I'll fill you in on the happenings of our crazy week. We got a bug racket at the palengke in Vintar. It plugs right into the wall and is reallllllly strong. But it's still not strong enough to kill the centipede. Even the permethrine takes like 20 minutes to kill them.
We had another exchange this week. I swapped Elder Soriano for the DL, Elder Atazan. He speaks next to no English so it was fun. The best part was that the only 3 people in the entire area that speak fluent English were the ones we taught! He didn't like that but I loved it.
One was a Vietnam Vet (we're old pals) named Eliezer Racimo. He's really stubborn and likes to talk about what he knows no matter how irrelevant. I had to be a little stern but got my message across and he understood.
We've been teaching a lot about living prophets. It's a really powerful message that is foreign to many. I love talking about it because it's so comforting and awesome to know that we have a REAL LIVING PROPHET. One guy in Brgy 10 asked why the prophet's name wasn't in the Bible. I asked him why his own name wasn't in the Bible and if that meant he was not a real person or unholy.
Elder Soriano got sick. On Satuday morning he slept in a little and that's not really usual so I shoved him a bit and felt bad once I learned he had a huge fever and sore joints. Sister Odgers said it may be Dengue Fever but we won't know until after the fever and see if a rash starts. The fever stopped today (we had to stay at the mission home last night which is why this email is so late). He's fine now though. I spent the entire day Saturday inside at the table. I read a huge chunk of the Book of Mormon and then remembered that we have encyclopedias in our apartment! I read all about Canada and it's government, the US government and it's judiciary branches, hippos, Einstein, koalas, Hitler and all kinds of other stuff. I was able to read from 7am to 9:30pm nonstop whereas back home I could barely read for an hour. Cool. I also ate fishballs. They're gooey but they make me laugh.
My payong (umbrella) fell in the ditch with the sewage! Sick. I soaked it in alcohol and let it dry and I think it's okay now.
The "Awesome Family" is really cool and their son wants to serve a mission (he's 17). The awesome family are the ones we administered to when they were sick. They are realllllly progressing well and we're planning to get them a roof because theirs burned. When it rains she has to stay home and brush the water down the stairs as it comes through the roof in the top floor and down to the main floor. We were there in the biggest rain storm of my mission thus far and it was nuts! I made her take a break and let me sweep. I had brought my family pictures and she looked at them. She's in love with the temple. See how both my sisters deciding to marry in the temple has affected a woman in Vintar to set a goal to go to the temple? Amazing!
We met a guy named Carlo who is from California but Filipino. He moved here to finish med school and he contacted us. He said he's been searching for the truth and what his purpose is and that he's so happy to find it. So cool because when he found us as we were out walking, I was feeling down because it's still a struggle to speak the language. But then it turns out God never lets us down if we are obedient (imagine that!). Right at the worst time he sends the best investigator yet! I love it here and know I'm in the right place - don't worry about me.
Love you guys!!!!!!!!
-Elder Dustan
Awww buddy!! That's wonderful, regardless of the hardships. That's neat you met someone that's finishing Medical school there. I imagine he'll be becoming a doctor there. One more person to take care of you if something happens.
ReplyDeleteI'm having serious struggle learning French, so learning the Philippines would be beyond difficult. But clearly like you mentioned gods there for you, and so am I as not just as your best buddy but someone that admires you.
Jared