November 8th to 15th

We have had a good week but not a lot of pictures!

We started off Monday bringing some Elders in to the Doctor.  It was a day of waiting and waiting.  We took them to lunch in between things, and then back to Duraro which is an hour and a half drive.  The next day we did a repeat as the Elder needed to have an ultra sound.  They actually took a bus in and we met them at 8:30 because the clinic opened at 8:00.  Couldn't believe when we got there they said the doctor wouldn't be in until 1130.  ANOTHER wait.  So at 11:45 the ultra sound is done but they can't get the results until after lunch. 1:00 we go back and get the results but have to talk to the doctor and he won't be in until 2:30. Then it was another ride back to Duraro.  The whole thing ended up with they couldn't find anything wrong with him.  Guess that was good to know.  Just live with the pain.

A CSP - community service project.  4 elders asked for a ride and there ended up being 10 elders and 4 sisters.  I don't know what they were thinking or just not thinking.  Norm just packed them in the back and drove for a half hour. The other 4 were in the back seat.

The girls were chosen to stay behind and wait for the next trip.  That gave the Elders an hour start on the project which was ok.

This was our project.  Pretty cute little place.  It was actually down a long terrible road.  Can't imagine anyone coming here.  It is by the Loboc river for those of you who have been here.

They were suppose to clean the yard so they are sweeping the leaves etc.  Love the straw brooms or whatever they are made out of.

In the back the Elders are to cut down the brush.  Absolutely no equipment but a few knife things and Norm had some shovels.

I thought it was really quite pretty the way it was.

They did make a little progress but will have to finish another time.

This week I started teaching a brother and 3 sisters piano lessons.   They are so excited.  The lighting in the house was terrible so they put the keyboard on a piece of wood outside which had a brighter light and then they gathered around.  Cute brothers and sisters in the background.  There are 8 in the family.

We are right in to it.

Not ideal but it works.

Elder Halladay loves to treat the kids with suckers.  Wish the picture weren't so dark.

We don't have a picture but on Friday the Elders asked us to teach with them.  The sister was a member but hadn't been to church in 4 years.  Her husband is a member as well but hasn't been to church and the Elders said he was an addict.  They had never met him because he was always working.

On our way there it started pouring - so by the time we got there we had nice mud to go through.  Such very modest, poor circumstances.  Wish it weren't rude to take pictures.  We were introducing and visiting etc. and to our surprise, the husband walks in.  Because of the rain he had come home from work early.  I worried when I saw him with the red earring in his ear etc.  But when he smiled I could see a tenderness and his wife was really a sweet lady.

So the missionaries taught and the husband really started talking a lot.  Of course we couldn't' understand a word but the Elders told us later that he had had a dream the night before of a white building and he thought it was the church and was impressed he should  start going back to church.

I put it all together in my mind, it rained so he came home from work, we were there, he had had a dream, and he told the Elders they would come to church on Sunday.

The Elders texted us this afternoon and they were all in church!  We have an appointment to go back and visit this week.

Today we have been to Carmen and to Sagbayan to church.  A long time to sit and not understand very much.  As I was leaving the Sagbayan church, they meet in the Elders apartment I decided to make use of their CR (comfort room or better known as bathroom).  The one that is there for the church didn't have a handle to flush the toilet and no water in a bucket and when you tried to turn the water on in the sink the handle came off.  No water there either.

So I decided to go upstairs to the CR the Elders use.  There was no door knob, just a hole so I just went in and closed the door only to find out that when you close it, it locks.  There was some metal thing in the wood and there was NO getting it unlocked.  So there I was upstairs looked in this cruddy CR.  I tried everything to no avail and ended up pounding and screaming.  It worked - obviously -  I am now home thank goodness.

Hope you are all having a good week.  Love you BUNCHES!!!