APRIL ...Inspirational General Conference and *blink* ...

Intricate and delicate flowers ... so beautiful!

Elder Dennis Smith and Sister Donna Smith ... Served
in Philippines as only Humanitarian Missionaries in
2009 - 2010 .... Wonderful work.   Been serving
as wheelchair Specialists for Asian and European
Areas ever since.    Planning on ending their
specialist mission at end of this year, and possibly
serving another humanitarian mission ... they tell
me ... maybe Iraq.      These are brave and valiant
souls in the service of the Lord.    

Fighting Cocks (Roosters) in the back yard of hotel
we stay in while in Ifugao ... can you imagine how
much sleep we really get?

April  came in with wonderful and inspiring messages from our living Prophet and Apostles of the Lord, Jesus Christ .    Wow!   Powerful messages watched at 12 midnight and 4am in the Area Offices.   It was humbling to listen to and witness the solemn assembly and raise our hands to sustain President Russell M. Nelson and the first presidency.    One of the newly sustained Area Seventies, Kenneth Lee, is a man that we work with in the Wheelchair Program here in the Philippines.   In ways, he has become like a son to me.     He is the third of those we work with who are called as Area Seventies.    They are good men who are willing to dedicate their time and talents in service to their fellow Filipinos and to the Lord.  

Training 2 Stakes and 3 Districts of Priesthood Leaders down in
Digos City Area on Mindanao.   Already have 1 proposal
put together and we are preparing it to go for approval .  Mindanao
is the area where most of the Muslim Terrorists are ...
so to go there we must be very careful and follow every
order from Security ... and have a native Filipino with our
side at all times.

This is a typical 'better bathroom' in many
of the hotels we need to stay in during
our travel adventures.  The shower ...
toilet ... sink ... all in same small
enclosure area.   

Elder Bell and Sister Tiru at the Ifugao School
Gardens 'Community Day'.    10 schools will compete
on a 'Cook off' and Poster making contest ... as
well as the final judges decisions on best gardens.

Excellent school gardens.

A potted eggplant plant ... one of the
prizes to the winning school.

School poster display to record their garden and activities.
Note photo on right center ... Elder Bell is fairly noticable
and has left his'big smile and kindness' to many of the
students and schools.   

A student and her mother working on their entry into the
school vegetable 'cook-off' competition.   

Big celebration for the 10
schools and the communities to
'show off' their garden's harvest
and what the students have learned.

This is Boisie ... he is one of the Head administrators at EastWestSeed Foundation ...
who LDS Charities partners with to provide the training and seeds
for the schools involved in this project.     The area in which this
project takes place is in the same area as the world famous
Banaue Rice Terraces that the Philippines is famous
for.    

All the main partners pose for a photo as we visit the
Bolog School where the main 'Community Day' was
held, and all of the main competitions.  

Another school represented by
this mother and daughter team.

It is always a surprise to see a pineapple growing
on a plant .... not a tree.

Elder & Sister Tiru (our Church Service Missionaries
who have helped us on many projects) behind
Elder Bell during the ceremony.

Elder Bell bringing smiles and sharing a message of
fun and enjoyment of gardening and working together with
students and teachers.  

All the vegetable based dishes prepared
for the school 'cook-off'.   Filipino
dishes so Elder & Sister Tiru are judges
in our behalf.   

Elder Tiru also assisted us in judging the posters the 10
students representing the different schools drew and colored.
Here he is having the Filipina girl explain the drawing and
message of the poster.  

One of the most appetizing Filipino Dishes that was based
around vegetables grown in their school garden. 

Elder Bell with Boisie and Maresha, the Project Manager,
with the winning school of the Best managed school garden.

 

This is the Beach Resort we stayed at for 12 days while
we held and assisted in teaching the Basic wheelchair
assessor training in San Fernando, La Union.   

a

I am going to miss being surrounded by beautiful
flowers from the Philippines.

We have our trainees sit for the class in a wheelchair
and allow them to understand more the experience and
importance of a well fit and prescribed wheelchair for the
recipient. 

The churchyard of the Sevilla LDS Church where we held
the wheelchair assessor trainings was filled with plants
bearing this beautiful, intricate flower. 

Part of the training is teaching
them proper transfer techniques
and how to teach them to
others.  

Yes .... I really love the Flora.

Elder Dennis Smith and Elder Bell discussing a part
of the training.

  

 

I found a special place in my heart for this family.
Gary ... the father ... dives for the pearls and other
shells, relics that he can find along the coast line
and makes the pearl necklaces and earrings.
His wife, Norkia, sells the products up and down
the beach along the line of beach resorts.    I
gave Gary a Book of Mormon, and told him that was
the most precious gift that I could share with him ...
and testified of it's truth and the joy that it could
bring his family.     He is in our prayers that he
will continue to look for truth and see beyond
his temporal existence.

Elder Bell assisting to make some of the adjustments needing
a strong hand during an 'LDSC Active Wheelchair' assembly.

Sister Precious Aquino and Sister Genalyn Jucutan - our
new Church Service Missionaries in the Wheelchair
Project Program for ITRMC in La Union.    They both
attended the assessor training .. fun girls to work with. 

This man has spent his life being mobile by walking on his
hands because his legs have no strength.  (Polio)   This is
his first wheelchair.   Amazingly strong upper body and
I could not believe how well he could fold up his legs
and walk on his hands to get around.    It was time to give
him better mobility and access to more things in life. 

This is Gary and Norkia's family again .... with the beach, the
surf of the La Union coastline behind us.   It was a beautiful
place to stay while in La Union, 

This woman has had both legs amputated.   She came and
was measured for her own wheelchair..   She was extremely
happy to be given one ... knew she would never in her lifetime
be able to afford one.       The Missionaries assisted us in
bringing the recipients in and being friendly.    No Proselyting is
the rule as they assist us .... but they leave kind impressions and
good spirits with all that come. 

This gentleman was ravished by polio, and in the past year has
had a stroke leaving him home bound.   His new wheelchair
allows him to now get out and be able to go to market and
be involved in community activities.     He was really a
pretty tiny little man with a barrel chest and wasted legs.

This gentle man touched mine and Tharon's heart.    He was
given a wheelchair.... and I worked closely with him  .... had both
the resemblance and personality of a chimpanzee ... made me
smile.

Inactive member from San Juan Ward working at the
Sunset Bay Restaurant.    Juanalyn Rivera ... told her
she needs to become active and attend Church when
possible so that she could receive the blessings that
God has for her.    A very sweet, beautiful
Filipina woman.     Also told her if she wants to find
a good man .. she needed to come back to
Church and find one who knows the truths
of the Gospel and will take her to the Temple. 
She wasn't offended ... but very humble and
grateful that I cared enough to talk to her
about it.       I will be praying for her. 

Another Photo from the Sunset Bay
resort in La Union.    I think this
has been my 2nd favorite resort
to stay in (Isa Hayahay on
Bohol still holds #1) .... the food was
good and the atmosphere
was very tropical and peaceful.
And we overlooked the ocean
at breakfast and dinner
every day!!

Last shot of our room at the Sunset Bay Resort.