"Helmet on Your Head, Not on Your Elbow" - Week 63. Serving in Laoag

I can hardly remember what happened this week, it went so fast! One thing I can tell you is that evening shenanigans have risen by like 90%. Last Saturday night I decided to jump rope before I went to bed (I am working out my legs since I am not walking as much here in Laoag). Elder T walked by and decided that seeing if he could do double dutch would be a worthy pursuit. So we spent a half hour or so trying to fit two grown men into the same Filipino-sized jump rope (bye, bye masculinity). In the end we got pretty good at it and it turned out to be a pretty intense exercise.

Elder P got a package from his parents. There were several elastic band guns in it and there have been a couple of nights where heated battles ensued. I find elastic bands in my pockets, in my shorts, they are everywhere. We discovered that you can load multiple bands on the same gun which calls for some fun when you can pull one little trigger and spray a hailstorm of deadly rubber at someone.

Last night we found a stress ball in the apartment and before we knew it, there was a game going of hitting each otherwith the ball... sounds retarded but when you sit in the office and meetings all day, you take ANY chance you get to have some sort of physical activity.... and I pegged Elder M pretty good.

I have been noticing that in this area and during this transfer, I have not been paying as much attention to mission stats. I used to be quite the opposite, not that numbers were my reason for working, but it was very satisfying to see a high work percentages at the end of the week. But now, without really thinking about it, I have just stopped caring so much about the numbers. I realize why we have them in the mission - because if you have goals and you are organized, you are more likely to be effective in the work. But this past Tuesday we had only one lesson in our three hours of work. I have worked with missionaries who rush lessons and don't answer questions just to fit in the number of lessons they wanted.

 Last Tuesday our one lesson was with E and M. We taught them about repentance and, to be honest, it was in my top five funnest lessons of all time. We answered their questions, we read with them, we joked and chatted with them and I know they understand how to repent and why. We got punted at the next two places we went to but at the first, we chatted with the family, set up a time when we could come back, got to know them a little bit and then moved on (they were cooking and eating). Then the last place we went to, we had a less active RM tell us about his mission, show us his pictures and he taught us a little object lesson thing. We didn't teach a lesson as there wasn't really time, but I know and feel that just by helping him remember the excitement he felt on his mission, we fulfilled our purpose. When we got back to the apartment we both felt really good and couldn't stop telling Elders T and P about how great our night was.

This week we taught a nice little family. We chatted with them and I really loved Tatay. He was hilarious. His son had a hockey shirt on. He has five kids and I asked where they all were. He named them off and where they were - one of them being in Cebu for school. As he is talking, a teenage girl walks behind Tatay (whom I was was facing). She waves and smiles at us and goes up the stairs (yeah, they had stairs!). I asked him who it was. He says with a surprised look, "Oh... I thought she was in Cebu!". (FYI, Cebu is very far away).

We taught them about how we are children of God. He was genuinely surprised. Everyone here knows that "we are God's children" but the actuality of it is lost on them. He was kind of excited and said, "I never saw it that way". I explained how a baby carabao will become like its parents - a full-grown carabao. I used the example of his kids (the bunso with the hockey shirt). I asked his son how old he was and was planning on saying that he will grow up to be like his dad and he answers me in a deep, deep voice, "10". We all had a good laugh about that one. That was a fun family to be with.

We had an FHE at P's house and it seemed like half the ward came - it was sweet. He made spaghetti and it wasn't the Filipino spaghetti but real spaghetti. It was a good night.

 One the way back from there we saw something on the road ahead (it's kind of a built up area with street lights and paved road) and as we went by in the truck we saw that a man had crashed his motorcycle. He was on the ground and trying to get up (no medical workers anywhere and about 20 people standing and watching). He had crashed and skidded on his face. It's a rule here you have to HAVE a helmet when you are on a motor (that's what they call any motorcycle or scooter - just a motor). The rule does not say you have to WEAR the helmet (genius!). There is a sign I read at the licensing place in Batac that said, "Helmet sa ulo, hindi sa siko" or "helmet on your head not on your elbow" (that's where they hang their helmets here). As he slowly staggered to his feet there was of course, a helmet hanging from his elbow. That was a crazy thing to see but I can still count the accidents I have seen on one hand.

Right now, my companion is showing me the pictures of his brother's demo derby. He got plowed by some car and got knocked unconscious and they had to take him out with the jaws of life and send him to the hospital. I was shocked and then realized my companion's expression was one of excitement and being deeply impressed with his brother. His brother was fine. He has a picture of him in a neck brace and he is giving the thumbs up. Looks like he just won the lottery. It's crazy the difference in culture just half a continent away (Utah).

 My companion and I get along really well. I love him a lot. We both love ska and agree on a lot of old punk bands.

Anyways, that's my week thus far. It's about to get way busy as transfer list comes out tomorrow.
I love you guys sooooooo much  Tell Grams I love her like the Vintar monkey loves punching missionaries in the head.
-Elder Dustan

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

"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

Yes! (We Have No Bananas) - Week 60. Serving in Laoag

This week has been straight up papayas (I'm sick of bananas). There have been some pretty solid storms that have rolled in. Rainy season is just hitting so it rains daily now. Not all day... just around the time we leave to proselyte.
On Tuesday we had an exchange with President. It was great. It still amazes me how he can talk with these people and they understand each other even though he doesn't speak the language. The Spirit is way magaling.

Before the exchange though, my companion and I had to deal with getting some repairs done on the vehicles. We needed new brakes for the Escape and its window fixed (I think a rock must have hit it at one point as it totally shattered. Every time you shut the door, a little bit more glass falls out), a tire rotation for the truck and two doors replaced on the Toyota.

The way the cars work here is we can have the truck 2 nights  a week for working (which is good because our area is huge). The same goes for the other office companionships. The assistants have the Starex all the time and Pres. and Sis. O have the Escape. There is also a little Toyota here because of a senior couple serving in Vigan (the Elder actually is the one who baptized Pres. O's Mum way back and now they are called here with President O on their mission! Cool eh?). We can take any of the cars if we need to but usually just the truck.

 On Wednesday I went to Pagudpud with Sister O to deliver beds. It was a nice drive by the ocean and we talked about all kinds of stuff. She has had some incredible experiences. On the way back, President texted us and told us to go to a district meeting that was going on to meet with an elder who had been feeling sick. We got there and I sat outside while he met with Sister O. I was invited in to give him a blessing. It was a great experience.

 We worked with the president on Tuesday and we committed the people we were teaching to fast and then we would return on Thursday and give them blessings. President felt particularly attached to them so he worked with us last night as well! Two nights this week - it was a great treat.

I studied Isaiah 58 about fasting and realized I haven't been doing it quite properly. I feel it is key to finding the answer to any concern or issue - even more so with missionary work itself as it says in verse 12, I shall "..raise up the foundations of many generations". I LOVE that chapter.

I wish I could share all I learned from talking with President and Sister O Anyways, I love you guys heaps and
miss you like an old lady misses stop signs!
-Elder Dustan

Testifying Off the Grid - Week 59. Serving in Laoag

This was a pretty eventful week. We have our Sunday meetings at the stake center in Laoag (we are in Laoag 1st ward). We got invited to share our testimonies in sacrament meeting as we are three new elders (I will get to who the third one is in a bit).
Elder P went first and bore his testimony and then I was up. As I got on the stand and was walking towards the pulpit, the power went out!! So I kind of walked backwards a little and forwards again to see if it would come on as I knew all the filipinos would get a kick out of it. I had to speak really loudly which was good because with no microphone, everyone listened harder. Then as I was closing my testimony, the power came back on. Everyone loved it and told me that I must have powers. Some of them said that satan really didn't want me to bear my testimony.  Oh yeah, President and Sister O are in our ward! Sometimes they travel to other branches and wards but often they are in ours, which is pretty sweet.

On Monday I went with Sister O an drove in the Philippines my first time. I started on a back roads and then we went to Robinsons mall (it's the only real mall in the mission. It felt weird to be driving to a mall after walking through rice fields for so long but I don't need to tell you which one I prefer). Then we went over the Laoag bridge to Centro which is bananas! But don't worry,  I am positive that driving here is safer than back home. Road rage is rare here and people seem to drive slower.
Here are some of the rules we follow: Assume that everyone will do the opposite of what they are signaling to do (most of them don't signal actually. Sometimes they will wave their hand one way and sometimes they will just turn randomly). Drive very, very defensively. Don't go over 80km/hr. Use the horn (the horn is not rude here). When you pass someone, you need to beep twice like the roadrunner beeps, and then pass. The single beep is kind of rude. It just means get out of the way. Watch the sides of the road because there are motorbikes, trikes, dogs, kids, chickens, cows, water buffalo, etc. everywhere. People here actually have as much right to the road as any vehicle.
On Wednesday, I actually drove quite a bit. We took a new fridge (here they're called refs) to Candon, which is past Narvacan and Santa Maria. Myself, an elder from Fiji and an elder from Manila took the truck while Sister O and another elder took a car. It's cool to see so much of the mission. I am used to driving now. I have yet to see an accident here too, so really don't worry at all. People here are less crazy than the people that are on the road in North America.

There are 6 office elders now and two assistants to the president. There is the elder from Fiji - he is only a transfer old. I chatted with him all the way home from Candon. He told me all about fiji, his rugby career and his schooling (he is studying to be a doctor). Then there's me (travel secretary and president's personal assistant), Elder M, my companion (records and vehicles), Elder P (supplies and mail) and his comp, Elder T (finance). Then there is Elder Mc who has been here the longest. He pretty much shows us all around the office and does stuff for Sister O. His comp is the new elder I mentioned from Fiji.

Apparently this is the second most efficient and disciplined mission (fewest sent home etc.) in the Philippines so I find this structure of things works well. We will see what the new president thinks though. In two week they come in. President and Sister O only have dinner with them and then President O does a one hour overview with the new president and then they leave. It's going to be really sad. The movers come next week. I had an interview with the president yesterday (he does one extra interview with the office elders because, he says, if they are doing well, then the mission will do well) - my last one with him.

 I am trying to gain weight right now. I had lost ten pounds in Cagayan and now I am trying to get back to what I was before the mission. It's coming along well. I do a great work out every morning at 6 and then eat a huge
breakfast. I have already gained 5 or 6 pounds. I saw my old companion, Elder S on Tuesday as they were here for ZLC and he was waaaay skinny. He was wearing a shirt I left behind and he used to be two sizes bigger than me! Cagayan syndrome I guess. All that said, Cagayan is my favourite part of the mission which shows you how amazing it must be. All LBM's aside, it is so beautiful.

I think I have run out of stuff to say and we have to get going and do some studies. I love you guys so much.
-Elder Dustan

The Jollibee Heist - Week 58. Serving in Laoag

Turns out p-day in the office is Friday (biyernes p-days again!). So here's the low down:
On Tuesday we went to the bus terminal and helped out with transfers, then went to run some errands for Sister O. She is really doing everything she can to get things ready for the new mission president and his wife. She has pretty much re-painted everything, re-varnished everything, cleaned everything and re-stocked all the food etc. So we had to go and pick some stuff up for her. We got our three hours of teaching in. We are in the office working the whole day and then have study time in the afternoon around 3 or 4, then out to work at 6. It's a challenge to keep awake in my studies as it's after lunch, it's hot and I am not used to the schedule yet..

The people here are pretty sweet though. There are some really great people we are teaching. I miss Cagayan though. The people there are different. The people here are a little more like back home. In Cagayan you can joke with random kids in the street and they act like you are their hero. The other night we walked by some little nippers playing basketball and I said something to them and they just started talking smack to me! It's fun too. I'm just not used to it yet.

We taught one nanay who seems a little crazy. She talks really fast and never stops and she ALWAYS sounds like she is really angry. Ilocano itself just sounds like an angry language but she sounds like someone just spit in her rice.

So nanay decides to get us something to drink (everyone feels like they have to feed you. It takes skill to get out of it politely and present a lesson in good time). She brings out these cups that I knew I had seen before. She says, "I got these at Jollibee" (kind of the Burger King of the Philippines). "We didn't know you could buy those", we say. She says, "NO, you don't BUY them... you just put them in your purse and walk out!"
She looked so impressed with herself and she had a funny, sneaky look on her face. Then she showed us all the other stuff she has stolen from restaurants. We will definitely be reviewing the 10 commandments with her soon.

 We had a short-term missionary with us the other day as he hadn't yet been assigned to an area. Apparently that will be happening a lot. If anyone is here for any reason, they get put in our area for the night. We also are the first to get moved in the case of an emergency transfer if, say someone gets sick and has to come to the office - although it rarely happens.

 We are teaching a young 18 year old and his little sister who is 13. She is soooo smart and she talks like she is from an old movie from the 40's - a really fast, witty talker (I love going there. It's great language practice). When she doesn't understand a concept, she will interrupt by saying, "pause!" She'll think for a second about what has been said or she"ll re-read the scripture that was shared and then she will say, "okay - play!".

She and her brother both want to be baptized but he has an issue with smoking so we have set a goal with him that he will be smoking only a certain amount each day this week and then we will lower it again next week etc. I found that effective with another brother as he was smoking two packs a day before. He lowered it slowly until he just stopped. It works quite well.

I am now a fully licensed driver in the Philippines. All I had to do was fill out a couple of forms and pee in a cup. They took my finger prints, tested my eyes with the reading chart thing and took my blood pressure. Then I paid a few bucks and I got a license. So soon I will have to go out and practice with Sister O. The roads here are tricky - no lights, signs or rules. Just suggestions, traditions and guidelines. I think I can handle it though.

 Yesterday all the new missionaries came in. I am in charge of giving them all the stuff they will be using like their new planner, reviewing mission standards, health stuff and filling out some forms. It was so fun to talk to them. The new missionaries really help keep us excited about the work.

 I will tell you a couple of my duties. I am in charge of travel plans home for departing missionaries, as well as all things to do with the new missionaries coming in. I prepare a file on them for the president to decide better as to who goes where and who becomes companions with whom.

We also travel to random places in the mission for different things like moving missionaries to new apartments etc. That is what I am excited for - seeing other parts of the mission. But really the best part is this: we are Sister O's taste testers. She has food allergies so when she cooks, she needs us to taste it a bunch of times to see if it's good. After almost a year of eating things that have been dried on the road, it's a little bit of a treat. I miss the "real world" still, but there are some fun things here.

I love you guys. Take care of yourselves!
-Elder Dustan

"The Office" (Season One) - Week 57. Serving in Laoag

As I mentioned last week, Monday we moved to Lal-lo. It's the area right next to ours where there were fours sisters. We were both way excited because it was going to be like the Vintar days where we were starting from scratch just doing straight work, a full 40 hour week. Two sisters went to Camalaniugan and two went to Ilocos. We cleaned our apartment in Camalaniugan reallllly well as we knew sisters would be living there. The Lal-lo apartment is very nice. The mayor of Lal-lo used to live there. We were excited to have an oven and be able to cook casseroles and stuff. Until our apartment was set up, we ate at a restaurant down the street because it was always open and so cheap (30 pesos a person, or less than a buck!).

We found a spider under the sink that was epic.  I wish I had taken a picture. The spiders here are big and so are the roaches, they are huge. But we found this one big spider that was eating a huge cockroach with no struggle at all - no web, it just chased it down and ate it like a common predator. It was way cool. Luckily, it was still intimidated by the broom and I swept it out of the apartment.

I think it was revelation that put Elder S and I together again this last transfer as we get along really well and just always have crazy adventures.

 Elder C, one of the assistants, came up with President and Sister O as they were doing interviews in that area. Elder C stayed with us on Wednesday and Thursday night while President and Sister O stayed in the only hotel in the area. They were very impressed with our work. They showed up on Thursday night with a brand new microwave, a rice cooker and all new dishes! So kind of them.

Lal-lo will now be the zone leaders' apartment.  But then on Sunday I found out that I had to pack again as I was getting transferred on Monday to the office! I was soooooo not happy. Of all the places in the mission, this was the last place I thought I'd be. I have come to love the bathing out of a bucket and not using toilet paper and riding on jeepneys and sketchy trikes and walking through jungle. I'm very serious, I love those things. I didn't come on a mission to have the same comforts as I had back home. I love the adventure and I know that in the office you only get 3 hours of proselyting a day. So I was upset when I heard that I was coming here. Sister O heard I was not happy about being transferred and cheered me up a bit. We had an office meeting and she explained why this place is so important. She said she has seen how an effective office in the mission makes the difference and really helps the mission president and his wife. With a new mission president coming in soon, we need to be extra worthy, extra diligent and extra humble.

My companion is Elder M. I was his ZL in the MTC as he was in the batch after me. I also live with Elder T, my old companion who was transferred here not long ago and Elder P also got transferred here so I'll be with some great missionaries.

My duties will be over travel and the president's personal aid. After this transfer, President and Sister O go home so I guess we really have to get things in good order. I will continue missing the crazy life outside of the mission home but I now see why I need to be here and why it's important.

 Anyways, I am still a little bummed that I am in air-conditioning and back to using toilet paper again but I am happy to serve and I am really close to the mail now as I sit feet away from it!
 I love you guys lots!
Elder Dustan