The church just built a lavish new temple in Lahug,Cebu City and there are new chapels everywhere on the island of Cebu in the Central Visayas.

Does anyone know the current situation in the Philippines. TSSC appears to be thriving in my second home. Is this true?

The church corporation claims about 730,000 members in the Philippines. With a population of close to 100 million, that's an easy calculation: .73% mormons there.

They also say they have 1,201 congregations -- which would make an average of about 610 members per congregation. An absurdly high number, which would imply a pretty low activity rate, probably around 30% (or less) of the total claimed membership being "active."

Compare that to Japan, where the church claims about 130,000 members (18% of the claimed PI membership), and 266 congregations (22% of the PI congregations), with an average of about 480 members per congregation (which is, of course, still way higher than reality).

Cebu and the Visayas seem to be getting a lot of conversions right now. It'll probably level off, like it has in Manila. They added a bunch of new missionaries in the south over the past 5-6 years. When I was spending a lot of time there (near Davao on Mindanao), I hardly ever saw the white and delightsome elders. Now my wife's mother reports they come by every few weeks. She's hilarious, by the way -- she tells them her son-in-law is an ex-mormon, returned missionary, and has told her all the bad things about the church, so they should just leave her alone. Love it! :)

I served my mission in Cebu in 1986-88. It was a great place to be even though I hated doing the work. From my experience decades ago I would say that 22% activity rate seems a bit high. I remember baptising lots of people who only went to church twice...the second time was their own baptism. The people simply wanted help and they turned to the mormons to try and get some. That's probably when they found out the truth of the cult. They say they will help, and they may provide some for a short while, but after that the well runs dry.

A Cebuano! Maayon buntag! :)

I bounced all over the eastern Visayan Islands. I spent some time in Samar (Maopay n' alga) the Bicol Peninsula (Maranea rumrug) and six months in Lahug. It would be nice to visit someday as an ex-mormon and see that country without the mormon goggles on. I loved the Island of Bohol. It was a sweet place to finish off my missionary experience.

When I got back I had an accent for a while. It took me a couple of years for it to fade away. I just wish I wasn't there peddling a cult to people who actually needed help.

Did you say "pork" for the thing that you use to eat along with an espoon? ;-)

I visited Mt. Mayon in Bicol, and the Chocolate Hills on Bohol, as a non-mo. Had a great time. I adore the PI, once you get out of Manila...!

I was there from 73-75 when the lone mission in the PI was split in two. I remember asking an investigator if after being baptized they would accept a church job. His eyes lit up until I explained that it would be a voluntary unpaid position. Most of the country is extremely poor. Most people there would love to come to the US or most any other country. Was in Bryce, UT last week and several of the clerks at the Best Western (Ruby's Inn) were interns from the PI.

I was an early pioneer in Cebu City...1970-71. Anyone in church who joined at that time would remember me. I have contacted many of them using FB, and have been frank with them about my unbelief. None of them have unfriended me, though a few are still believing/active.

P.S. When I arrived there were 11,000 members. When I left there were 22,000. Crap. At least I only hand a hand in a very few of those conversions. I wish I could contact them and apologize.

It's great that the church is building a lavish and expensive temple in a country where people have insufficient to eat and little clean water...

The temple is surrounded with high walls and roaming security guards with Colt m-16s. It doesn't look inviting or friendly

My Phillipina wife told me that mormons tell filipinos their life will be better if they join the church.

Then nothing changes so they quit.

What mission is Cebu in? My next door neighbor's son received his call to the Philippines a couple of weeks ago.

There's Cebu and Cebu East.
And then the Davao mission that covers Most of Mindanao.

TSSC is sending mishies to Mindanao? Not down in Zamboanga/Sulu/Basilan I hope. That is Abu Sayyaf country, and let's not forget NPA. No white and delightsome Maputi mishies should go there. Unless you want to lose your head. Only recently is Davao safe

brianberkeley Wrote:
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> TSSC is sending mishies to Mindanao? Not down in
> Zamboanga/Sulu/Basilan I hope. That is Abu Sayyaf
> country, and let's not forget NPA. No white and
> delightsome Maputi mishies should go there. Unless
> you want to lose your head. Only recently is Davao
> safe

I think they avoid that area.

Davao, however, isn't "only recently safe." I've been going there almost semi-annually, for 2-5 weeks at a time, for 25 years. No issues of any kind. My wife is originally from Tagum, not far from Davao; I fly into Davao, and she has family there as well that we often visit.

Kolob,
I defer to your greater knowledge of Davao. Have you been following the antics of president Duterte

Mindanao is safe if you know the local rules and have family.

brianberkeley Wrote:
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> Have
> you been following the antics of president
> Duterte

I have. I can't believe they elected that asshat :)

> Mindanao is safe if you know the local rules and
> have family.

And even if you don't. Most of it, anyway. From Davao to the east and north, no problem. South of there...probably not a good idea.