19 March 2016

These are not hippo's but Carabau or Water Buffalo.  They love
water and mud.  There are several others not visible in this view.

This was a routine week with some minor variation from other weeks.  I will explain mostly by pictures - some from way back that we had intended to add earlier.  We will note what each one was about.  

We went with the Watsons to Lubigan which is a small branch/area in the Pamplona District.  None of us had been there before. We saw these Carabou on the way there.  It was a beautiful little place.  The Watsons had scheduled a meeting to talk about Family History and we went for fun but Sister Hoopes was able to talk to a sister who plays the piano and wants to learn more.





We visited a museum which was on the campus of University Nueva Caseras. The Watsons had seen it advertised as a Museum of Naga City.  When we arrived, a man greeted us and actually took 2 hours with us and showed us through the entire museum.  He is the Curator and has been there many years.  His name was Clodualdo N. Ceron and he was a very cordial and helpful guy.  He said that he knew the leader of our church Mr. Collado and that the Collado daughter had been one of his students.   Elder Collado is one of the Area 70 out of the Manila area and was just recently here on a visit with Elder Nelson.  Elder Collado had previously been a Mission President in the Philippines.  We were treated royally again and thanked profusely for coming to see the Muscum.  I think there are not many people who visit the museum but we enjoyed it and learned a lot.  It would not have been so special without him to show us through.

The Museum contained a lot of history of the University as well as the Philippines.  There was information on the 300 years of Spanish occupation and also the time the United States was here.  The founder of the University was named Jamie Hernandez and he was an accountant/auditor.  I believe that he had, at one time, been in government in the Philippines.  On our way out, we were shown a large document on the wall which was a paper written by Jamie Hernandez on "What Makes an Auditor".  I am sure any of you would be thrilled to read this. Actually, I was interested but Mr. Ceron pointed out one section which talked about Moral Integrity which was very good.

The important part is in the picture here but a little hard to read.  The important part is: "Moral integrity!   Those are not mere words.  These are basic elements of any organization composed of human beings.  You take out those elements and that organization become and empty shell.  It becomes a mistake of nature."  He goes on to talk about the need for integrity within the auditing function and how important it is to for an auditor to be of high moral integrity.  We really liked this and have put a picture of it here just to keep for our memories.

The need for moral integrity is not just for auditors but everyone and it is the only way we can truly relate to each other on this earth.  Sadly, this element is missing in so many of the relationships today whether it be government; business; social; and even within family relationships.  The lack of such integrity is one of the signs of an iniquitous people as identified so often in the Book of Mormon.  This article was written in 1959.

Us with Mr. Ceron from the University Museum.  Sister Hoopes
says that I didn't know I married an Angel.  See her HALO in
this picture?

The rest of the week was piano lessons; picking up missionaries who needed to be moved; assisting on car issues; and so forth. That is it for this week.

PDay at our apartment on Monday.  Also Elder Beard's BDay.
Sister Hoopes had been promising them Mexican Food.

Elder Howard, Elder Hofeling on the left and Elder
Imalay on the right.  E. Hofeling is the new AP.

Elder Garcia on left, Elder Beard with the cake and Elder
Tan on the right.  No candles but it sure tasted good.

President asked us on Tuesday to go to Pili and pick up the
Sister on the right.  She is a VISA Waiver going to Irvine
California and will be leaving on Sunday.  She is crying.

In Lubigan.  This cowboy rode right past the church and up into the trees.

Elder Costner from New Mexico.  We deliverd a package
to him on Sunday.  He is in Buhi but we saw him at the
Iriga District Conference last week.

Sister Killian from Washington also received a package.

We took the Baao Sister and Elders home and they had an
investigator with them who we dropped off here.

Notice the quaintness of this little place.  There are benches on both sides of the little bridge. Everything is cleaned up nice.  There are people in the doorway watching us and one can just picture the inside.  Probably a couple of rooms and some very minor furniture. Probably no water inside or cooking facilities. It does appear to have a solid floor.  Still a very picturesque little place.

We were given some coconut milk and Buko which is the
young coconut.  I am feeding Sister Hoopes the Buko.  She
loves it!!!!!!!

This was taken a little while ago.  The Elder on the right is
Elder Aquino.  He was here on Visa Waiver waiting to go to
the Las Vegas Mission.  He is there now.

This little guy is the son of President Tino in Bato.
When we visit, he sits by me and finds the songs
in the Hymn book for me.  Cute little boy.