"Do You Remember the Shire, Elder Frodo?" - Week 61. Serving in Laoag

 My second signal-2 bagyo (typhoon) hit yesterday. Didn't last very long though. We were expecting a senior couple to come in yesterday but their flight had to turn back. Because of the storm we were cooped up in the office all day. Poor elder T's office got flooded as the painters didn't seal off the edges of the air conditioner when they put it back in place and the water just cascaded through the cracks. President and Sister O didn't want us to go out proselyting in the storm so we had to stay in and organize our area books. Except that it was our night with the truck so we begged Sister O to let us teach one lesson - which she did. We went and taught the 18 year old guy and his little sister again.

When we came back, President asked if we wanted to watch a movie. So we all sat and watched the Prince of Egypt! It was weird to be watching a movie. President does that from time to time. I'm going to miss him.

 Anyways, I had better start with the beginning of the week before I get you all confused. Last Saturday we had a driving safety guy from the church office in Manila come in and do a driver safety lesson with us. It was pretty much him showing pictures of car accidents and then saying don't be dumb. Then we each had a driving test and we all passed - even though the test was done in a huge Starex. Weird to drive a boat like that on these tiny streets.

 On Sunday I ended up teaching the investigator class. The lesson was on the fall and I enjoyed teaching it. I also got to pass the sacrament with President O. After church we taught a new investigator. She said, "Sorry I haven't really read the Book of Mormon much." Then when I asked her what she learned from what she had read. She said, "well, I never knew that Mormon is Moroni's tatay, and that Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith in 1823." It was pretty cool. We also had a less active working with us there who explained things to her sooo well.

On Monday we delivered some beds to two apartments. That is the kind of stuff that we do as they are too heavy for Pres. and Sis. O to do by themselves (actually, they are both pretty strong).

 On Tuesday I went with Sis. O and Elders M and Mc to the province of Abra. I had never been there before. There are only three cities in it and it's a very beautiful place. It looks like it's straight out of a movie - like it's the Shire or something. Some of it also reminds me of driving around Palmyra. We went and got 5 beds there and stacked them all on the back of the truck. I also saw the house of a man who has named himself the duke of the town! A DUKE. I got a picture of it. Abra is also the hottest place I have ever been.

We drove the whole day and dropped some beds off at some apartments and then Elder M and I got to squeeze a lesson in at night. We taught the 18 year old guy and his 13 year old sister again. She was so excited to tell us her story. She had prayed at the start of her school test like we had taught her to (she did it secretly which had her really tickled for some reason). The test was on 50 countries in Asia. They handed out a blank sheet and she just had to list them in order from northernmost to the south. She got 50 out of 50! She was soooo excited. She was saying, "It worked!" It was great to see.

 President and Sister B arrive on Sunday evening. President and Sister O leave this coming Monday for New Zealand. It will be rough seeing them go. This next week is going to be a crazy one. I feel like I have a hundred other things to tell you about but I am rushed right now and can't think of anything.

I got a package from Mum and from Grams! THANKS!! Canada Day will be great now! Thanks for the Senators towel - I waved it over my head as soon as I got it! I love you guys heaps and miss you like crazy.
-Elder Dustan