Cashews? Who Knew?? - Week 99. Serving in Sarrat

Hey guys! This week was pretty sweet. Feels like it was only a day though - so short. We had our ZLC on Monday and Tuesday. This time there were no trainings, we just sat around the table and discussed stuff about the mission. Started at 2 and went until 6ish - just straight talking and sitting around the table. It was actually exhausting.  ZLC was good though. It was fun to be with Elders T, M and T from my MTC group. So weird that we will be heading home soon. After our council I was way excited to get back to Sarrat and get to work. We set a new goal for baptisms in the area and it's very big but specific and we are really excited about it. It feels good having a specific goal for baptisms.

We jumped right into it when we got back from Laoag and went to a less active family and set a baptism date for their sons. They were all excited to get back to church and get things in order.

We taught a lesson with a teenage boy who didn't really talk much. When he did talk, it was like a whisper. Then as we were teaching, his mother came out - eyes open really wide, walking with straight posture like she had just been scared stiff but with a huge smile on her face. She came over and shook our hands and then went back inside. Then, as we carried on with the awkward lesson, she came out over and over and over and shook both our hands and went back inside. It was weird and hilarious at the same time.

On Wednesday I went on exchange with  the district leader in Piddig. The fellowshipper who came with us was hilarious This guy would start laughing halfway through every sentence he spoke and he just thinks everything is hilarious. He also showed me where to pick cashews! They grow here!!!! Who knew?

We worked with the new senior couple in our area this week. They are from Idaho but really the sister is from Switzerland as she immigrated to the US. They came and met us here and we went to visit the old tatay and his wife who we water plants for. As we taught them, the senior missionaries took out a quilt which had the Plan of Salvation really clearly quilted into it. When they taught, it was so powerful. They teach so simply and they love the culture so much. They are trying to learn the language and they aren't bad either. They also helped us water the crops and the sister even wanted to copy me and go barefoot. It was really fun. They worked with us the whole day. They were also invited back to the family's place for lunch on Saturday. They made a huge feast (the missionary couple brought some of the meal) and it was awesome. It was all filipino foods and they loved it. They teach so clearly and powerfully, it's amazing. They really taught us a lot too.

We have a lot of good people we are teaching right now. Including a 40 year old father who really wants to listen and learn but he isn't very fluent in Tagalog. He's reading the Book of Mormon though and seems to be grateful to read it. We are doing well here and things are going well. I am loving the people and culture more and more. I love the Ilocano culture and language and foods too and I kind of feel bad for having resented Ilocano in the past. Also I have my last zone conference coming up. Weird!

Thanks for the emails. Love you guys!
Elder Dustan