June 2015

It was time for us to return to Bogo for additional Self-Reliance training.  Because of the travel time (3 hour drive) we decided to stay overnight because we did not want to drive home in the dark again.  The roads are just jam-packed with people, tricycles and jeepnies that make traveling in the dark a hazard.

The drive to Bogo is beautiful going through a mountain range at the furthest north end of Cebu Island.

I made arrangements for us to stay at the Casa del Mar Golf & Beach resort.  After looking on line I only found three facilities.  One was too expensive, the other a real dive and this one was supposed to be 3-star.  We got up early Saturday morning to drive to Bogo and to get checked in.  We had made arrangements to meet with Elder & Sister Bock from Australia to have dinner later that evening.

We arrived at about 1 PM and hooked up with the Bocks who were having a Family History Fair.  We got directions on line how to get to our resort. Ha! While trying to get there we ran into two funeral marches in the road and as a result we took a right turn when we should have taken a left turn and got lost.  We stopped and asked a local resident for directions.  He informed us that he was a 'travel guide' and knew exactly where our resort was.  I offered him P100 to take us there. So, on faith, we had him jump into the back seat to take us there!!

He DID get us there but boy, were we surprised.  We knew that this area of Cebu had been hit hard by the typhoon in 2014 but nothing like we saw.  The homes and trees were in ruin from the storm.  They had been renovating this resort ever since but things still needed work.  The golf course was brown due to the lack of water since they had no irrigation. The lawn at the resort was also brown but at least the beach had white sand and was clean.

Entrance to Golf Resort

#1 Tee - burned grass

Fairway on golf course

Fairway on golf course

Our room:  Well the first one they showed us was up two floors and was worse than a Motel 6 on a desert road in New Mexico. So they upgraded us to a room on the ground level which was much larger and cleaner.  After getting unpacked we discovered that the TV did not work and the hot water left something to be desired.  However it was habitable and clean. After fussing with the TV I finally got it working.  But when we got home from dinner it was not working again. We were too tired anyway.

As I said we had arranged earlier to meet the Bocks for dinner at a resort and restaurant that was highly recommended on line.  The problem was that to get there we had to drive on dirt roads  through the poorest shanty town.  You would have thought that a nice resort would have had paved roads, but NOT in the Philippines.

Road to the Restaurant

We finally got to the resort and it was very nice and beautiful.  It was one that I had  considered staying at but it was quite expensive. Obviously lots of time and money had repaired it!

The dinner was delicious so we had no complaints there.  We drive home again over dirt roads to reach the main road that took us to our resort.  However once we left the paved road it was dirt all the way to the entrance to our resort.  Once we entered the resort we were actually driving on the golf cart paths, that is how bad it was.  Got home to discover that the TV did not work so we went to bed.

We got up Sunday and to our surprise the shower really did work and it was a hot shower.  However the experience was not what we had expected so we decided to check out and drive home after our meetings in the day.  We just did not want to spend another night in this place. The manager was very kind and decided not to even charge us for our stay!  Nice perk for their less-than-ideal conditions. 

We checked out and headed off to church to prepare for our 3:00 PM meeting with the District President and his Self-Reliance Committee.  We had a great meeting covering Self-Reliance. I introduced them to the Organic Farming program and the possibility of them developing a piggery.  The District President got real excited so we discussed what we needed to be looking for. They are moving forward and their Stake SR Specialist is on the ball getting things organized.  We are hoping to have a graduation in July for all the 3 SR groups.

After the meeting was concluded we packed up and headed for home.  The drive was rather pleasant this time, not a lot of traffic as usual so it only took us 3 hours to get home, not the 4 of last time.

JUNE 12.  Today was another YSA Conference held in Danau (an hour north of Cebu) at the Sunshine Shin Resort.  Jenee and I along with Sister Darby set out at 11 AM as we needed to be there by noon to meet Mary Ann, our SR Manager to set up.  It's always full of adventure and adjustments to our plans when we see what venue we are working with!  We had from 1 to 3 PM for our Self-Reliance presentation to 180 single adults.  This was the best YSA Conference we have attended. Each of us had a different presentation.  Mary Ann covered Self-Reliance Scriptures.  Sister Darby and Jenee did games and music centered around building trust, self-awareness and church history.  I did the "My Path" presentation and introduced them to the three developmental groups of Self-Reliance.  Everybody was able to be themselves including myself and we interacted with the kids rather well.  (Gail was crazy fun with them!) By their remarks and reaction at the end it was evident that they enjoyed our entire presentation and learned something worthwhile about Self -Reliance.  We have had feedback on all our youth presentations stating that the kids have all thought our gig was their favorite activity of their conferences.  That makes it worth doing and fulfilling.



 

 

After we completed our presentation we decided to go for an early dinner at 4 PM.  There was a German Restaurant just up the road (about 20 minutes) from where we were that had been recommended to us by other missionaries.  Jenee and I had passed by it several times on our way to Bogo.  So we decided to go there and boy, were we treated to a wonderful German meal.  The owner of the place was a famous chef from Germany who married a Filipino lady and relocated to Cebu 13 years ago.  His nephew was working there and treated us like royalty. As usual, SR picked up the tab. 

 

The atmosphere was wonderful and the hospitality very warm and inviting.  I am sure we will return there many time either going to or coming from Bogo.

The Restaurant

Grounds at the Restaurant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 We are so enjoying all our many experiences and continuing to learn and grow from them all.
We feel blessed to be a part of this wonderful program to help these gentle people. Let us all press on!

 

 

 

 

 



May 2015

 

May has been a month of changes as well as traveling to help with the Self-Reliance work here in Cebu.

We received a copy of a letter sent from the Philippines Are Presidency to all Stake, Mission and District Presidents, Bishops and Branch Presidents, Self Reliance Committee Chair and Stake Self Reliance Specialists outlining the NEW "Implementing the Self-Reliance Initiative for the Philippines."

In short the Area decided that every Stake/District was to create and set up their own Self-Reliance Centers.  Some Stake/Districts have already done this but there are many that still need to move on it.

Effective immediately Self -Reliance is to be placed under the direction of the local priesthood leaders and not the model Self-Reliance Centers. What that means is that the Cebu SR Center where we work out of will be closed effective July 31st.  They are trying to find a stake center where we can relocate but as a stand alone center, ours will no longer exist.

Self Reliance Missionaries are no longer to direct the Self-Reliance Service efforts but are to serve as a resource to help train and support the priesthood leaders.  This is a real change from what we have been doing so it is anybody's guess how this will turn out.  We will most likely be working 80% from our apartment and from the car.  Mary Ann, our Center Manager wants to keep us together as much as possible.  She is going to Manila for a big meeting next week and we assume we will get more direction when she returns.

We have been on the road for the majority of this month.

Sunday the 3rd was Stake Conference and we attended to support the ward choir as Jenee plays the piano and I join in the singing.  As soon as the conference ended, we hit the road for a 3 hour drive to Bogo which is at the northern end of Cebu Island.  We had a 3:00 PM meeting with the District President and his Self-Reliance committee.  We spent about 1 1/2 hours with them discussing their development of their District Self-Reliance Center and other training issues.  We met their newly called SR Specialist, she is just snowed under with everything she was doing so we directed her to delegate a number of her duties to the facilitators.

We scheduled a return visit on June 7th.

Sunday the 10th we were at the Liloan Stake doing training with the Stake SR Committee. This is one stake who does not have a SR Center or much of a SR program at all, so we are trying to get them excited and organized in this area.

Saturday the 16th was Temple Day so Jenee and I along with the two Sister SR Missionaries attended the temple in the afternoon and then went to a new restaurant for dinner.  It was a French restaurant next door to the temple and it was really nice and the food was great.  After dinner we went back to the Temple complex stake center where our ward primary put on a production of Cinderella.  They did a fabulous job and we enjoyed the event.

Monday the 18th Sister Murry, Jenee and I conducted the Career Workshop for 27 missionaries who were returning home. This is a regular event for all returning missionaries which occurs every 6 weeks.  We hold this in the Stake Center located on the Temple Complex. I so enjoy this experience helping these young people to understand what a real job search is and how to prepare for their return to the real world of employment.  I had some time remaining so I spoke to them about the Temple and how important it is and would be for them to remain worthy to attend the temple and to make it a part of their life upon returning from their missions.  The Spirit was great and I think they all enjoyed the insights.

Wednesday the 20th, Jenee, Mary Ann, and I set out for Tagbilaran on the island of Bohol. We arrived at 4 PM, checked into the Metro downtown hotel and then met with the District President and his Self-Reliance Committee at 6 PM for about 2 hours discussing their  need to establish a Self-Reliance Center and to offer our time and efforts to help and assist them in any way. President Galotera is about 30, the CES director and institute instructor.  He is such a great individual and was so cordial to us in every way.  We accomplished a lot and afterwards Mary Ann invited everybody to dinner.  She always does that. Wherever we go she takes everybody out for dinner- she is great in that respect.

Thursday we attended a first-time multi District YSA Conference. with over 200 in attendance.  We had been invited to make a Self-Reliance presentation for 90 min. on the value and benefits of the program. We started at 10 and ended at 11:30.  At the conclusion we were taken to the docks and returned home exhausted.

Saturday the 23rd we attended a SKILLS orientation.  SKILLS is a NGO who provides skills training and job opportunities in a number of related areas.  The concept is great, one that I strongly feel can be an asset to the members here in the Philippines.  I will be pursuing this much more as we go forward.

At 2 PM we returned to the  Liloan Stake for a Youth Festival.  Each ward in the Stake put on a dance representing one of the pacific island countries with all the colorful dress and music.  We were there for about 2 hours with President  Tanner and his wife. Home we headed before it got too late and dark.

Monday the 25th Jenee and I returned to the island of Bohol to work with Elder & Sister Halladay our dear friends from Brigham City.  They had arranged meetings with three branches on Tuesday up the Bohol coast to discuss Self-Reliance with the priesthood leaders and members.  Two of the three were great, the other, well, it was questionable.  Not only did the third meeting not meet my expectations but it was here that my life took a blow.  My lap top fell off the table and my hard drive crashed.  Nothing would work. no power point presentations and I still had two more presentations to make before we ended our time on Bohol.

At 6 pm we met with President Saballa the District President for more training.  He is such a great man, so full of energy and enthusiasm. A lot needs to be done in Calape when it comes to Self-Reliance.  In 2013 the island was hit by an earthquake that devastated the infrastructure. The recovery is slow with many of our members, including Pres. Saballa still living in cardboard homes while trying to rebuild.  Many are out of work and under the circumstances; work and jobs are hard to find.

When we go to Bohol we usually stay with the Halladays since there is a spare apartment we are allowed to use.  But this time Jenee and I wanted to have a little R&R so I reserved three nights at the Isla Hayahay Beach Resort.  We had no idea what we were walking into but once we got there we were very pleased; it is quaint, secluded and next to the ocean, a nice place to rest and relax after a long day. The ownership changed after the typhoon and earthquake ruined it to a man from Australia. The have done a nice job and are still renovating some of it.

Tuesday after a long day on the road we invited the Halladays to join us for dinner and a little relaxation. 

Wednesday was a day off from Self-Reliance so we joined with the Halladay's and attended the District Youth Conference.  We are scheduled to make a Self-Reliance presentation to them on Thursday, Mary Ann will be coming to join us. Elder Halladay was the first speaker and did a great job, after which Jenee helped bail out Sister Halladay by teaching the youth the new theme song:  "Embark".  It was fun for them all and they did a wonderful job singing this great song.  We stayed to visit with some of the priesthood leaders and had lunch with them.  After that the four of us returned to the resort for an afternoon of visiting, relaxation, and a sunset boat (canoe) ride, and dinner once again.  Good time with good friends.

Thursday we picked Mary Ann up from the docks at 9 am and headed back up to the youth conference. Our presentation was scheduled from 10 - 12 and after a traditional Filipino lunch (rice, meat sauce, cooked veggies, mango) once again the Halladay's took Mary Ann, Jenee and I back to the docks for our return boat ride to Cebu. It was a good experience and we had fun being with the youth.

 Here are a few of the sights and wonders of the island of Bohol

Beach home on Bohol

 Delivery tricycle

 

 




Fire Tree

Rainbow Sunset















All in all this has been a very busy but successful month for us.  By the time we got home Thursday, after a whirlwind two weeks we were dead tired and hit the sack early.