September 10 trip to Lutopan

View of the mountains on Negros - twenty miles across the water
from Cebu Island. We are on a high ridgeline looking west. The
dark blue in the middle of the picture is the water.

Sunday, September 10, 2006

We left about 6:45 a.m. for Lutopan and had a lovely drive. As we crested the last high hills before heading down to Balamban, we saw huge mountains across the water. This was the best view we had had so far of the mountains on Negros – 20 miles across the water to the west. We stopped to take some pictures, but were disappointed that they don’t show how really impressive it looks. We went over to Toledo District to visit two branches in Lutopan. They are both struggling - about 35-40 people attend in each branch. They have just heard that a big mine is going to open again and there will be employment for thousands of people. They are hoping that many of the members will return to the area as when the mine closed several years ago, many left to find work.

Both Lutopan Branches were very welcoming. I helped in Primary and we both spoke in Sacrament meeting in Lutopan I where President Reniva is the Branch President. We were disappointed that they started 30 minutes late – waiting for there to be at least three or four people before they began.

In Lutopan II, I taught Relief Society - really led a discussion with the four sisters there on Wilford Woodruff’s chapter on faith. It was quite interesting. They were talking about how it takes faith to keep the commandments – such as keeping the Sabbath Day holy. One of the women told how she and her husband sell fish for a living. He goes to the wholesale market in Toledo and gets the fish each morning then brings them up into the hills where Lutopan is for her to sell. On Sunday, the biggest day for Filipinos to cook and eat, they don’t sell at all. She says that they are doing okay so far, but it is scary to them.

Another woman told how most people work six days a week, so Sunday is the day to clean, shop, do laundry etc. For members of the Church who work it is a real challenge to get all these chores done during the work week – especially since many go to work at 7 and get home at 6:30 or 7…long days. I was so impressed with their dedication and their determination to keep the commandments.

I then visited Primary and had fun singing with the children. The best part was when we were singing “Head Shoulders Knees and Toes in Visayan and I mixed up the words for mouth and eyes. When I pointed to my mouth and said “Mata” (which means eyes) the children looked surprised and then worried. I realized my mistake and started laughing and then they all – teachers and children alike totally cracked up. We all laughed and laughed.

Later Bob and I both spoke in Sacrament Meeting – what a privilege to share testimonies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.