help with tables, beds, and other household items.

It is hard describe the tears of joy that were shed by this young mother.  She kept telling us over and over to give thanks to our son and his company…..K Bell Plumbing, Spencer, Eric and Jason, thank you so much.  You have given hope back to a family that had little hope of being able to rebuild and provide a safe shelter for their children.  I wish you could have been here to see the pure joy we saw in their faces.

We start the rebuilding project on Thursday of this week.  We will keep you informed of the rest.

So I am going jump to today, Sunday, and what happened in Priesthood class.  So the Sisters brought and new investigators to church today.  It was a father, mother and 4 children.  So the Sisters said they were very receptive and when we went to priesthood I learned this first hand.

We are following the 'Come Follow Me' program for the entire priesthood because 90% of the members have been members for less than 1 year.  This month the topic is on Commandments.  So the lesson today was on the law of tithing.  I wondered about that because these investigators had only known the missionaries for less than a week.

We felt we should go ahead with the lesson on tithing. So my Branch Clerk, Marjonilo was giving the lesson and I was assisting.  After some testimonies and teaching on the principle of tithing, the investigator asked me a direct question, "Where do I pay this tithing and can I pay even if I am not a member of the church?"  I answered you pay it right here and yes you can pay if you are not a member.  He then told the whole group how the sister missionaries had been lead to their home. The sisters were looking for someone else and when they could not find them they asked the wife if they could share a message with them.  She promptly found her husband and they started their journey as a family.  The thing that impressed them most is the teaching on the family. They had never heard such profound things before.

I showed them a slide show of the Temple trip we took 2 weeks ago with the Gambi family. After brother Gambi shared his testimony about the Temple and about the law of tithing the brother was on the edge of his seat while the slide show played.

So after priesthood my Branch Clerk assisted him in paying his tithing and we saw the family off.  We will meet with them in a couple of days.

It never ceases to amaze me at how many deep spiritual experiences we have on our mission.  My cup runneth over. The harvest is great and the labors are few (even though we have no spare time). 

May the Lord bless all of you with the righteous desires of your hearts.

Nahi Gugma ko kaninyo kannunay (I Love you all always)

Elder Bell  (Elder Papalo)   

Dear Family and Friends,

Well, how did your week go?  With is being a holiday….certainly you have some news to report?!  Didn't hear from many of you last week so maybe this week you should make up for it….just a suggestion.

Let's start with last night.  We had an unusually good turn out for seminary, nineteen kids came!  It is so amazing to teach seminary here.  Mind you, this is held on Saturday evening and 19 kids show up. There is not a whole lot to do around here on the weekends.  Well, our new youth leaders decided that they wanted to start having mutual activities but the only time they can have them is Saturday night after seminary.  (Days here are long for the kids.  They go to school at 7:00 AM and school ends at 5:00 PM each day.  It gets dark at 5:30 and so no activities happen on the week nights.  Also, the cost of travel is too much for them to be able to come to town more than one extra time a week.) So this week we had our first mutual activity with our young men and young women.  

This is all of us playing silly games. 

This is all of us playing silly games.  They have so much fun when they get together and it does not take much to entertain.  They really know some fun games….remind us to teach you "Doggie, doggie, ow" when we come home.  The lady sitting just to the left of Elder President Bell is our young woman's president, Louie Mae.  She is 22 years old and has been a member for just a couple of months. 

Saturday morning we had a baptism. We had a young mother baptized and the youngest daughter of our primary president baptized.

Lhea Jane Anober (8 yrs old) and Jovilyn Castro with her 4 year old son, Ken

The really cool thing about this baptism is that the young men who got to baptize are brand new priesthood bearers and they got to do their first baptisms.  Marjonilo, on the left, baptized Jovilyn and Arc, on the right, got to baptize his cousin, Lhea Jane.  They did a great job.  We held the baptism in the ocean near Calape but it was a little to busy and public for my liking so I think next time we will encourage the missionaries to hold it in the chapel (where we actually have a font…just don't always have the water to fill the font).

As I was sitting in church today waiting for the members to gather….I got rather emotional as I kept seeing investigators come in.  We had the whole family of six that Elder Bell told you about.  We also had the oldest son of the Umbang family come, who up until now has wanted nothing to do with us.  We also had Jessa, who is 15, and her two young cousins come. They have come before but not for a long time, so it was so good to see them.  Our little house that we call a church is pretty maxed out for room.  We are hoping that we can get a real meeting house soon.  But, until then, not having enough room is a problem we don't mind dealing with.  It is just so fun to be a witness to what is happening here!  This little branch is growing like crazy!!

Just one more picture……

Ubay Chicken Farm

This is a chicken farm that we drive by when we go to Ubay.  Every one of these little huts is a house for a rooster.  Chicken fighting is the main source of entertainment and gambling here.  And these roosters can not live peacefully together unless they have their own space.  So they each have a little teepee made out of cement and are tethered so they can not reach each other.  I don't know if you can really see, but the chicken huts go back farther than my eyes could see to the end and it was really a wide swath of ground.  There had to be thousands of roosters in this yard. As I said, chicken fighting is a REALLY big deal here.  They happen usually on Friday, Saturday and Sundays.  Each community has a great big arena where the fights are held and I have even seen the fights broadcast on television.  Kinda like BYU vs UofU back home!  By the way,  who won?

Well, I will let you go for yet another week.  We are so happy you follow our blog and take time to share in this remarkable experience.  This is one of the greatest experiences of my life and I am so happy we are able to serve here.  We have grown and learned so much.  I feel the refining process each day….chipping off the rough edges a little more each day.

Love you forever,

Sister Bell (Mamala)

Sagbayan Branch Marches Forth…..

Ayo Family and Friends!

We always sit and review the calendar and pictures to decide what we should write about each week and by all accounts this week was a little mundane…but still we were very busy and there are many great things happening that are moving our little branch forward and so we will share a few of those.

The week started off with us finally getting all of the things moved out of the Halladay's apartment on Panglao (yes we remembered the air conditioner and the water heater, Sister Halladay).  We got it all cleaned and handed over the keys to the owner.  It felt good to have accomplished that finally.  We also got an apartment cleaned out in Inabanga that sisters had moved out of…due to the infestation of RATS!  We are glad to be free of that apartment.  And finally, we got our new neighbors moved in to the apartment right next door to us.

Our new neighbors…Sisters Ross, Monteras, Bertoldo, & Cook

They are loving their new apartment!  It is probably the nicest missionary apartment in the whole mission. They are not used to such luxuries……

Sister Cook just chillin' on the sofa!

All of these Sisters are great, hard-working missionaries.  We are glad they have a comfortable place to rest at night.  It will be fun to have them as neighbors too.

We were able to attend a training on Friday with our new Self-Reliant Specialist, Rey Jay.  He is a very new member of the church and is currently studying to take his board exam in Political Science Education.  He is such a bright young man and is very excited to start the self-reliant program in our branch.  It will help the members so much to be able to get jobs, start businesses, or get an education and become truly able to support their families.  It is a great program that the church puts in place in countries where it would otherwise be very difficult to take care of your family.  We will keep you posted on our progress.

This is Rey Jay our new Self-Reliant Specialist.

We drove way out to a Barangay on the edge of town to get him and he showed us a short-cut to get back to the main road.  As we drove he showed us his grandfather's coconut farm and the area that he has just started 100 cacao seedlings as a business venture to produce chocolate!  

River across the road!

So on our little ride out through the bukid we came to this river that ran right across the road or maybe the road ran right across the river but either way it was pretty deep water and Rey Jay said, "Just drive through it Elder Bell.  You will be alright!"  So we did…and stopped to take a picture of the water with us sitting in the middle of the river.  The water was crystal clear and he said that it came from a spring on his grandfathers land.  I love the Peens!

Saturday I was able to attend a monthly Seminary/Institute Inservice meeting.  I don't often make it to this meeting but when I do I am always so impressed with the caliber of teaching and training we get.

President Galotera

This is President Galotera.  He is the director of Seminary and Institute here on Bohol.  He is also the Stake President of the Tagbilaran Stake, which is the only stake on Bohol.  He is a very good teacher and so loved and respected by everyone who knows him.  I have sure learned a lot from him.  I really have enjoyed my seminary class.  I know you have heard it all before…but it is true….they are just great kids!  The leaders of tomorrow in the Philippines.  The church will be in great hands in a few years!

Hangin' out after seminary!  Love these kids!

Another week in the books!  The time is flying past.  We have officially been here for one year now.  Sometimes it seems like forever but most often it seems like we just got here.  There is so much left to do with only a few months to do it.  I am so happy to have had the opportunity to serve this mission.  It has helped me grow, and refined me in ways I didn't know needed refining.  It is a pleasure to serve with my good husband and to watch him work so hard.  We sat in a Family Home Evening last night with a family in our branch and I nearly had to pick my jaw up when I heard my husband telling this family (all in Cebuano) all about the blessings of the temple and challenged them to work toward being sealed as a family.  He has worked really hard to learn this very difficult language and he is able to communicate with his branch members in their native language!  It is amazing….I think if ever the gift of tongues has been earned…it is by my husband.  I am really proud of him.  

I love you all and pray for you each day.  Please know you are always in our thoughts and prayers.

Love you forever,

Sister Bell (Mamala)

Hello my Great Family and Friends (Maayon Buntag ang nindot pamilya ug mga amigo)

Well another week in paradise. We were able to send four of our youth along with Pres. Racoma to temple on Wednesday night to do baptisms for the dead.  The district sponsored the temple trip so only 4 of the youth could attend.  These youth wait their turn sometimes for a year or two to have the opportunity to attend the temple. My first councilor went the temple with them and that was great. We had much work to do with the missionaries and that makes it possible to be a Branch President and also a Full time Missionary.

Sagbayan Youth awaiting the Ferry ride to Cebu to attend Temple.

We decided that we are going to take the all of the Sagbayan Branch youth to the temple in November.  We are looking forward spending 2 day in the Temple of our Lord with such great youth. We will report on that after the event.

Well this is one Sister Bell would normally post but I am going to do it this week. We have such a amazing primary in this new Sagbayan Branch. The primary presidency is taking over teaching of lessons and the sharing time and doing such a Nindot Kaayo job.

Primary Children writing letters to their favorite Missionary.

These women are great teachers and they have pushed past a lot of fears and self doubt to get the courage to stand and teach.  Others have the natural born talent and are terrific teachers from the beginning. It is great to see that who the Lord calls he also qualifies when we put our trust in him.

Primary Presidency of Sagbayan Branch

Well Sister Bell mentioned the teaching appointment we attended at the Viodor family on Saturday night. This is one of the first homes we taught in at the beginning of our mission. Since then the wife and all the children have joined the church and are doing great.  There son is my Branch Clerk and literally is my translator to many of the peoples in Sagbayan. The only member of the family that is not a member is the father (tatay). 

So Tatay Viodor has listened to the missionaries and is a great friend to the missionaries and also us.  A few months ago we had one of the new missionaries serving in Bohol tell us that he was praying about Tatay Viodor and he was told that Elder Bell was the key to bringing him into the church.  We do share a special bond.  He is a hard working, very honest man.  He sells fish out of the back of his truck and travels over many miles of road each day to support his family and many others that live under their roof. I felt impressed to show him a slide show I prepared about the Temple trip the Gambi's went on to have their family sealed together.  Then I challenged him to take his family to the Temple and the Lord would bless his life in ways he can not imagine at this time. So he attended Church today and is softening up some.  We are going to have weekly appointments to teach him and help him gain a testimony for himself.  The sisters do a great job teaching and will testify kanunay (always) of the truth of their message.

Well today at testimony meeting we had 12 members stand and bear their testimonies about the Temple and the great blessings they feel in their lives.  It was touching to see so many with tears in their eyes tell of their feeling about serving in callings, attending the temple and just the great joy they feel in their lives.  Now keep in mind these people live on what we make in month for a entire year or more.  They look for their joy from within and not from what they have.  It does not get better than this for a missionary.  They literally race to the microphone and then we have to cut the meeting off before all of them a chance to bear testimony.  What a joy to witness each month.

Well enough for this week. I love Lord and I love all of his children.  May the Lord bless you with the righteous desires of your hearts.

Umping Kaayo

Elder Bell (Elder Papalo)

Cebu Temple

Boat Trip…..to the temple!

Ayo Family and Friends!

There were so many events this week I don't know where to start!  I guess with Monday…..

Monday I got a call from the Loon Elders.  Apparently Elder Beltiar had been very sick for three days…and I am just now hearing about it?….anyway, it was decided about 10:00PM that he needed to be in a hospital as he had a temperature over 104 degrees and had not kept anything down for 3 days.  It was getting dangerous.  So we drove from Sagbayan for 90 minutes and our good friend Elder Saballa, who lives in Loon,  had taken Elder Beltiar to the local medical clinic and we met them there.  He was already on an IV and so we knew he would likely be okay.  The one thing that makes missionaries this sick is Denge Fever, a mosquito born disease.  This was the third case out of our four missionaries serving in Loon this month!  I waited with Elder Beltiar until they got him in his 'room', which was just a wide spot in the hall.

Elder Beltiar

This is Elder Beltiar in his room….He was laid on an army cot that had no blanket, sheet or pillow.  I sent Elder Bell to their apartment to get all of those luxuries.  Notice the rusty IV pole…yikes!  We try really hard to not put missionaries in the hospital as they are fairly substandard.  But Elder Beltiar really needed some fluid in his fevered body!

This is one of the many ferrel cats and dogs that freely wander in and out of the open air hospital!!  I returned the next day and took Elder Beltiar out of the hospital and his faithful kauban (companion) was able to nurse him back to health in the comfort of their own apartment.  He was feeling well enough to come to a zone meeting on friday..Hooray!

I forgot to mention the first event of the week…Sister Tatarata-Maheahea, our sweet Tahitian Sister, had completed her mission and her final wish was to be able, with her kauban and apartment mates, bike all the way from Sagbayan to Tubigon to catch the ferry for Cebu!  Now this is a distance of about 35 miles!  So we agreed they could if they would let us follow behind in the multi-cab.  They had a great time and made it in just about an hour! (It is down hill all of the way)

Sisters Tatarata-Maheahea, Cook, Ross, & Monteras after their bike ride to the ferry!  We love our Sagbayan Sisters!

Tuesday was district meeting and the nerve-wracking day that the transfer list comes out!!!  It is always with mixed emotions the missionaries get the news of who stays and who goes, who trains, who gets new callings, and who gets to stay here with us here in our beloved Sagbayan!

These are the sad faces of the missionaries that must leave us…at least for a season. 

These are the sad faces of the missionaries that must leave us…at least for a season.  We are so happy when they get assigned back with us but it is always hard to say goodbye!  Sister Tagi, on the back row, takes the prize for the saddest face!  We will miss them all but know they are needed elsewhere and the wonderful thing is that they go and do whatever, wherever they are assigned.  We love our missionaries!

One other event that really makes it to the top of the list this week is the birth of our new grandson, Zealand Luca Bell.  He is the first born of Jason and Aly and was born healthy.  We are over joyed at his safe arrival and are anxious to meet him in person one day…..it is hard to wait to do that.  But I will try and stay focused.  Every picture I see of him I can just stare at longingly.  He is sooooo cute!

Zealand Luca!  He is so cute. We are in love!

Well the rest of our week was really amazing but I am going to let Elder Bell tell those tales.  But I will end with this…..last night in our seminary class, we talked about the great atoning sacrifice of our Savior.  It was a remarkable experience to share with these teenagers that had studied and pondered these lessons during the week of home-study.  We watched a powerful movie depicting the final hours of the life of Jesus Christ.  It was hard to watch and I prayed fervently that I might express my feelings to the kids after the movie.  I had one of those rare moments where the spirit spoke to me so powerfully, guiding my every word and thought.  As I shared my thoughts and feelings with these people I love so dearly, I could see in their faces that they too felt the Spirit testifying to them that the things they had seen and heard were true.  Not a dry eye in the room and I know they are beginning to understand, as am I, that this one singular event is the most important thing to ever happen in this world and that Jesus Christ suffered and died for each of us as individuals.  He knows our pains, sorrows, loneliness, inadequacies and fears.  He and He alone can carry us and help us return to live with our Father one day.  What a glorious thing to know!  What glorious hope it bestows on us as we journey through mortal life.  

I love you all so much.  Please try and find joy in your journey this week!  And don't forget to write…we love hearing from home!

Love you forever, 

Sister Bell (Mamala)

AYO, AYO Elder Bell calling!

Well this week has been so full of wonderful experiences and events I have hard time realizing this is just a week of events and not a month! 

First I will start with the Boy Scout Jamboree that was held in our back yard.  There were scouts that came form all over the Island of Bohol and camped at the school that is in our back yard.  It was amazing to see them with all their tents and activities that lasted for 3 days.  And those scouts are early risers!  The amplified music started sharply at 5:00 AM each morning!

Picture of their tents. We were so busy we did not get pictures of their opening ceremony.

Next is our temple trip to Cebu. We had the privilege of escorting 2 sister missionaries that received their calls to enter the MTC in September.  Our dear Sister Sefuentes is going to Quezon City and Sister  Cerbas is going to Berlin, Germany!  I wonder if she isn't the first Filipina missionary ever sent to Germany?!   They took out their endowments and Sister Bell and Sister Magsayo escorted both of them through the temple.

Sisters Magsayo, Cerbas, and Sefuentes

On the same trip we also escorted the Gambe Family from Sagbayan and the Pinero family from Ubay as they were married and sealed as families for time and all eternity. We have had the opportunity to work closely with both of these families.  The father of  the Gambe family was baptized in July 2015 one month before we started our mission in Bohol.  Brother Gambe is the second councilor in the Branch Presidency of the Sagbayan Branch.  The Gambe children are members of our seminary class.  This wonderful family has been part of the back bone of creating this Sagbayan Branch.

The Gambe Family in front of the Temple

Julius (15), Sister Gambe, Bro Gambe, Jesabelle (17), Joshua (13)

In the sealing everyone held it together pretty good until the children came in the room. When Sister Jesabelle put her hand on her parents hands to be sealed she was overcome with joy and everyone in the room did not have a dry eye.  It was amazing to witness the sealing of their family for time and all eternity.  The sisters leaving on their missions were present and they were able to get a large taste of what missionary work is all about.  It does not get better than that.

The Pinero family were also sealed.  They were taught the gospel by two of the Sisters that trained us when we came to Bohol (Sister Perez, and Sister Lappay). We worked with them in Ubay and had some great experiences with their family.

Jeryann, Paulo, Bro Pinero, Charles, Sister Pinero, Lesliann

The Pinero family was the first to be sealed and when the children came in the room they looked and felt like angles.  Paulo is handicapped and has a very special spirit about him always.  The missionaries told us about all of the bamboo banks the children have for saving for theirs future missions.

It was a fantastic experience to share these special moments with so many.  If the meeting we will have in heaven looks or feels like this…..I surely want to part of it. My cup runneth over with joy for these special people.

Well on top of all this we had our first 'Linger Longer' with the Sagbayan Branch after church today. We had to explain in detail what it means to Linger. That was a word they had never heard.  So I finally told them that it means, 'to hang out'!  Then they got the picture.  Everyone brought a dish and we had a fantastic time as the entire Sagbayan family enjoyed lunch together.  Sister Bell made some of her homemade bread and a great vegetable dish to go with rice.  Tatay Viodor sent some of his famous fish I love and many others brought many great Filipino dishes I have grown to love.  A great time was had by all as they all celebrate the success of each other.

The first Linger Longer of the Sagbayan Branch

Well it's time for me to wrap up for this week.  It is hard to express to you the great joy we feel with our newest grandson being born on top of such a marvelous week with so many people we love.  

I know this is the work of the Lord and we are honored to part of it.

Nahi Gugma Ko Kanimo!

Elder Bell (Papala) 

This is what it is all about folks!  

Philippine pioneer!

Maayong Buntag Brothers & Sister

Hello again from the other side of heaven. Weeks are rolling by fast now and much is always happening in paradise.

We help one of the Sisters in Calape Branch move this week.  Her home was destroyed in the earthquake 3 years ago and she has been living in a make shift tent with her sister for all this time.  She had 2 small homes built next to each other. One by LDS charities and one by habitat for humanity.

A shot of the 2 homes 3 years in the making.

Their are always snacks or a meal after every project in the Philippine culture.  They are preparing some pork bihon for the meal after the work.

Second, I need to show you a perfect shot from one of the most beautiful places on the earth... Bohol.

 A perfect sunset on the Bridge near Loon

Now off to the other side of the Island in Ubay.  You would guess we attended another baptism in Ubay on friday morning. These are two ladies we had the privilege of working with before me moved to Sagbayan.

Elder Talan, Mary Grace, Mary Ann, Elder Singsam

We have had the privilege of working with Elder Singsam in his last three areas.  Last week we told you Elder Talan's story.  This is way he spent his last day in the mission field before going home.

Another beautiful Ubay ocean baptism.

Next is the Sagbayan Olympics that were held on the school that is in our back yard.  There were schools from all over the island come to compete.  There was a parade that started about 6:30 on Saturday and hundreds or kids marched past sa among balay(our home). They had bands, flag twirlers, runners, volleyball, baskets ball and every other sport you can dream of marching in the parade. It was great to see so many children involved in such good, wholesome activities.  Some of our special  kids from Sagbayan Branch won some metals and participated with their whole heart.

A shot from our back window of the opening ceremony.

Well there is never a dull moment when you are living a dream.  And that is what it seems like.  We are so blessed to know and work with some many wonderful people sa kalibutan (in this world). My cup runneth over from all the beautiful things and people we have in our life.  Our family is the greatest family we could ever ask for and the people are the greatest people we could ever meet.

I know that God lives and that His Son does also. I know the work we are engaged in is the work of the Lord to prepare his children for the second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  May we all stand worthy at the last day to meet him.

Nahi Gugma ako sa mga Pamilya & Amigos

Elder Bell (Tatay, LoLo and Amigo) 

Ayo Family and Friends,

Well, Elder Bell left me to talk about Primary!  We were able to participate in a district Primary 135th Anniversary Celebration Saturday.  We rounded up our Sagbayan kids and some of our new leaders and made the trek down the mountain to the activity in Calape. 

This is me with my crew!  Man I love these kids!

So part of the social was each branch presenting something…a song or dance.  We all sang "Ako Anak sa Dios" (I am a Child of God) and Scripture Power!  These kids love to sing!  And they love to go any place we take them in the multi-cab.  They don't travel much and so it is like a field trip to get to leave Sagbayan.

Today in church our new primary president taught her first lesson ever.  Now remember she has only been a member for a few weeks.  I can not tell you how proud I was of her.  She is a natural teacher.  She had visual aids prepared and taught the lesson in Cebuano out of the English lesson manual.  She lost track of time and the lesson lasted for 75 minutes but she had the kids completely involved that entire time.  It is so fun to watch these new members grow!!!

Sister Zita teaching primary for the very first time!

This is another picture from church today.  I sat next to nine year-old Mel and his Lola (gramma), Conchita. 

This is another picture from church today.  I sat next to nine year-old Mel and his Lola (gramma), Conchita.  Mel is a really good English reader because last year he read the English Book of Mormon all by himself right after he was baptized.  I noticed today that every time we sang he would find the song and point to the words so his Lola could follow along.  It was so sweet to watch.  

This is the last story I want to share with you today…..

President Rae

This is President Rae.  He is a councilor in the district presidency.  We had the opportunity to give him a ride home today from Tagbilaran to Talibon and so for the first time since we arrived we got to hear his story.  My goodness what a faith promoting story it is!  Before President Rae joined the church at 29 he was really searching for something.  So he became a student of the Bible and through his studies he learned that if he wanted spiritual answers he needed to fast and pray.  So, for three years he fasted three times every week and prayed to know if Jesus Christ was really his Redeemer and Savior.  One day he received his answer and it was an overpowering burning of truth in his bosom.  Sometime later he had a friend tell him one day that he had become a member of 'The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints'.  He said the moment his friend said the name of the church he again had that deep burning in his bosom and knew he had found the true church.  So he attended church and met the missionaries.  They came the next morning to teach him and when they asked when they could come back he said tonight.  When they asked that night when they could come back he said in the morning.  The rule back then was that investigators had to attend church twice before the could be baptized (now it is four times) and so by the next Sunday he had received all of the lessons and was baptized that day after church!  

This man told us some very sacred and personal stories on our trip home today and I asked him if he had written his story.  He has not but he really should he is a pioneer of the church in the Philippines.  After his baptism he moved to Bohol.  He lived in Talibon but the closest branch of the church was in Inabanga about 30 miles away.  So for ten years he made the trip to Inabanga twice each week.  One week he did not have money to buy gasoline for his motor-trike but because of his dedication to his God he decided he would have to walk to church….and he did!  It took him 9 hours! I ask myself, would I have done that?  Would you have done that?  Where do I stand on the dedication scale?  I am afraid not with President Rae!  What an inspiring story.  The sacrifices these people have made to become the pioneering members of the church here in the Philippines is nothing short of miraculous.  They are truly a choice people.  I have grown to love them so much.  I love how the trappings of the world have not quite invaded their lives yet.  I love how they live such humble yet happy lives.  I love how they are so pure that the spirit can work unreserved in them and they recognize the Spirit for what it is…the Lord guiding them back to Him.  I have learned so much from these beloved people.  How lucky I feel to have this opportunity.

I must close for now.  Please know that you are so loved and so missed.  Be happy!

Love you forever,

Sister Bell (Nanay, Lola, Amigo)

Apartment Checks!

Dear Family and Friends,

I suppose I should start with the reason we are so delayed in getting to the blog this week.  Yesterday, as soon as we could get away after church, we headed to the ferry so we could be in Cebu in time for a fireside that was featuring the five young men from the "Hey Joe Show".  That won't mean anything to most of you so let me explain.  We have received language tutoring for the last ten months from a fabulous guy named Sumner Mahaffey.  He is a returned missionary who served in the Cebu Mission a couple of years ago and is currently employed by the MTC in Provo.  His job is to teach old people like us to speak Cebuano.  It is a very difficult job!  Anyway, our tutor is one of the 5 returned missionaries who has become quite famous here in the Philippines by posting videos on You Tube, calling it "The Hey Joe Show".  The Philippinos love these guys and they are here putting on shows before live audiences all over the Philippines.  Well, Sunday night they did a fireside in Cebu for the youth of several stakes.  So, we went over to Cebu to meet Sumner in person at the fireside.

Sumner and his beautiful wife we finally got to meet in person!

(He says we are his star students, but if that is the case they really should pay him more!)

Well, I did not know it at the time we planned our trip to Cebu, but the Sisters in Cebu had planned an activity for this morning and so I crashed the party.  It was pretty fun to see some Sisters that had served here and we grew to love them.

This is Sister Huxtable and Sister Broughton who had served in Loon for a few transfers.  So good to see them.

This is Sister Macadangdang who served in Clarin for a long time.

This is Sister Macadangdang who served in Clarin for a long time.  We grow to love our missionaries so much.  It is so fun to see them again and even more fun when they get transferred back to us!

Last week was once again Apartment Check Week!  But in the meantime we had moved to Sagbayan and so our little 3 day circle Bohol plan that we had used the last few times did not lay out the same.  So this week was lots and lots of driving and we realized that we really do need help.  We were barely handling it before the branch presidency call, and now we really need help.  So we hatched a plan and presented it to President Maughan, who gave his stamp of approval.  And then we presented it to President Galotera from the Tagbilaran Stake and he gave his stamp of approval so we now have some excellent new help.  We have asked our friends Bill and Emma Smalley to be a surrogate senior couple on the other side of Bohol.  So now they can do apartment checks, help with medical emergencies, repairs and other such things.  So one day this week we took them with us to teach them what it is we want them to do to help us and we were able to spend a whole day with them.

The very next day we were at the Smalley's home sharing a delicious lunch with them and Bill started telling us about how he once owned gold mines in Brazil.  He would spend 6 months of the year down in Brazil working his mines.  All of this was quite interesting but then he said that on two occasions he nearly was killed in his crazy adventures…."like the time I was nearly killed by an Anaconda", he says with kind of a 'happens every day' tone in his voice!  I said, "Wait! Did you say you were nearly killed by an Anaconda?"  He laughed and shrugged and said that it was his own fault really because as he went to step out of the dug-out canoe they were in, he tipped the canoe over and he stepped on the snake who promptly began to wrap him in coils.  He went on to tell that he luckily had 3 other men with him and so his brother-in-law stabbed the Anaconda in the head with a knife and held it in place while the other two got the snake uncoiled.  I am pretty speechless at this point and I was not sure I really believed the story.  So, Bill leaves the room for a minute and comes back with the proof…….

The tanned hide of the Anaconda that tried to kill him deep in the Amazon Jungle back in the 1970's.  

Bill is a national treasure!  You really have to meet him to believe a guy like him really exists.  He has stories that never end and he and Emma are the most welcoming hosts you could ever hope to have.  We are standing in the kitchen of the beautiful home that they have built together.  It is not a typical Filipino home at all.  Bill is a fine craftsman and has planed every single piece of wood that has gone in to this home.  Anyway, these are our new 'surrogate senior couple'.  We are so thankful to have them!

Well, I am telling all the good stories tonight, so I had bettered let Elder Bell finish up.  But, before I go I want to say one more thing.  It is a remarkable experience to watch my husband be the branch president of this Sagbayan Branch.  When you serve among the people from the interior of the island they understand very little English.  I was sitting in Sacrament Meeting yesterday, watching President Elder Bell (as he is lovingly called), conduct this meeting.  He was doing the very best he could in Cebuano/English, and I thought about how proud I am of him.  If it were me, I would be so nervous that I am not sure I could function.  But, Elder Bell, just places his trust in the Lord and knows, without hesitation, that the Lord will qualify him because He called him.  And you know what,  He does.  It is a powerful lesson for me and I share it with you.  The Lord qualifies whom He calls!  So trust the promise and willingly serve where you are called.  The Lord will use all whom will willingly serve to build up His kingdom in these latter days.

I sure love you all so much.  I really miss you but I am happily doing all I can to serve with all of my heart these last 12 months!

Love you forever,

Sister Bell (Nanay, Lola, Amigo)

Maayong Buntag Pamilya & Amigos

Well I am going to show you some of the activities we are involved in every week.  The first is bikes.  We have 20 Elders and 6 Sister on the Island of Bohol that ride bikes.  Some of the areas are rather flat with a few small hills and the missionaries ride about 25 to 40 miles a day on their bikes.  Some other areas are in the bukid (mountains) and they ride 25 to 40 miles a day.  The bikes we have are not the best quality and mountain trails are very hard on the bikes.  Therefore we always have broken down bikes that are in the repair shop. Presently we have 4 extra bikes so we can drop a fixed bike off and trade the missionary and then take the broken one to the repair shop.  By the time those bikes are repaired we have 4 more broken bikes to trade them, and the cycle goes on and on and on!  We spend a lot of time transporting bikes!

Trading repaired bikes for broken bikes.

Next, Self Reliance training.  The perpetual education fund of the church is used to help members in developing countries like the Philippines upgrade theirs skills to obtain better jobs, knowledge to start a small business and improve education.  We are going to start a Self Reliance program in Sagbayan in the near future.  We attended at training seminar in Calape this week to get the foundation skills to start the program.

 Mary Ann Balen the animated amazing Self Reliance specialist for Cebu

During apartment checks this week we came across these 4 elders that had learned to make their own ties by hand.  I think they did a great job.  Let me know what you think.

Four matching ties on Elders Ludbey, Lang, Martin, & Fangon of Carmen

They were pretty proud of themselves!

Also we saw some great sights while traveling the beautiful Island of Bohol and I will include few photos.

 Normally the seas here are as calm as a mountain lake but not this month.

Nepa Huts in various stages of decay being taken over by the lush jungle.

Another Nindot shot from the other side of heaven.

Well I will wrap it up for this week.  It is amazing to be in this beautiful place sa kalibutan ( of the world) and work with these amazingly humble and good people.  Serving in the Philippines is not the easiest place in the world to serve but the reward out weigh the sacrifice.

I was able to stand in setting apart this week of the Primary Presidency in our Branch.  Brother Gambe is my second councilor and he set apart his wife as first councilor to the Primary President.  That does not seem like much to you but this is the first time he has blessed anyone and with help from my first councilor he set apart his wife.  It was so sweet to be able to teach this humble man how to magnify his new priesthood calling. The tender mercies of the Lord are everywhere working with these humble people. 

I Love the Lord and I Love His work.

May God bless you with the righteous desires of your heart.

Elder Bell  (Tatay, LoLo and Amigo)