17 Jan 2011

Hey everyone,

Well it was another pretty good week.  We stayed busy and it flew by faster than I wanted it to. As for the Investigators, they are doing good as well.

On Tuesday we went and did exchanges with the office elders.  That was fun.  I got to go to their area and work, we were up in the mountains.  up and down and up and down.  It was a nice change and to get out of the city.  Elder Layugan, a relatively new missionary, I think about 6 months here in the field but he is magaling! (I think in English it means he's got Skills!)  And I got to hang out with the AP's who I am pretty tight with.  Then on Wednesday morning I came back to the area and worked for a couple days.

Friday we went down to Orani for District Leader Training.  It is a little different being at those things when you are on the other end of the presentation.  When you are in the teaching position not the being taught to.  It went relatively well, except they only have us a half hour to do our workshop,  I needed another 30 minutes.  It was funny because before my mission, I wasn't a fan of doing stuff like that but its so much easier when you have someone telling you what do say through the whole thing.  Except when you have dumb elders that like to contradict you say.  Its part of the game I guess. 

One of our investigators, Ray, the one that just got out of jail, has been growing and his knowledge of the gospel is flourishing.  We've started teaching him at the church to minimize the distractions and in his eagerness to learn more about the gospel, he started coming to institute, held every Saturday night, right before the coordination meeting with the branch missionaries and the branch presidency. I think this is probably the best organized branch I've been assigned too.  After Institute Ray saw us eating Ice cream at a place pretty close to the church and came and broke the news to us.  Because of his situation of just getting out of Jail for 3 years, he literally has nothing, no money, he does have the clothes on his back.  He has been staying with a family friend here in Olongapo.  He was going to try and get his brother to come to the Philippines to help him out but his brother doesn't want to so Ray has to got to Singapore.  He will be leaving on the 28th which means that he will not be baptized.  But the good thing is that one of the members here has a friend in Singapore so she is gonna call her friend so that Ray can still go to church and stuff over there.  Ray said he'll come back to the Phils.  if his case goes thru.  I hope so but me and him are planning a trip to Adam-ondi-ahman when I get back to the states. He heard about it in Institute and got way interested.  That should be fun.

In another cool experience. Last night, because of a mix up in the schedule we took 4 members with us to one appointment.  I thought it was a lot, but it ended up being alright.  One of the members works for the court system so she's all up on the laws and stuff.  Our investigator's 1 problem is that they are not married so they can't get baptized. They said because sister had petitioned to go abroad to the states they couldn't get married because she petitioned.  But luckily they said it to sister Cora last night she told them as long as they can prove that they weren't married when she petitioned they can get married. It was awesome! MY heart leaped for joy when she said that!  So things are falling into place for many good people that deserve the gospel. 

I gotta run.

Talk to you all next week

Elder Chase

PS I hope none of you are feeling neglected because you haven't got a letter from me.  I honestly haven't had time to write.  I'm sorry.  Just know I love you all!