3-12-12

Thanks to my FABULOUS brother we are now able to get video from Elder Williams.  I love that he understands computers so well.

Elder Williams sent a long email this week, unfortunately I cannot share very much with you.  Enjoy the video and pictures!

How is your foot doing?

It’s great. The swelling has gone down so there's nothing weird about it now. the strangest part is that i never felt any pain in my foot, it just swelled up to an incredible size

I was actually a little worried about it!  Glad it is doing better.  Do they really eat dog there?
What kind of activities do you have planned for this week?  OHHHH!!! Holden stopped by yesterday and wanted us to tell you hello

Tell Holden hi! What is he up to lately?? How is everything with him?

They usually only eat dog if it dies and a bunch of drunk guys think it would be great to cook it up and eat it. But occasionally people will kill and eat a pet dog for a special occasion, such as new years eve.

Tomorrow night the Bamban elders are coming over because we have zone conference on Wednesday, then Thursday we have exchanges with the zone leaders, Friday we have a missionary fireside in Bamban, then Saturday a service project in Bamban as well.  Elder Bell is in Bamban, our district, so I get to see him pretty often. Truthfully, it’s been a very hard and trying 12 weeks, so I’m glad I get to see Elder Bell sometimes. 

I’ve never had dog, and probably never will. I heard a story about one of the inactive members eating dog, and now he's in the hospital with rabies. But I’m sure he was drunk when it happened. 

President Martino will be there on Wednesday to talk to us and I'm sure to teach us something wonderful,  him and Sister Martino are the best. They’re as close to perfect as anyone I’ve ever met.

8 months!

This week has been... better.  I learned this week that elder Basilan used to be a video game tester. Also, Friday night we had a brownout, that was pretty cool. It was so hot we couldn’t sleep that night because the electric fans didn't work. And brownouts are actually very common, that's the second one this week and the 8th since I've been here.

On Saturday I got about 5435436612 bites from an ant, I’ll email a picture in just a second, my foot got all swollen, but I never felt any pain.

I taught 23 lessons this week, which is really low for the area. President wants us to get 40, but we usually average between 29 and 32. The weather here is just hot. I complained about it when I first got here, and in January it was relatively cold, but this is hotter than a human body should ever be subjected to on a daily basis.

We generally eat rice and whatever we bought at the palengke that week. Basically it depends on what they are selling at the market.

Our district usually meets twice a week, once on p-day and once for district meeting. The culture and I get along really well. I actually don’t want to come home because I already almost died adjusting to one culture, I don’t want to have to do that again.

mahal kita nanay (I love you mom)

(p.s. tell McKenzie happy birthday. I sent her a gift).

District Leader

How are your lessons going with investigators? What kinds of things stop people from attending church or from being baptized? 

Usually people just straight up don't go to church. That's the biggest thing keeping them from baptism. In the whole Philippines, an investigator must attend 4 consecutive weeks and at least 4 weeks keeping the word of wisdom. In years past they had problems with people joining the church to take advantage of the support they'd get from it. 

This week was... hard. I got made district leader this week  I can safely say this has been the hardest week I've ever had since I've been here. I am thankful for the call to be District Leader, it has helped me in just the past few days be more organized and responsible. I want to be a good missionary, and I am trying. It's so hard. Being a missionary is the most difficult thing I've ever done emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. 

We found a great family this week, I am especially happy about it because even the father wanted to listen! Usually when a situation like this occurs, the father just leaves or goes in the house and doesn’t want to talk to us. This family is absolutely wonderful. I feel something different when I share with this family than I have with other families, but I can't explain it.

I actually didn’t take any pictures this week, not a lot happened that was worth taking pictures.

Over 7 months mark!

This was a pretty good week. We had a meeting on Thursday in Tarlac for all the trainers and trainees. We just talked about the same stuff I heard when elder Casilac was my trainer, but it was good to be there again. Saturday we had three baptisms, I ended up doing all three because elder Basilan's stuff didn't get here in time. Two of them I had to do over because their hair did not go all the way under the water.
natutututoako na mag-ilocano. huwag kayong gamitin ang translator kasi ito ang dialect ng mga taga-ilocos. naragsak ak dahil madi pai ammok kung kailan malilipat ako. ibig sabihin na ayos pa rin ang work namin kasi. natutunan ak met na sabihin 'ana tinagan mo' at 'tagmamano'. ammok met na 'makilabas kami!' ang expression dito sa pilipinas.
dont try to translate the bold lettering. its not Tagalog. its another laguage, ilocano.
Elder Basilan is doing great, our area is so much fun to work in. for the last 6 months  I've never wanted to leave. I've been here way to long. the same people at the same bakery give me the same bread every Monday morning on our way to Camiling each monday. The same less actives still don't come to church. The same guy with the red trike takes us to pit ao (a barangay in our area) regularly. We eat at the same restaurant every Wednesday before we go to district meeting. But i still love it here, its just getting so boring sometimes. ELder Gifford showed me some pictures from some of his friends who work at the Sled Shed in Rexburg, they went snowboarding at teton pass and places in the same canyon as Kelly's and somewhere in Montana. I don't know how they did it, but they found snow somewhere. I miss the snow so much 

That is super awesome about the baptisms.  You will be a pro when you get home. Hopefully you have as much success in the other areas that you serve in.  The roadkill pictures are well....fun.  Where is Elder Gifford from?  How soon are transfers?
the roadkill is on the highway near one of our areas. elder Gifford is from Rexburg. i thought i mentioned that, but maybe not. transfers are on Wednesday, but i know for sure i still have 6 weeks left


WARNING!!! GRAPHIC  ROAD KILL PICTURE BELOW!!!