Youth conference with Uzelacs

This was a CSP - Sister Palmieri and Elder Francom and Elder Reymundo - they were hauling these blocks up a hill to build a house.  They were heavy.  Sisters could carry one at a time, Elders two and they were dirty.  Elder Francom is dripping wet.

This is a family home morning instead of evening.  We went at 9:00 to give a lesson and they prepared a lot of food.

The family home morning group - In the middle is Sister Feelie and her husband Booboy.  She is a returned missionary and he is very Catholic.  He is the nicest man - helps her get ready for church and takes her for miles - always has the kids ready- but his family is Catholic and it is hard to change.  We gave a lesson on families and the temple.  He was always up taking care of the littlest one but hopefully he got something out of it.  She told him if he doesn't take her to the temple in 5 years she is packing his bag and he is out and she will find someone who will take her.  I have written her a letter and suggested she love him into the church and be such a good wife that he will want to be with her.

We were out in quite the rainstorm - it just poured and it was much needed.  Norm got very tired of sitting in the truck and went for a drive.  We got stuck in the mud which was a very bad experience.  We were in the middle of nowhere.  I know angels pulls us out!

The rainstorm didn't affect the basketball playing.

WE ARE BACK TOGETHER AGAIN!!!!   Jake was transferred back to Bohol.  He is about an hour away from us but that is better than the ferry ride away.  We had gone to this church to pick up two Elders and take them to the hospital for some tests.  Jake's district was at the same church for p day doing an early morning basketball activity.  I had no clue he was even around and I was visiting with some sister missionaries and the first thing I knew, there was Jake.  What a wonderful surprise.  LOVE THAT BOY!!!!  Jake said this Elder is needing some special help and that is why the President sent him.

Eating with Elder and Sister Uzelac at Shell-Anne's on the ocean.  They are a wonderful couple from Salt Lake working with Self Reliance which is so much needed here.  This is their 4th mission and they are planning on another one after this.  Very successful people.

They have a good time together!  Full of enthusiasm and live a very nice life style.  So willing to do whatever it takes to help these people.

This was at the youth conference.  Even though these people have very little we were amazed at how they decorated.

I think there were about 60 youth.

The Uzelacs had them divided into 3 groups - they taught them for 2 hours.

They had some fun activities for them.

They made it.

The conference was 3 days.  The Uzelacs went home on the 2nd day and on the 3rd day President and Sister Tanner were there and Elder Perez of the Seventy.  Elder Perez spoke for 2 hours.  President Tanner is sitting first, then Elder Perez, President Saballa and then Elder Halladay. This young man taking charge is one of my piano students.  A very sharp young man.  I am so proud of him.  He can play a lot of hymns.  He is 16 and is now going to college in Cebu.  I will teach him Sunday and that will be the last which is ok.  I have 6 more sistesr that want to take lessons in Tubigon which is the other direction.  I think I am going to change my Sunday lessons to Tubigon instead of Loon.  I will have to work something out with the other 3 in Loon.

Just after jumping out of the shower and blowing my hair dry the power went out.  We were told it would be out all day - we were off to youth conference.  What a day that would have been if the hair hadn't been blown dry.  Grateful for many blessings. It wasn't out all day but we left before it came back on.  Makes for a hot day without aircon.

They were trying to load this crane onto a truck and it went over and hit the power line.

House Building

This is Jerome from Tagbilaran who is in charge of the housing project.  We were pleased to see a home with a roof on.  The project is taking a lot longer than we were told it would take.  It takes us an hour to drive to Tagbilaran and then another hour to drive to the Mandacita - with the return trip it is over 4 hours on the road.  When we get to the site we just sit in the car and wait for him at least 2-3 hours.  Makes for a lot of sitting.  Too hot to get out!  Part of the road is so bumpy you just rock from side to side.  Sometimes I think my body will be bruised.

We were parked in front of this lady's home and she invited us in.  Then she insisted on treating us.  We are very reluctant to do that but you can see the rolls and pop.  She has never married and is over 72 years old.  Her niece is standing by Norm.  The nicest people.

I asked if I could use her CR having no clue what I was asking.  She opened a door and there it was.  No seat, no paper, no walls on the one side and something else hanging on the other side.  I felt a bit uncomfortable about the whole thing but it was necessary.  No choice - better than bushes.

This is a picture of the CR from the outside. The cement did go up part way.

We were driving the truck down this narrow road and met up with a slight problem.  No one in this truck - not enough room to go by and there was at least a 6 in. drop off and it just went straight down.  We just had to wait until a man came by and moved it.

We are meeting with Elder Perez of the Seventy.  He is just newly called and lives in Cebu.  He is the one in charge of this whole building project - LDS Charities - there have been many problems over this project and he has come to try and explain what is going on.  He and Jerome just do not see eye to eye and it has really been a hard situation.

None of the people receiving the homes are LDS.  They are all very nice people.  There are 27 homes being built.

We really enjoyed being with Elder Perez.

This is a zone training meeting.  I wore that blouse purposely I want you to know :).  The sister sitting by me is Sister Fiti and she went home today.  She has the most beautiful singing voice.  These are great missionaries.  We had a wonderful meeting.

We were home teaching a brother and passed this house.  Not everyone has a calf tied inside their front yard with the wash.

This a rice machine. The rice and the hulls are being sorted out.  Didn't look too great to me.

They pour the rice in this hole and somehow it carries it up and out.

This is in our front yard.  I watched this man cut a log in two pieces.  That is what is on the bottom.  When we came home he was putting cement I think it is all over it.  Somehow he made the back and put it together.

The log in front is something like what he started with for the seat.

Norm's assignment was to organize an Aaronic Priesthood Commemoration activity for the district.  We organized a few games.  Here the boys are standing on a blanket and they are suppose to turn it over without stepping on the tile.  It was pretty fun to watch. The Elder in the middle was really good to help us. The other Elder is on the left.  We really appreciated them.

We had two groups.  They told us to plan on 40 boys and we had 10.  I think the ones that came had fun.

These were the winners.  The boy in the red shirt is one I teach piano and he is amazing.  He just graduated and will be moving to Cebu.  I will miss him  He has a lot of talent.

This was a relay game with  a book on top, coin in the eye and ball between legs following a rope.  I crocheted the rope - best we could come up with.

Hope your week was as good as ours!!  Love you all so much!!!!

Josh and Jenny

The long awaited arrival of Josh and Jenny at the airport in Cebu.  How happy we were to see them after waiting for 4 1/2 hours.

Waiting at the pier for the ferry.

Good time to rest on the ferry.  They were exhausted. They had a  long day of making flights.

Inside the ferry.  They have a couple levels - it holds a lot of people.

At the Loomweavers.  Fun place - they make beautiful placemats, purses, backpacks and will custom make about anything you want - covers for Preach My Gospel etc.
Sagbayan peak - chocolate hills country.

Tarsier - cute little fellows!

 We arrived in Loboc and checked out the river cruise only to find out there were masses of people - we could only make a reservation for the next day, Sunday.  We started walking off and the lady said, wait.  How many are in your group?  We told her 4.  She left out the door and when she came back she said we can take you right now.  We paid her the money and walked through the masses of people and right on to the boat.  I will never figure that one out except we were extremely blessed and we had a wonderful time.


All you can eat buffet on the boat.  Good food!

They have wonderful music going all the time - a man playing a guitar and singing.  The people in the blue shirts on the right joined right in and were hitting the table for drums and singing right along.  It was a fun group.

We really had a good time.

So loved having them in our home - eating, playing games and loving every minute.