Free resources about the Philippines Cebu East Mission:
- Mission address and phone number
- Mission map
- Video interviews with returned missionaries
- Missionary blogs
- Facebook groups
- LDS Mission t-shirts and gifts
- List of past mission presidents
- Cultural articles written by returned missionaries
- Survey with RMs
*Other Mission Pages: Philippines LDS Missions.
Cebu East Mission Address
Here’s a recent address for the Cebu East Mission. We try to keep this information up to date, but it’s a good idea to check the address with several sources, including your mission packet or the mission office.
Philippines Cebu East Mission Office
LDS Compound National Highway,
Bajac, Liloan
LDS Compound National Highway,
Bajac, Liloan
6002 Cebu
Philippines
Philippines
Phone Number: 63-32-424-1012
Mission President: President Rocky Kellett Maughan
Mission President: President Rocky Kellett Maughan
Philippines Cebu East Mission Map
Here’s a link to the mission map for the Cebu East Mission (LDS). To access the official, up-to-date LDS.org map for the mission:
Videos with Cebu East RMs
Here are in-depth YouTube video interviews with returned missionaries from the Cebu East Mission. We interview hundreds of returned missionaries each year, so check back regularly to see new RM interviews.
LDS-Friendly Videos about Philippines
Here are LDS-friendly educational videos about Philippines. We scoured YouTube to find the best quality videos about Philippines, that are free from inappropriate music, immodesty and profanity.
Cebu East Missionary Blogs
Here’s a list of LDS missionary blogs for the Cebu East Mission. This list includes the missionary’s name, URL and when their blog was updated.
Philippines Cebu East Mission Groups
Here are Cebu East Mission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni of the mission.
- Philippines Cebu East Mission Facebook Group (223 members)
- Philippines Cebu East Mission Families Group (93 members)
Philippines Cebu East Mission T-Shirts
Here are T-shirts for the Philippines Cebu East Mission!
Shirt designs include Cebu East Mission logo/emblem shirts and Called to Serve shirts. The shirts make great gifts for pre-missionaries, returned missionaries and missionaries currently serving. LDS Mission shirts come in all sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, up to 4XL. The mission designs are printed on white shirts and are shipped to you.
*Simply click on a shirt design to view the details and submit an order. The designs on mission t-shirts may also be printed on other LDS mission gifts, including: Cebu East missionary aprons, Christmas stockings, ties, pillow cases, teddy bears and Christmas ornaments.
*Click here to browse Cebu East Mission gifts
Recommended Mission Prep Books
(Fun Fact: John Bytheway served in the Philippines!)
Cebu East Mission Presidents
Here’s a list of current and past Mission Presidents of the Cebu East Mission.
- 2016-2019, Rocky Kellett Maughan
- 2013-2016, Richard L. Tanner
Philippines LDS Statistics (2015)
- Church Membership: 710,764
- Missions: 21
- Temples: 2
- Congregations: 1,181
- Family History Centers: 171
Helpful Tips about the Philippines (articles written by RMs)
- Why I Love Filipinos
- Modes of Transportation in the Philippines
- American Influence on the Philippines
- Spanish Influences on the Philippines
- Japanese Influence on the Philippines
- Things You Can and Cannot Buy in the Philippines
- Sari-Sari Stores in the Philippines
- Filipinos and Karaoke
- Beverages in the Philippines
- Restaurants in the Philippines
- Rice in the Philippines
- Spaghetti in the Philippines
- Common Condiments in the Philippines
- What is Ube?
- How to Make Pansit (a popular Filipino rice noodle dish)
- How to Make Lumpia (like eggs rolls but way better!)
- How to Make Puto (Filipino Rice Cakes)
Cebu East Missionary Survey
Here are survey responses from Philippines Cebu East RMs, to give you a snapshot into what it’s like to live in the mission.
*Click here to take a survey to help pre-missionaries going to your mission.
When did you serve?
- Jan 2014-July 2015 (Emily)
- January 1988 (Rebecca)
- 1988-1990 (Edgar)
- 2013-2015 (Jayme)
What areas did you serve in?
- Most areas in Mission. (Edgar)
- Consolacion (Cebu), Clarin (Bohol), Loon (Bohol), Mandaue (Cebu), San Francisco (Camotes). (Jayme)
What were some favorite foods?
- Adobo, rice, menudo, balut. (Emily)
- Sea food…whatever preparation it will be. (Rebecca)
- Adobong manok (chicken) and adobong Nokus (squid), lumpia, BBQ (Inasal), pinakbet (veggies) yummm…and balut, surprisingly, is one of my favorites. (Jayme)
What was a funny experience?
- A farmer in the back-country had spray painted a water buffalo purple. (Emily)
- Ohhh when my companion in Bicol, Sister Gemari Sison, wore a wedding gown and we have fun with it at night. Also, a gentleman investigator when he was delivering his testimony after our last lesson to him and he cried, we couldn’t keep from laughing but burst out so loud that we excused ourselves and he continued his testimony. He was baptized then after the day of his testimony. (Rebecca)
- One of my most embarrassing mission experiences ended up being one of my funniest. My companion and I were eating at McDonald’s (that’s a fancy and fairly expensive restaurant over there where you can order some of the traditional American stuff as well as lots of Filipino stuff, like rice and chicken…anyways…). I went to the bathroom. In the Philippines they hardly ever put public sinks in public bathrooms mostly the sinks are outside the bathroom so everyone can use them. So I had used the restroom and stepped outside and was washing my hands when the janitor came up and started talking to me in Cebuano… I hadn’t been out in the field for very long, so I didn’t understand what he was saying. The only word I understood was “skirt”… I looked down at my skirt and I thought he was complimenting my skirt, so I thanked him…it wasn’t til I turned to walk away that I noticed in the mirror the whole back half of my skirt was tucked into my garments… He hadn’t been complimenting my skirt – he was trying to warn me!!! Mortifying!!! But now that I look back on it, it’s hilarious. (Jayme)
What was a crazy experience?
- Riding in a tricycle, a sidecar for a motorcycle, that felt like it would fall apart. (Emily)
- When my second companion made me walk in the rain on a rocky and muddy road without an umbrella. I don’t know why she thinks like that because I am still new in the mission field and I thought it really was the way to our investigator’s house and I am totally dirty and wet. I got sick because of that situation that’s why my district leader got upset when they learned of the situation. Then I was transferred and given another calling as welfare/self-reliance missionary. (Rebecca)
- I remember one day my companion and I planned to tract all day along a road we had never been down. It looked like it was a couple miles long so we figured it we could take the whole day and work down it. It started off great and we were working hard, teaching lots of people and sharing the Gospel everywhere. Year round in the Philippines it gets dark between 6:00 pm and 6:30 pm. The road we were tracting along was in the middle of the jungle with no lights or anything and it was getting late. Every time we asked someone how much farther we had to go, the numbers kept getting bigger. Only about 5 kilometers. Oh it’s pretty far, it’s about 7 more kilometers. Oh Sisters, its super far, its about 14 more kilometers… About that time it was starting to get dark and we had been walking for more than 4 hours. We figured we had to be near the end. But the farther we went, the quieter and darker it got…well after dark, we were walking by the light of my flashlight only when we came to a fork in the road that hadn’t been in the map. Both paths looked like good routes and the one on the left was lit by a couple of streetlights…but the Spirit prompted us to go to the right and into the dark once again. So we did, soon ending up near a small cluster of houses surrounded by drunk men. First they harassed us as we walked, and then they began to follow us. We walked faster, but they had motorcycles and we only had feet. Two teenage boys drove up right next to us. We feared the worst, but when we looked over, we recognized them. Sons of the Pastor of the Baptist Church right near our house! Nice boys who were devoted to God and planned on being Pastors themselves one day. They offered to help us get safely home. The Lord had heard our many prayers that we could get home safely and He had answered them. (Jayme)
What was a spiritual experience?
- Seeing a young man decide on his own to keep the Sabbath holy before we taught him about it so he could personally prepare for baptism. (Emily)
- In my first area where we need to fetch water to fill in a baptismal font, then only to find out that the candidate did not show up and decided not to be baptized. This was in Catarman, Samar. In Tigaon, Naga we taught an abandoned Mom who accepted the baptismal challenge in the first lesson and pay her tithing right after the 5th discussion. She eventually have her children baptized and improved their lives. (Edgar)
What are some interesting facts about the Cebu East Mission?
- Lots of beautiful beaches, affected by typhoons and earthquakes. (Emily)
- The interesting facts about my mission are that I have an eye single to magnifying my callings as a full time missionary and being a welfare missionary. And be with different companions that you’re obliged to take care of and support each other no matter what. During our zone conference and meetings with our Mission President, they give me more responsibilities to be magnify my callings. It gives me a higher spiruality to be inspired to do our job as a full time missionary that you forget about your family for you know and trust God. He will protect them. Ohh I remember when we are with the couple missionary that we ride in their car and we accidentally hit the old woman and she died on the spot. The people that are relatives of that woman are ready to hurt us but we are thankful that the barangay officials who protected us. Our zone leaders talked to them and I don’t know what happened next because I was in shock and can’t sleep or eat because of what I saw in that accident but I prayed and asked God for comfort. (Rebecca)
- Cebu East Mission has 3 main island groups: the north half of Cebu Island, Bohol Island and the Camotes Islands. So you’re bound to take a transfer by boat at some point or another during your time serving! The people also are so wonderful! So kind and loving, but I think that is Filipinos in general. They are so sweet. Bohol Island is also home to the Tarsiers!!! Adorable little lemur things – Bohol is their only home. And the Chocolate Hills on Bohol are also a huge tourist attraction. They’re pretty cool. And the green Loboc River, also on Bohol. Bohol is a magical land surrounded by gorgeous ocean filled with star fish. Camotes Islands are small and adorable, the water surrounding them is beautiful. It’s famous for its white sand beaches and how impeccably clean it is. The residents take good care of their island and are proud of how clean it is. Cebu is home to festivals like Sinulog – although you won’t be watching that as a missionary. It’s also the only island in the Cebu East Mission that has 7-11…and that means P15 (like 4¢ or 5¢) ice cream cones!!! It also has many, many large markets and malls everywhere, which make P-Day super easy. (Jayme)
What was the weather like?
- Hot and humid; you will never feel dry. (Emily)
- It’s really hot but it won’t bother me because I am in the service of God and feel the spirit of God so strong. (Rebecca)
- Hot!!! Burning hot!!! June-January is like “typhoon season” so it is pretty rainy usually. Especially September-January, it’s pretty rainy. February-June is the hottest time of year. It’s super hot and dry. Year round, though, it is super hot! (Jayme)
Any things you really like about the area/people?
- So humble and content with what they have. (Emily)
- It doesn’t matter about the place and the people I served. What I remember is that am with God serving through trials and tribulations that are always at hand. I just put my faith in God’s hands. (Rebecca)
- Most of them are humble, meek and easy to be entreated. (Edgar)
- It’s so beautiful. Everything about it is beautiful! The places are beautiful, the people are beautiful and so amazing. Just open your heart to them and they will just love you so much! (Jayme)
Any packing/clothing advice?
- Pay for clothes that are made for rough weather conditions so you don’t have to replace them constantly because you got all your clothes from Deseret Industries. (Emily)
- Ohhh, it was done perfectly in God’s purpose. Follow the missionaries protocol. (Rebecca)
- Just bring one big backpack with two pairs of shirt and pants, 3 pairs of socks, a pair of shoes just for a start and 8 pairs of garments. (Edgar)
- Thin materials that hide sweat are best. Light clothing. Don’t worry about buying nice shoes in America, just buy the rubber shoes that everyone over there buys. They’re super cheap and should last about 3-4 transfers a pair. (Jayme)
What blessings did you receive from serving a mission?
- Closer connection to my Savior, Heavenly Father, and the Holy Ghost. (Emily)
- I have not been blessed yet to be sealed in the temple because my husband is an x catholic priest but I calm down and have that atittude of doing what should be done in God’s time. I was fully tried at this time but I have the feeling of contentment. I talked to my husband many times…even to a higher law to separate with him but he still pleaded with me not to …I work on it. (Rebecca)
- Wisdom, great treasures of knowledge, church callings, Beautiful Girlfriend (became my wife), Temple Marriage, finished school, job and a happy family. (Edgar)
- You learn so many amazing skills as a missionary. How to manage time and finances, how much the Gospel means to you, and what you really want in life. It’s like Heavenly Father teaches you what you want/need in life through the lives of others. And lifelong friends. With so many people I met, I’m sure it was just a reunion from the premortal life! (Jayme)
What are some skills you gained?
- Prioritizing. (Emily)
- Being with the people and not to be afraid of doing it. A good speaker. A good adviser to my children and students in school. I also easily shared my feelings and beliefs to the people around me with dignity and faith. Humbleness and being supportive and always ready whatever discussions in the church about the lessons because we are trained to do that. (Rebecca)
- Writing and Reading skills, English Com Skills. (Edgar)
- Time management, budgeting, cooking and cleaning, shopping, being independent in general. And also how to really TEACH the Gospel, how to make my testimony a part of my everyday life, etc. (Jayme)
What do you wish you knew/did at the beginning of your mission?
- Talk to everyone, even if I can’t speak the language. (Emily)
- I wish I had maturely focused on the gospel and in my callings…not just rely on my faith but maturely know the gospel. (Rebecca)
- Not delayed it for fear of financial preparation. (Edgar)
- How to be excited about the Gospel and just open my mouth to everyone! Sometimes in the beginning of my mission I was scared or nervous to share the Gospel with others because I thought that they would just reject it. But the longer I was in the mission, the more I realized how my part was to open my mouth and share the truth. It is their part to accept it. The Lord doesn’t ask me to do their part, He only asks me to do mine. (Jayme)
Any advice/testimony for pre-missionaries going to Cebu East?
- Love the people! They love you too. In the words of President Tanner, the mission president, “Never underestimate the power of one conversation.” Everything you do for the people will bless them, even if they don’t know it yet. (Emily)
- Missionaries must know what is in the gospel and focus on teachings of the church. Yes, I did know this and memorized the verses but did not know the essence of it. (Rebecca)
- Finished Seminary & Institute. I know this is very crucial point of preparation. Cleanse the inner vessel in you by total confession. (Edgar)
- I know I was called to serve in the Philippines Cebu East Mission for many reasons. I needed the beautiful place – I used to think I loved the cold, but after serving, I realize just how much I truly love the heat! I needed the people – they are so generous and loving. The best examples I could have had. They are so humble. Before my mission I had low self confidence and didn’t feel like I was worth very much. These amazing people were Heavenly Father’s servants as He taught me who I really am. I also needed my Mission President and his amazing wife leading and guiding me as I navigated the mission waters. I know Heavenly Father called me to serve Him to teach me. To teach me about Himself, to teach me about His Son, Jesus Christ, to teach me about their Gospel and to teach me about myself. Truly, the mission is my greatest accomplishment, and I’m so grateful I could serve. Try to recognize all the reasons you serve where you will, and all the things that Heavenly Father is trying to teach you. You will learn and share marvelous things 🙂 (Jayme)
What was a funny language mistake?
- I thought a Catholic priest was talking about his wife, but he was actually explaining that he was a priest. But since I didn’t understand that he was a priest, I shared the gospel very passionately with him! He was just confused at my enthusiasm. (Emily)
- Key (like a key to open the door or like Keys of the Priesthood) is yawe (yah-weh) and devil (also the most offensive word you can use/call someone) is yawa (yah-wah)…don’t mix them up! Or you could really offend someone or you could accidentally say “the Priesthood of Satan” instead of “the Keys of the Priesthood.” Be careful 🙂 (Jayme)