Email #17 - Busy Week....

This week has been kind of a long week. Hope everyone is doing well! Welcome to episode 17 of the mission, I can't believe it has been almost four months since I left.

[Monday - February 3, 2020 - Day 111]

Traveled to Mariveles for the computer shop, ate at Blueplate and got a haircut. Haircuts work a little different here, you tell the barber to trim but I guess that means cut really short haha. Me and Elder Bybee went to the dentist to get Elder Bybee's teeth looked at. The first one said that he had three and then the second said he had none. Kind of confusing.. Took a trike up to the middle of nowhere on this mountain to get to this Family Home Evening. It was really fun, we played a few games and a bunch of snacks.

[Tuesday - February 4, 2020 - Day 112]

Watched Elder Bybee play basketball, unfortunately the member that Elder Bybee wanted to play with never showed up. Attended District Council and then had an unlimited rice contest at Billy's Grill, Elder Bybee won by eating six cups of rice. Supposedly the record is 12, I only got to three. After, we packed our bags and headed back to Cabcaben. Decided to go to Locanin, we went back to see this lady we talked to before and she tells us that she "doesn't want to become a mormon". I was like oof. Found out that our ward mission leader got into our house. He found the key and dropped some stuff off. Wasn't really happy about that.. I realized that I forgot my watch in Mariveles.

[Wednesday - February 5, 2020 - Day 113]

Stayed inside this morning. Elder Bybee was getting laundry done and to make up time, we decided to go out early to go proselyte. We rode a bus up to Batangas Dos and Capitol to go teach. My house mates for dinner cooked chicken heart and lungs. All I can say is that it doesn't taste that bad.

[Thursday - February 6, 2020 - Day 114]

We stayed inside to do our weekly planning. Went to our neighbors for lunch and got my favorite Afritada. I finished Saint's Vol. 1. We went up to Alion today to teach. We were teaching and the guy that we were teaching asks us if we knew anything about electronics, I said that I do and this guy brings out a CRT tv for me to fix. I guess it doesn't receive video signal from the antenna. I wasn't expecting a thing like this. I still take a look at it and unfortunately couldn't do much to it. The menus and all that were in Korean. It did look to be more of the Tv's fault than the antenna though.  

[Friday - February 7, 2020 - Day 115]

Got up and heated up some water for the shower. Headed out to Limay for exchanges. Today was a really productive day, in the morning, I went out with Elder Insik to teach this family in a buko (coconut) forest. Coconuts would randomly fall and hit the tin roof. Kind of scary. Than went to lunch at Cafe Carlos where I got a massive banana sundae. Me and Elder Hoffman got on the subject of Papa Bears Pizza in Layton Utah, does anyone else remember that!? I remember loving that place as a kid. For the rest of the day, I proselyted with Elder Hoffman. It decided to pour and I had didn't bring an umbrella. We had another Family Home Evening tonight and it was really fun, there were around 30 people in this small house. Kind of forgot about dinner so we had someone run over to Jollybees and get some fried chicken. 

[Saturday - February 8, 2020 - Day 116]

Had my first Baptism today! Kind of had a rough night sleeping on a foam pad. Elder and Sister Reeves (who are the senior couple) came and picked us up. Stopped by our house to grab my baptismal clothing and some other things. Rode to the church to wait for everyone. They rented a jeepney and so once everyone got there. Everyone piled into the jeep while me, Elder Bybee and our Kabahay's got into the back of Elder and Sister Reeves car. Drove up to Ali Asin and waited at a gas station for the jeep. We invited the mission president, me and Elder Bybee got into the car with him and he took us the rest of the way. This baptism is being held in Dinginin which is a place I have talked about once before. This area can only be accessed by four wheeled vehicles since it is illegal to walk this road. 

We get to the house and we have the ceremony and then I got to baptize in the ocean. The water was surprisingly warm, and to think that the ocean is warmer than a shower. It was a very neat experience. I realized that I left my blanket in Limay.

[Sunday - Lovemonth 9, 2020 - Day 117]

To be honest, not much happened. Went to church and our ward mission leader came with us to teach in Housing. Something kind of neat was the ocean. We got out from our last appointment and we saw the ocean crashing itself into the concrete barrier. It was cool to watch.

[Closing]

Thank you everyone for reading my emails. Have a great week and I'll update you next time.

District Council meetings..

Caught taking a little nap.. Lol

Found (luckily) a dead wasp in there apartment.. It even shrinks some when it dies. But this thing is pretty good size. If you know Patrick, these are not his favorite things...

Elder Dodd's yummy banana split..

Me, my companion and roommates..

A great guy they are teaching right now..

Family Home Evening with some members and having too much fun...

A toilet planter.. and why not! :)

Elder Dodd's first Baptism!! He was so excited and Honored to be a part of this whole family that got Baptized last Saturday. He baptized the youngest boy that is 8 and the rest of the family was done by the Bishop..

The family, extended family, friends and Patrick's Mission President and wife that attended the Baptism.

Elder Dodd, his Companion and the family they Baptized on Sunday after they were all Confirmed..