October 13, 2012 – Hello!!!!

Dear Mom, Dad, Ryan, and all those who are reading…yes you!

Sorry, I haven’t been able to email until now.  It’s been like what?  12 days?  I can’t even keep track anymore.  Everything has been crazy.  And I mean different from the normal crazy.  This is literally insane and things have just started to slow down a bit.  Meaning, I finally have a P-day and it’s a great feeling!  So anyway, this is what has been going on…

I was doing regular personal study on Tuesday, just reading my Book of Mormon and all, when suddenly my phone rings.  It’s Elder Waite, one of the Assistants to the President, and he says “Hi,” you know, all normal and whatnot.  Except APs don’t call regular missionaries like me all basta-basta (for no reason).  He asked me, “So Elder Froude, what do you have planned today?”  Then my mind flashbacked to when Elder Herr, my zone leader, told me about how he got a call from an AP who asked, “What are you doing today?” before he found out his companion was getting transferred.  So, nervously I replied…”Uhh… you know, regular missionary stuff.  You know, teaching lessons and maybe a little bit of tracting,” totally not knowing what’s going on.  Then he said, “Oh, that’s great.  Instead…you should pack your things and say some goodbyes because you’re flying back to Manila tomorrow morning!”  Then my mouth dropped, all the while Elder Herr and Elder Duenas were laughing because they already knew what was going on.

*Cultural Note* Missionaries do not just ET (emergency transfer) off the Island of Mindoro for no special reason.  The only ET I had heard of coming off the Island of Mindoro was a missionary a few transfers ago that did something he shouldn’t have.  So, my mind was all boggled trying to figure out what this could possibly mean!  I asked, “Why?”  He replied, “You’re going to come to the office as the new Mission Finance Secretary!”  O.o Say what?!?

*Mission Note* The 4 office Elder positions, since I’ve been out, have been filled by couple missionaries.  The Millers, a couple missionaries, were going to be transferred to a branch as leadership support and so they called Elder Scanlan and me to fill in their positions.  We have been reassigned to the Office.  It is not a new calling…I am still 100% missionary.  I just work (proselyte) mainly at night now, if at all.  Elder Scanlan, a Samoan from Alaska (I know, right!), is the Mission Secretary and I am the Finance Secretary.  O.o  Oh, snap!  So basically, this is why I haven’t been able to email you for the last 13 days.  It was transfer week and a day before P-day I was sent to the office, and we do not get P-days until Saturday.  Aww man! Haha!  That will throw off a few things.  But it’s okay, kaya natin diba? (It’s okay, we can manage, right?)

So, these last 4 days I have been on intense training for all of the programs and procedures for all of my duties.  I am over reimbursements, phones, debit cards, taxes, support, receipts, reports and many other things that have been a whirlwind of information, but I think I got it.  Do I miss Mindoro?  Of course!  I had a few investigators close to baptism but they will be fine with the Elders over there right now.  I’m just sad I won’t be with my roommates Elder Herr and Elder Duenas anymore. They are awesome missionaries who get things done.  Nevertheless, the Lord needs me here.

There are many advantages though!  The office is pretty much the dream of all the missionaries here.  Air conditioning, filtered water, toilet paper, reliable electricity…haha!  Really I mean it!  My last night in Mindoro, I had a wonderful farewell brownout at 1:30 at night 3 hours before I was supposed to wake up so I was like, AHHH!!!!  I couldn't sleep because it was so hot!!!  Haha! So, I’m glad to be in the office now.  I also am now rooming with the APs.  They have hot shower!!!!!!!!!  BEST DAY EVER!!!!!!  I also now have my Philippines Driver's license and it's pretty much the scariest part of my mission…driving in Metro Manila.  Oh my Gulay! (Gosh!)  Haha!  We have a truck!  We travel sometimes to the Area office to pick up checks and coordinate events happening in the mission.  It's in Quezon City, on Aurora Blvd. We both have our own phones and rotate days driving.  My apartment is in a nice gated area.  Not too far away, and there are a lot of good restaurants on the way.  Oh my gosh! The food here is so good!  So much better than just Jolibee!  Haha!  So things are a lot different here.  Oh hey, President just walked in!  Haha! 

We work Monday through Friday in the office from 9 - 4:30, then we can work the area after...hopefully. Haha!  Things come up sometimes. :)  So we'll see how that works.  We do not know the area yet so we'll be going with the assistant ward mission leader later tonight and he'll take us around.  Saturday is P-day and Sunday is probably the most proselyting we'll get in a day.  

I'm so happy right now!  I just got my birthday package too!!!!!! Okay... so I didn't open it because I wanted to wait until my birthday so I had my companion open it and get the pens out, because I wanted to have pens (I’m out) for the office and such.  So yes!  The next day, my belt broke and I kinda peeked inside the package and found a belt!  So I was like, alright!!!!  And then when we got the truck, I looked inside the box for the CDs so we could listen to music.  So, I’m pretty sure the package you sent was Inspired because it's been helping me with a lot of things lately!!!  HAha!!!  It's like you're here supporting me, even in America!!!  Yeah!!!  Thanks a ton!  I love you!!!

I'm afraid I'll lose my Tagalog that I've spent so long trying to learn! Haha!  Ay naku, gusto ko kausapin ang mga tao at OYM (open your mouth) ang mga strangers tungkol sa Ebanghelyo ni JesuCristo kahit kailan, pero ngayon sa gabi lang.  Ayos lang.  Hahayo ako at gagawin ang mga bagay na ipinaguutos ng Panginoon. :)  (I really wish I could talk to people about the gospel of Jesus Christ any time but now I can only do it at night. It’s okay, though. I will go and do the things which the Lord has commanded me to do.)

Oh gosh, that will be weird!  (When told that Ryan will be going on his mission before he comes home from his mission so they won’t see each other for 3 and a half years.)  It's great!  I hope my friends decide to serve missions so that we could all be great RM friends!  Haha! I'm just excited to see how many more missionaries we get. This news is huge!!!  I’ll write about it in my next email because I’m out of time now and I want you to get some sleep.  I still have a ton of stuff to do for P-day.

Goodnight!!!  I love you!  Thank you so much for staying up with me.  I actually prayed that I would be able to talk to you tonight and I am happy you were able to get my letter. ^_^  I miss you guys and love you a lot.  Especially after finishing watching the Saturday session!  :)  Have a good night.  I'll see you next week, okay?   Bye!

Doing you Proud,

Elder Froude  ^_^

Goodbye to my companion and roommates

I'll miss these wonderful missionaries

Goodbye to Elder & Sister Whiting

Goodbye Sister Missionaries

I love this couple missionaries!!!

My last sunset in Mindoro.  Goodbye beach...I'll miss you...

Leaving Mindoro early in the morning!

I'm leaving on a jet plane...don't know when I'll be back again...

First day at the office.

My new companion, Elder Scanlan

My office space

AHHHH!!!  I am overwhelemed!  LOL!

With Jollibee!