Conference was great!!

Okay, things here in Cadiz are going well, for the most part. We’ve been punted a lot lately, and we’ve had investigators ask for a break or they tell us that they are transferring (moving). We had one leave for Cebu for the next month for work and two others are moving to Manila. At least the ones leaving for Manila are going for good reasons; jobs! The ones we are able to meet with are all doing so well though.

Yes, I am getting better at the language; Elder LeCheminant says that I’m actually pretty good. I’m able to do so much more. Talking to Elder LeCheminant is much easier than talking to Elder Claven, because he’s from Utah. He also worked at Seven Peaks Water Park the last four years before his mission. So, yeah. We get along really well. He has so many fun stories. Some before the mission, some during. For those that know Jeremy Park, he reminds me a lot of him.

Food. Yes we eat rice pretty much every day, and if we don’t eat rice it just feels strange. We actually didn’t have any yesterday, noodles instead. Yes I still love rice. Favorite restaurant here is Mang Inasal. They have unlimited rice, and you get to eat with your HANDS!! It’s way fun and natural now. Many times at members houses you’ll eat with your hands too. Sometimes the food is really hot and it burns your fingertips! Fruits and veggies are pretty easy to get. They don’t have lettuce here, but plenty of cabbage. They also have yellow watermelon, and the normal red too, they taste the same. Mangos are like candy. The mangos here come from Guimaras, the island between Negroes and Panay. They are sooo sweet, and cheep for now. Mango season ends soon though…

Haven’t tried too many new foods yet. Had some really good adobo at a birthday party/ FHE, there was home-made cake too! So good! Elder LeCheminant knows how to cook a lot of pinoy (filippino) dishes, so I’m getting more. He made Chicken Curry the other day. Filipino curry is different than others, it’s sweeter than others. They don’t like bitter or terribly spicy in general, but of course some individuals do.

Conference. Conference was great!! All the talks were so awesome! And as a guilty pleasure we got to sit in air con at the church for most of Saturday and Sunday! Awesome! I’m just blown away by it all. One strange thing is that the people will sing along with the choir… don’t really like it, but it was alright. We even had four investigators come to the Sunday sessions!

Last night we went to the Romero family, and Tatay (dad) Romero has set a baptismal date for May 1!, a national holiday here, and Elder LeCheminant’s birthday. He was feeling unsure and that he wasn’t ready, but we shared Mosiah 18: 8-10 with him (baptismal covenant) and he decided that he could do it! I know he knows it’s true, I’m so happy for him. He’s such a simple guy, but he’s awesome. I’m sure Kristine is happy too.

I was actually reflecting on VITA the other day. Mostly just remembering how glad I was for it to end! But it was a good experience and I learned a lot from it.

Stake Conference is coming up here on April 25. That’ll be fun. The stake includes four “cities.” Cadiz, Manapla, Fabrica, and Victorias. We have it easy because the Stake Center is here in Cadiz!

May 3 is going to be an awesome P-day btw. It’s the P-day after Elder LeCheminant’s b-day and its Sister Tobias’ b-day, so we are gonna do lunch! Should be fun.

Well, I think that covers my week and your questions. Nothing else really stood out, at least not to me. My whole day would stand out to you, but I’m just use to it now. It’s just how it is. Oh, I did actually remember my cord for my camera so I can do pictures. So you can FINALLY have some. Hopefully they make it to you! I’ll pick some good ones. I’ll make a CD and send it home when I have more pictures too so you can have them all.

--Elder Phelps

PS.
You can stop with the dearelders. They take forever to get here, and they are just annoying. Sorry. Though do keep sending Stuart’s and Emily’s stuff.

Package. Good things to include in a package are contact solution and deodorant. Those two are both expensive here. 300-ish pesos! Sure that’s like six bucks, but compared to everything else we have to buy its mahal guid! (expensive!) Like, it makes up half my total grocery price when I buy them.

Yes, Josh did email me. Due to rules I have to snail mail my reply. But I’m way excited for him.