No Rain

I’m sad! No rain this week so it was hot the entire time. Sure wish someone could figure out how to get the aircon installed. Oh well. Our Zone choir is getting ready to perform at a multi-zone conference next week so we had a couple of rehearsals this week. Our five newly transferred Elders are fitting right in and it’s so fun. Two of them are Americans and the other three are natives. We only went visiting with the Elders two days this week. Too much other stuff going on so didn’t have many free days.

Wednesday was spent in travel to Manila. We met at the Mission Home for dinner and a Mission Presidency meeting. While the Brethren were discussing mission business, we sisters headed upstairs and sorted out a couple hundred packets of vitamins for this transfer. Had a terrific visit with the sisters and got to finally meet Sister Golding from Palawan. Such a remarkable group of ladies. Elder Smith was equally impressed with the Pres. and others in his meeting. We’ll be going in again for another at the end of September.

Our tutoring was painful this week. It’s embarrassing to admit but I think we’re getting dumber. It must be the moisture in the air or the ocean breeze (that’s recently been non-existent) or the dang roosters crowing all the time. Whatever it is, it is killing our brain cells at an alarmingly fast rate.

Went to the Ternate Branch activity on Friday. Lots of fun. We’ll definitely be playing the Filipino animal game when we get home. We’ve played it now at three different branches and they love it! Saturday was a bit crazy. We went to a baptism at 9 a.m. (started a bit after 10). Was so special to see Sister Sonia baptized. We were able to go with the missionaries to meet with her a couple of times. I even put my big foot in my mouth and asked when her baptism date was before the Elders had set one. They forgave me and she got baptized anyway.

Sister Sonia in front of her daughter's home afterward. Had some nice spaghetti and fried chicken to celebrate

WHOA!! All my griping a few minutes ago and guess what? It’s raining! I’m so happy. Wow! Now back to Saturday.

During the afternoon there was a District Relief Society Conference. We had a great time learning how to properly set a table and do flower arranging. I really enjoyed watching and listening. A couple of the sisters did ask me why we needed so many forks etc. Here, you eat with a big spoon and a fork about 90% of the time. It works very well and we’re adapting quickly.

Saturday evening was another baptism, this time in Carissa. There were also others in the Zone but we kind of go with first asked/first attended as would be impossible to go to all of them. We sang at the Ternate baptism at the request of their Elders. Everyone seemed to enjoy our rendition of “As I Have Loved You” in Tagalog and English. The Elders choir will be doing the same arrangement next Thursday.

We attended the Ternate Branch today and President Ramos was excited that there were 101 attending sacrament meeting which is a first for a long time. We mentioned they usually have 30 or 40 attend so it was triple the usual attendance. President said it was the work we were doing but I told him it was the Lord and his members who were welcoming them back.

Dang! It’s already stopped raining. Mighty short one. Back to being gloomy.

Front of apartment with the plants that a new member in Punta gave us

Audry - yes, she loves blood. You should have seen Elder Smiths hands when he transplanted her

the home and trail leading to it of one of our contacts this past week

One of our local cemetaries. Went in and walked around after church today. All above ground and not sure how but crowded into the cement boxes

On the trail to our beach. It's about .25 mile from the apartment

Sunset tonight

Darrel admiring the fishing boats. Lots of them in this area