November 2, 2012 - Here’s to you!

Dear Mom, Dad, Ryan and all else who are reading,

It is official. Many of my friends back home are going on missions within the next few months, which means I’m going to be the one waiting for people to get home when I’m back.  Haha!  I love how I turned my calendar to November and I see that you put on the calendar the day that Breaking Dawn Part 2 comes out.  HAHA!  I was laughing so hard when I saw it!  I just hope the other Elders don’t notice.  :P

Monday was pretty much the WORST DAY EVER. We had mail run that day.  That was a ball of fun. We took the AP’s van because ours was still at the PAO getting its tire fixed.  So, we take the mail to Marikina, like it says on the calendar.  We got lost for a bit then we found the chapel but no one was there.  Apparently, they had a zone activity that day, which means no district meeting (where we usually hand out the mail). Their calendar, which is wrong, says that they have zone interviews on Wednesday when it’s supposed to be next week.  Sayang.  So, we go back to the office and then we try to take Pasig and Taguig their mail run.  Traffic was horrible, but I stayed calm.  It took us about 3 and a half hours to get to both of them.  While driving to Pasig, a jeepney tried to get into my lane without signaling so I hit the brakes and he clips my front bumper!  I didn’t think anything of it at first, I thought it was just a scratch so I just kept going to Pasig chapel, which was like 5 minutes away at this point.  When we got there, I found that about half of the front bumper was just hanging down a little.  >.<  I was totally stressing out at this point.  I was like, “Okay, I just want to be done with driving and get back to the office as soon as possible.”  Next thing I know, we spend 2 hours trying to find the Taguig chapel.  After looking and looking, we decided to just follow a jeepney and hoped it would lead us to the chapel. Traffic was horrible and the streets were so tiny we could barely get the van where it needed to go!  But we did get there in the end and made it back to the office safely, after listening to the same EFY 2004 CD for 5 times straight and then some!

So we think the day is done right?  Well, we get back to the office and the APs ask us how things are going.  I’m super stressed out at this point because of the car.  As soon as I stepped out of the car, I was surrounded by elders asking me about reimbursements and account numbers and medical costs and such.  I’m just glad I didn’t yell at anyone at this point.  Ha ha!   But then the best part…we switch cars back with the APs and we’re *coding again!  Yay!  Office till 7 pm!  Then the APs locked their keys in the car.  >.<   So, we’re all coding and have no way to open the car!  Oh gosh… pretty much WORST DAY EVER!!!  It’s okay they don’t come too often.  I just don’t ever want to drive again.  I’ll have to, I know, but until then I’m done driving!!!!!!!!!!

*Cultural note: Car coding happens  to all cars once a week during the weekdays. This means that when you are coding, you cannot drive your car from 7-10am and from 3-7pm. This is determined by your license plate number. 

Tuesday was a good busy day, I had a lot of things to do and it was good fun.  I had to fix a problem with Quezon City North’s JPM cards. 3 elders from another mission just got their cards from our mission and it had $4000 in it and they withdrew it all in one day!  Now they’re in trouble.  Ouch!  It was actually quite inspired how I found it. I was just led to finding the password and usernames I needed to do to bring up the right records and such.  Anyway, then I solved some bug issues, figuring out phone load, and making sure checks are getting in and out as needed.  We also took Ben Delamare to a party, came back and I tried to fix a finance problem but in vain because the internet randomly turns off.  It was a good busy day. I like being busy, it makes the time pass by faster and I accomplish a lot more.

I really like writing, whether it be an email or in my journal, it helps me relax, vent, and record all of the awesome experiences that I have. I enjoy typing a lot more than actually writing because it’s just much faster and easier to edit this way.

Thursday 11/1

I’ve been in the office too long.  I don’t have any news about progressing investigators or people I’m teaching that is going really well. We do go out and teach at night but nothing too exciting is going on yet.  Except that today was Zone leader council, which means all of the zone leaders go to have training with President and the APs.  Elder Scanlan and I were able to go and have lunch with all of them at the mission home so that was good.  I got to see some of my good friends on the mission. Elder Peralta, my trainer is now a zone leader.  Good for him! He really looks like he’s been doing great in the field.  Elder Herr and Elder Duenas  were on the mainland for the day so I got to see them too.  Mindoro is doing great I hear!  The district is running smoothly and everyone else is doing great. I missed Elder Herr and Elder Duenas.  Haha! Elder Duenas says that without me the house is quiet now.  Haha!  Maingay ka daw!  (I’m loud and noisy) My follow-up trainer, Elder Barrow, is also a Zone leader now too!  He’s probably my favorite companion so far.  So hard working; always seeking revelation and service to others.  Haha!  I missed that Kid.  He and Elder Herr are talking about getting housing for fall semester. They asked me when I was coming back and I said January 16^th so I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it for winter semester. I’ll need to think about it. But being roommates with Elder Herr and Elder Barrow would be the best Day Ever! I’m glad they’re going to the Y. From Elder Barrow, I got a lot of information about my first area, Pasig 2^nd Ward. So, here are some updates on a few old friends...

Brother Israel Pallisigue and his family are doing great and are fully active in the church! ^_^  Yes! They are planning on getting sealed in May.  I hope they invite me!  Wow! Time goes by so fast. Sister Mae-Rose Gomez is also doing great and is still active in the ward. They are also planning on getting sealed in May.  Sister Alice Almocera is now married! She married an RM (returned missionary) from Australia named Jared and they are moving to Australia in a few months or weeks.  O.o  Oh my gosh!  Haha!  Wow, I knew she had an internet boyfriend but I didn’t know they were that serious.  Apparently, they got engaged and married all within a week.  That’s pretty fast!  I hope things turn out well.  Sister Alice did write me. She thanked me for all that we did for her in bringing her to the wonderful truth and strength that comes from the Gospel. ^_^  It really does make a missionary happy to hear from their recent converts. The Arduo’s are hitting their year mark this December so they are excited to go to the temple as well. ^_^  I’m glad to hear everyone is doing well in Pasig 2^nd.

I got to work with Elder Herr and Elder Duenas while they were here for the day and so that was really fun. We had a nice dinner appointment at a good restaurant with a ward missionary. Then we took them to SM (ShoeMart, it’s like Macy’s) to get things that the sister missionaries need down in Mindoro.  I miss those guys!  They are doing great.  I felt so much of a stronger Spirit working with Elder Herr.  It was just like the good old times!

Friday 11/2

Today has been great!  You know, Elder Scanlan and I are really starting to warm up to each other. We actually have conversations now, share interests, and talk about investigators and less actives together. We’re doing well. We did some tracting yesterday and we got one potential investigator and 1 new investigator.  Rick is his name and he’s really confused about doctrine so it made it easier to teach him. He’s willing to learn although he is pretty madaldal (talkative) sometimes. Haha! Anyway, we’ve been working in unity as of late so things are going well. I’ve just had to look at him differently, see more with my heart than my eyes. The best way to be a good missionary is to see people as they become, not who they were. That is looking with an eye single to the glory of God. Things are all good and doing well. We even had casual conversations during meals, so it’s good.  We understand each other more now.

Spiritual Thought:

“Do you young people want a sure way to eliminate the influence of the adversary in your life? Immerse yourself in searching for your ancestors, prepare their names for the sacred vicarious ordinances available in the temple, and then go to the temple to stand as proxy for them to receive the ordinances of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. As you grow older, you will be able to participate in receiving the other ordinances as well. I can think of no greater protection from the influence of the adversary in your life.” ~ Elder Richard G. Scott

I hope you all have a good week and that you are enjoying life.  I know I am. ^_^  Take care and I love you all!  Sorry, no pictures this week!

Doing you Proud,

Elder Froude  ^_^