May 26, 2013 - New Adventure!

Well, I have just been called to serve as a Zone leader in Tandang Sora Zone in North Quezon City.  I'm going to be honest; this is one of the toughest areas I’ve ever had. I came into the area with no baptismal dates, no progressing investigators, just a long list of potential investigators to contact. The area book hasn't even been updated since April so I don't have much to work with. It was a really big shock to me in comparison with my last area. So, I think I was in depression for about 3 days trying to adjust. It was the hardest adjustment of my mission, I believe. But I’m doing well now. I'm finding ways to be happy and look on the bright side. We've set goals in the zone to help focus our efforts to referrals and OYMs to boost up the new investigators and help them progress.

My companion is Elder Basalo, he is from Davao. I appreciate him cause we speak Tagalog all of the time.  He is 23 yrs. old (my 4th 23 year old companion).  Anyway... my Tagalog is doing way better now. I spent most of last transfer trying to use it more every day and it's been working out well. You never really know how much you know until you are called to teach the gospel principles class. I taught it in all Tagalog and a little English for a full 30-40 minutes. It was good. I was impressed on how much I’ve improved. I'll definitely do more study though, cause I still sound like a “Joe” daw (they say).  Haha!!! 

Last Saturday, we had a home teaching activity with the Ward Council which ended up being a huge success. I went and worked with the bishop and he told a great story about palm trees. He's always wondered why the Jews greeted Jesus in Jerusalem with palm tree leaves. He found out that palm trees were also used by Isaiah because palm trees can survive in the desert. When there is no moisture, they will bury their roots deeper into the soil to find more water. Also, palm trees when planted in a pot will always break through the pot. Palm trees also will not be blown down by however strong the wind is because their roots are buried so deep into the earth. And also (this may be because I didn't understand his Tagalog) I believe he said that palm trees do not burn.  So this is a great symbol of how we should be as Disciples of Christ. We need to be like palm trees with our roots buried deep in the church/gospel and when trials come, we need to stand tall, take it all, and overcome it. That's my spiritual thought for this week.

Special shout out to all of my family and friends who have been emailing me lately! I've definitely needed your moral support this week and will be praying for you as always! 

Hoping you are all doing well this week!  I love you!

 
Doing you Proude,

Elder Froude ^_^

P.S.

As a Zone Leader, I am responsible for reporting the numbers of all the missionaries in my zone to the President.  I am in the Missionary Leadership council where we meet with President and talk about how to improve the mission.  And just leading by example as well as going on exchanges where I need to help missionaries grow. And I have to deal with all of the pasaway (disobedient) missionaries. I don't foresee too many problems with the missionaries here so that's good. 

My new companion, Elder Basalo.

On my third day at this new area, the missionaries trapped this visitor in our apartment. Have you ever seen a huge rat???
Apparently, this is the second one they caught in a week!