The Rainy Season is here, and it has been raining - hard waterfalls where our apartment is in Calasiao - on and off, everyday and during the night for 3 weeks now.
We've even heard from our rentor, Domingo that it is more rain than he remembers in 15 years.
We in the Philippines are getting the backsplash of South China Seas typhoons. The typhoon doesn't hit us, but we are right in the trail.
The outdoor market is a lake...
even with waves from the cars...
Like in our blog last year September, Calasiao school is not in session.
The rain falls on the well off,
And those with want.....
Fortunately, the flood only lasted 3 days. Amazingly, the flood waters dried up in about 2-3 days also ! So in these areas, the Missionaries could go back to work in 4-5 days in the areas it flooded,(which was not everywhere, of course)
The Lord sends rain (and blessings) on evil and good people.
In the Bible, Matthew 5:44,45 we read,,,
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
We never know what life will be here..
Our Mission President's wife, Sister Deyro called to see if we could go to a Manila Hospital to take the suitcase of a Sister Missionary who broke her arm getting hit by a tryke - driver who was drunk. (Our ok to go to Manila had been granted the day before).
Then we learned she already received her suitcase.
But we still got to go to Manila to go on a Temple Session. It was not raining hard there.
In the Temple it was very peaceful and happy.
May the Lord bless all of us who choose to go to the Temple, that we may keep the special spirit there in our hearts.
We wished we could go see the Sister at the Hospital. But too far, too long...
After the Temple session, we met Elder Anderson, He is over all the Philippines Sr. Couples. He said the injured Sister was at the MRC (Missionary Recovery Center) across the street from the Temple where we were!
We saw two of our Sister Missionaries there. What a blessing to see they are improving. Our tender mercies...
In our last blog, we had sat with this sweet Sister Missionary who had her appendix out. A surprise to see her too, we didn't know she was here also.
MRC (Missionary Recovery Center).
The MRC is a comfortable, safe residential unit on the grounds of the Church's Philippines Area Offices complex and it abuts the MTC, but is functionally separate from it. It is across the street from the Manila Temple. It is also directly above the Area Medical Offices.
It is overseen by experienced nurses, Elder and Sister Kasteler, and Elder and Sister Garrett, both of whom are full time missionaries. It is not a hospital or even a clinic, but it is a pleasant place to recover for missionaries who may also need access to additional medical services that can be found only in Manila.
Incidentally, this is the only MRC in the Church.
The Man in the red tie - he told us his name, and we said oh it's Boise, like Boise Idaho? He said no. His Father had 3 boys. He named them - real names - Boy A, Boy B, and this man is Boy C !!
Now at home, we asked our new Mission President Deyro what the Lord's will was for us. He said go home and pray, ask me tomorrow, and I will tell you if it is right.
As we prayed, the town of Malasiqui was prevalant in our thoughts. We told him, and he said You are Correct !
We do miss very much our Members and friends from San Fabian. But this is direction of the Lord, that we have been transferred.
Malasiqui is in the middle of the map, it is purple. In yellow is Calasiao, where we live.
We met new Branch President Go.
We were touched kindly in our hearts when they told us they had been praying for us to come serve with them.
We were impressed with this Branch. The members are excited to clean up the records of their 1,100 Branch members. They hope that with those who have moved, or sadly died will be removed from the records, giving a better percentage of those attending Church.
Then it will be move more closely of being a Ward, a Stake in Calasiao District, and be a part to help announce the Urdaneta Temple groundbreaking.
Sister Roberts was warmly welcomed into Relief Society.
Sister Roberts taught Primary Songs, Listen to the Still Small Voice and Pioneer Children sang as they walked and walked.
We were invited to drive to the hills to a Palapar neighborhood meeting Sunday School with Sacrament. An old Grampa wanted Church mtgs. with his large and extended family, but it was very far to travel.
Benches in the middle and chairs on the side were set up on the porch of a home.
35 people attended. There was song and prayer and the Sacrament passed. They asked us to bear our Testimony, and then there was one talk.
A closing song and prayer ended the meeting.
They hope to be a Branch someday with a Church building in their area.
Matthew 18:20 reads...
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
We took these pictures after.
Then it started to downpour rain.
The children just giggled..
or washed their hair in the rain...
In our travels in our car, the road was a river..
We delivered mail to the Zone Leaders in Dagupan town, who wisely walked in knee-boots out to our car.
We are fine and dry where we live. Tonight - good- it didn't rain. We learned the Philippino people take care of each other in their barangays or neighborhoods in safety and food.
May we all do the same example.
Love,
Elder and Sister Roberts
No comments:
Post a Comment