In front of Cebu Temple with wonderful Deyro couple

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Happy Christmas! The first of September starts the Christmas season and it lasts until the first week in January.  Colorful Christmas lanterns are starting to be strung in some of the trees. 

Rainy Season

The average rainfall for Bacolod in September is 9 inches; I think we have already passed the “average” up for the month.  The ground is like a big sponge; muddy sponge.  We did enjoy two days of sunshine this week.  Being from the desert, it was so good to see blue skies!

Island Hopping

We were able to slip away for a couple of days (we did have our cell phones to be available to Philippines Bacolod Mission concerns).  We flew to Cebu, a city not far from Bacolod but on a different island.  We visited the Cebu Temple!  We went with the doctor (who helps our missionaries) and her husband.  There are 2.55 million people who live in the metro Cebu area.  I liked Cebu.  The part of the city we were in was more modern than where we live, but they still have those crazy drivers.  We traveled through the city in cabs.  There were no seat belts, the music was turned up loud and we experienced ‘hold on for your life’ rides as we weaved through the traffic.  They speak a different language; Cebuano mixed with a little English and Tagalog.

Pictures after Temple marriage--hot day with umbrellas to shield from sun, not rain

The Temple was on a crowded street and the cab drivers knew where to find the beautiful beacon on a grassy manicured hill.  In close proximity to the Temple was a Chapel, Mission home and office, a small distribution center and a patron house that allows people to stay overnight as they attend the temple.  The cafeteria was popular and even sold Coke!  Our “batch” mate from the Provo MTC serves as a mission nurse in Cebu and she took time to hang out with us.  George spent time with the finance people; he is always looking for ways to improve things.

We stayed in a hotel that had hot water.  I think George and I used all of the hot water for the entire hotel as even our friends said they had no hot water.  It was a wonderful treat!

Sister Lara, Sister Dixon, Sister Tangonan & Ve'ehala (Sister in middle is Reneliza)

Last evening we attended a baptism.  A sweet sister was all excited to see us and asked us if we remembered her.  As she recounted her story we did, in fact, remember her from several months ago when we were introduced to her as an investigator who was coming to Church for the first time (in a different ward).  She was baptized several weeks ago and her 18 year old daughter was baptized last night.  In a couple of weeks her 17 year old son has committed to baptism.  We remembered Reneliza because she is a dialysis patient.  She has dialysis every 5 days.  She looks healthy and recognizes her Heavenly Father as one who is mindful of her and her family needs despite severe financial challenges.