Bogo Open House

Bogo Primary Children waiting and waiting

Bogo Young Men getting their display ready

Saturday, November 12, 2005

We drove up to Bogo early in the morning to attend their Open House prior to the dedication of their new building tomorrow. Traffic was light and we made good time, arriving about 9:30 A.M. (it was scheduled to start at 10). We are starting to feel that we have friends there and were happy to see the elders, the Carabio sisters, Brother Hansen and others. The building looked very clean and lovely and each auxiliary and quorum had set up displays that were very well done. The Primary room looked great and they had a full program planned of singing, stories, lessons and activities. The Young Women had music – one girl playing the keyboard and others singing hymns; they had displays of the YW Values and Personal Progress, and they had an activity of making ‘friendship bracelets’ of knotted cords. The Missionaries had a big poster “Why are we called Mormons?” and had lots of interest and answered many questions. At least 30 investigators attended. The opening program started one hour late as they waited for community leaders to come. A retired judge and the vice-mayor of Bogo both came along with a couple of pastors from other churches. While waiting, the children were all in the Primary room and beginning to get restless, so I sang a bit with them – activity songs like “If You’re Happy and You Know it,” and “Five Little Ducks went out to Play” and “Do As I’m Doing.” Stephanie Carabio, the Primary President in Branch 1, came and found me later to come and sing the ‘duck song’ again saying, “The children really liked it.” It was fun. Bob visited with many of the non-members. During the Opening Program and before the tours of the displays, the Bogo District Choir sang. They sounded really good. We were impressed. Also, the retired judge, a woman, talked about marriage and used the analogy of the small boats that are so common along the shores of the Philippines. She said some times each partner is rowing toward a different island! Other times, one is boring a hole in the bottom of the boat, not realizing they will sink as well as their partner. It was very interesting.

I enjoyed the opportunity to get better acquainted with President Suan – a counselor in the Cebu City Stake Presidency – and Facilities Manager for the north half of the island of Cebu and part of Leyte Island. He grew up one of eight children in a very poor family. He had to work to earn money from the time he was quite young. He said his parents worked very hard and so did all the children. They all worked the whole time they went to college, and all graduated from college- a very unusual family here. He said some of the neighbors made fun of them for studying hard and working hard, but he said they don’t laugh at the family anymore.