Children in Silay practicing for Primary program

Monday we enjoyed lunch with Sister Bal-lot and Sister Sagahgay.  We enjoyed hearing their conversion stories and the sacrifices they have made to serve missions.  Wednesday we got to take a new missionary (from the district) to the airport with her mother and Bishop.  She waited several months for her call and was excited to start her journey which included her first airplane ride.  These are always wonderful experiences to be part of.

Wonderful Sisters!

Sister Merwal at the airport with her mother and branch president

Friday we got to be the supply Elders; we traveled north to Sagay.  Along the National Highway we saw men cutting the thick green grass with machetes; back breaking work.  There were people including young children selling fruit and homemade treats along the busy highway.  We love to see the carabao working in the fields and and grazing along the highway.  I watched a boy lying across the mother carabao with her baby nearby enjoying the succulent grass.  We saw a few rickety trucks being loaded with sugar cane.  And if there is a problem with your vehicle; you just stop where you are and change the tire or work on the engine.  We brought the missionaries J.CO donuts.  These are the best donuts around.  Even before the truck was unloaded of the needed supplies, the donuts had vanished.

One of many fruit stands along the highway

Beautiful tubo (sugar cane) field next to Manta-angan chapel

Today we attended church at Manta-angan, a small branch north of where we live.  We started out attending Relief Society and Priesthood meetings.  George sat by an older man.  The lesson was on “The Elderly in the Church”.  The teacher began by asking the question:  ‘who are the elderly?’.  The older man next to George turned towards him, looked at his badge and said: “Elder Mower”.  Hahaha

A Sister meditating before Church in Manta-angan :-)

Traveling home today, we watched men carrying a cumbersome white casket on the National highway to the graveyard.  A sikad followed slowly with a few colorful flowers.  When we passed, they had at least another mile to go before arriving at the graveyard.  We stopped for a big Ceres bus whose reverse gear didn’t work; no worries. . men pushed the big loaded yellow bus backwards across all the lanes of traffic (stopping all traffic) and then the bus went forward on his way.