The Cracka Returns - Week 62. Serving in Laoag

This week has truly been papayas. We had a new senior missionary couple  come in last Saturday. They are from Utah. We gave them some of the supplies they need and then sent them with the other senior couple for the time being.

We went to teach M and E, our 18 year old investigator and his 13 year old cousin (we originally thought they were brother and sister). She had puffy eyes and looked really upset. She told us her dad had died the night of the storm (Thursday) and it actually happened while we were teaching her. Her family lives in Vintar (in Surong valley which I never got to go to because it's really far - two and a half hours away from the apartment). Apparently her dad got pneumonia and died.

We sat down with them and started talking. We asked if they had any questions about their reading. They asked where we go when we die. We taught the entire Plan of Salvation to them in one lesson. She stopped us at one point and asked, "So I will get to see my dad again?" We told her she would and that it wouldn't just be seeing him, but she could be with him forever. Just like that, she was back to her old self as if nothing had happened. She has amazing faith to be able to see things like that at her age.

Sunday was the O's last Sunday here. Being a fast and testimony Sunday they got up and bore amazing testimonies and had everyone in tears. Elders M, Mc and myself had opened our fasts with President O the night before as we were all fasting for M & E. On Sunday we gave them both blessings. It was a great experience.

 President and Sister O stayed in a hotel Sunday night and came to say bye just in case that was the last chance. It was sad. President and Sister B arrived that night. On Monday they had a 3 hour training with each other and then that was it. We took pictures together. It was weird calling President O Brother O and seeing him without a nametag. As soon as the new mission president sets foot in his assigned area, the old mission president no longer holds the keys.

We took the Escape to finally install the new brakes and then we went on exchange with the zone leaders (we are in the San Nicolas zone). I worked with elder C - it was great. On Tuesday we worked in the office and President and Sister B and the assistants went to Cagayan for two zone conferences. I had already typed up the schedule for their first 3 weeks under Sister O's direction - an hour by hour schedule of what they needed to do so they know what's going on. The assistants are helping to bring them up to speed as well. They come back today.

We taught M & E and they were wondering about what they need to do to be ready for baptism. We reminded them of some of the things they had been taught and with just a little mention from us, they would explain what the Word of Wisdom and the Law of Chastity were. It's sweet to see that they understand it all so well.

Wednesday was a normal day and then we got a phone call for one of the missionaries in Vintar. He had a family emergency and needed to call home right away. So I had an emergency exchange in VINTAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was sooooooo excited for that part. So I stuffed some things into a bag and went to Vintar. I worked with an elder there that was born in Kurdistan (part of Iran I think?). He moved to Australia as a baby. He looks like he won't speak any English and then speaks with a crazy-thick Aussie accent. It's pretty neat. He was excited because everyone in Vintar has kind of built me up because I am the first cracka (white guy) they can remember so he thought he was exchanging with a legend (poor guy is so misinformed).

 We got punted everywhere in the rain. We did get to teach R (the man we baptized while I was there). He has a little 6 or 8 month old boy now and he is really cute. He was really excited to see me . Demma also flipped her lid when she saw me and made me give her my number and address. Next year in August she is going to visit her siblings in Montreal and she said she would come and visit us. That would be hilarious! You guys would love her, she is so funny.

I woke up Thursday morning (it was sooooo weird to wake up in Vintar -  like a dream or something), got ready and the other elders picked us up in the truck, which was loaded up with 5 desks. We left straight from Vintar and went up north to deliver desks all day. Left at 8am and got back at 6:30pm. It was a long day of driving. Went all the way to Alacapan. Some of the road ledges were damaged from the storm so it took even longer (they blocked them off and there were some detours).

Anyways, that's my week so far. President and Sister B are great - we love them a lot. He can speak pretty good English and told us to only speak English in the office so that he can get better at it. Sister B is really sweet and wanted to feed us so bad so they ordered pizza from one of the few real pizza places in the mission and we ate tons. They can speak a little Ilocano as they were assigned to a part of Cagayan for a year or so as CES coordinators or something like that.

 I attached some photos too: Me with President and Sister O, them with President and Sister B, and a pic from Vigan (went there with Sister O and Elders M and Mc a couple of weeks ago). All cobblestone! There are also photos of the mission compound in the rain. The part on the right is the mission home, the left one is the office but the door facing the camera is the entrance to upstairs where we live. Also one of the Laoag hollywood-style sign you see as you cross the bridge, and a kuliglig packed with kahoy (wood).

Love you guys lots!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 Taki ak terupam
-Elder Dustan