Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday was a beautiful and meaningful day as we reflected on the loving gift of our Savior—His atoning sacrifice and glorious Resurrection. We attended a wonderful Sacrament Meeting filled with talks and music centered on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. One of the sweetest moments was hearing the Primary children sing “Gethsemane.” Their simple testimonies and beautiful voices touched our hearts.
I feel so grateful for the peace and hope that come from knowing that because my Savior lives, I too will live again after I die. And not only will I live again, but through the blessings of the gospel and the plan of salvation, I can be reunited with my family and those I love. What a comforting blessing it is to know that families can be together forever with our Heavenly Parents and our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Later that evening we headed over to the Mission Home where we enjoyed a lovely dinner with President and Sister Clarke and the other Senior Missionaries in the Cebu Philippines Mission. After the delicious meal we sang a couple hymns and had a testimony meeting. How wonderful it was to spend the evening with such wonderful people and share the light of Christ with each other. We have really enjoyed getting to know these wonderful people.
Although the day was lovely and we had an enjoyable time, we were also quite distracted. After church, I called Bethany to see how she was doing and found out she had been in labor for quite some time and was preparing to head to the hospital. Thankfully, Heather was there and was able to stay with Ember and Vlady. That was such a relief for Bethany and Lorenzo.
Throughout dinner, all I could think about was Bethany and how her labor was progressing. I was grateful they kept texting updates on her progress. Not long after we arrived back at the apartment from dinner, we learned they were ready for delivery. Lorenzo’s cousin was there and kindly FaceTimed me so I could be part of this wonderful occasion.
At 6:30 a.m. on Easter Sunday, they welcomed Spencer Joseph Brewer into the world. He weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces, and is perfect in every way. Not only was Spencer born on Easter, but he was also born on his cousin Joey’s birthday. What a blessing! Our 15th and final grandchild arrived healthy and strong!
Training, Training and More Training
This picture includes three of the sweet sisters we trained. These sweet sisters live here at the patron house and are full-time workers. Sister Orongan and Sister Flores started working in the temple around the beginning of April. At first, they had difficulty reading the verbiage, and they struggled to see and hear clearly. It seemed possible that calling them as temple workers might have been a mistake, and we trainers even discussed whether they might need to serve only in non-ordinance areas. Some of the other temple workers questioned why their leaders had called them to work in the temple at all.
But we kept working with them. Once they brought their glasses, it made a huge difference. The three of us American sisters each worked with them on different days as they diligently studied the verbiage and tried their very best. Little by little, we began to see improvement and started to hope that maybe they really would succeed after all.
One day while I was helping Sister Orongan, she told me that she believes in miracles and that she had been praying so hard to be able to learn what she needed to learn. I am a witness to her miracle as I watch her progress and move forward. We are all so proud of them and of how hard they are trying.
Training Sister Flores and Sister Orongan has helped me further develop the attribute of patience. It takes a great deal of patience to cheerfully encourage them as they make the same mistakes over and over again. I feel like I have been blessed with an extra measure of patience as I train, especially with some of the older sisters who do not understand English very well.
As I have reflected on this experience, I realized that Heavenly Father must also have tremendous patience as He teaches me while I continue to make the same mistakes again and again. Just as I know these sweet sisters will eventually understand with a little more practice, He probably feels the same about me: “I know she can do it—she just needs a little more practice.”
I continually have to remind myself, this is the Lord’s work, and He is in the details. I now have no doubt that they are here for a reason and because He wants them here.
We Finally Made it to Kawason Falls
In February 2025, we went canyoneering. The goal was to make our way down the river through waterfalls, jumps, and fast-moving water. At the end of the course, we would arrive at Kawasan Falls, where participants could jump from a 50-foot waterfall. At the time, we didn’t realize this activity is not recommended for people over 60. It was definitely challenging, but we thought we would do just fine.
About three hours into the adventure, when we were only halfway through, my foot became wedged between two rocks and was injured quite badly. I tried to keep going, but eventually the pain became too much and I had to stop. The rest of the group decided to exit with us as well. We were all disappointed that we never made it to the falls.
In the Philippines, members gather at the stake centers the week after General Conference to watch a rebroadcast, rather than getting up in the middle of the night to watch it live. Since the temple was closed and we had already watched conference in our apartment during the week, we decided it was the perfect opportunity to finally visit Kawasan Falls.
Although it was a three-hour drive, we thoroughly enjoyed the journey and the opportunity to see more of the beautiful Philippine countryside. After arriving, we took a 30-minute hike to the falls, and they were absolutely breathtaking. We loved the walk, being outdoors, and simply enjoying the beauty of nature.
Singing in the Choir for Stake Conference
We were able to sing in the stake choir one last time during stake conference. We have truly enjoyed being part of the choir. I almost decided not to participate because Sundays are already such busy days. Between attending church, preparing food for our cottage meeting, teaching piano lessons that often conflicted with choir practice, and then attending the cottage meeting—which usually lasted until about 8:00 p.m.—it made for a very long and tiring day.
Even so, the days were filled with wonderful things. The choir director and several of the choir members encouraged us to join, and I’m so glad we did. It was well worth the extra effort.
Bacolod Temple Open House
After seeing the outside of the Bacolod Philippines Temple last September, we decided we wanted to attend the open house in April. Several of our friends we had served with in Cebu were now serving as tour guides, and one of our close friends and her husband were the committee chairpersons for the event. They encouraged us to attend the open house, and we looked forward to seeing them again and, of course, finally seeing the inside of the temple. Sunday evening after stake conference, we flew to the island of Negros so we could take the tour the next morning.
When we arrived, we were greeted by our sweet sisters, and we were all so happy to see each other and spend some time together. They took us on a special VIP tour where we were able to see things that were not included on the regular public tour—details the general public would probably not have been interested in, but that we loved seeing. They were so excited to show us their beautiful temple, and it truly was beautiful, as all temples are.
One thing that especially stood out to me was the use of bright colors. The Cebu City Philippines Temple is also beautiful, but its colors are softer and more muted. I really loved the vibrant colors used throughout the Bacolod Temple. So much thought was put into the decor, with many details reflecting the native culture and landscape of the area. Much of the woodwork and crown molding included carvings inspired by the Barong Tagalog—traditional men’s shirts with embroidered designs on each side. There were also gorgeous stained-glass windows featuring native flowers and symbols representing the sugar cane that grows abundantly in the area.
We thoroughly enjoyed our VIP tour, and afterward they invited us to go through the public tour as well, which we also enjoyed very much. Of course, after the tours they fed us lunch, which we truly appreciated.
All too soon it was time to say goodbye. We knew this would likely be the last time we would see most of these sweet ladies, and it was difficult to think of this as our final farewell. They have touched my life in so many ways through their kindness, friendship, and acceptance of us. We served side by side for many months, and we will miss them dearly.
Still, we will carry with us their examples of dedication, faith, devotion, and service. We are thankful for social media, which will help keep us connected until we meet again someday.
Finally a Chance to Play Golf
April went by so quickly, and I have no doubt May will fly by as well. The Stirlands go home on June 1st, and we will miss them so much. Thankfully, we will only be here without them for four weeks. They have been wonderful friends, and we have gotten along so well. What a blessing it has been to share this journey with them.
The Lord truly is in the details of our lives and is so willing to bless us in countless ways.
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