12 September 2015

This is Baao after a rain storm.  We came home
from an Iriga District Mtg and drove through this.

Yesterday, Friday, in Naga began a week long celebration called Penafrancia.  That is the name of a very old Catholic church here in Naga that is supposed to be quite the tourist site.  We haven't been through it yet but is the Penafranchia church.  Yesterday, all downtown roads were closed so no traffic could get into or through the downtown area.  Our main road in front was closed further up before it went into the downtown area so we still had access to our church, apartment and parking.  We are supposed to be okay until Wednesday of next week when our road, Panganiban, will be closed for parades on Wednesday through Friday.

This rice field we showed a few weeks ago just before planting.
This is with the rice now tall and green.  It is a really beautiful
rice field.

Apparently, there will also be something on Saturday but I didn't hear about any parades that day.  This celebration is for the whole region of Bicol and it usually brings thousands of people in from all over. We have been told that we should just stay in the apartment and not try to drive anywhere next week.  We are planning to do just that.  It could be a long week but our apartment looks out on the road where the parades will go so we could have an air conditioned box seat for all of the parades.  It would be a good site except we have this huge tree which obstructs most of our view of the road.  I am sure we will have some interesting pictures next week.




Last week I wrote about this weekend of the Shemitah.  We are now on Saturday and wondering what this coming week or weeks might bring.  Some of the things we have read concerning this refer to the Lord's judgements as a "shaking".  That is a very descriptive word in that it might mean a way of getting someone's attention or even a warning.  Jonathan Cahn, who we have talked about previously refers to the events around the Shemitah as a shaking.  I remembered in our reading of the Book of Mormon when Nephi was commanded to build a ship and his brothers thought he was crazy and refused to help him.  Nephi tried to change their hearts but they were even more angry and were going to throw him into the sea.  The Lord told him to stretch forth his hand and that He (the Lord) would shock them.  1 Nephi 17:53.  vs. 54: ...I stretched for my hand unto my brethren, and they did not wither before me; but the Lord did SHAKE them... and in vs 55 his brothers said,"for we know that it is the power of the Lord that has SHAKEN us."  This was a shaking that the brothers of Nephi felt and recognized as coming from the Lord and it changed their attitudes.  At least for the time being.  But they repented for a while and did what the Lord wanted them to.  I can only hope that we will recognize the "shaking" which is coming as a warning from the Lord and let it be the moving force to help this nation and each of us individually desire to repent and return to God.

Elder Legler on the left is leaving the office and we
had a lunch which he helped prepare.  These
are all office Elders.

We buy pineapple from this old lady as we come home from the
mall.  She is really sweet and friendly.  Her granddaughter is always
with her.

 We drove to Calabunga on Thursday to a district meeting.  We had never been to this area or chapel before.  The views are quite beautiful as you can see.  This is the large mountain which is called Isarog.  Of course, an extinct volcano.

An old Catholic church that we passed on the way
to Calabunga.  This was really old and looks
very Spanish.

This is the District in Calabunga.  We always text a few days ahead of the meeting and ask if we can come and have some time on the agenda.  When we got to this meeting, they informed us that in their previous meeting, they had decided to speak all English in this meeting.  At the time, they were unaware that we would be attending but they were really excited that we were coming to be with them and it was a really great day there with them.  One of the Elders is from Australia and so they have someone to really help them with their English even if it does sound a little funny.


We hope all is well for all of you and that you are learning what the Lord expects of you.  Until next week.