This is Rhea - she will go on her mission in August. We helped with her dental work so she could go.

Neighborhood where native products are being manufactured in Capoocan

Brother and Sister carrying water home along the road to San Andres

Young Women Planning Activities - No place to sit

Special Sacrament Meeting - Young Men

Part of Primary at Special Sacrament Meeting

Special Sacrament Meeting

Today we went to the Special Sacrament Meeting held in San Andres. We stuffed about sixteen people into our van and drove off over bumpy, muddy roads. We were all in high spirits but Elder Dalley and I were somewhat concerned because the Branch President (who was bringing the chairs) was going to be late because he had another matter to take care of first. We went to get things ready. It was out in the country and very beautiful. It started to rain and I prayed that the Lord would hold it off for a while so we would be able to travel on the roads both in and out. He was very kind and did just that. We arrived and started to set things up. We went to help remind people to come because there are no phones. Elder Dalley and I drove to the farther away places while some of the others walked down the street.
When Elder Costillio came walking back toward the meeting place he looked like the Pied Piper with all of the young people following him. Yes the meeting started about an hour and a half late with the Branch President arriving just as we were about to start bringing the much needed chairs. We had about seventy people in attendance with about twenty or more who came from the Branch. All who could, sat while the rest of us stood while Elder Costillio gave the first discussion. A primary class was going on at the same time and right after his presentation they held a young womens meeting and a priesthood or young mens meeting. I couldn't believe the reverence and the participation and the enthusiasm they all had for the up coming activities they talked about. The owner of the property that we met on said we could put up a Nipa lean-to for protection from rain in the future. We will go back next Thursday to teach and they will continue the Special Sacrament Meetings next week.

The Lord's army for the Home Teaching/Visiting Teaching Blitz

Home Teaching Blitz

Thursday we went to San Andres with the San Miguel elders for a Home Teaching/Visiting Teaching Blitz. The Branch President and his family, the elders, several of the Branch leaders and ourselves piled in the van and the Branch President's truck and drove several miles from San Miguel to San Andres. We split up as much as we could and went to visit members that haven't been visited for a long time. They live too far away to be able to be active in the Branch. The Branch President wants to hold Special Sacraments each week for them so they will have the opportunity to worship and grow the branch there. Elders Costillio and Mainco were relentless. They talked to everyone they saw. We not only visited with several members but they were able to give seven first discussions and call back appointments. These people seem very softened and receptive to the message.

Elder Clark and Baptisms

Baptisms

We had a great baptism day yesterday. Twenty-one in all for the District. Elder Dalley had meetings all morning at the Mission Office and the baptisms were scheduled at two o'clock so we rushed to get there on time. The District and Branch Presidencies were also at the meeting and we offered them a ride back to Carigara but they wanted to go and get something to eat so they declined. I'm not sure why we rushed to be on time because the Branch Presidents and the District President were conducting and speaking at the baptism. Yes they were an hour late getting there and the baptism didn't start before an hour and a half late. I don't know why we can't get used to this way of doing things. No one seemed to be bothered by it but us. Even the children were fine. They just take it in their stride and enjoy life. How would it be?

Labradores Family- The baby couldn't take her eyes off mom. So Cute!

Terrado Family. Father and little daughter were baptised the same day. Mercy is standing by Elder Balowing

After Conference- Our AP's Elder Gifford and Sessions are going home in about 2 weeks

Talisi Saints leaving conference

More of Saints on and in Jeepney

Carabou horn handle knives - all sizes- carved scabbord

Delicate hand woven pouch- could carry a cell phone

Woven beach mat - woven from native grasses - also very sturdy

Handbag woven from native grasses- very sturdy

Handmade native rice hat

Coconut belt

Carabou horn belts

New Callings

Abe was called and sustained to be the second counselor in the District Presidency and I was sustained to be the second counselor in the District Relief Society. I feel like I have already been acting in this role because I have had to give talks and training in all of the District Relief Society Meetings the last little while anyway. I can actually feel the Lord helping me to fulfill what has been asked of me more than ever before. I know we are supposed to be here at this time for specific purposes.
Abe has some ideas that we hope will be successful in helping the people lift themselves while they are lifting their neighbors. He has put together key people who will begin to help people manufacture items that are native to the Phillipines and will sell them on the internet. They have already purchased some equipment to get started. They are starting with a belt made from the coconut that is popular with the missionaries here. They soon will start to make belts out of the horns of carabou that the missionaries also love. They will soon start to make other items such as beach mats, woven handbags, rice hats, carabou handled knives, bag to hold small items such as cell phones, and other items all handmade by the natives of Leyte.

Fire in Carigara

One of our missionaries texted us the other night and said "Carigara is on fire" We hurriedly text them back and said "Don't call the fire department, we like it that way."
We are so excited about the work that is going on. We feel like it is the time for the Philippine people. They are beginning to get excited about going to the temple to have their families sealed to them. We promise them that the Lord will make a way where there is no way as they begin to be faithful in tithes, scripture reading, prayers, service and activity. This is what they want, this is what the Lord will give them.

District Conference

I was quite disappointed last Sunday after the first session of General Conference when more than half of the people left and went home before the second session. But I felt much better today, however, when I saw the turn out for District Conference. Here the people have to make a choice of which conference they go to because they can't afford to go to both. It turned out to be a good choice for them because they were able to come Saturday for District Training and stay over night for the Conference the next day. Also the talks during conference were specific to our area. We felt very inspired and know the Lord is going before us and making the way because they talked about the very things that we have been teaching the people.

The church parking lot was buzzing when we pulled in just before 7:00 a.m. for the missionary training meeting. I couldn't believe my eyes. There was a chartered bus, a truck with the back filled with people and several jeepneys and pedicabs full to the brim with people coming to conference. It was a beautiful site and they brought with them their beautiful smiles and excitement and wonderful spirits.

They came by trucks, jeepney and bus loads, what faith and what excitement they had.

Chartered bus filled with people coming to District Conference. I wonder how many of us would make the sacrifice.

Some of the tents people stayed in so they could attend District Conference

Ups and Downs

We visited one member who had been endowed but is now inactive. This was the first time we had felt such a bitter spirit. Her husband was not home and she refused to speak to us. We could see by the look on her face and her manner that we were not welcome. We think she was offended by branch members a while back. We decided to come back another day when her husband is home.

All was not lost that day though because we were able to find three new investigators for the missionaries to teach. One was a lady that we met at the waiting shed while we were waiting for the missionaries to meet us. Elder Dalley was able to charm a friendly lady and she consented to hear the first discussion on Friday.

Baptisms have really increased the last little while. We had some in Talisi last week, six this Friday in Capoocan and eleven are scheduled on April 25th in Carigara. We also have a bunch more in Talisi the first of May. The work is moving forward. Life is good.

We can't stay out of the rice fields.

Wednesday was memorable. When we picked up the missionaries they had three girls with them. Marissa is an RM and helps us a lot to find the members' homes. The other two were Mercy and Ly Ann, sixteen year old girls who wanted to help us. They are so sweet and pure and have such strong testimonies we could not deny them. We did split up so as not to overwhelm the members by seven coming at one time.

Elder Dalley ended up falling into another rice field. (We just can't seem to stay out of them). When I looked up it looked like he was tromping through the rice field on purpose, when in fact, he was just trying to get his balance after falling off a coconut tree bridge. The two young girls reached out to help him and he just ended up pulling them in with him. We had a great laugh. But they just got right in and took him to the tap and with brush and bucket of water cleaned up his shoes and pants without blinking.

Conference was the highlight of our week. The talks were so inspiring and powerful. We wish it could continue. We had a few members come on Saturday, it was disappointing but they have to choose what they come to because they can't afford the transportation. Sunday we had a full house but half of them went home after the first session. They have District Conference next week and they think it is a more important meeting than General Conference. I don't know when they will get it.

Sidewalk Sales on Good Friday

Good Friday procession with statue depicting one of the Apostles

No it's not Halloween just Good Friday

Missionaries (Dayley and Jones - Dayley is the grandson of one of Abe's classmates) hitching a ride on the back of a Jeepney

Mercy and Ly Ann cleaning Abe up after falling in the rice field

First Mall going up on outskirts of Tacloban on the way to Palo. We're really getting uptown.

More of funeral Procession

The Funeral Procession

Funeral Procession. Many times we find ourselves behind one

Philippine Lawn Mowers

The Philippines use gas powered weed eaters for lawn mowers. Even the church's lawn is mowed with a weed eater. The following picture shows one man transporting two on his motorcycle on his way to work.

Carrying two Philippine lawnmowers on a motorcycle

Abe and Elders Balowing and Carbanaran (Joey)

Cute rice lady raking

Rice being raked and dried on the side of the road. Rakes are homemade wood with knotches to resemble a rake

Squeezing out the coconut milk

The Tree of Life

The coconut tree is the tree of life to the Philippine people. They use every part of it. The trunk is used to build their homes, the bark is used to make useful items, the coconut is filled with water and the meat is used for food. The branches are used to make brooms and to provide a roof over their heads. The outer covering of the coconut is dried and used for firewood. There may be more uses than these but, needless to say, it is an amazing tree.

Missionaries are great

I wish you could have been with us when we first met sister Badion. She had been inactive for some time. She had even started going back to the Catholic Church. She was talking very negative about the church and the local leaders. Evidently she had been offended at some point. Anyway she went on and on until Dad broke in and asked her a few questions. It happened about three times until she finally settled down. The spirit was very strong as he bore his testimony to her. When we left she had commited to come back to church. Well she came. The missionaries visited her a couple of times without us and then we went back with them the other day. She is a totally different person. The spirit in her home has completely changed. She claimed that she felt good while she was at church and says she will continue to come. Her son even asked the missionaries if they could come with them to teach. We learn so much from the missionaries. They just go into these homes and act like one of the family. They have no fear and become very good friends with them.

Elder Clark helping shred the peeled vegetable for the coconut candy. They then mashed it up. I wish I could have given them a blender to do the job

This is the whole grater. They sit with a half coconut and rub it against the sharp end until it is all grated

Head of the grater - very sharp

Coconut candy

We visited sister Badion. She was making coconut candy that she sells in her little store at the front of her house. Her son was grating coconut for her to flavor it with so Elder Doroson got right down and took over his job. She soaked the grated coconut in water to make coconut milk which she would use in the candy. She squeezed the liquid out which had now turned white. All of the flavor came out of the coconut into the milk and the left over coconut was now tasteless and discarded or fed to the pigs. She added canned milk, brown sugar and some kind of mashed up root plant that looked a little like cooked potatoes (I forgot the name of the vegetable), and chopped up peanuts. She cooked this and thickened it with corn starch then she froze it to be similar to a popcicle. She makes about 500 pesos every other day doing this.

Elder Clark showing the homemade coconut grater

Elder Doroson grating coconut