Magandang hapon po. :D
So, today was transfer day. Yesterday we got the transfer announcements, and, as I expected, Elder Gillette and I are staying one more transfer. Yay! Good thing, too, cuz I didn't really feel like adjusting to a new companion or anything just yet. And I've really enjoyed working with Elder Gillette. He's really fun, and we get along really super well together.
In other news, I've been feeling like crap today. I almost didn't make it to the transfer meeting this morning. The combination of waking up early and something I ate last night not agreeing with me just about put me out of commission. D: I made it somehow, though (it didn't seem to please the taxi driver a lot when I opened the door in the middle of a traffic jam and emptied my rice all over the road...), and also made it back okay (I didn't scare the taxi driver on the way back, but quickly made my way over to an important appointment with the porcelain throne once we got home (coming out of the air-conditioned taxi into the blistering hot sun was a bit too much for me). So yeah. Blargh. D: I've pretty much just been resting since then.
I'm excited for our baptism coming up this Saturday. :D There will be three baptized, Sis. Jinky Tacuyo, Sis. Anita Saquing, and Sis. Thea Gaviola (who's full name is entertainingly long: Maria Theresa Delarosa Gaviola).
After that, our next baptismal candidates are the Sarmiento family on the 21st. They've been making really good progress lately, though they struggled a bit at first. They've been coming to church every week, and they've all gained a testimony. We taught them the Law of Chastity, and their oldest son, Mark, who's 18, when we told him earrings aren't allowed, said, "Okay," then took his earring out and threw it out the window. When we taught them the Word of Wisdom, about five days ago now, they all stopped drinking coffee immediately and Sister Sarmiento, who's been smoking since she was 11, immediately stopped the next day, cold turkey, and hasn't touched a cigarette since. That's faith for you. I hope and pray they continue to show such faith. She's been experiencing withdrawal symptoms, of course, but has simply pushed through it and has remained faithful to her promise.
I'm also excited for Sis. Zenny, the one who just randomly showed up to church because she felt like it, without being told. When she told us where she lived, she was real vague about it, and we couldn't find it, and her cell phone was broken, so she couldn't respond to our texts. So we just sorta hoped and prayed that she would come again the next week. ...And she did! :D So we talked to her again and she clarified that she didn't live near Mercury Drug, near the market, like we thought (she just said Mercury), but she lived near Mercury Frieght, in a slightly different location. Ohhhh.... So we found her house yesterday and set an appointment with her.
This last weekend was performance of the Jubilee, celebrating the Church's 50th year here in the Philippines. It was really cool. :D We had thought President Monson would be coming, but he had to go dedicate a temple elsewhere or something, and couldn't make it. :/ But it was awesome nonetheless. My favorite part was the cultural event on Saturday night, where every stake here in Luzon presented a traditional Filipino dance. Paranaque's was really cool, as well as one where women danced with 4 or 5 pots stacked on their heads. You might be able to find it on the Church website, or probably on YouTube. They broadcast it on BYU TV. Probably the coolest thing was being able to pick out individuals I knew from previous wards, like, "Hey, I know that one!" At one point, they zoomed right in on Santina Pallad, from Cavite, and I was like, "Hey! I know her!" It was a blast. Then on Sunday, a few of the Apostles, Quentin L. Cook and President Boyd K. Packer, as well as the Relief Society president, gave messages. They couldn't come to the Philippines itself, but they broadcast their messages from Salt Lake.
Our next Musical Fireside is coming up on May 15th. Should be fun. I'll be playing "All of Me," and Elder Swenson's having me improvise on a piano keyboard on organ setting for "Battle Hymn of the Republic". I get to play a trumpet fanfare at the beginning (when he first asked me about it, I thought he wanted me to play an actual trumpet fanfare, and I was like, "IFYOUGIVEMEATRUMPETI'LLPLAYWHATEVERYOUWANTMETO." If only... ;P ), and a few cool harp runs and piccolo parts and stuff, based on the Mormon Tab version. Should be pretty cool.
I have competition now (not that I didn't before, but now I have more...). There's a new Elder, Elder Coakley, who's apparently unbelievably amazing on the piano. I haven't actually heard him play yet, but I hear he's really good, like, fingers-flying-across-the-keyboard-at-unbelievable-speeds good, and I'd kinda like to hear him play. He will probably also play on the 15th.
One thing that I like about transfer meeting is that all the missionaries gather into one place, so you can check up on old companions and old areas. Mexi's apparently doing fine, still going to church and enjoying it. :D My other recent converts are doing fine, too, though I didn't get much of a chance to check up on Boni 4th. The best letters to get that make me the happiest are letters from recent converts. I got one from Sheila Famisaran last transfer day, where she thanked me for sharing the truth with her. I tried to write back, but apparently she's in Batangas right now. I told the missionaries to give the letter to her family, who can probably figure out some way of getting it to her. I'll probably write Mexi either day or next week, as well as a few other converts.
Mother's Day kinda snuck up on me this year. It was like, "Hey, look! That's this Sunday! :D " I may call around 9 to 9:30 for you guys on Saturday night. I'd call at 8, but that's 12 pm for us here, right after church, and we have correlation meeting we need to attend, so mga 1pm na lang. I'm looking forward to it. :D
If you guys haven't sent the package already, could you buy me some new socks? :D Plz? I'm running out of them, and socks that actually fit are kinda hard to find here... ;P I've bought several pairs that they've said are "ONE SIZE FITS ALL." Apparently, I'm not included in this "All" category... ;P Salaaaamat...
Anyway, I guess I'll talk to you guys on Sunday. :D Happy Mother's Day in advance!
Love,
Elder David Jones
P.S. 8 months na lang! That's getting steadily closer... o.o
So, today was transfer day. Yesterday we got the transfer announcements, and, as I expected, Elder Gillette and I are staying one more transfer. Yay! Good thing, too, cuz I didn't really feel like adjusting to a new companion or anything just yet. And I've really enjoyed working with Elder Gillette. He's really fun, and we get along really super well together.
In other news, I've been feeling like crap today. I almost didn't make it to the transfer meeting this morning. The combination of waking up early and something I ate last night not agreeing with me just about put me out of commission. D: I made it somehow, though (it didn't seem to please the taxi driver a lot when I opened the door in the middle of a traffic jam and emptied my rice all over the road...), and also made it back okay (I didn't scare the taxi driver on the way back, but quickly made my way over to an important appointment with the porcelain throne once we got home (coming out of the air-conditioned taxi into the blistering hot sun was a bit too much for me). So yeah. Blargh. D: I've pretty much just been resting since then.
I'm excited for our baptism coming up this Saturday. :D There will be three baptized, Sis. Jinky Tacuyo, Sis. Anita Saquing, and Sis. Thea Gaviola (who's full name is entertainingly long: Maria Theresa Delarosa Gaviola).
After that, our next baptismal candidates are the Sarmiento family on the 21st. They've been making really good progress lately, though they struggled a bit at first. They've been coming to church every week, and they've all gained a testimony. We taught them the Law of Chastity, and their oldest son, Mark, who's 18, when we told him earrings aren't allowed, said, "Okay," then took his earring out and threw it out the window. When we taught them the Word of Wisdom, about five days ago now, they all stopped drinking coffee immediately and Sister Sarmiento, who's been smoking since she was 11, immediately stopped the next day, cold turkey, and hasn't touched a cigarette since. That's faith for you. I hope and pray they continue to show such faith. She's been experiencing withdrawal symptoms, of course, but has simply pushed through it and has remained faithful to her promise.
I'm also excited for Sis. Zenny, the one who just randomly showed up to church because she felt like it, without being told. When she told us where she lived, she was real vague about it, and we couldn't find it, and her cell phone was broken, so she couldn't respond to our texts. So we just sorta hoped and prayed that she would come again the next week. ...And she did! :D So we talked to her again and she clarified that she didn't live near Mercury Drug, near the market, like we thought (she just said Mercury), but she lived near Mercury Frieght, in a slightly different location. Ohhhh.... So we found her house yesterday and set an appointment with her.
This last weekend was performance of the Jubilee, celebrating the Church's 50th year here in the Philippines. It was really cool. :D We had thought President Monson would be coming, but he had to go dedicate a temple elsewhere or something, and couldn't make it. :/ But it was awesome nonetheless. My favorite part was the cultural event on Saturday night, where every stake here in Luzon presented a traditional Filipino dance. Paranaque's was really cool, as well as one where women danced with 4 or 5 pots stacked on their heads. You might be able to find it on the Church website, or probably on YouTube. They broadcast it on BYU TV. Probably the coolest thing was being able to pick out individuals I knew from previous wards, like, "Hey, I know that one!" At one point, they zoomed right in on Santina Pallad, from Cavite, and I was like, "Hey! I know her!" It was a blast. Then on Sunday, a few of the Apostles, Quentin L. Cook and President Boyd K. Packer, as well as the Relief Society president, gave messages. They couldn't come to the Philippines itself, but they broadcast their messages from Salt Lake.
Our next Musical Fireside is coming up on May 15th. Should be fun. I'll be playing "All of Me," and Elder Swenson's having me improvise on a piano keyboard on organ setting for "Battle Hymn of the Republic". I get to play a trumpet fanfare at the beginning (when he first asked me about it, I thought he wanted me to play an actual trumpet fanfare, and I was like, "IFYOUGIVEMEATRUMPETI'LLPLAYWHATEVERYOUWANTMETO." If only... ;P ), and a few cool harp runs and piccolo parts and stuff, based on the Mormon Tab version. Should be pretty cool.
I have competition now (not that I didn't before, but now I have more...). There's a new Elder, Elder Coakley, who's apparently unbelievably amazing on the piano. I haven't actually heard him play yet, but I hear he's really good, like, fingers-flying-across-the-keyboard-at-unbelievable-speeds good, and I'd kinda like to hear him play. He will probably also play on the 15th.
One thing that I like about transfer meeting is that all the missionaries gather into one place, so you can check up on old companions and old areas. Mexi's apparently doing fine, still going to church and enjoying it. :D My other recent converts are doing fine, too, though I didn't get much of a chance to check up on Boni 4th. The best letters to get that make me the happiest are letters from recent converts. I got one from Sheila Famisaran last transfer day, where she thanked me for sharing the truth with her. I tried to write back, but apparently she's in Batangas right now. I told the missionaries to give the letter to her family, who can probably figure out some way of getting it to her. I'll probably write Mexi either day or next week, as well as a few other converts.
Mother's Day kinda snuck up on me this year. It was like, "Hey, look! That's this Sunday! :D " I may call around 9 to 9:30 for you guys on Saturday night. I'd call at 8, but that's 12 pm for us here, right after church, and we have correlation meeting we need to attend, so mga 1pm na lang. I'm looking forward to it. :D
If you guys haven't sent the package already, could you buy me some new socks? :D Plz? I'm running out of them, and socks that actually fit are kinda hard to find here... ;P I've bought several pairs that they've said are "ONE SIZE FITS ALL." Apparently, I'm not included in this "All" category... ;P Salaaaamat...
Anyway, I guess I'll talk to you guys on Sunday. :D Happy Mother's Day in advance!
Love,
Elder David Jones
P.S. 8 months na lang! That's getting steadily closer... o.o
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