July 1 Fireside

Bob beside the poster advertising both the Service project and (in small print at the bottom) the evening Fireside.

But, the day was not over yet. We went back to the “Why Not” for another steak dinner – and I watched Germany defeat Argentina in soccer. Then it was time to go to the chapel where Bob showed the “Restoration” video and spoke again. A little over a hundred people came to that including some investigators. I enjoyed visiting with some of the sisters before the meeting started.

Speaking to Negros Oriental State University Students

ROTC Roll Call before our talks began

Students line up to get copies of the Book of Mormon

July 1, 2006

We met Elders Clark and Crespo and followed them to one of the campuses for Negros Oriental State University. A few members of the Church had gone right over after the beach-clean project and set up a sound system. We looked in amazement at the huge group of young people assembled outside on a large field. Apparently all first year students are required to take an ROTC class and this was the class – about 500 in all – that we were speaking to. This had been set up by Elders Clark and Crespo who met with the President of the University and asked if they would like to have us come to speak to their students. Other missionaries came to help and they soon had the awning set up. The sound system was set up on a cement stage, where the awning was also put. Fortunately large trees provided a nice shady area where the students sat while we talked. Elder Clark conducted; the missionaries sang; Sister Olpin played her flute and then after the prayer I spoke on Change – and choices and consequences. Bob talked about the distinctive features of the Church.

At the end, Elder Clark offered a free copy of the Book of Mormon to anyone who wanted one, either in Visayan or English. After the prayer, hundreds of students lined up to get copies. We gave out 464 for sure – 5 cases of English and 7 cases of Visayan – and parts of four other cases. In return, we collected hundreds of names and addresses for the missionaries to contact! We were so grateful for the fine weather; for the support of missionaries and members; and for the Spirit of the Lord. It was a tremendous experience.

Community Service Project

Elder Crespo begins handing out the first of the Helping Hands Vests



Missionaries, Church members and people from the community begin cleaning

Missionaries carefully plant some of the 300 plants that were donated.


At the end of the project every enjoys visiting with each other and admiring the clean park

Saturday, July 1, 2006

What a blessing. The sky is clear and blue; the sun is shining and a gentle breeze is blowing – a perfect morning for the beach clean-up service project. We had breakfast at the hotel café and then went over to the church where many people were already gathered. Elder Crespo began handing out the “Helping Hands” vests. I was so happy to see that they looked fine on all sizes of people and everyone seemed happy to wear them.

Many members joined the missionaries and about 8:45 a.m. we walked over to the beach. Bob took many pictures of both individuals and the whole group.

Dumaguete has a boulevard along the beach with a wide, strip park with many large trees and then a wide sidewalk. In preparation for a service project, Elders Clark and Crespo had gone to meet the mayor to ask him what they could do to help and he said his top priority was to clean all trash along the beach side of the boulevard, the park and the beach. It was low tide; the sun was shining; people had showed up to work. What more could we want!

More and more members and a few people from the community joined in and at least 140 vests were handed out. The missionaries and others began working right away. Some of the sisters in Dumaguete Branch had made mittens out of scraps of cloth and people donned those to pick up the trash. Elders Crespo and Clark had tools and trash bags and some members had brought native palm-spine brooms. We also had 300 small plants to put in. The missionaries set the example of working hard and quickly. We saw several families – old and young working together. It was a great pleasure as well as a good example to the city and a service to the community. All together we collected many black bags of trash that were picked up by the city trash collectors. All the plants were planted and the whole area looked neat and clean. Sky Cable sent a camera man to make a video to show on their news show and they talked to Elders Clark and Crespo.

Barge to Dumaguete

Our car, empty barge and storm clouds over Negros


Heading home on barge, our little car in the middle....sunshine over Cebu Island




Friday, 30 June 2006
We drove down the east side of Cebu Island to the southern end where we took a car barge to Negros Island. It was a lovely drive and the barge ride was interesting even though it started to rain about half way across the channel. Rain has been forcast for the entire weekend - which would make a problem for the community service project and the talk outdoors at the university. We are all praying for sunshine. (I put both barge pictures on at once so you could see the contrast in the empty and full barges - the empty one was full by the time it took off - and in the weather coming and going.)