Easter Blessings

Easter Sunday, April 24, 2011

President Mortimer told us Saturday evening that the Talisay Ward was coming to do a sunrise Easter Concert at 5:45 Sunday morning on the steps of the temple. Larry was the first dressed and when he looked out our window at 5:30 he exclaimed, “They are already performing”, and he hurried out the door. I was sure they were just rehearsing, but when I walked out at 5:40 they were packing up their sound equipment. I heard part of the Hallelujah Chorus through our closed window, but that was all. They had sung maybe six songs. I shook hands with the choir members telling what a special thing they had done, getting up so early and traveling so far to make our Easter special; they live an hour away! Very few had been in attendance to listen and I’m sure it was just miscommunication about the time.

Larry left right after their performance to take paper Easter bunny cups and treats to the Vercide family in Guadalupe. The children were delighted. The Easter Bunny doesn’t come to the Philippines, but the Filipino children love candy just as much as American children. One of Larry’s candy discoveries was mango flavored marshmallows. They were a real hit with the American adults here. We are sending some home with a box of souvenirs we have just packed, thinking they would make good packing materials—soft and squooshy and very light weight, plus they are delicious.

One of our missionary sisters, Sister Bringhurst, had made darling Easter egg baskets for each couple with colored crochet thread dipped in Elmers glue and wrapped around balloons, then left to dry, and they were filled with American chocolate candy (which I ate) and jelly beans (which Larry ate). She left them outside each door anonymously, but everyone knew who had done it , they were done so well. I had made paper Easter bunny cups for the couples but decided I did not want to steal any of Sister Bringhurst’s thunder and decided to use them on the dinner tables later that afternoon. (The night before I had taken one bunny filled with candy, along with some darling baby socks that looked like ballet shoes, to Brother and Sister Gale’s new granddaughter, Airi, who along with her parents were visiting for a few days).

We attended Mandaue 3rd Ward and I was disappointed that not one word about Easter or the Resurrection was spoken (of course, I could be wrong since all the talks were in Cebuano, but none of the scriptural references had anything to do with Easter). They did sing “I Know that My Redeemer Lives” and “How Great Thou Art” which brought the spirit. When I walked into Relief Society, the sister conducting asked if I would lead the music and I said I would be happy to. Then she said, “We’d like to sing the Easter hymns but we don’t know them. Can you teach them to us?” So I sang the first verse of “He Is Risen” and they repeated it with me. They have learned all their music by rote and are very quick learners. Very few read music. (I heard several of the hymns sung very differently as far as melody and rhythm, and I’m sure it is because someone taught it incorrectly the first time. But music here is so important to the Saints and they love to sing!) For the closing hymn we repeated the process with “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” and it worked very well again. The Filipinos sing with all their hearts and voices! The ward was quite solemn as two of their ward members had died that week. Each had a son serving a mission. Brother Yu's wife had died Saturday night while he was serving in the temple. He was devastated, but came to church. Larry spent most of priesthood trying to console him. One of the sisters told me she hoped the sons would not be asked to come home. She was was afraid the one elder would not return since he would be expected to be the breadwinner because his father had died and there were several younger children still in the home.

Sister Byram had organized a potluck Easter dinner; they furnished wonderful ham and au gratin potatoes. I was asked to take potato salad, and so used the colored eggs I had dyed two days before to put in it. There was delicious food, and plenty of it.

My greatest Easter accomplishment was the memorization of “The Living Christ”. It has taken me four months, but what a blessing it has been to me. My testimony of the Savior has grown and continues to grow as I repeat it each day. My love and appreciation for Him and all He has done has grown also. I can say “He lives!". I spent time on the treadmill, washing dishes or just walking to the temple memorizing, adding line upon line until I had finished the whole thing. I am not good or fast at memorizing, but by doing a little more every day, I learned it. And, stealing a few words from William Wordsworth, “Now oft when on my couch I lie in vacant or in pensive mood, I glance upon the inward eye which is the bliss of solitude, and then my heart with rapture thrills. . .” as I recall the words of “The Living Christ”. I challenge you to memorize this wonderful testimony of the apostles too.

We love you and hope you enjoyed the Easter cards.

Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, Mary and Larry