Cebu

Domingo ang 26

Just got home about an hour ago from our youth temple trip to Cebu Temple for baptisms for the dead. Sister Sessions has done these before, but I have never had the experience. I loved it and I felt the Spirit pretty dang quick.

Our leaders baptized with authority and the youth were extremely reverent in the Lord's House. I was so impressed with them and the baptisms. We did 2 hour shifts five times and Sister Sessions and I took in two endowment sessions in between. It was say sweet. Cebu Temple is like an oasis in the middle of a mass of people, buildings, garbage, cars, jeepnies, motorcycles and bicycles. The moment one pulls into the grounds, life changes. Our cab drivers were totally amazed when we had them pull in and take us to the front of the temple.

We stayed at a little hotel a few kilometers away. Our room was okay, but the beds were terrible and I didn't get much sleep until last night on the boat coming back. The boat going was another story, so I was pleased with last evening.

We started Wednesday evening, arriving at the wharf in Iloilo at 4:00 pm as directed. We had the normal Pinoy experience of being herded into a building with no air con, checked in, then we sat for 3 hours waiting for a bus to take us to the boat, about 150 meters away. We loaded and finally got away.

One of the bays on deck two where people slept in bunks. The sides of were open to the air thank goodness. There was no food or drink. You had to plan ahead for the 12 hour cruise. It is crowded . . . Americans say, "They are crammed in like sardines." Filipinos say, "There is always room for one more." 

Sister Sessions and I had a suite. It was about 10 X 10, but had a CR and a good air con. The bed was weird. I got the covers back, and there was no sheet. Only a narrow light blanked that covered either your waste down, or your waste up. They you use the dirty bed spread to cover the rest of you. I just could not do it and had a pretty sleepless night.

We cruised all night with no problems and got to Cebu area about 6:30 . . . it takes a long time to get up the channel and to dock, so we got to the docking area about 8:00 and we were at the temple by 9:00.

Cebu is a prosperous city, with large buildings, bridges, poor people and rich.

When we got to the temple, it was pretty spectacular. We checked in at patron housing, but it was dormitory style, and Sister Sessions and I were packed together. We did not want to stay with others in separate rooms with bunk beds. They were accustomed to this response and quickly got us hooked-up with a local hotel. They allowed us to rest for a while in one of the empty dorm rooms and then we did our first session of baptisms in the temple at 10:00. I wasn't needed, so I went to an endowment session.

We did another session of baptisms at 2:00 and it was wonderful. We were able to check into our room at 4:00, but there was another session of baptisms, so we stayed caught a taxi at 6:00. We got to our room and put our things up then went up to MacDonalds for some supper. It was all we knew, but it was fun.

Friday we went to a baptism session, an endowment session and another baptism session. Sister S and I went to the big mall that was actually about 50 restaurants. We went to the Mooon Resto (spelled mooon) for Mexican food. It was close, but no cigar. We had a good meal and went on back to the temple and did one more baptism session. Saturday morning, we did one more session of baptisms then loaded a bus and went sight seeing for about 4 hours.

That turned out to be a bunch of bus riding and listening to really loud karioki (sp?) singing on the bus. It about killed me. We went to see where Lapulapu and his people repulsed the Spanish invaders led by Ferdinand Magellan. Magellan returned and made a deal with Lapulapu, but when the big L realized that Magellan and the Spanish were there to rob them, Lapulapu killed him and many others and sent them packing. The Spanish kept coming though. They knew when they found a good thing . . .

Before we visited Lapulapu's site, we went up to the Taoist Temple and looked around. There was not much of interest at the temple, but the view of Cebu was exceptional.

Yes, this is a typical Filapino sky and clouds.

We went into town to the Santo Nino (Spanish ninyo. . . don't know how to make that in blogger.) It was the first church in the Philippines and Magellan's Cross was housed outside in a little gazebo type place. It is not the actual cross. The actual cross is beneath a wooden covering, so it looks like a pretty new cross.

The most interesting thing there were people taking "selfies", some old women who we loved and took their pictues, and a guy oil painting behind one of the metal gates. I watched him for a while. He was so slow and meticulous and patient. I suspect he is a good artist.

The old ladies were selling candles to light for worship. They were really fun. Here is a face to be drawn . . .

To me this is weird, but some Filipino will see it, make selfie rods from bamboo, and make some pesos.

This guy was literally in a corner behind the door. I suppose he wanted to be seen, and not disturbed. I would have been cramped.

Beautiful flower outside the Santo Nino. couldn't resist and I am not a real flower fan . . . There are so many beautiful forms of plant life here.

It was a long ride home and we were pleased to get back into the air conditioned Ford and drive on home. Sister Sessions is napping and I am about to do the same. It was a good trip and so very nice to be in the Lord's House once again. We constantly pray that all our children, their spouses, and children will be temple worthy and go often. It is a place of revelation and the Lord's peace. We were really jealous of the senior missionaries who worked in the temple. What sweet duty.