20 TO 27 AUGUST 2013
The Stake Single Adults organised the first trip to the Cebu Temple, Philippines, on 20 August to 27 August 2013. Single adults from Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Third, Toa Payoh and Woodlands Wards participated and also they cherished the opportunity to go to the Lord’s House as a family. Our many cherished memories include the opportunity to fellowship with brothers and sisters from Cebu and other parts of the Philippines. A sister of Sister Liah (from 3rd Ward) even flew in from Manila to join us.
Our flight on CebuPacific left Changi Airport T2 on Tuesday 20 Aug at 2.20pm and landed at Mactan International Airport at 6.10pm. After checking in at the Tune Hotel we headed to Ayala Centre (opposite the hotel) for dinner at Chowking. Though everyone was tired, yet we could all feel the air of camaraderie, togetherness and excitement.
On Wednesday 21 August, we attended the 9.00 am temple session. This was followed by a visit to the Distribution Centre. After lunch and a little shopping we went back to church for a combined activity with the Cebu Single Adult Saints. We were so touched by their hospitality and the warm reception as manifested by their love and the generous spread of food. The Group particularly enjoyed Social Foxtrot dance in which each pair of couple was formed by members from Cebu and Singapore. Bro & Sis Tan then graciously acceded to their request to perform a Latin Rumba and a Waltz dance routines.
The next morning, we returned to the Temple for another session. We took a jeepney ride to Carbon & Colon Street to experience the local lifestyle and culture. Sisters Lisa and Liah were so thrilled to eat their favourite Filipino delicacies while the rest of us were amazed at the gigantic size of the avocados and bananas. Sister Joslin could not resist buying two avocados to bring back to Singapore. A few of them even purchased the locally made Yukulele, costing only S$2.40 each. Another jeepney ride took us to SM City for shopping, facial treatment and dinner.
After another spiritual temple session on Friday, we took a long taxi ride to Lapu Lapu for seafood lunch and a tour of their handicraft village. We enjoyed the shopping and bargaining.
On Saturday, we went on a day trip to Bohol, one of the more than 7000 islands in the Philippines. We were taken to see the Tarsier, the world’s smallest primate with eyes of an owl, ears of a bat, body of a monkey and tail of a rat. We climbed the 240 steps to view the Chocolate Hill, tasted fresh unbuttered steamed corn, passed through the man-made Mahogany Bilar forest, visited the Butterfly Farm and even visited the Bohol church where the primary children were in the midst of celebrating the anniversary. Seafood lunch was served on board the Loboc cruise with a stopover at a village where the kids sang and danced for us. It was a very tiring but worthwhile trip.
Mingling with the Busay ward members during Sunday service was so spiritually uplifting and they tried their best to use more English rather than the local Cebuano dialect. Brother Algy Tan was invited to give a talk on how he maintained his health.
We enjoyed good and dry weather when we were in Cebu and felt so blessed with Heavenly Father watching and protecting us. The Single Adults had wonderful experiences and urged us to organise another trip to Cebu or any other social trips. We are so grateful for our calling as Stake Single Adults Advisors and for the bond that we share with the Single Adults from the various wards in the Stake.
We truly hope that those who were unable to join us this time would be able to participate in the next activity scheduled on Saturday, 5 October for Sign Language lesson.
We bear our testimony that we know that God lives and Jesus is the Christ and THEY love us.