Trip to Bogo

The temple closed for 2 weeks for cleaning so we got to have some time for a little R&R, so we took some different trips around the temple area, before we start into the busy time in the temple, with school being out for the next 3 months the
temple will be very busy, we have baptisms every day the temple is open and they will go almost all day.

The 1st week we started by taking a day trip to Bogo. It is at the very top of the Island of Cebu. It was a fun and long day. Elder and Sister Ganir, Elder and Sister Richey were with us. The Richey’s are from Rexburg and they are the oldest couple serving in the mission, this is there 3rd mission to the Philippines but at 76 and 75they have more get up and go than the rest of us. We had a great time and saw some very beautiful areas.


Cute school girls.


Not just people ride the trik, and there was a baby goat on the top.


Elder and Sister Richey (from Rexburg)


A plague outside of the church


Our trip to Bogo, Sister Richey, Me & Sister Ganir


Very old Church built in the 1700


My flowers from Allan for Valentines.

Valentines Day

We had a Valentines dinner for family home evening; it was fun to hear the love stories about the other couples that are serving here in the Cebu Mission. Allan gave me some beautiful flowers and we went to dinner with President and Sister Mortimer to celebrate the month of love.


Some of the couples serving here.


Pretty much the whole group serving here.

P Day

Dinner with one of our old missionaries and his wife, Rett Ferrin, President & Sister Mortimer, Elder & Sister Byram.

Some Beauty For You

These are flowers growing around the Temple. I took these pictures about 3pm in the afternoon in February. Most of the flowers have wilted or closed due to the heat of the day. I hope these bring some sunshine in your lives. Those in the trees are some kind of a magnolia, they have a wonderful, but faint, smell. When the magnolias are still in the tree they appear to be pink from underneath. Those that appear to
be spiders are wonderful, but they are very delicate. The wilt very quickly from the sun.

The week after New Years we were working in the baptistry and had a wonderful group of youth come from Northern Samar. It is north of Cebu. It took them about 16 hours to get here. Some of the time on a bus and some on a boat. The Stake President could only bring 40% of the youth this time because of the coast. The rest will come in June. To be able to come they have to have 100% attendance in Seminary and church meetings. They came for 3 days and did 2 sessions in the morning and 2 in the afternoon for the 3 days. They have so much faith and are strong young men and women. I told them that I could see alot of future missionaries and church leaders amoung them. They asked if they could get a picture of us with the whole group. It was so much fun to be around them and to see their smiles and feel of the spirit.


The whole group from Northern Samar with leaders and Stake Presidency.



Stake President and his family.



Some of the young women.



Some of the young men.



More of the youth with some of the leaders.



More youth.

Christmas Morning

On Christmas morning the Cummings had all the senior Temple missionaries over for breakfast in their apartment. The food was very good and there was a lot of it. Then at noon we all headed over to the Merriott Hotel for their Christmas brunch. This time it was some of the other missionaries that are serving here. As you can see, we did not go hungry. We had a good Christmas, but still missed our family and friends.

Sister Mortimer and I



Some of the couples waiting to eat. President, Byrams and their daughter and son-in law, Richies.



The COOK, Elder Cummings



The Waitress, Sister Cummings



Eating, what we do best. :)



This is Elder and Sister Ilagan and their family. Their son lives in the Philippines, the rest of their family lives in the US.



This is us at the Merriott for their Christmas Brunch. President and Sister Mortimer, Sister Kimber, Sister Bird, Elder and Sister Aguilar (she is the medical doctor for this end of the Philippines and is from California and is a sweetheart), Allan and I.



Byrams, Wards, and Ganir, Kristen and Scott



Cuyons, Jorgensens, and Lukes



The Cummings

Cebu

This picture was taken about 500 yds from the Cebu Temple. This is a fairly typical Filipino neighborhood (burangay). Though it will seem crowded and impoverished to you it isn't as bad as it looks once you are inside meeting people. Up the hill from where the picture was taken is a Thai Temple that is interesting, and a zoo. They have a 14'-0 long python there you have your picture taken with it around your neck. Cebu is much different than the area we were in previously (Laguna). There is more money here, and some really nice homes - not far from where this picture was taken. About a half a mile from where this picture was taken there was a nice home (even by our standards) with a Porche and Mercedes parked near the home. Down town is quite modern with most shopping in several malls throughout the city. However, there is more crime here than in our last area. Much of the economy seems to be based on call centers though there is a large port facility on the other side of the city from where we are. Transportation is fairly easy for us - we use a taxi to go to most places, and there is a 10 passenger van available for the Temple Missionaries. We team up and go as a group for the most part when we use the van. We haven't had time to explore the island of Cebu yet, but hope to be able to see more of it in February. We really enjoy our work in the Temple and are grateful for the opertunity to serve. We hope all is well with you and your family.