THE PHILIPPINES—“The show must go on!” deacon Noel Valenzuela exclaimed when the electric power went out halfway through one of the Bicol congregation’s recent couples activity on August 5. A total of six couples, including Local Elder Broderick Tongco, attended the evening of relaxation, games and karaoke, a Filipino favorite.

With a theme of “strengthen the bond,” the couples ate dinner together and heard a live violin performance by Audrey Tongco. Afterward, they participated in a series of games, Bible quiz questions and questions about their marriages. One question was, “What day of the week did you get married?” One husband wrote Wednesday, but his wife wrote Monday.

Alex Oloteo, father of three, laughingly said, “I felt relaxed during the activity since the kids weren’t with us,” describing the occasion as a royal event.

Senior Silvestre Borja, who has been married for 44 years, said, “I learned a lot from the quizzes, whereas I understood the importance of communication between my wife and I.”

Rochelle Romero said, “I learned that we still have to develop that deeper sense of intimacy toward our partners to better understand them. … [S]tudying its biblical significance helps strengthen our bond as husband and wife.”