Joy, who is on the right, is a member in our Branch. She is a returned missionary and went with us to get to know the Mountain roads of San Fabian.
She showed us members homes in the Mountains. (Elder Roberts was very excited to drive up the mountain road).
We went past homes built on the hillside...
After turns and climbs, we stopped at a home.
We looked across the valley, and saw the distant Mountains.
Joy told us a story about Sister Zarred and Sister Leyte. (They are in the pic between the Elders)
These Sister Missionaries had a referral up on top of those mountains and wanted Joy to take them there...
Joy said well...ok, get up at 6 am, ride the Tryke---(regular mode of transportation) through town,
then take the Jeepney.....
....up to the Mountain-(where we saw the Mountain home).
Now hike down the Mountain, across the valley and up to the third Mountain peak. They would get there about 11 am.
Sister Zarred and Leyte decided the investigator needed to come down to town to the Church to be taught.
Joy told us when she was very young and lived in this valley, her Father and Mother exhibited Mountains of Faith. They would get their children up at 4 am EVERY Sunday.
They would walk across the valley, and up and down the Mountain trails,
It was sometimes raining and muddy, windy or flooded areas.
Now back then, there was no Tryke or Jeepney at 5 am up on the Mountain.
They would arrive by 8 am, change their clothes and would be on time for the 9 am Church meetings-- which was held in a Faithful member's home.
Years later, the Church building was built, that we now attend.
In the Book of Mormon- Mosiah 15:15 the Prophet Abinadi says,
O how beautiful upon the mountains were their feet!
Joy and her Mother are pictured here. All of the children served Missions, except one daughter who chose to be Married in the Manila Temple.
The Lord has commanded us to attend sacrament meeting every week to partake of the sacrament (see D&C 59:9–12).
When we do that, repenting of our sins and renewing our promises to serve the Lord and always remember Him and keep His commandments, we have the precious promise that we will “always have his Spirit to be with [us]” (D&C 20:77).
When we follow the commandments of the Lord and the counsel of His leaders, we can call on Him to bless us in all other things.
Joy's brother is in the Branch Presidency. We went to see them at their beautiful farm and home.
They are resourceful to use a liter of water and string as a door-closer...
He was so kind to go pick us some corn on the cob...
Another example of Mountains of Faith is a Sister member who came up to us at Church and said Please please visit me in the Mountains...
Again we took Joy to lead the way.
We saw a "loaded down" Tryke carrying boys going home from school...
After 1 hour of several times stopping, asking for directions, the road ended. It was a basketball court.
We gave them Article of Faith cards.
Joy asked directions again at the Sari-Sari store. We gave more cards and explained that we were Sr. Couple Missionaries, looking for members homes. They were happy and nice.
We arrived at the Cecilia B home. She was so pleased and introduced us to her parents, that she had moved from the city to their Mountain home to help them.
We are so proud of this Sister with red hair that she will take a Tryke for more than one hour down the Mountain to attend Church.. We never knew...
We had song and prayer with them, and a scripture on the Holy Ghost, which is our theme this month.
I- Sister Roberts started to cry upon leaving this kind family.
I felt close to the older Lola- Grama and felt I would never see her again. The Spirit of the Lord witnesses these things sometimes...
The Lola seemed to feel the same way.
One more picture of her...
On the way down the Mountain, we saw a bush with blue flowers. Across the valley is Porzorrubio.
We saw a brick-making "plant".
We were so sorry to be late coming down the Mountain. Eric, the Father of the family of our next appointment had left work at 4 pm to be home to see us. He is crippled on his leg, wearing crutches,
But he tries faithfully at his thankful daily job to care for his family and have his family to Church on Sunday.
His Mother is also Philippino, but lives in Lucern, Switzerland. She was visiting on holiday for a month.
Sister Roberts shared her memories of visiting Switzerland in 1973.
A lovely day home from the Mountain.
Love,
Elder and Sister Roberts
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