Birthday, baptism, and Thanksgiving week

Rhonda and Alan Bingham with Timoteo and Estelita Ybanez; See below for more.

FYI: If anyone is trying to think of what to send us for Christmas, don’t worry any more. First, we don’t need anything, don’t want for anything, and can get anything we need here. Secondly, even if you sent it today, it is too late. Rebecca and Sara sent something in October for my birthday, Nov 21, and I have yet to see it. Dear Reve Rocke sent us a letter dated Oct and it arrived on my birthday—a very welcome surprise. You see how long even a letter takes, so please, our children and grandchildren don’t even worry. Feel free to send anything digital that can be transmitted by computer--like pictures, music, videos of you telling us how cool you think we are, stuff like that. Elder Cropper and I will wrap up a few things for each other to put under the tree we will put up, then we’ll take dried fish and bags of rice to families here who we know are hungry, we’ll talk to our children on Christmas day, and we will feel very blessed and celebratory. Wait that sounds a little austere and martyr-like, but it truly will be fine, better than fine.

Here’s why: Every day we go into several homes of all sorts of families. Some are living the gospel of Jesus Christ, obeying commandments, and applying the words of living prophets, others are struggling to muster the faith to do so, or are professing to do so, and others don’t even know of it yet. We see evidence every day, in every home, that the best, really the only gift we can give people is to help them learn, live, and practice the gospel of Jesus Christ. When they turn to Christ, the blessings come and their lives change in measurable and immeasurable ways. I could give you specific examples, but I feel careful of people’s privacy. Suffice it to say that when people exercise faith, put God to the test, do the things he commands, even the hard things, like forgive a church leader who has failed them, or pay tithing when children need food, they are altered, and blessings come. That’s why Christmas here, without presents from home and without family near will feel right—We will spend Christmas with God’s children, even though they are not ours. My ability to feel this way is a gift from God that I've prayed for, and also as a result of the Nunez family: see below.

Grandma Cropper fell the day before Thanksgiving in Provo Utah and broke her hip. She had surgery later that day and came through it okay, but it is so difficult being so far away. We are most grateful to Sherri and Jo, to Sara and Shane, to Shane’s Dad Rob, and to Leon for all being there immediately to buoy her up, give priesthood blessings and stay with her. We will be praying for her dear old body to be up to the task of healing, with God’s intervention.

After almost a month here on Negros Oriental, we were very grateful to head to Cebu Island, Cebu City, Cebu Mission office and Temple complex, and President and Sister Schmutz’s home. Though I said all those glowing words above, and though they are all true, it is also true that there are challenges here and all the many differences we face make us weary. So to go there and step into the Mission home, the mission office, the patron house (where temple patrons can stay while serving in the temple) all felt so nourishing and rejuvenating. A busy Mission President and a busy Mission President's wife, with their newly-arrived-home-from-Brazil-mission son, have virtually no discretionary time, yet they welcomed us, visited with us, nurtured us, and we felt held. Oh we love those two.

We arrived in Cebu City evening on my birthday, and we missed Thanksgiving dinner (a few days early) put on by I think the temple missionaries, but oh well: Elder C. took me to a lovely restaurant in Cebu City. He told the waitress that it was my birthday and then after dinner, the whole staff put on funny hats, brought me this and sang. They had read my name off my name tag, so I even got my name in chocolate on the plate!! The candle is stuck in the banana. That's diced mango topping a chocolate cake.

The next day we were able to attend an endowment session and a sealing session in the temple, and oh my heavenly day! The Cebu temple is particularly lovely, with the furnishings and details we’ve come to expect in temples, but this one has, as many do, its unique flavor. The most unique feature is a grand stairway, just beyond the entry foyer that takes you up past huge stained glass windows. Then there are murals and paintings, depicting the Visayan Islands. But, as in every temple, everything has a familiar spirit that soothed my weary soul and spoke to my spirit. Oh I was grateful to be there.

In the temple, we met some of the people who had trained with us in the MTC—another little moment of familiar, rather than new, and as we served with them, I was so grateful that God is the same, yesterday today, and forever, in Cebu or Central Point. These were not the Woodleys, but neither were they strangers.

The most exquisite highlight of our trip to Cebu was a Family Home Evening with the Nunez family. We have said that we will try not to use names in our blog, to protect peoples’ privacy and to be respectful. But this family has been part of our family history for a couple generations, so it’s no secret who we will be describing.

Elder Cropper taught the Nunez family the restored gospel of Jesus Christ 40 years ago. There were many sisters, their niece, the mom and dad and a brother. He came to really love this family. Years later, several family members moved to Sacramento and they looked us up. What a thrill it was to go visit them there and even more fun for them to come visit our home. We kept loosely in touch, but you can be sure one of the first people Elder Cropper called when he got the call to return to Cebu, was to the Nunez sisters. They informed their brother whom I had never met, and we got very excited to meet him, and we wondered about his family. Well we DID get to meet him briefly the first week we were here, and everything was in such whirlwind, I don’t even know how we responded, but we arranged to meet with the whole family on this mini-trip back to Cebu, and it was SOOOO delightful,

We met Brother Nunez and his dear wife who is undergoing chemo for cancer right now. Then we met 3 of his sons, Dennis Dan, Dallyn Dale, Dean Edward, and his daughter Dara, plus Bishop Dan’s wife and 3 children and a couple of cousins and friends. It felt so good to mingle with these fine people, get a glimpse of the blessings they’d received, increasing in each generation. Brother Nunez came from very humble circumstances, with little hope of ever changing them, and now his children are each educated, with finely developed skills and talents. And the beauty of the whole expansive miracle, is that brother Nunez is now a sealer in the Cebu temple!--A temple that had been planned over 40 years ago, when Elder Cropper was a missionary, and there were only 2 tiny branches on Cebu island, but which was not even thought of by most at that time. Elder Cropper got to be involved in a small way in the site selection for the temple all those years ago, and at the same time he was teaching a man who would grow up to perform sacred ordinances there. And we got to meet that man. What a tender mercy of the Lord to allow us to glimpse the magnitude of his work.

The family brought “snacks” to the Stake Center there on the temple complex, and we met in Bishop Nunez’s office where we shared stories and laughter. Snacks turned out to be a full on meal of pasta dishes, fried bananas, these other crunchy yummy things. Filipinos know how to turn a snack into a meal!! Brother Nunez had a friend along and the 2 of them played guitar while Dallyn drummed on a beat box and Bro. Nunez belted out a gorgeous version of the old song, “Just the Way You Look Tonight.” It was amazing! But what was truly amazing was how it all felt. These were people we’d only just met, yet we truly felt like eternal friends. Somehow, getting to know this particular family gave me a whole different perspective of Filipinos in general. I was still seeing them as, well, . . . “them” But after this night, I felt an expansiveness that made me more open. We joked, we were ourselves, they loved us, and we them, and all of a sudden the lines got blurry and began to disappear.

I've mentioned before the American family who has been living here in Amlan, and who have been so pivotal in welcoming us here and helping us transition into the branch, the town, the area, the culture. Here is their youngest son doing just that. Don't worry, those are not human children's hands. But they ARE chicken feet barbequed.
We will miss this family beyond measure, I am trying not to think about how different all will be without them here--the holes they will leave in the branch, in the resort where they lived, in the community, and in so many hearts. God bless and Amping

So here was our parting gift to them: Hummm. Barbequed chicken feet. They are not quite as good as balut.(cooked fetal duck eggs)


And yes, we did share.

This is our best banana find so far--tiny ones, yes, but like little bursts of sweetness. When you buy them on the stem like this, they ripen from top down, so they aren't all ripe at once. Perfect. I was however worried what creature might crawl out from in between, although I'm told there are no biting spiders here. Hmmm. Even so.

The following is from a letter I wrote to a missionary who just left from Amlan about 6 weeks ago to serve a mission on a neighboring island.

"Yesterday we had the great honor of attending the baptism of your father, and we thought you might like to hear the details of that wonderful event. First, let me back up to a few weeks ago. When we first arrived in Amlan, and attended church that first Sunday, your father was in the Gospel Principles class. We met him there. He seemed a little uncomfortable in class, and soon he disappeared out of class. We saw him next when we went with Elder Plaza, Elder Gallero, and an American member of the branch, Brother Bingham ( I think you might know the Bingham’s) to your home and taught him there. Your parents were very gracious and welcoming to us, and since we were brand new missionaries, we were very grateful. Your mom and I immediately felt like old friends, even though I speak no Visayan, and she has not too much English.

Each time we saw your dad in church or at your home, he seemed to change little by little. Brother Bingham was helping him stop smoking, and the gospel was changing him. Soon his heart was softening, and often, as he was asked a gospel question, he would answer, and tears would come to his eyes as he felt the truth of what he was saying. Finally the Elders arranged for his finally interview, and he was ready. He told us with such emotion and Spirit how happy he was.

We arrived at the church about 20 minutes to the scheduled time, and the Elders were there scrambling around trying to get the font cleaned out and filled. They couldn’t find the plug, so we helped them improvise, but soon we realized that the water was going in too slowly, and that it would be hours before we could baptize in it. So, we started thinking about the ocean, as plan B. Brother Bingham offered the swimming pool at Blue Water (you know the place where the Browns used to live) as a solution. Your Mom and Dad showed up and the Elders helped him find the white clothes, but I felt bad that things seemed so disorganized. We were just making the decision about what to do (no one from the branch was there yet to preside) when President Schmutz, his wife, and son (who just returned to them from his mission in Brazil) and the assistants to the President showed up. We were so excited to have them there, but it was rather embarrassing, since we still didn’t have a final solution. Soon it was decided. Sister Bingham and her friend Manna hurried home to tidy up the house and make things ready, I got in the pedi-cab of you father with your mom, everyone came along, and off we headed for Blue Water.As you know, that place is beautiful. Binghams asked Chin Chin for permission, and she agreed to allow it. We set up chairs in the shade of one of the cabanas, then took all sorts of pictures and began. More people showed up from the Branch—Brother Pacholo, Brother Bong, Sister Maribelle and Annabelle Montenegro, the Colina brothers--Anton and Adrian. There were also some less active people there—Chin Chin—and some non-members and investigators—some of the people who live and work in Blue Water, so that by the time it was time for the Baptism itself, there was a crowd of people to celebrate with your Dad. Brother Raagas was the one who had been asked to baptize, and he took your father down the steps into the pool, while President Schmutz and Elder Gallero acted as witness.

Elder Ybanez, it was so beautiful. The water from the fountain was sounding in the background, the flowers on the trees smelled lovely, the water was sparkling, so many good saints were gathered, the Spirit was so strong. Brother Raagas said the prayer and lowered you father into the water and he came up dripping and smiling and practically shining. The transformation that had been slowly taking place was even more evident. After, the Elders taught the people there who were not members while we waited for your father and Brother Raagas to change. Then your Dad was asked to bear his testimony, and at first he didn’t want to in front of all those people, but Elder assured him he needed only to speak from his heart. He bore the most beautiful testimony. He was in tears, and the Spirit helped me understand the purity of his feelings at that moment. Your mom was weeping and so happy and so proud, and missing you so much all at the same time.

After, the Binghams provided cookies and crackers and juice and water for everyone, and Brother Raagas kept telling your Dad how special it was to have the mission President at his baptism, and how that just never happens, especially here on Negros. Everyone congratulated him and we were all so happy.

We all wished that you could see this miracle, but we also knew that this miracle would not have occurred unless you were out serving the Lord. Your mom misses you so much, and I remember how that feels when a valiant and beautiful son goes so far away to serve, but we assure her that the time will go by quickly, and that now she has a husband who will soon hold the priesthood. He will be confirmed a week from today (it couldn’t happen today because of District Conference) and then receive the Aaronic Priesthood. Then next week we are hoping to see that he will be able to go on the District temple trip and perform baptisms for the dead. Oh Elder, you must be so happy that your choice to go on a mission has so directly resulted in such a huge blessing in your family.

We will continue to teach and fellowship your parents, while you are out teaching others. The gospel is true!"

From back right: Ian Schmutz, AP Winmill, Pres. Schmutz. Elder C. Tanner Bingham, Alan Bingham, Brother Raagas, Elder Gallero, Rhett Bingham, Seth Bingham, Brother Timoteo Ybanez, AP Unite (ooneetay), Elder Plaza,
Add Sister Estelita Ybanez and Sister Schmutz
The other big thing this week is that we attended Zone conference in Dumagete for the 2 zones on this island, and then Saturday and Sunday we attended Tanjay District (think Stake) Conference. Because of this the Schmutzes were in our home a couple of times, and that was great, for them to see our surprisingly lovely apartment. It's also why they were able to attend Brother Ybanez's baptism.
And, Elder Cropper spoke in the opening session of the conference, and was sustained and set apart as the 1st Counselor to the President in the Tanjay District. His primary role is still missionary, but he now also has this added role of administration. Elder Perez, the area Seventy, and President Schmutz each gave him the charge to implement the hugely different and new focus in the Philippines--no more tracting by missionaries, but only focusing on less active members and part member families and on helping families get to the temple through training of the Branch Presidents and Branch Councils, and missionaries working closely with members and leaders. The goal is to have the district become a Stake by next year, by inviting all those who have already felt the joy of Christ's redeeming love, to rejoin the flock, prepare for the temple and step up in full participation.

Holy cow this is long. I figure you can scan if you like, but I want to get things recorded. AND, after all, we did read, with enthusiasm, every word of every letter we were sent by our children on missions, so at least they better be doing the same. Love y'all