Lamac Branch

Lamac Meeting house - our car in background



Priesthood Meeting, Lamac



Going home from Church

Sunday, January 22

Today we had a lovely day. We drove over the mountains to Balamban, then down to Pinamungahan and back up into the mountains to Lamac to visit the branch there. After about a mile of paved road, the next 8 kilometers are rock and dirt, but the first part is well-graded and fairly good. The last part is quite narrow and rough but passable. About 50 members meet in a rented meeting house in Lamac. It is right on the main road, very clean, but very small. Nine young women met in a wide hallway. 12 Primary children with the Branch President’s wife, Sister Pepito, as their President, met in a small classroom. She did a good job – she used my visual aids since ‘Scripture Power’ was the song they were learning. She did sharing time and then had another song and then let the children draw. I had brought more crayons to add to the supplies we sent up in November. She is really using them and the children are enjoying the activity during Primary. With Elder Cocos, one of the Filipino full-time missionaries (who with a ward missionary companion traveled over from Lutopan to meet us in Lamac) translating for him, Bob taught his lesson on ‘Signs of the True Church.’ Bob and I both spoke in Sacrament meeting, preceded by Elder Cocos. He gave an excellent talk on the temple and paying tithing. I shared my testimony in Visayan and complimented them on the reverence of their children during the Sacrament. Elder Cocos translated for Bob as he talked about Jesus Christ.

One of the highlights of the day was seeing a brother come in to Church in a brand new wheelchair – provided free by the Church humanitarian group. Everyone was so excited to see him at Church and greeted him so warmly. He had been without a wheel chair for about 3 years. His last one literally fell apart, and he didn’t know he could get another one. He lives not too far from the Church, up a rocky dirt path. All the roads in the area are rocky dirt as well, so I am sure it is very hard on a wheel chair. He was glad to be at Church and we took a few photos to send to the humanitarian couple in Manila and to Elder Hardman – the missionary who helped make the arrangements for the chair before he was transferred to Bohol.

The branch members were very friendly and asked if we could come again, maybe every week, or every month. We will try to visit them often – we are thinking of focusing on a few branches that seem to need the most help and perhaps go once a month to each one….we shall see what the President wants.

.

Aloguinsan Central Elementary School

Children at lunch time in front of school


Children following Elders Lowry and Crespo




Aloguinsan children gather for photos

We continued on to Aloguinsan and visited the large elementary school to assess it for a humanitarian project also. When we arrived at the school, it was lunch time and children were everywhere. It is a big school with 990 children, 24 teachers, a principle, a secretary and the District office on site. The maintenance of the buildings and yard is deplorable – clean but very unkempt. I met with the District Chairman and the Principal and explained that I wanted to apply for a project to give them school supplies. They were quite suspicious – what was I selling – and the District Chairman finally asked, “What is required from us?” When I told him that what was required was to use these things to further the education of the children, he grinned from ear to ear and said, “That we can do.” I went over the form with them. It seems they need the practical arts equipment the most – they have a practical arts building, but it is totally empty. They teach the use of tools and sewing from pictures in a manual – no hands on experience at all. The same with science – so the science unit supplies would be great for them too. The Elders came in to the office and they talked in Visayan a bit; Elder Lowry made a joke which amazed them and then wanted to know how he could speak so well in their language. The District Chairman told us of Mormons he knew and of seeing missionaries in Balamban and Toledo.

Then the principal took me to see some of the classrooms. Flocks of children fluttered around us. The rooms seemed fairly well supplied with materials. Again, however, many of the children cannot afford to bring pencils, pens and paper which they are required to supply. This school has uniforms, but less than ¼ of the children can buy them. Fortunately uniforms are not required! Most of the parents are either farmers – much rice is grown in this area – or fishermen.

While I visited the classrooms and took pictures, Elders Crespo and Lowry played with the children. They tried to teach them ‘Duck Duck Goose’ but when Elder Lowry tapped Elder Crespo on the head and he jumped up to chase Elder Lowry, all the children jumped up too and began chasing. Literally hundreds of children were running across the fields with the Elders. Others were watching and clapping with delight. We hated to leave. As we climbed back in to the truck the children began clapping and clapping and then waving. What fun!

Parade in Toledo

Elders Lowry and Crespo with policeman


Elder Crespo, "Texan", and Elder Lowry


Marching Band to greet President of Philippines

January 6, 2006

Our trip to Toledo to assess schools and deliver supplies was very successful.
The Toledo missionaries were expecting us and quickly came out to help unload the beds – admiring the neckties that had been the original implements used to tie the beds on to the truck – before strong strapping tape was added. We visited a few minutes (I used their not too clean bathroom) and then we were on our way to Aloguinsan school. But, we had a major detour. It turned out the President of the Philippines – Gloria Arroyo - was coming to Toledo that morning and a big parade was happening. So, we had to stop and see the parade. It consisted of school groups in their uniforms – and some boy scouts in their uniforms, one large group of Senior Citizens in matching tee-shirts, and two bands with many drummers and a few trumpets.

It was fun and even more enjoyable was watching Elders Lowry and Crespo interact with the people. Elder Lowry started talking to one of the policeman at the intersection. He began by asking when the President was expected and then went on to introduce himself, tell him about the Church, bear his testimony and get a teaching appointment to meet with the policeman, his wife, and his six children! As he was doing this – had his planner out to write down the name and address, the head policeman came over to see what was going on and then walked away laughing. So, Elder Lowry later when over and talked to him – didn’t get an appointment, but certainly left a good impression.

Meanwhile Elder Crespo saw a man in a cowboy hat, cowboy boots, jeans and a tee shirt. Elder Crespo is from Texas so he went over and asked the man if he was from Texas – in Visayan of course. The man laughed and they got to talking – and I got a picture. I talked to one lady whose husband works in Cerritos, California, and comes to visit once a year! We had a great time, but the President didn’t come while we were there and it was time to leave for Aloguinsan. We ate a snack as we drove.

Trip to Liki

Creek crossing



Liki Elementary School

Truck trailing streamers

Friday, January 06, 2006

Elder Lowry and Elder Crespo and I left just after six. I brought some snacks and water, and the papers to be completed for the humanitarian projects. They had the wooden bed frames tied securely in the truck. After I did a last minute office chore (and took with me the number to order toner for the copier later in the morning) we had a prayer and took off. Fortunately, it was not raining as the road in to the first school is reported to be not passable in the rain – too much mud. We had only gone a few miles up the hills when we saw ahead of us a man holding a rope with banners across it stretching across the road. I thought they were hanging them up for an upcoming fiesta and that he was holding it up so the cars could pass; apparently Elder Crespo, who was driving, thought so too. We went ahead, but he dropped it just as we passed. He ran to climb in the truck in front of us – apparently he had hopped out and lifted it for them to pass (it must have come down in the night). We snagged it on the back window of the truck and it streamed along behind us flying in the breeze. We had to stop so I could get out and take a picture. I got a fine shot of the ‘streamers.’ Then we disengaged it and set it beside the road so it could be put back up.

We arrived at the Balamban meeting house and Sister Tijap, who was supposed to meet us and guide us in to the Liki Elementary School, was not yet there. I called her on her cell phone and she said she would be right over; she lives nearby with another teacher. They arrived on the back of a bright red motorbike and after a brief greeting and a word to the driver of the bike to ‘not lose us’ we took off. We went about 2 kilometers on paved road and then turned off and up into the mountains on a rocky dirt road. The two teachers on the motor bike had a very rough ride. It was beautiful, very green, many little streams, two rivers that we crossed on sturdy bridges, one wide shallow creek that we forded – and of course, stopped to take pictures of Elder Crespo driving through the water. He told us of an off-road experience he had just before his mission, so I relaxed, thinking, “he is an experienced off-road driver.” We drove in about 8 kilometers. We had two steep hills – and there was plenty of mud from rain the day before – on both of them Elder Lowry and I had to get out to walk so the truck could make it up the hills. The road was basically for motorbikes – had one packed, good track. The road was wide enough for the truck, but two of the truck wheels on one side were often in a muddy ditch while the other two were up higher on firmer ground. I was very glad Bob and I had not tried to make it in the car – we would have hit bottom too much – as it was the truck hit a couple of times.

We made it safely to Liki (pronounced leaky) Elementary School and very excited children greeted us. The school consists of three small buildings on a hillside (and an outhouse). Everything was very clean and orderly; two of the buildings were newly-painted, and I was especially impressed by the colorful posters on the walls of each classroom. Sister Tijap, the newest teacher at the school, member of the Church, and Primary President in the Toledo Second Branch, told me the teachers had bought or made the posters and had them laminated at their own expense.

140 children attend this school with four teachers. A head teacher is in charge as well as teaching the third and fourth grades. Sister Tijap teaches grades 2-3; there is a k-1 class and a 5-6 class. The children are put in the classes based on achievement, not age. The 2-3 and 3-4 classes teach basic reading and math and the children must pass tests to move out of those and on to the next. Many of these children do not continue on past grade 6. Transportation and school uniforms, books and supplies would be too expensive for their families. Many of the parents are subsistence farmers; no uniforms are required at this school; many of the families have no cash to go out the 10 kilometers to the nearest store where pencils and notebooks can be purchased. The teachers provide some and then the children share, sometimes with a brother and sister in different classes sharing a ball point pen and running back and forth to pass it to one another as needed. Some of the children had not seen a white person before and they were fascinated/fearful of us. Elders Lowry and Crespo played and talked to the children and all were delighted. One boy had a yo yo – his Christmas gift and the children thronged around Elder Crespo in amazement when he played with it.

I talked to the head teacher and gathered the necessary information, explaining – I hope she understood – that I would just write a proposal and then we would have to wait and see if it was approved.

Then we left to much waving and headed back down the road – much easier going out than going in, although Elder Creso had to be quite careful not to slide off the road in the mud. Someone had thoughtfully planted a row of strong trees just off the edge of the road on the downhill side and a couple of times I wondered if we were going to slide over into them, but we didn’t and made it safely out on to the paved road and down the hill to Toledo. As we went, Elder Crespo said that this was the first time in his life he had driven on a road like that. Apparently the story he told us about ‘off roading’ on the way in, was the only other time he had done it – and he had been a passenger!

Typical Day

Monday, January 02, 2006

David requested more information on a ‘typical day’ so I decided to try to write up what today was like as it was about as typical as it gets. We go downstairs to the office usually between 8 and 8:30 a.m. Bob gets right to work on what ever the pressing financial duties are – Zone funds, lost ATM cards, rents due, car repairs or hospital bills to be paid, etc. This morning it was Zone Funds to replenish and weekly and monthly reports to be completed.

I check the Church email program and print out the messages for the President, assistants, recorder, financial, and travel and distribute them, handling the ones for me – travel usually. Then, today, I entered in information on email addresses and corrected home addresses for the five missionaries who arrived on Saturday. I entered the new elders in the data base in their assigned areas and then printed out reports for the President, wife, and the Assistants.

Elder Ramos and Elder Pascua came in and I helped them Xerox their weekly report and gather the mail and supplies for their District. The local Zone Leaders, Elders Thomas and Norton, stopped in the office for a minute to check on mail, to talk with the President (he wasn’t in yet), and to leave a report for the Assistants.

I talked to Elders Crespo and Lowry to see if they would be interested/have time to take me over to visit the two schools in the Toledo Zone where I am working on the humanitarian projects. They really want to do it and can go on Friday.

I went outside to talk to Delfin – the man who takes care of the landscaping at the Stake Center next to us – about getting a plant for the office. We walked around and looked at some of the plants he has outside and he said he will go look for a plant for me at a nearby plant ‘shop’ this afternoon.

Elders Brostrom and Tauiliili came in. The ATM machine had captured Elder Tauiliili’s card a few weeks ago and they had called us, but hadn’t gone back to the bank where they lost it, so they came in to talk to Elder Hamson. After much delay on their part, and a short football game out in the parking lot – it is p-day after all – they went back to the bank, went inside, got the card, and Elder Tauiliili came back a happy boy with money in his pocket.

I went upstairs and printed a few pictures to use for Thank You notes and brought them and paper and envelopes downstairs and worked on those.

After lunch, we took a short nap and then it was back to the office. The President came in and I asked him about going to Toledo on Friday with the Elders and he agreed, if they plan to procure and deliver needed apartment supplies for the three apartments there at the same time. Elder Lowry knew which apartments in the city had extra beds, mattresses, etc. and will pick them up and we will take them with us. I also asked the President about a plant for the office and he said, “Okay.” Hurrah!

Sisters Balita and Castillo came in before their District meeting and visited a few minutes and asked many questions about their next week’s p-day trip to Carbon market. I advised them to go early, watch their wallets, and have a good time! Several other elders from that District were in and out just before the meeting.

Then the fun began. The electrician who is working on a roll down security door to cover the front glass doors of the office came to install the switch and lock. All along the President has asked for a simple, iron-bar, gate. However, there had been originally a roll down security door. So, they took that down, took it to the shop, repaired it, installed a motor, brought it back, welded it back up – knocking out power to my computer two or three times – and then painted the whole apparatus. The switch and lock went on fine and then they began testing it. Every time they did loud static came over the speakers of my computer – not good. I turned the computer off. Then the Church Facilities Manager, who was assigned this morning to be in charge of our building, came over to check how it was going. The electrician showed him the switch and he tried it. The door came half way down and then he stopped it and tried to put it up again, which promptly blew the circuit breaker again – with the security door half-way down. They wanted me to unlock the laundry room door so they could get to the breaker box, but my keys were inside the office – so I crawled under the door – and I was wearing a skirt that buttoned all the way up the front – crawling was not good on the buttons which popped off and flew everywhere. The Manager and the electrician were dismayed. I thought the whole thing was pathetic, but rather funny. I got the keys; they restored the power and then stood there talking for a long time. Even if they get it working properly, there is no manual over ride and if it was down when the power went off, we would be locked out of the office – or locked in as the case may be. I don’t know what was decided, and it will be interesting to see what happens next.

Delfin came in to tell me he couldn’t find the plant he wanted and to arrange for me to go with him tomorrow morning at nine to pick out a plant for the office. I look forward to that.

Another contractor came in to arrange fumigation of the office as we have mosquitoes inside often. They will come Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. when we should be at the President’s condo for Zone Leaders’ Council.

Sisters Balita and Castillo and Elders Ramos and Pascua came back after their meeting to post mail and the sisters brought us a treat they had made – a dessert called Mango Float made with mangoes, evaporated milk and graham crackers.

Now the real treat of the day occurred. An investigator named EmEm came in. He had a teaching appointment with the Assistants at 7. He came in about 5:15. Bob started talking to him about the Church and the Book of Mormon and then I came over and we three sat on the couch and talked and we taught him about the plan of salvation. He was very interested, knows many Bible scriptures, is reading the Book of Mormon and plans to be baptized on January 28. We really enjoyed teaching him and he was quite excited about the plan of salvation – some of it was new to him, although as soon as we presented an idea, he could come up with a scripture from the New Testament to support it! Finally about 7, we sent a text message to the Assistants and they said they were on their way and a little after 7 they, and three ward missionaries, arrived and we left and came upstairs to make dinner. It was such a pleasure to share our knowledge and testimonies with him. He said he had heard stories from the ward missionaries of people whose family disowned them when they joined the Church and of others whose family was ‘neutral’, and still others whose family wanted to come to Church too. He wondered how his family will react. His father was an evangelical pastor and knows his son is reading the Book of Mormon.

This was about as typical as our days go. Every morning we go downstairs wondering what will happen today and something good always does. Oh, and the Mango Float was very tasty!

Year's End

Elder Little, Bob, Elder Thomas



Bob, Gloria and Elder Pittard with Banner made by Del Mar Ward Youth

Monday, December 26, 2005

I got up early to try and call home; it was Christmas afternoon there. But, several elders were already on the phone and some stayed on for hours. I went for a nice walk – no traffic as today is a holiday. It was very cool, for here, and very pleasant. Things were slow in the office with a few elders coming in and out; others on the phone as their parents called, as arranged previously. I did a little work finishing up entering two new missionaries’ information in the three data bases. They will come in February.

Sisters Balita and Castillo came in early. It was their P-day and Sister Castillo had an interview with the President. They are doing a little better, but didn’t really know what to do with themselves for P-day so they hung around the office. We took them over to McDonald’s for lunch – except they had already eaten so they just had ice cream. We visited, talked about our “Poor Man’s Tour” and encouraged them to get around the city a bit more and see some of the things that are here. Sister Balita goes home in March and has seen very little of the cultural sites.here. We then took them to the Kodak store so Sister Castillo could unload the 80 pictures on her disc and get a few developed. Then we all went back to the office and Bob and I went to work – him on preparing the bank papers and forms for the five new elders that arrive on Saturday, and me to handling the stack of papers the President put on my desk when he arrived. However, I didn’t get much done, because – hurrah, hurrah! – mail arrived from home. Many Christmas cards had pictures as well as letters and I had a feast! This was Christmas for me. Wonderful photos of Lisa and Chris and their family, Karl and Carmen and the children, Matt and Dana and their crew, David and Tresa and gang, and Ben and Bryn and the girls were there along with some photos and letters from friends. What a treat.

We worked until about 6:30 and then I went up to make spaghetti while Bob finished up his project. The Assistants called about an 7:30 and needed passport copies for Elders Crespo and Tanner in preparation for them getting their Drivers’ licenses tomorrow. A few weeks ago I had asked the President if it would be possible to draw up a list of potential ‘leaders’ among the elders and I would send to Manila for their passport copies so that we would be prepared when we needed them. It worked! Then the Assistants wanted to know if I could put a couple of packages of popcorn in the microwave for them. One of them had received it in their Christmas box, but oil has oozed out – butter flavored of course – and they were very messy…but we did it and, hopefully, they enjoyed it.

Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Much work in the office today. I did a lot of tying up of loose ends and visiting with missionaries from City Zone who were in the office for their interviews with the President. We received a package from the Youth and Primary of Del Mar Ward. The YW and YM had painted a big banner with Christmas greetings, lots of artwork, and cute sayings. Elders Thomas and Norton helped me hang it high on the cabinets between my desk and the reception area. It looked great and everyone seemed to enjoy looking at it. They had included pictures of them making it along with Christmas cards and a package of Christmas cards from the Primary. We had fun reading them and showing them to the missionaries in the office.

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

The year is rushing to an end. I have been trying to call each of the children and so far have Ben, Chris and Norman to go. It is such a joy to hear their voices and talk to them. We are so blessed.

This morning began with a surprise. The new car from Manila arrived and the driver wanted to take back one of the old cars. We had been told he was coming in January, and both cars were out being used. The Assistants had one in the City somewhere; they had gone on exchanges with some elders and I was able to contact them and arrange for them to bring it back at lunch time. Elder Farnsworth –the 3^rd Assistant for a few weeks until he goes home in early January to meet a school deadline- had the other car down in CarCar – about 1 ½ hours south where he was working with an elder for a few days. We finally were able to make arrangements for the driver to take one car from here down and trade with Elder Farnsworth and then continue on to Manila from there. He was planning to take the road across the hills from CarCar to Aloguinsan then up the coast to Toledo. He would take a ferry over to Negros, drive across that island to Bacolod, then take a ferry to Iloilo Island and drive and ferry all the way back to Manila – sounds kind of tough, but very interesting to me.

I met with Sister Anderson and helped plan the District Auxiliary Training for this next year. She has so much to do and I don’t have enough, so hopefully, I can do some of this for her.

In the afternoon, Bob and I went to the mall to get groceries and then stopped by to pick up eggs at the egg lady’s house. Earlier, at the end of my morning walk, I bought vegetables and fruit from the local street market; we are all set for the week end.

Thursday, December 29, 2005

Sisters Castillo and Balita were back in the office – third time this week – Sister Castillo is still struggling and Sister Balita is at a loss as to how to help her. They came in to do their Community Service – pack all the vitamins for the month for Sister Anderson. She came in to help them and we all visited as they did the project right next to my desk. While they were doing it, an family came in to visit from Hawaii. Their son is coming here on his mission in March and they wanted to see what it was like so they came for their Christmas vacation. I had a nice visit with them, and we look forward to Elder Domingo’s arrival after the MTC in Provo.

Sister Anderson left and went home to work and Sisters Castillo and Balita helped Bob file and organize the rent payment receipts. He is beginning to get a bit more organized and confident – except for the reports. He still isn’t sure what they want or how to get it.

Friday, December 30, 2005

Again some how there was work all day long. Several people stopped in the office to visit. Sister Platt, who is here in Cebu with her husband who is setting up a drafting company, came by. They have been called as Church Service Missionaries to help in the ERC. She also plays the piano in the ward Primary and had come to go on a Primary field trip to Crocolandia to see the crocodiles. I ask the elders if it was worth it – I could petition to go too – they said, “No.”

I am really enjoying the elders who are in the office right now. The two Assistants – Elders Pittard and Tanner are friendly and Elders Crespo and Lowry are great – willing to do whatever is needed and very capable.

Elder Tanner took a picture of Bob and me and Elder Pittard and the banner the Youth made so I could send them a Thank You Card. Then I took all the Christmas decorations down. The office looked bare – I’ll get some flowers and, maybe, a plant tomorrow when I walk to brighten things up a bit.

A Filipino sister married to an Australian member came in also. It was fun to learn a little about them. She is the older sister of Nats – our wonderful office cleaner and ward YM president. There are 10 children in the family; the father is deceased. Nats is the only active brother, but all the girls are active – there are 5 boys and 5 girls. Nats wants to go to college and become an accountant, but it is very hard to save the money when so many people at home need food, clothing, etc.

Saturday, December 31, 2005

I went for a walk and bought flowers for the office. I arranged them and then fiddled around the house – washed the sheets and towels and changed the bed, painted my toe nails – important stuff like that. About 11 we were dressed and down in the office as new missionaries were coming from the U.S. Their plane was late so we had to hurry through the orientation process, but because there were only 5 it was very easy to work one-on-one and get all the forms and papers we need in the office. Then Sister Anderson took their pictures and gave them a brief health orientation, President interviewed each one and then assigned them to their areas and sent them off. That took until about 4 in the afternoon. We enjoyed visiting with the new elders and with some of our favorites – like Elder Little – who had come to pick up their new companions.

We were hungry – missed lunch in the process. I made an early dinner; Bob worked on his lessons for tomorrow and I went to bed very early. Happy New Year.

Merry Christmas

Me with Sisters Balita and Castillo after the Christmas Zone Conference


Our Christmas tree, decorations and gift - notice the little Filipino house
two of the sisters made for us - very cute.

December 24, 2005

I went to the office to help prepare for the Christmas Zone Conference for all the missionaries on Cebu Island. Elders from Lilo-An were already there waiting for the President to come and begin interviews. The office was very full of missionaries all morning and I didn’t do any desk work – I just visited with them. Sister Castillo is still very homesick – not easy.

The Christmas Zone Conference began with us all watching the Broadcast of the Joseph Smith Commemoration Fireside. It was wonderful. Fantastic music, great talks, and strong spirit. Then we all went into the cultural hall for pizza, soda, apples, oranges, banana bread and rice krispy treats and lots of talk and laughter. Then we met back in the chapel for an inspiring program of scriptures and music to celebrate the birth and life of Christ .

It was nearly 6 P.M. by the time the last of the missionaries left. I had a good talk with, and Bob took a nice picture of, Sister Castillo, Sister Balita, and me. Bob and I had tuna sandwiches for dinner – we weren’t that hungry after all the pizza etc. for lunch. We then opened our presents – boxes for each of us from Karl and Carmen. The girls had decorated the outside of the boxes with Christmas drawings which we greatly enjoyed. Bob opened his huge package of M & M’s immediately, while I was more leisurely opening my box. The pink sweater fit fine; the jerky will be great for lunch on our travels; and I will enjoy the onion soup mix for making dinners.

We went to bed tired, but very grateful to be here and grateful for the wonderful support of our family.

Sunday, December 25, 2005
Well, Christmas is over – but not quite, for me. It will be over after I have talked to each family. I have been trying for two days, but it has been quite difficult since several of the Elders had planned to use the office phone and have their parents call them here. They have been on the phone steadily since 5 A.M. this morning – it is now 9:30 A.M. Yesterday they were on most of the day. I may have to wait until tomorrow since it will soon be too late to call home.
We went to three Christmas Sacrament meetings in the Stake Center adjacent to our apartment. The first one was Cebu 1^st Ward. They had a program after the Sacrament that was put on by the Primary and involved many adults as well. They had a mom, dad and two children – boy and girl – acting out a Christmas family home evening. They would each tell part of the story and then other members of the ward, in costume, would act it out – with songs interspersed. The best part was at the first. The father started reading in Luke. Then the boy spoke up. “I know why they left Nazareth. Joseph had to pay taxes and had to go to his own place to do it. Then his sister, about six years old, spoke up – loudly and clearly in the microphone. “Mary went with him, even though her stomach was really, really big because Baby Jesus was inside there.”

Now for the baby, he was beautiful, and sound asleep when he was ‘delivered to Mary’ right on cue. But Mary was a newly-married girl who didn’t know how to hold a baby and was holding him out away from her sort of in a standing position. So, of course, he woke up and started to squawk. From the congregation her father, the stake president, was trying to give her directions on how to hold the baby. The Primary children were talking – quite loudly – “Baby Jesus is crying,” “Baby Jesus is crying.” It was so cute!

Some of my other favorite parts were when the angel (a man dressed in his white dental technical coat with a wide gold paper belt) stood up to talk to the shepherds. As he stood up the scotch tape holding his belt to his shirt came off and the belt gradually started sliding down. He saved it with a quick grab and then went on with his speaking part.

Then I must tell about the shepherds. They were three men dressed in robes, or cloth wrapped over their Sunday clothes, with head gear of some sort, who came wandering down the aisle, gazing upward the whole time. So, they would occasionally bump into the pew, or each other, but no matter. But, they arrived at the place where Mary, Joseph and the baby were before the song was ended and then decided to wander – looking up the whole time – back and forth in front of the pulpit. This led to a lot more of bumping into each other before the song ended. They looked at the baby for a second and then took their place next to the angel.

The Wise man had great cardboard crowns and gifts wrapped in Christmas paper and assorted cloth draped over their shoulders, some of the draping being finished as they walked down the aisle. A little boy about four had some sort of orange and black balloon creation – very large- that he periodically picked up and waved, but I am not sure what it represented – maybe the star.
The Primary children sang very well and the whole thing was delightful and a good reminder that the first Christmas was probably not so well-organized, rehearsed, costumed and polished as many Christmas pageants are.
We then visited with people and Bob arranged to teach Sunday School next week. By then it was almost time for the next ward Sacrament meeting. I dashed home to use the bathroom. On my way back I saw a woman outside the mission office. She said she had left something in there earlier and wondered if she could go get it. I said, “Of course,” and took her inside. I was greeted by Elder Lowry who said, “Your son called. I just hung up.” Oh dear. I felt sad at having missed the call.
The Apas ward had a more usual Sacrament meeting with speakers and a couple of Christmas carols sung by the congregation. Again, we visited with the members afterwards, then went home for tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.

Soon it was time to go back for the Cebu 5^th ward. Again it was a normal Christmas Day meeting with speakers. The highlight was a Priesthood Chorus number sung with great enthusiasm.

After visiting a bit, we headed home. Bob photographed the photos of the incoming elders and then I helped him download them to the computer and reduce them to the 1 x ¾ since size he needs for their bank cards. The mission used to take pictures for this purpose right when the new missionaries arrived then rush like crazy to get them ready for the bank the next morning. Last incoming batch, Bob prepared the cards ahead and it really made things go smoother, so he will do it this way from now on.

We then went to the President’s condo for dinner, along with two elders and two sisters who met at the office and rode with us. I had made a big cole slaw earlier in the morning. Sister Anderson made grilled chicken breasts, diced potatoes in a cream sauce – very good, green beans, homemade rolls, and an apple cake with ice cream for dessert. We had fun visiting as we ate, and as we cleaned up.

When we got home and were just about ready for bed, Karl finally got through and we had a great talk with him that was such a treat. Unfortunately, every one else at his house was asleep, so we didn’t get to talk to them ---a good excuse for me to call again.