I am writing before I read any emails, to ensure I have time to finish this week :D
A couple of weeks ago I said I was surprised at how little fruit there is here. It turns out, I just came in in the off season. we have SOOOOOOOOOOOOO many mangoes given to us! they just rot because we eat 4 at a meal each and can't get through them!
It is also rainy season. My area is the hottest in the mission, so I am relieved to finally see green! It is soooo pretty here now! also waterproof shoes rock. I often have an umbrella to protect our electronics, while elder Karch just braves it. his planner, a ton of pamphlets, and one Book of Mormon were destroyed.
The following is a reference to internet memes, so if you don't understand, ask your nearest teenager.
I was studying while enjoying a mango. They are very difficult to eat without getting sticky. I made my concerns known to Elder Karch. "I don't want to get my Book of Mormon sticky!" he just smiled and said "hash-tag, third world problems."
we bought a delicious root of some sort, that tastes like apple. I can't tell you what it is, because yams, sweet potato, and turnips, or any kind of root other than potato, are all called the same thing. well some how, It makes visible growth every day. like maybe 3 quarters of a foot. It started growing through a window, and we decided to keep it to green the place up, (along with elder Alonzo's bonzai tree) It reminds me of jumangi!
It turns out the local post office is RIGHT next to our house! we have been going to the city to mail, when we could have just stepped out side! oh well. maybe I'll be here next transfer too.
Elder Karch finally got his Yugioh cards. I still have not lost.
We did my first service project! We were told we were building a house. Nope. It was DEMOLITION! WHEW! I got to machete a wall. and a couple trees. In fact I learned how to machete properly. If you go with the grain of the wood, it cuts so much deeper, so you cut at an angle when you cut down a tree. not perpendicular.
Also, Thanks for all the letters. I got one unexpected though. It came from Satan... It was addressed to the WHOLE mission. "Thanks to all of you who do... etc. You really help my work move along." It was really interesting to see how people reacted. Most people just got mad. "I DON'T DO ANY OF THIS!"
Remember how I said lessons are picking up? Now, We set the highest number of lessons taught this week. Making those changes really made a difference. According to the District Leader "You two were on the watch list for disobedience because your lessons were so low. I live with you, and I see you guys work your butts off. I can't understand why. It's safe to say you're not on the list."
We finished all the lessons with the investigator I met my second day, which means she can be baptized in 2 weeks, if she goes to church both weeks. I AM SO EXCITED! She is so ready.
Now that I understand what I read in Tagolog, It is so much fun to talk to her, she is a hoot. And she has a very strong testimony, all of her extended family tells us they can see a difference in her life. Now if only her brother could get Sunday off to come to church, he wants to be baptized too! Also their father is always drunk. (they are both over 20 still living at home. It's normal here until you are married) Prayers are always appreciated.
We discovered buying a large bag of suckers Saturday night makes church so much quieter. I'm not really sure why ;)
We also have my most struggling less active family... We discovered for the younger members, the thing we do that has the most effect is bring them as a member present. And all of their older daughters want to teach with us! we have started bringing them to lessons and they have come to church two weeks in a row! Nanay came one week. Have any ideas?
One piece of advice to you all: binasa ang Aklat ni Mormon! Mangako ako, kung ginawa ito, binasbasan ni Dyos, ang buhay ninyo!
I love you all! Ingat!
Vincit Omnia Veritas
Elder A. Cook
