Brett's Philippines Tacloban Mission: Week #18

February 16, 2015

Hello!

Well This week wasn't the best week in the world! We only worked three days due to sickness. We both had pretty bad lbm and super bad stomach cramps! But we still got the most OYMS out of all the companionships in our zone! So the was good! But bad news... we lost a family of investigators. They were going good then the past two times we have tried to visit them they run away and hide. It's really stupid because we make eye contact and they know we see them then they run inside and pretend nobody is home. Oh well. Anyways good news! We have 4 baptisms next week! Really looking forward to that but we need to finish the lessons so a lot of hard work this week! Also I am still in fact lactose intolerant as I tested out. Ugh. I gave my first pair of pants away to a member that just got his mission call to Iloilo! He only had one pair of pants so I decided to help him out. Also another heart crusher. I don't know if I told you about this last week but we helped a family fill out a self reliance packet (lays out all their expenses for the month and their average income and everything. The tatay (father) makes on average about 3000 pesos per month (that's $66) and he has to spend double that to support him family (wife and 4 kids). Yeah that was a real shock. Basta, we found 9 new investigators this week! So hopefully they progress and make up for our losses! Also the lady we taught the word of wisdom to has stopped smoking!!!!!!!! Finally! But she still refuses to come to church... Also climbed another coconut tree this week and I got pictures! Sadly my companion didn't feel the need to take pictures when I got to the top of the tree. Just halfway up. I don't understand the thought process of foreigners sometimes. Also gave our dog the first bath it has ever had in its entire life. I don't think it likes getting wet... Oh well!!! So that's pretty much it! I love you all!

Elder Child

*He got the two boxes that we sent in November and December, which is much faster than the Christmas boxes that we sent last Fall and he received in January. I guess there is no real pattern for the delivery service.

*He said they find most of their investigators by tracting. He said everyone in the Philippines wants to talk to everyone. His companion will break the ice by asking if they have any food that they can share with the missionaries. Then Brett will joke that he is from Mindanao (<--that is a mission in the Philippines that is exclusively for native Filipinos because "American's can't go there or they will get shot"). He says they all laugh then invite them in to visit.