Sunday, July 29, 2012

What's in a Name? - Week 64. Serving in Laoag


The internet is down in the office so I am emailing from a computer shop once again. I know a ton of stuff happened this week but I didn't bring my planner so I will have to rely on my memory. Monday morning I woke up to Elder A standing in the doorway with the transfer list (we get to see it before anyone else). So I jumped off my bunk and landed on the couch and read it. Usually it's a crazy, exciting and surprising thing. No changes in the office though and the majority of the missionaries I have come to love weren't on there - to be expected though, while a new president gets to know his missionaries.

I was pretty sick on Monday. I felt all hot and my muscles hurt all over. I took the pills I would usually take and drank heaps of water.

We taught a woman that night who is pregnant. We talked about names for babies. We pitched a bunch of ideas. I pitched Josef Stalin and the girl's nanay LOVED it. "It sounds like Josef Stylin' ". Good thing I had the heart to finally tell them who he was.

Then we turned to the scriptures and read about the sons of Helaman and why they had their names. We discussed how the way a parent acts creates a "name" for the children - like how Nephi could say he was born of goodly parents. It was a good lesson.

I told her how I am happy that I am part of a family with a good name and that my mga ate (older sisters) married men with good names as well (albeit adjectives). She just opened up after that and talked all about how she wants to go back to church.

People here seem to think that
North America is a dream land where all things are good, no hard labour, no money problems etc.

 We took E and M out to work with us. They loved it. We got punted by a nanay and as she is telling us why we can't come in, M just pipes up and says "Nanay, we just want to share the gospel with you, that's all." He is legit. We didn't teach any lessons with them but they are excited to come out and work next week. It will really give them an idea of what missionary work is about instead of just the view of an investigator.

They asked us what we wear when we go to bed and thought we just sleep in our proselyting clothes. When we showed them pictures of us in our p-day clothes they freaked out. They are both so interested in missionary work and love that we don't get paid (of course, everyone here thinks we do).
We are going to get them involved in a service project before they are baptized (August 25th is their date for baptism). We gave them the idea of cleaning the beach and they loved it. Then they said, "When would you like us to go and clean the beach elders?" - they didn't realize we would be coming with them and were ready to go by themselves! I love those two. You can't even know how much they make us soooo happy!

 We just got a new batch of missionaries in yesterday. They seem pretty solid.
That's all I can think of today. I love you all tons and will write to you again soon.
Elder Dustan

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