November 1st - 8th 2015
This is the view out our kitchen window.We live with roosters crowing ALL the time. Here a couple of them are perched on the fence. There is also a goat further over but too hard to see.
We were trying to get home and ran across this problem. There just wasn't room for the two of them. Quite the slab of cement they do. It was an inch at a time deal.
This week was transfer week. A very busy week for us. We have a BIG area to cover. We didn't know until they arrived that we had 4 Elders going to the same apartment where 2 Elders were and there were only 2 beds, 2 desks, 2 fans. We had 5 sisters staying where there were 2. We had a little bit of heads up on that one. It takes an hour to get to their apartment so we spend a lot of time on the road.
The day started by leaving at 4:30 a.m. to pick up missionaries and take them to the port to go to Cebu. We spent 15 hours driving in the truck that day.
And in the middle of it all, like 1:00 p.m. we get a call that the zone leaders had been in a BAD accident and totaled their van. It was all so bad. It was a mechanical failure on the van. The wheels or steering wheel I am not sure which locked and they took out an electric pole which went over the top of the van and they went down a very steep embankment that was unreal and did not roll which was a total miracle. There were 4 Elders. One was wearing a seat belt and it was his first day in the field. It was truly a miracle they were all unharmed but for a few cuts and bruises.
These are two of the Elders that were being delivered to their apartment They were about 5 minutes away when they crashed. The Elder on the right is the new Elder and he said he would not be writing home to tell his parents about it.
The pole they took out. The picture doesn't do it justice but they were at the bottom of all this greenery. They said greenery was flying all over the place. It was very steep.
This is the poor van. They said if they hadn't hit the pole square in the middle it would have been very bad for the Elders in the front. Truly it was a miracle.
Brother and Sister Smalley, Norm baptized her, the first Sister on the left, last weekend. Brother Smalley is working on getting back in to the church. He wants Norm to baptize him before we go home. They had 5 sisters missionaries and us over to eat. He barbecued ribs which were absolutely delicious and barbecued chicken as well. Then he made apple pie with vanilla ice cream. It was all so good. We can't buy vanilla ice cream here but he did and since then Norm found some. We are eating out on their patio. They are so kind and gracious.
Brother Smalley and Norm. He absolutely loves Norm and said he is the reason we are here. He talks non stop and has something to say about EVERYTHING!!!! Very likable man. He said if we need help with anything to just give him a call and he will be right there. He actually has a home in California. He has lived here for 5 years and has an adorable wife. They are both wonderful cooks.
We went to Carmen to church today. It takes about an hour 15 min. to get there. This is Jake's territory and I just love being there. I took a keyboard and played for them. They were quite intrigued by it all.
When we got up this morning we had no power so it was a cold shower morning and a go "as is" hair do. The power was on when we got home but has gone off and on a couple times tonight which means darkness and no air con or fan. Very noticeable and very much missed.
Back to Carmen. It looks like, if we understood them right, there are 3 couples and a sister in Carmen who are planning on going to the temple in March when Jake comes to pick us up. I so hope that all works out. One brother named Sonny, Jake picked he and his wife and family up his last Sunday he was here, and we took them to church, Sonny has been going ever since and he is planning on going to the temple.
I tried to speak to him today and said hello from Elder Tolman. He smiled and said so humbly, "I miss Elder Tolman." A very tender moment for me.
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