Great Sunday in Toledo

Planning Humanitarian Project with President Macahireg, his older counselor,
Elder Antonio as Translator, and me.


Sixteen people were in and on this trike when it arrived for Church

Sunday, December 18, 2005

Today we visited four branches on the other side of our island. We stopped by the missionary apartment in Toledo and dropped off mail for them - letters and packages that they were very glad to get. We kept the ones for Pinamungahan and Aloguinsan to deliver as we went those places.

We first went to Tutay- Pinamungahan – it turns out- news to us – that most of the members come from Tutay and prefer to call it the Tutay Branch, rather than Pinamungahan. We know President Barabat arrives early as do some of the members so we had time to talk to them before Church. I think we arrived there about 8:30 a.m. I gave Sister Dina Arante, the Primary President, copies of the photos I had taken two weeks ago. I also gave her some notebooks for the children, and some Christmas stickers I had brought from home. We took a couple of pictures, got directions of how to get to the Aloguinsan Branch and took off right away.

We found Aloguinsan and were, at five minutes to nine, almost the first ones there. Bob carried in the boxes we had for them and I took a few pictures of the neighborhood children, and then of a tricycle arriving with 16 – I counted them as they got off – branch members on one tricycle. I couldn’t believe so many of them fit somehow. A couple of the boys were hanging on the back! We had brought a box of used clothing that had been sent by a former missionary – actually more of a problem than a help –since used clothing is readily available here at very little cost, but since she sent it, we divided it up to give out. Sister Anderson started to help with the project, but she got called away, so I finished it up yesterday afternoon. Aloguinsan is one of the poorest areas in the Mission so I made a big box for them that the Branch President can distribute as needed. I also brought the Primary Christmas stickers and notebooks (the notebooks were from the same missionary as the clothes). Then I met with the Branch President and his first counselor to start work on a possible Humanitarian project of supplies for their local school. They were very helpful and excited about the idea so I will follow up and, hopefully, it will be approved. The branch as Sacrament meeting last – so we left after the first hour and drove back to Toledo and attended Sacrament meeting in Toledo 1 and then all of the meetings in Toldedo 2. In Toledo I, an older brother blessed the Sacrament for the first time. He has been a member of a couple of months, but was too afraid to bless the Sacrament, but the quorum has been encouraging him and working with him and he did a fine job and was obviously touched by the experience. After the meeting I met with the Primary President and gave her some notebooks and supplies for her Primary.

In Toledo 2, a twelve-year old boy - who was baptized, confirmed, and given the Aaronic Priesthood last week, passed the Sacrament for the first time. He was wearing a white shirt and a tie (getting those can be a challenge for some here and I think his were a gift from a missionary.) He was so nervous that he kept looking at the Branch President who would point where he was to go next. This boy's older brother joined the Church and the parents were pleased with the changes they saw in him so they let the little brother join also. We hope the parents are next!
The Branch President asked both Bob and me to speak in Sacrament meeting – 5 minutes each. I told a Christmas story and Bob talked about Jesus Christ.

I met with the Primary President, a local elementary school teacher, and worked with her on the planning of a humanitarian project at her school up in the mountains. She too is excited and eager to help.

I drove the last twenty minutes of the trip home – some mountain driving and then a few blocks in the city – so I can begin to get used to driving here and have a little more independence. Although, I have taken a taxi and few times and find that very convenient and not very expensive.

Bob the Entertainer

Who knew changing a tire was such good entertainment!

We arrived home from our tour of the city about 2 o’clock – a very fun and interesting day. Bob changed clothes and went out to change tires on the cars. The mission has an old car that is going back to Manila to be sold and the President wanted the two new tires on it removed and put on our car that needs two new tires. Bob seemed to enjoy the physical work and, amazing to me, he attracted a group of four boys who had been playing basketball. They sat and watched the whole process – jacking up both cars, taking the tires off, putting the tires back on, lowering the cars. They seemed fascinated and let me take a picture of them watching Bob work. All enjoyed the job.

We went to bed quite early as we wanted to get up before 5 to leave for the Toledo Zone to arrive before the first meetings started.

Poor Man's Tour of Cebu

Sister Anderson takes Photo of tour group




Colorful Jeepney - common mode of transportation

Gloria and Sister Lee at Flower Mart

Bob with foot on Cannon at Fort San Pedro

Huge sculpture of History of Cebu

Saturday, December 17, 2005

We had a wonderful day. Patriarch Benedicto and his daughter, Sister Lee, took us and President and Sister Anderson on a “Poor man’s tour of Cebu.” We rode a jeepney from the Mission Office to the older part of the city. Getting on the Jeepney was a challenge, especially for Bob. You step up a high step and then have to duck – Bob had to almost bend in half to get in without hitting his head. It was a bumpy, interesting and very cheap (about 9 pesos each = 18 cents). Downtown we went to the big outdoor market – Carbon market. Bob took pictures of the flower mart. I bought a heavy plastic shopping bag to carry my fruits and vegetables home from our local market. (My Robinson’s bag that I had brought with me broke this morning when I went for vegetables before our tour began.) We looked at very interesting rattan decorations, hats, etc. and then went to the pearl section. I will be going back there!

We then walked a few blocks to Fort San Pedro – built by the Spanish about 1565 – very thick old walls. It is well-taken care of and interesting to see. (And, for my sake, clean restrooms. That is one thing about the Philippines – every where we go, the restrooms are very, very clean.)

Then we rode a horse-drawn conveyance – again Bob had to watch his head or he would bump it on the wooden top – and we went to see Magellen’s cross. It is supposed to be on the site where Ferdinand Magellan planted the first cross in the Philippines. They have built a cupola over the site with interesting murals painted on the ceiling. The original cross has been encased in a larger wooden cross to protect it. We walked from there to the oldest Church in the Philippines – again well preserved. We saw their famous “Santa Nino” – a boy doll, brought by the Spanish in the early 1600’s and miraculously preserved when the Church caught fire and everything inside burned. It is taken out once a year – dressed in very elaborate clothing – and paraded through the streets in early January as part of a big Santa Nino celebration.

It was time for lunch and Patriarch Benedicto took us to a restaurant that didn’t look like much from the outside, but inside was fine and we had a good lunch of chicken nuggets – we would call them – and sweet and sour sauce and French fries.

After lunch we walked to see the stela marking the oldest street in the Philippines – Colon street – and then walked a few more blocks to see a large outdoor sculpture honoring the history of the Philippines. It was my favorite of the day. The artist used metal, stone, rock architecture, tile and plants to show Magellan and his boat, the local hero Lapu-Lapu and his men, the Spanish friars, etc. Bob took some good photos of it.

We then caught a Jeepney home. Bob was one of the last to climb aboard, and as he did, people on the benches on either side, put one hand up on the ceiling of the vehicle – so that if he bumped his head, he would hit their hand and not the hard wooden ceiling. Of course, he didn’t notice because he was bent over so far to try to fit it, but the rest of us did and were grateful for the kindness we find here.

DInner and sharing the Gospel

December 14, 2005

In the evening we went to dinner with President and Sister Anderson and the Area Medical Adviser and his wife, Dr. and Sister Fuller, who are new to the Philippines and are visiting Cebu to see what the medical environment is like so they can better advise Sister Anderson. We went to the buffet at the Marriott and had a delicious dinner and good conversation. Afterwards, a member of the Church who works as a waiter came up an introduced himself. After a few minutes of talking to everyone, I talked to him privately and asked him to look up AlJun, the young man I met in the lobby at Thanksgiving while I was waiting for the Pollocks to pack. He said he knew him and would talk to him about the Church. I was happy to have that follow-up, since Al Jun seemed very interested when I talked to him, but didn’t want missionaries to come to his home. “His mother wouldn’t like it.”

Then, as we were heading toward then door, a young woman introduced herself, saying she was an inactive member of Cebu Ward 1. She teaches ballroom dancing and works very late on Saturday nights/Sunday mornings so stopped coming to Church. We visited with her for a few minutes and encouraged her to come Sunday afternoon to the later ward. She said she would try, or may just come and visit us in the office. We hope she will.

Sunday in Tagbilaran

December 11, 2005

We woke up early to get ready to go to Bohol. We took two large suitcases full of packages for the missionaries there. I didn’t feel too well and was moving slower than usual, but we really wanted to go, so off we went. It rained almost all the way on the ferry, so we stayed inside most of the time. I really enjoyed those few minutes of fresh air on the water. The Bohol Zone Leaders met us at the ferry, loaded the suitcases while Bob got our return home tickets, and then off we went to the Church. Tagbilaran 1 branch was just starting Sacrament meeting and we were glad to join them. After that Bob taught the Sunday School class while I went to help in Primary. We both had a good time, and many people seemed to greatly appreciate Bob’s information and handouts. We visited and had a little snack and then it was time for Tagbilaran 2 Sacrament meeting. Bob especially enjoyed the talk of Brother Cacho, counselor in the Branch Presidency who spoke in very clear English. Bob then taught a combined Sunday School class of Tagbilaran 2 and Dauis Branches.(Dauis meets after Tagbilaran 2, but the people came an hour early to hear what Bob had to say. Entire families came, so the children joined the Tagbilaran 2 Primary for the first hour – then went to their Sacrament meeting. It took a bit of time to get the Sunday School organized, but it went very well. Many people stayed after to talk to Bob and to me (when I finished Primary) and said how much they liked it and how helpful it was to know more about the Book of Mormon.

The Zone Leaders took us back to the ferry – had left our suitcases at their apartment, so dashed back to get them and brought them to us at the dock. The ride back was rainy so again we were inside. The ferry has been very full lately as they are having a ‘free’ return ride – actually they first raised the rates on the ticket, but still you save about 100 pesos – $2.00. President and Sister Anderson were on the same boat – returning from three days in Dumaguete. The Assistants picked us up and brought us home. I was quite tired and was glad I had made a big pot of soup and a big bowl of cole slaw on Saturday – along with oatmeal cookies, so dinner was easy. It has been a good day. We both felt we had been useful.

The Bohol District had performed a big service project the day before and many people talked about it. In July there had big a huge land slide on the east coast of the island in a very poor area. Over 80 homes had been destroyed. The District went as a group – estimates ranged from 126 -300 people plus all our missionaries – to help clean up, fix up, etc. The Primary was assigned to teach the children about hygiene and safety which they said went very well. All the others did a lot of manual labor and some were very tired on Sunday. They were glad to be of help, and also very appreciative of their blessings.

As Sisters.....

Sister Jumo-as opens her Christmas box

Sisters' Conference

December 6, 2005

This morning when Elder Lowry and Elder Dela Paz returned from the Post Office it was quite an event. They were loaded with boxes and packages and the office was crowded with sisters gathering for a sisters’ conference. Some of the boxes were the ones from Del Mar Ward and went to sisters in the room. They couldn’t believe they were for them and kept trying to guess who would send them something. Then, of course, they began to open then. What a scene – showing the candy and stickers, and carefully putting things wrapped in Christmas paper back in to save to open on Christmas. I got a picture or two and was glad to be able to share in the excitement.

Today was the first day of a two-day sisters’ conference held at the President’s condo. The focus was on improving our missionary efforts and was very well run and taught. But, the thing I enjoyed the most was getting to know the sister missionaries better. I spent a few minutes visiting with Sister Saniel. She came on November 17 and about a week later had her purse stolen and lost her ATM card along with her wallet and many other things. I was telling her that I had my purse stolen in Paris and was so glad that my temple recommend wasn’t in it. She started to cry. “Mine was in my purse,” she said. She told me she wanted another one and had talked to her Zone Leader three times and he said it wasn’t important since there is not temple here. But, I could see it was important to her. I suggested she talk to the mission president right now. She said, “I am shy.” I stood up, took her by the hand and walked her over to the president and held her hand while she asked him. Of course, he was delighted to give her an interview and scheduled it for tomorrow morning. Walking back to the couch, she was softly crying and thanking me for helping her. I then asked her how she joined the Church. This is what she told me:

“Two missionaries were teaching my neighbors. I was a Methodist, President of the Methodist Youth Group. I was curious about what they were doing and teaching, so I went over and asked them what they taught. They invited me to stay and so I did and they kept coming back and teaching more and more. I took my cousins and my uncle with me. I wanted to be baptized and so did my two cousins and my uncle. All four of us joined the Church. My mother didn’t like me getting baptized, but she didn’t say much since we live with my father’s family, and my uncle and his two daughters were baptized too. After I had been a member six months, I told my mother I wanted to go on a mission. She laughed and said, “Sure, sure.” So just before the one-year mark, I got my papers ready and turned them in when it was time. My mother didn’t say anything until I began packing. Then she cried and cried and asked why I didn’t love her. I am the only child and she didn’t want me to go, but I had to do it.”

At dinner, Sister Ledesma told me that she worked for the Police Department before her mission, but she couldn’t go back to that job because there was too much that was against the teachings of the Church. Sister Legson told me she had been a high school teacher before she came. What capable and wonderful young women these missionary sisters are. It was such a privilege to be with them.

Unexpected trip to Pinimungahan

Primary children open boxes of suppies




Primary children use their new pencils and paper




Primary children in Aloguinsan with Elders Antonio and Solomon

Sunday, December 04, 2005

We had the most amazing experience today...Sunday. We had planned to take the ferry to Bohol where Bob was teaching a Sunday School Class in three branches on Bible references to the Book of Mormon. The Assistants to the President got up at 5 to drive us to the pier. They dropped us off and we went in to the terminal - to find out that the 6:30 ferry was not running - engine problems. We went to a place apart and talked, had a prayer and decided we should turn our tickets in for tickets next week, go back home to get the car and go up over the mountains to Toledo, which we did. On the way we tried to decide which branches to visit. We were thinking of Balamban, but somehow at the last minute changed our minds and went south down the west coast to Pinamungahan. We had a nice visit there. A sister missionary who had returned home and her ward sent to the mission office a box of pencils, pens, pencil sharpeners and erasers. I sorted them all out, added a dozen copies of old Ensigns and 100 pieces of paper and packed 12 boxes for twelve primaries. Pinamngahan received their box this morning and the children and the leader were so excited. Near the end of Primary, the President had the children use the new pencils or pens and paper to write their testimonies. You never saw children take a project so seriously and work so hard. Each put their name on their paper and then gave them to me. I took a few pictures of them opening the box and then writing and will send the photos and the testimonies to the sister missionary. It was a delightful morning.
We enjoyed testimony meeting, all the while I was wondering why were were in Pinamungahan and not on Bohol. During the closing song, one of the elders came and got Bob and they went out to the parking lot. A minute later Bob came and got me and took me to a classroom. One of the elders in Aloguinsan - up the hill from Pinamungahan - was very sick. He looked like he had a stroke - face contorted, breathing very shallow, hands rigid and twisted; his legs were still and uncontrolled. I had them put him on the floor - his companion and another missionary were trying to hold him in a chair. Bob and the branch president and the other elders gave him a blessing and we carried him to the car. He had started with this 'episode' at Church in Aloguinsan and members of the branch had helped him get Elder Antonio into a tricycle and bring him down the hill to a doctor. They saw our car in the Church parking lot so came in for help. What a great blessing we were there and not over on Bohol. We called the President's wife who handles all the medical stuff and she told us to use our own judgment. We were planning on taking him to a hospital in Toledo - about 30 minutes away, but as we got close to Toledo, Elder Antonio seemed to feel better so we kept right on going and headed to a good Chinese hospital in Cebu - 2 hours drive away. Elder Antonio drank a little water. Thinking maybe it was hypoglycemia, I gave him a piece of candy that a primary child had given to me. As time went on, he perked up, sat up and talked to us a little. We still went straight to the hospital since he told us he had had a similar episode two days before and had been hospitalized over night, but seemed okay in the morning so he went home. We were in the emergency room for several hours. They decided they better admit him and run more tests and watch him - well, they have his companion watch him - since they couldn't be sure what was going on. He still felt weak and a little dizzy, but much better than before. Elder Solomon said he didn't know what he would have done if he hadn't seen our car. And, we felt very blessed to be where we were needed. What a great work this is.