October 4, 2013 – My busy week

Dear Mom, Dad, Elder Froude2, Lauren, and everyone who knows that not getting enough sleep is bad for them but still doesn’t get enough sleep,

Well, I can say that this week has been jam-packed with adventure, workshops, meetings, and everything a missionary needs to keep him busy on the last 3 months of his mission. Let’s start from Sunday and work our way out…

Sunday: We coordinated with the sister trainers/leaders that we share a ward with (Qurino 1st ward) to teach about the importance of member missionary work. It was a great success; we got many compliments. We had videos, we used role-playing, and we used handouts and all to commit the members to help in finding new investigators. Many of the ward members loved the presentation and committed to refer their friends for us to teach! Which is great! Then we spent the rest of the day preparing for our workshops later this week and sending out all of the important information that missionaries need.

Monday: We had our weekly planning meeting with President Revillo (who is Filipino and does speak Tagalog or more Tag-lish to us) and were able to coordinate for our workshop topics for zone interviews and the Mission Leadership Council (MLC) coming up on Thursday.

Tuesday: Was a big long day. We did 2 zone interviews for two different zones and each of those times we took Sister Revillo out to check missionary apartments to see if they were clean and such.  Haha! (Something they routinely do.)  In the zone interview, there are 3 workshops that go on while President interviews people 1 by 1 during this time. The District Leaders teach a workshop for 1 hour, then the Zone Leaders, and then Elder Pedrola and I (the AP’s) had a great workshop on the baptismal invitation that we give to each of the zones in their zone interviews. So, we did that twice and we didn’t get back home until like 7:30 because we went directly to our baptismal dates’ house (people who are getting ready to be baptized), the Benfit family. They are such wonderful people. They are Americans living in the Philippine for job and schooling opportunities. Brother Todd works for a few basketball teams as a sports therapist and Sister Benfit is taking up Dental Schooling here. They are a great member family but their kids are not yet baptized so we are doing our best to teach them all that they know so they can be baptized, hopefully, by the beginning of November…that is our goal for them. They are so nice and they gave us an entire pizza to eat. Do you know the scripture where the Lord says, “…take no thought for what ye shall eat or drink,…” well, Elder Pedrola and I have had many experiences where that scripture has come true for us and this is only one of the many times this scripture has been fulfilled. ^_^

Wednesday: We spent it mainly for preparation for MLC and taught a little but that was all for this day.

Thursday: Get this, we had an 8-hour MLC meeting about all of the changes, improvements, rules we had to discuss; it took a really long time but it was necessary. Some of it could have been shorter, yes, if people would just accept the changes but people had to debate a bit about a few things. Anyway, let’s not get into that. The important thing is that the last 30 minutes of this meeting were for Elder Pedrola and I to give our workshop for “Becoming a Preach My Gospel Missionary” which is the topic that all of the Zone Leaders will be teaching about this next week to the entire mission. It is also in the October Liahona if you want to read it. It’s by Elder Bednar. Then when we got back to the office by 7pm I was so beat and so tired and my companion said, “Come, we need to teach Brother Edgar and Sister Merci  before we go home.”  And I’m going to be honest, I did not want to teach after that super long MLC meeting cause I was so tired I was about to fall asleep on the couch. But with the last strength that I had and surprisingly good Tagalog we were able to teach Brother Edgar about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was a good lesson and lasted about 30 minutes and it was exactly what he needed. After that lesson, at about 8:00, we went to teach Sister Merci, still feeling exhausted but still trying to endure to the end. We then ate dinner and finally went home. I was so, so, sooo very exhausted but the house was medyo makalat (a bit messy) so I cleaned the table, washed the dishes, still with my missionary clothes on, then went to the bathroom to shower. It’s about 9:30 at this time and as soon as I turned on the water, the water shuts off….NOOO!!!!!!! I scream and go downstairs thinking I’m going to die of exhaustion and sweatiness.  So, then I had the idea to use the water I put in the fridge to shower. I think I used about 2.5 liters of cold, cold water to shower then I went to bed. It was a long day! (The water was turned off due to construction, I found out later.)

Friday was full of meetings.

And now we are at today! So that was my week how was yours?  I love you and thank you so much for supporting me and Elder Froude 2. Have a good night!

Doing you Proud,

Elder Froude ^_^

P.S.

Being an AP is a lot easier than a Finance Secretary, I think, because we actually get to teach nice spiritual workshops and I’ve been able to feel the Spirit so much more in regards to teaching and training missionaries and of course in the preparation. That is my favorite!  ^_^

Pictures from my last area, Morong, Rizal

The Orvillo Family

Morong Zone

The Jensens...senior couple missionaries

New missionary, Elder Magno

My previous companion, Elder Millora

Sister Kahui...she has a great singing voice

Sister Cutia...they call her my twin.  She has Filipino parents, live in San Jose, CA., doesn't speak Tagalog, and went to BYU.

With Elder Coe, one of my former companion

Exiting missionaries

My new companion, Elder Pedrola and our new van

Lunch at McDonald's

My new apartment