4th Time is a charm!  The 'ninja' worker runs a new overhead internet line that adds to the 'spaghetti' wiring already hanging over the street, but we're happy, we have internet :-)

Sunday, April 26, 2015 – it is our 42^nd wedding anniversary, where has the time gone?  We're still in love!  :-)

Today has been warm and humid along with a brownout that started early this morning at 7:30 am.  It is now 5:30 pm and still no electricity (we got power back after 6 pm).

Elder Winward showing the Philippine flag he had sewn inside the jacket of a new suit he had made

We spent some time talking with an Elder this week.  His batch had just left Wednesday morning to start the long journey home.  His parents had come the previous day and we were taking him to meet his parents.  Every now and then I feel I get a glimpse of how our Heavenly Father might see us.  I had a new found love and appreciation for this young man as he shared his love for a couple of challenging companions.  When I met his parents the next day, I told them I thought he was a saint.  They will spend a few days visiting his areas including going to a baptism, before returning to the U.S.

Departing missionaries we've become so attached to!

Tuesday evening we met with the departing missionaries and made sure they arrived safely at their hosting apartment.  In our truck we had Sister Arviola and Sister Maningas (from the Philippines) and Sister Kumar from Fiji.  We laughed the entire way – good memories and talking about our miscommunications!  George and I wished we had somehow recorded the words of these faithful sisters.  One had given me a gift of a “native” dream catcher and that night I remembered my good dream of holding one of my new grandsons’.  I told her the next morning her kind gift had worked.

Missionaries enjoying ice cream at Mission Home departure fireside

Yes another six weeks have rolled around; a time for saying goodbyes and a time to welcome new missionaries to the Bacolod mission.  This transfer twenty missionaries left for a new chapter in their lives.  We were saying goodbye to the outgoing group and I noticed a line of missionaries walking towards us.  I wondered if these were missionaries returning home from their missions (we were aware of one returning).  But no, it was our new batch of ten missionaries.  They probably wondered where their welcoming group was.  It was all good!  The departing missionaries got to greet the new missionaries in person before leaving.

Elder Manu is a departing missionary from Tonga who has great faith--George traded ties with him

Later in the day we got to get to know the new missionaries a little better!  They were beat, after getting up at 2:00 am for an 8 O’Clock flight, but they have strong testimonies of Jesus Christ.  I hope they can remember the wonderful spirit we experienced in the days ahead when the going gets tougher.

Thursday we enjoyed one of our last lunch dates with President and Sister Deyro who will be leaving to serve in Urdaneta as Mission President.  We are thankful to know them.  I am in awe of Sister Deyro’s Christ like service she has given to the missionaries.  I have been using her less and less (we have a new contact) and she told me she missed my texts. . okay  just a few more!