Happy Birthday Elder LeCheminant

Hello from the Philippines!

This last week was really good. Same problems with investigators. Sila tanan nagacampaign! We have many investigators that are campaigning for the upcoming election on May 10. So that takes a lot of their time. Work will be much easier when that is over. But we do have three investigators with a baptismal date. Unfortunately it is for next transfer and I might not still be here in Cadiz. L But there is a chance I’ll still be here, and I’m still happy and proud of them.

We celebrated Elder LeCheminat’s birthday twice. Saturday we went to the Barilea family. We gave them money for the food and Sister Barilea cooked. She made spaghetti, shanghai rolls, wontons (called soimai here), and for desert… mango float! It was so good. It was a lot of fun. We also celebrated earlier today by eating at “21,” a really fancy, good restaurant in Bacolod. And we picked it because Elder LeChem turned 21.

Mother’s Day. We are planning to do it Monday morning here, so Sunday night there. It is also Election Day here, so that will be interesting. Election Day will be a normal P-day, but we won’t go out and work in the evening, medyo delecado kami. We are supposed to avoid political things, so that is why. We can’t get involved or even appear so.

New couch? Wow, it’s about time. We have had that old thing for forever! I remember when the 15th passed, I was thinking about when VITA ended last year. Good times, and some hard times. Best part was getting to spend time with Dad. That’s awesome that Natalie made Dance Co. Of course Mom would give in and tell her, you’ve got to be stronger! That is so strange that Questar is splitting! I don’t know what to think about it. You’ll have to keep me updated on that.  That nice to know about camp stuff too. I’m excited for the opening of Evergreen. Loren Smith is the Camp Director. He is awesome! BLAB is always good too.

So, now about my week. It was a pretty good week, very interesting too. So, Elder LeCheminant as District Leader has to go on exchanges with the relatively new missionaries, then I get their companions. This last week I got Elder Firth who goes home at the end of this transfer. He is Elder Hinckley’s follow-up trainer. Elder Hinckley is batch with me. Elder Firth is a very interesting person. For going home he isn’t that good at the language and some investigators had trouble understanding him. It helped me a lot though. He’s still a good missionary though. This coming week I’ll be with Elder Bennion for a day because of exchanges. We’ve done things together before. He’s really good and fun.

The rest of the week was pretty normal. Celebrated on Saturday, then Sunday had Family Home Evening with the Cenzia family as always. It’s always fun. We play fun games then we get to eat! This week was breakfast for dinner, Filipino style. There was, of course, rice, noodles, and this omelet kind of thing. It was all really good Roxanne is a great cook.

Earlier today we went to Bacolod because we had a Zone activity at the park across the street from the mission home. It’s not normally allowed to go there, so it was interesting. The activity was fun. Hanging out with the zone and playing volleyball. I really like our zone right now. Everyone is fun.

The package will probably get to the country relatively fast, but it will sit in customs for a bit and then the mission office will have to remember to tell me that it is here, that could be a bit sometimes. But I’m excited for it and will keep my eyes out for it.

Well, looking forward to the coming week, we’ll see what it brings!
Love from the Philippines,
Elder Phelps