Week 34 (Mar. 1, 2015 Guimba, Philippines)

Hey Mom :)

That's scary about Grandma and Axel. Every week when I log on to email, my heart always drops, fearing I'm going to be reading about a death or something :/ I don't know why that always enters into my mind, and I hate it, but I can't help it. I'm glad to hear though that they've recovered a bit. I'll keep you all in my prayers. How's Kylie and her Osteoporosis? I prayed for her this week and fasted for her yesterday. Sickness and disease is a scary thing, and it's even scarier when you can't be there to do anything. I know I wouldn't be able to do anything even if I was their, but I just worry is all. And please don't take this as a sign that I don't want you to tell me about these things. I really do, so I can add my prayers and faith to their health and safety. Love you all :)

So no more Korean? Hm. I guess Thailand's pretty cool too. I think. The only thing I've really ever heard about it is from Sweet Life of Zack and Cody. I guess anything Asian is fine, as long as it's not the Philippines. The Philippines is an Asian lie. They speak more Spanish here than Pure Tagalog it seems. But as long as you're not hoping for Asian, The Philippines is fine :P

Haha, I like to think I'd make a pretty good Bert too :P I want to take all sort of lessons when I get home. Piano Lessons, Singing Lessons, Acting Lessons, Japanese Lessons, etc :P I just love to learn, I've discovered.

I'm all for BYU, but my problem is that I don't completely know what I want to go into. I've been telling people Computer/Electrical Engineering, but I've got a bunch of batch mates from the mission (including Elder Chan) studying Accounting at BYU. Also, I seem to be pretty good at delivering straight lectures, so I could probably make it as a Math Professor. Ugh. But sure, go ahead with the application :P

So anyway, this week has been alright. I gave the Workshop in District Meeting, and delivered a straight lecture in Elders Quorum. President Lina seems to have enjoyed it, and so he asked me to be the concluding speaker on Sunday. Fine. Besides that, I can't remember much of what else has happened. Work is pretty slow out here in Guimba :\

We've got a couple of good investigators. Paul Jhon Barcelita and his cousin Patrick are both on goal for March 14, along with their friend, Jimber Ganil. They attend church every week, and are old enough to be baptized without Guardian Permission. Good thing too, because their parents disapprove. At the same time, though, I don't know if that's such a good thing. I don't want to break a family :( Any ideas? And speaking of Ideas, do Dad and the other RMs have any tips or tricks for Finding People? I seem to have absolutely no skill at all with people. I tried Robert's prayer with exact obedience equation, but I think it has to be exact obedience in the companionship, And my kasama doesn't seem to have much or any desire to be any kind of obedient. I've talked to him, and he's all for it until it's actually time to do it. I can't talk to our District Leader cause he's no better, and nothing seems to have happened since I talked to the Zone Leaders. Thoughts?

And for the good stuff that's actually good stuff, BAPTISMS!! But not here :P In my last area, but I helped out quite a bit with them as well :P Anyway, here's the pictures. It's up to you if you put their names on the chart. I don't know if they really count for me, but I'll let you check it out anyway :)

Alright, from left to right. Elder Birth (new ZL; never met him), Elder Nalumen, Mary Rose Ramos, Shiella May Alcantara, Victor Riego, Elder Porter (greenie; also haven't met him), Elder Hernane, and Christian Espejo.

Elder Maestrado and I began teaching all three of them. We began with Mary Rose within the first week of opening the area. We started teaching Shiella about the last week of Novemember, and met Brother Victor about a week before Elder Maestrado finished his mission, mid December. They were baptized on February 28, 2015 (says the picture file). Boom :)

Love you Mom! Thank you!!

Elder Syphus

PS: 1 month until General Conference again!!!! :D :D :D It feels like the October Conference was just last week :D

PPS: 8 month mark :)
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