Ayo

Crazy week. How are you all doing? I'm good. I'm in a new area and I'll talk about that it a minute. No questions, Mom? Okay. So here's been my week - but before that let me tell that story about Sister Austria that I mentioned last week. So she's this woman that has a few young kids and husband is in Saudi right now for work. She's been a member since she was a little kid and loves the church but went inactive a few years back. Her husband was taught as well and should have been baptized but was offended by the missionaries back in the day. So when we first met Sister Austria she had no desire to come back.. so we visited her about once a week but not much progression , but was relatively kind. So we were pressuring the relief society to visit her forever and finally they did. Once we went back after they visited her she said 'Elders ... I think I want to come back' ubt she still had a long way to go. Finally we invited her to a family home evening we were holding down the road. That day was a baptism in the bayan or .. town?market? I don't know what bayan is in english. Anyways we were late to the family home evening and when we got there Sister Gatus [the member whose house it was at] was like 'Elders Sis. Austria just left' so we sprinted down the road after her and finally catch up with her. Apologize for being late and turn her around. That night Elder Blancia gives a family home evening message about family prayer and then the rest of the evening we played games and stuff. She had such a good experience. But the better part was the message. She admitted to us about a week or two letter what the impact of the message was. She said she like couldn't sleep that night because she kept thinking about it and it made her want to change so many things in her family. After that time she came to church for the first time in years and had such a good experience. Now she's come again and has plans to be going to the temple and when her husband gets back eventually get him baptized and make their way to family sealing. She's one of the miracles I saw in Malasiqui and I was so happy every time we were able to teach her. I sent a picture to you mom of the picture at her house but I'm not sure if it went through. I'll try again later or next week. So that's Sister Austria. P.S Mom -- how's Franco's package?? So here's my week: Tuesday was a regular day. Wednesday we found out the transfers- at first Elder Azores [my zone leader] made me think I wasn't transferring but I eventually got it out of him , haha. There was a few of us. So that night we head home to work and I told a few members and we ate dinner at the Torio family. A really poor but super awesome family whose son is our Branch Mission Leader and we're helping him prepare to get on a mission. He should be leaving within a couple months followed by his sister. They also had me try eating a raw egg , haha , it's not that bad actually and I might try it but breakfast this transfer. Thursday we wake up and head to the church to get everything ready for the baptism that night. We clean it and finally get it filled [took a while to figure out their many valves] and then leave .. but we were afraid that the drain was still open because we had no idea where the valve was for the drain. We drop the key off at our BML and head to the area. Eat lunch with Jerry Centeno [the guy that does my wash and is super cool] he feeds us way good food , get some other stuff done and before we know it's time to head back to the chapel for the baptism! Dang time is fast. So we race back to the bayan , buy the chicken we had planned for the baptism as the food , print out the programs , xerox them , run to the church, ... and find that the water is gone. hahaha. So we got it refilled , start the baptism and all goes swell. I was so so happy to see Saldy get baptized. He's a 34 year old husband of a member and after 4 months he finally was able to get baptized. He's the number one person in my mission that I've seen change so drastically. The Gospel can do anything and penetrate anyone. He's amazing. Afterwards we had a small dinner with the fried chicken we bought for everyone and they brought rice and pancit [noodles]. Then we head home and I pack until like 12:30. The next day the jeep rolls around to take us to transfers. While we're waiting outside as usual I get a mysterious tap on my shoulder and they lead a few of us into a classroom where we're given a short orientation by President Jensen and asked to be zone leaders. I then learned that my new companion is Elder Bermejo. And now I'm in.... Urdaneta! Binalonan , actually , but we're over the Urdaneta Zone. It's an awesome zone that I've wanted to be in for a long time , not to mention this is where the site for the soon to come temple is. So before I leave I plan to check out the site. So we had a fun transfer meeting in which for the first time in 3 years President Jensen's computer failed which always is projected onto a screen for the Baguio Mission Song. His response was 'I suppose this means it's time to go home'. So we tried to sing from memory and it was very funny. Very few of us had it memorized but it was a really fun but different experience for the last transfer meeting for the Jensens. After the meeting we round up our zone and head home. Take them all to their new areas and I see my new area. It's way cool and my companion is amazing. Super super super nice , 27 , and goes home next month. He's pilipino and from southern philippines. Anyways the next day ... was crazy. After studies and an MCM with the ward we get a call saying we need to head to Urdaneta for a baptism , that Elder Nieman was supposed to baptize the convert of the sisters but he's sick and can't do it. So we sprint over , and were a little early so we bought some pandesal and while we were buying this guy walks up and asks how he can get into our church [like become a member or something] so we talk to him for a little bit and then were like hey , we'll give you a tour real quick if you've got time and he's like okay. [Let's get something straight , this dude was like 65+ and I thought a little crazy... but not really , just old]. So we meet him at the church give him a tour of the sacrament hall and then he starts like doing magic , hahahah , apparently that's his job. So we took him into a classroom and tried to teach him lesson one but after reading 5 words in the pamphlet he starts debating tagalog grammar with us complaining how it should say WE not YOU when referring to whose father or Father in Heaven is! hahaha. I was blown away. We try and get control of the situation , but to no avail. But he was super nice. We had invited him to the baptism , but he had to rush to take off. So later on we have the baptism and it went really well. Elder Bermejo baptized and I got to see Elder Tolman and Mayes. The next day , Sunday , was my first Sunday in the ward. An awesome ward with some really great members. But after church [there's our ward and branch that share the building] we get called in by the branch president of the branch who shows us a letter some missionary had written them that had been assigned there a few months earlier. It was super harsh and way way out of line. I'll explain more I suppose when I get home , not too proper to do so through email. So that's something fun we've now got to handle. A branch with 500 members , only 30 in attendance , many apostasizing , and a missionary writing ridiculous letters. Good thing they came to us first. What else. Afterwards [fast sunday] we worked and I was feeling so so weak , I have no idea why. Finally later that night when we get home we eat really fast after planning and immediately my stomach starts to hurt and I pass out. My companion wakes me up a bit later for prayer and to change out of my clothes and take my contacts out. After that I crash again , once more feeling super sick. But today I woke up feeling relatively okay. No idea why I felt like that. ALSO! Our apartment [kind of crappy , but okay] has a hot water shower and heater ... spoiled. I don't want to get too used to it , but I used it this morning and felt like I was back in Baguio. ALSO! Since this is likely my last area I'll be exercising and dieting , I promise. Hahah. My companion is awesome and will help. Oh also , I got Andrea's package last friday - SHOUT OUT! - thanks so much Andrea , despite that candy being one giant mass by the time it got to me. I enjoyed the contents. So that's all I got! I'm out of time and hope you enjoy the length of this letter. Love you all! WRITE ME LETTERS AND DEARELDERS AND EMAILS ! Order the other kids to do so as well. THANK YOU -Elder A White   p.s - the new mission president is here. We'll meet him on wednesday NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.