Called To Serve in the Philippines Angeles Mission: 6 months

hello po

You are very early! How was your week? What happened to you this week?

Well I think I’m leaving San Clemente this week, transfers are coming up on thursday. To be honest, I’m distraught about it. Yesterday as we were leaving the church building, I felt that same feeling in my stomach that I felt when I left for college a year and a half ago. And the idea of going to a new area is frightening. We have a baptism on Saturday, I might not be here to see it.

I also rode on the back of a tricycle. Easily the scariest thing I've ever done. Other than that, nothing else is worth writing that I can think of. IT's been another awesome week of missionary work. Actually I harvested rice filipino style, that was pretty cool.

That will be very difficult to leave you have done so well there and love the people. That makes it really hard to leave others behind especially when you have so invested so much time. You will do well anywhere you go? Tell us about harvesting rice? Kenz wants to know if we should count this baptism on her chart? Do you still like your companion as much as you have in the past?What has been your favorite experience so far on your mission? How do you cook rice? Do you have a rice cooker?

Harvesting rice was cool, i actually enjoyed it because it was in the late afternoon so it wasn’t super hot. I'll tell you next week if you should count the baptism. Ask me again next Monday.My companion is still great, I wish him and I could just serve in San Clemente until he goes home. We have a rice cooker, but we generally just cook it over a fire. As far as my favorite experience goes, that’s a loaded question. I’m not sure I could think of one. If it makes you feel any better, I have a lot of traumatizing experiences, and twice I have said to myself I was going to die. We have cooked it outside before, usually just at members homes. at our house we have a gas stove and a rice cooker.

Traumatizing experiences? Do tell...and we would love to hear how you almost died

1. Well one time on September 9, 2011 I was on a bus headed to my area. When we got off the bus, elder casilac threw my luggage on top of a trike and told me to get in. My first time in a tricycle and we were in the middle of town. A big scary, dirty, polluted town with nothing but trikes, and no stoplights. Everyone just governs themselves.I think you saw the video of the traffic here. That was scary.

2. About three weeks later, we were going with the bamban elders to camiling to play basketball. To get from san clemente to camiling, we take a bus, and it costs 10 pesos. One morning as we're walking to the bakery, a scary guy in a stoner van pulls up next to us. He's playing loud music, has a beanie on, and tells us to get in "Camiling! Camiling! 8 pesos lang!" I looked at my trainer with a look of disgust and said "Anong gagawin natin??"

He and the other elders got in the van, and i reluctantly followed them. That was the second time I told myself I was going to die

We did think the trike video was a little scary especially the one where you see the traffic. What city is your companion from? Where do you get your tagolog book of mormon? We have been trying to find one, did they give you one in the MTC?

They give us boxes and boxes of books of mormon. You could probably order one on the LDS website.

Did you get a chance to send the maps back?

nope i haven't. MAybe next week.

tatay just wants them back. We will let you get back to missionary work. Good luck this week. We will pray for you and your comfort this week no matter what the outcome is.
Love you
That sounds weird when you say tatay. Technically it does mean dad, but they use tatay when they walk past an old guy and want to say hi. a more appropriate use in this situation would be papa.But I appreciate your attempt at Tagalog :)

Love you,

Elder Williams