Brother Guia and his stories

Brother Alfredo Guia

We have been blessed to meet so many good people here.  It’s rewarding to build new friendships, and fascinating to hear their conversion stories, and humbling to know the struggles they endure. 

Brother Fred Guia is a very enthusiastic and friendly 73-year-old brother who works in the temple.  His family lives in a neighboring city, but he stays at the Patron House during the week, since travelling is difficult for him right now.  He has had serious diabetic sores on his feet that has led to partial amputations on both feet.  The sole of his right foot has some deep sores that were being treated by another missionary sister, but when those missionaries got transferred, we volunteered to help with dressing his feet twice a week.  For almost three months, we have been blessed by his faith and humour and friendship, and we have met and adopted all his wonderful family.  We are so impressed by his faith and his dedication to keep working at the temple despite his health problems.  His can-do attitude is inspiring. He has told us fascinating stories of his life, and Ron has typed as Brother Guia talks. Here are some of his stories:

My mother used to wake me up at about 4 in the morning to take the carabao to the meadows.  There were so many mosquitos when we ride on the carabao back.  Sometimes we let it wallow in the mud so that it can protect from the mosquitos.  We do not ride any more because it is muddy.  We only wait until the carabao is full and its stomach is big and then I will go home and eat my breakfast.  After 4:00 in the morning I would take the carabao to eat in the meadow.  Then at about 6 we would plow the field.  Then after that we would rest at noon.  Then we would eat for lunch.  Kamote, dried fish or rice, banana and also sometimes we cook chicken.  During the lunch we rest for a while and then at about 2:00 we would plow again.  We would check that the water is not coming out of the field – check the dikes that the water is not coming out – the grass rots and is a fertilizer for the rice plants.  Then we would plow until 5 o’clock and then we would bring the carabao to the meadows and we would leave it there.  The meadows are in the hills.  After that we would go to sleep in the evening.  And then the same routine.  When I was in the High school I was not able to plow the field because I was going to the school.  We were walking about 6 km one way to the school in Dipolog and 6 km back (barrio Gales). Then I finished high school in 1961. 

Story of one carabao that was part of the family.  My father was 78 when he died.  We called the carabao Tagilon.  He was a very obedient.  He would bring the palay (rice not yet thrashed).  He would take it to the mill (by himself) and then after the rice was milled they put the milled rice on the sledge and he would pull the sledge back home.  (No thieves then). When Tagilon died, my father cried.  The Carabao was very old.  Our neighbor wanted to slaughter it, but my father would not let them.  My father said we could not eat it because he helped us for so long.  We buried it.  My father and mother was a very industrious farmer.  And they were very religious too.  When they had a harvest, every January 1 we would have a thanksgiving for the harvest.  There was a miracle in our life.  We had a field already for harvest.  There were many rats eating rice and the rats did not eat our field.  Our neighbors asked why the rats did not eat our field.  My father said I do not know.  Every January 1 we would have a thanksgiving.  We let our labours come.  We would slaughter 2 pigs, each about 100 kg.  Our workers and neighbours would like pancit and we would make it.  They enjoyed the pancit.  At that time, we only planted one time per year.  Now they plant 2 or three times.  Coming June is planting  season. 

Not Brother Guia, but similar

We feel so blessed to have his example in our life.  
I think the Lord sends extra-strong spirits to the Philippines.  

Mother's Day 2018

Mother's Day was been really enjoyable here in the Philippines.  Everyone we talked to at all during the day wished me a Happy Mother's Day, and every adult woman was wished "Happy Mother's Day" often.  No standing up in the chapel at the end of Sacrament meeting, though.  No public mother-guilt! 

I had been invited to a Mother's Day luncheon held at noon, after the church meetings were done.  I wanted to go to later church meetings so I could talk with more of my family, but I have been playing the piano for Relief Society for the Busay Ward which meets at 9 AM.  So I went to the Busay Ward Relief Society at 11, played piano, and stayed for the potluck Mothers' Day lunch (cooked by the mothers!).  It was delicious, and our chocolate chip cookies were a hit.  Cookies are a real treat, since few families have an oven; electricity is so expensive here and incomes are so low.  The Primary children came and sang-- just as adorable here in the Philippines as Primary kids at home.   Then we attended Apas Ward in the afternoon, where chocolate bars were handed out at the end of the meetings. 

And of course the highlight of my Mothers' Day was being able to talk with all our children and most of the grandkids.  We are so thankful for technology!

Here are the Primary children singing to the mothers at the luncheon.  Aren't they adorable?  Note the uninflated balloons taped to the stage curtains.  Filipinos like to decorate! 

Watermelon at Carbon Market

We always love to see all the melons at the market.   So many red and yellow ones!  One of the blessings of living in paradise-- year-round watermelon!

First trip to Bohol, March 12, 2018

March 12 is our oldest son's birthday, so we celebrated by going on a daytrip.  We just wish he could have been with us!  Bohol is an island just east of Cebu Island.  Elder Hobbs spent a lot of time and energy arranging this trip, which was a birthday celebration for all of us with February and March birthdays. 

The port where we got on the ferry had security like an airport,
but the carved deer heads puzzled me.  Maybe they are hiding the security cameras?

Comfy ferry seats, very cold aircon, crummy movie, but great company!  

I love living in a religious country.  There was a safety video-- like a plane--
then a "Prayer and Safety" video.
I especially liked this line.  I need that help every day! 

The rain started just as we disembarked from the ferry.  

Bohol is an island just southeast of Cebu. Our ferry ride took about two hours.
We were blessed with calm seas, so nobody got seasick.    

View from the van as we drove.  It was so good to get out in the country.
Cebu is such a crowded city that this was a wonderful contrast.

But even in the jungle there is road construction! 

Carabao, domesticated water buffalo, have traditionally been the "workhorses" of Filipino farms.

They are the national animal of the Philippines.

Carabao, domesticated water buffalo, have traditionally been the "workhorses" of Filipino farms.

Harvesting rice.  Such hard physical work. 

Sister Siguiente  at the Chocolate Hills in the rain. 

 More tourists in the rain.

View from the top of the staircase.  There are about 1500 small hills, designated as a National Geological Monument.  Here's some of the Wikipedia article :"The Chocolate Hills form a rolling terrain of haycock hills – mounds of a generally conical and almost symmetrical shape. Estimated to be from 1,268 to about 1,776 individual mounds, these cone-shaped or dome-shaped hills are actually made of grass-covered limestone. The domes vary in sizes from 30 to 50 metres (98 to 164 ft) high with the largest being 120 metres (390 ft) in height. Bohol's "main attraction", these unique mound-shaped hills are scattered by the hundreds throughout the towns of Carmen, Batuan and Sagbayan in Bohol.
During the dry season, the grass-covered hills dry up and turn chocolate brown. This transforms the area into seemingly endless rows of "chocolate kisses"." They were beautiful in the misty rain, but I'd love to visit again on a sunny day. 

Our van driver, Romie. 

The Hobbs and the Alfornons at the Tarsier Preserve. 

Most of these tiny, nocturnal, fist-size monkeys
that we saw were asleep,
but this one posed for us with his eyes open.  

 Look at these missionary triplets all in blue plaid shirts!

The double swinging bridge.   

The swinging bridges again, and Ron in the foreground with a real smile--
very unusual in a picture of him. 

Big Aussie photobomber. I love Elder Siguiente's surprised look!

Big Aussie photobomber.
I love Elder Siguiente's surprised look!

Sister and Elder Siguiente
with their new friend. 

                                                       

Elder and Sister Kidd

My birthday presents from the trip-- a woven tray, and a young coconut that was sliced off for me to drink the coconut water.  After that, we took it back to the little stall and they bored out the young, tender coconut meat, called buko.  Filipinos don't eat the old coconut like we do;
instead the meat from the older coconut will be ground finely, covered with water,
and then squeezed out to make fresh coconut milk. 

An idyllic scene from the road by the swinging bridges.
The fisherman is using the original version of a bamboo rod-- a piece of bamboo! 

Bohoc River floating restaurant.
We had planned on doing a dinner cruise on a riverboat,
but we ran out of time.  Next time... 

We visited a small zoo that had a butterfly enclosure.
Ron takes butterfly pictures like I take flower pictures,
but we will just share one of many.   

Beautiful!

WARNING to those with ophiophobia (snake-phobia).  

You might want to stop reading now.  

There were about seven large pythons at this little zoo, along with a few alligators, some chickens (python food), and a hawk that looked like a miniature bald eagle.
This albino python was full and sluggish, so she didn't mind getting some love. Since we couldn't pick this one up, we got another chance with another python.

It was a memorable day.  I can't wait to go back to Bohol.

Why we are here-- really.

Why are we here in Cebu?
Not the tropical weather.
Not the lack of snow.
Not the challenging traffic.
Not to get away from our darling grandkids. (That's the biggest sacrifice.)

This is why: God has blessed us so much in our life.  We are so grateful for our knowledge of Jesus Christ and His love for us and for each person on the earth.  About this time last year, we decided that it was time to start our mission application, time to give back to God by serving him fulltime.  We didn't know then where we would be called, but we requested and hoped for this assignment in the Cebu Temple.  When our call letter came, it was almost surreal-- we had not dared to hope that we would really get to come back to the Philippines.  And coming to this beautiful, sacred temple is a dream come true.
We love all the temples that have been built by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), but it is so rewarding to see the faith of the Church members here, since Ron was a missionary here in 1969-1971.  At that time, there were 6,000 Church members in all of the Philippines; now there are over 700,000.  We have been able to meet many people who have some connection to those people Ron taught and loved here so long ago.  Temple work is such a blessing to all of us, as it prepares us to return to our Father in Heaven.  This video (narrated by Ron's cousin, Bill Walker) explains why we love the temple.

And here are some photos of the inside of the Cebu Temple.  They're copyright by the LDS Church and were published by the Church in 2010 when the temple was dedicated.  Before a temple is dedicated, there is an Open House for the public to tour the temple.  After the dedication, only those LDS members who live the standards of the Church may enter.

Front desk, where the members enter

Foyer, where Ron and I wait for each other at the end of our shift. The staircase is breath-taking!

Baptistry

Bride's room.  Many of the couples who come to get married can only afford their own fare,
so we have dresses, veils, shoes, and silk bouquets for them to use.  More on that in my next post.  

Instruction room.  I love the tropical mural.

This is a sealing room, where marriages are solemnized for time and all eternity.

This is the Celestial Room, a place of contemplation and prayer. 
I love to spend some time here each day talking with Heavenly Father.
We are His children, and I know He loves each one of  us.
He sends me peace and comfort as words and ideas come into my mind
through the warmth and guidance from His Spirit.
I invite you to ask God if He loves you, and feel the warmth of His answer.

.

Crazy motorbike traffic

What makes Cebu traffic unique and challenging?  Motorbikes and U-turns are part of the story.  Ron has just started to venture out driving in Cebu.  So far, so good!  Here are some videos, but it impossible to capture the reality!

To market, to market...

Our hearts have been full of love and prayers for Ella this week.   She has started chemo and will be having surgery when the tumor has shrunk enough.  Though tears often come to my eyes unexpectedly, we trust our Heavenly Father's care and we are praying hard.  We believe in miracles!

Ryan , Levi, Adam, Renna, and Ella in January at Northern Air, the trampoline place

We were able to go to the market in Carbon both Saturdays.  Last week we had given some food to a woman who was begging, so she followed us, clinging to Ron's arm, for the rest of our shopping.  It made us a little reluctant to go again, but the produce is so fresh and so inexpensive!  On Feb. 17th, Ron mostly stayed inside a building, instead of going out in the crowd, and we got some delicious fruits and veggies.

Ron looking for the best bananas

This driver was sleeping in his truck at 7 AM. 
I wonder if he got up early to bring a load to the market, which is open 24/7..

One of many delivery guys.  What hard work!

The cats love the peanut stall!

Cute baby and her father at the back of the market

Loaded with yummy produce...

...but not as loaded as this customer!

Here is our colorful treasure-- all for $14. The little purple objects to the right of the pineapple are purple avacados.  The tomatoes are small, with a tougher skin than tomatoes at home.  The Filipinos like their tomatoes a little under-ripe, so they will be "crisp".  I have not liked the papaya we have had in Canada, but this papaya changed my mind.  Delicious!

Home again, home again, jiggety jig!