Counting out Vitamins

One of the tasks that needs doing in the office is counting out the vitamins
and bagging them for the missionaries. Elder VanderVeen helped with the
job this month and we took a photo at the beginning of the project.

Relief Society Anniversary Celebration

               I went to a Stake Relief Society Anniversary
Celebration on Saturday in the building across the parking
lot from our apartment.I had a hard time telling when it began
or ended as sisters arrived earlyand stayed late, but I went
over about 2 and saw some of the program. One of the wards
did a play about the organization of the first Relief Society.
All the Filipino sisters from the whole stake wore pioneer bonnets.
Those in the play had on aprons as well, over long dresses
– except for one who wore a baseball cap.
It was very colorful and very well done. They had pre-recorded
their parts so the dialogue came over the speaker system and
could be heard very well.

Bogo District Conference

East coast of Cebu 'surf'



Huts and palms along the beach along the Bogo Road

Elder Callahan with new family from Medillin

We went to Bogo for two days to help at their District Conference.
I did the Relief Society Training. Bob went over to the college, but
very few people were there as it is now their summer break. He did see
and talk to a few students and invite them to Church.They have a new
District Relief Society President who has never served in Relief Society before,
but she is very capable and eager to learn and had already read her
manual, visited each branch and held a training! I was really impressed.
It was wonderful to be there.
We took Patriarch Benedicto with us both
ways and learned from him. One little thing he told us as we passed
through the city of Lilo-An was that lilo means whirlpool so Lilo-An
means a place of many whirlpools. We stopped on the way back to take
a couple of beach photos, but I didn’t see any whirlpools.

Taoist Temple Trip

Sisters on stairs at Taoist Temple



Gloria and Sister Balita with Dragon at entrance to Taoist Temple





This morning four of the sister missionaries – Sisters Olpin, Temblor, Balita and Kioa and a young ward missionary and I went to the Taoist Temple here in Cebu. It is only a few minutes drive from the Mission Office and is a place of beauty and serenity on a hill overlooking the city. We had fun talking and taking pictures and enjoying the clean air, the colorful buildings and the peaceful, park-like grounds. Wealthy Chinese families have built it – a series of large and small buildings – and maintain the buildings and the grounds. They are open to the public free of charge and quite a gift to the city. Very few people were there on Monday morning. It was a pleasure to be with the sisters and to get to know them better and to be in such a calm and lovely environment. In one of the ponds they had several turtles that I enjoyed watching and photographing. Afterwards, we walked down the hill and back to the mission office, resolving to do this more often – get together and see the sights of the city.

Short trips to Lapu Lapu and Mabolo

Mabolo Ward member, Sister Emmie Mascaro, Bishop Mascaro, Gloria and Seminary Teacher


Lapu Lapu Ward 1 members with Elder Callister and Elder Maneclang

We visited two wards Lapu-lapu 1 and 2, today on the adjacent island, Mactan. Mactan is a small islang and is very close and very flat; the Cebu Airport is located there. It is connected to Cebu Island by two high bridges so cargo ships can pass underneath. The directions we had been given neglected to mention that the main road becomes ‘one way’ at some point. We failed to see any signs of ‘one way’ but soon began to wonder as all the cars and tricycles were coming right at us. We turned off as soon as we could, wandered around a bit and were looking for a tricycle driver to ask to show us the way to the Church when, there it was! We had driven right to it! What a blessing.

Those two wards were much more like wards at home and quite different from the little branches we usually visit – many more people, of course. All the men and young men were dressed in Priesthood attire. Primary and Relief Society were not that different unfortunately. Both started late and in Primary the children just sit and listen (or fiddle around, or leave the room). Very few visual aids, actions songs, and activities are used even though they are outlined in the manual. I guess the children are used to it, but it could be so much better.

In the afternoon, we both spoke at a missionary devotional at another ward, Mabolo- close to where we live. The elders who serve there had planned it to try to increase missionary work in their ward and they had done a very good job. It was a treat to be there and to meet their wonderful little - about 5 feet tall - bishop. He is a convert to the Church of about 10 years. His wife is a returned missionary. Both were single for very many years and married in 1998 - he is 65 now. They have adopted two young children and are so delighted with being parents. He is learning about the Church on the job - as I guess we all are really. He is trying very hard to follow the handbook and do things just right. It was a privilege to get to know him a bit. What wonderful changes the Gospel makes in people's lives.

Bob and I each spoke, two members of the Stake Presidency gave brief thoughts, and the missionaries – Elder Morales and Elder Pascua – gave a workshop on how the members could help. They did roles plays that the members enjoyed greatly. We stayed afterwards and visited with the Bishop and his wife. We are so blessed to have these opportunities.