Another classic update
from Shane… how does he come up with such good stuff?
Family! First
of all, Happy belates 22nd Birthday to the best kuya ever, Trevor Brown! (Sept.
21)
What a week! As
in, what a week talaga! So next week we had the plan to go to Catanduanes
(the island in our zone with a district - 10 missionaries - on it). Well,
on Monday evening we got a text saying that E. Alldredge has an appointment for
some Visa stuff next week that he couldn't reschedule and thus the thrilling
thought came simultaneously to our minds, "We're going to Cats
tomorrow!!!" We texted everyone our new plans and on Tuesday morning
we were of for Cats (Catanduanes).
It was great to be back
on Catanduanes (see pictures). It was fantastic to get the 2632 viruses
removed from my USB (literally), but pretty much the most important thing we
did was find apartments for the new missionaries coming in next transfer.
We set up a new contract everyday we were there. I secretly loved
getting called "Mr. Brown" over and over again (despite my equally
repeated corrections to "Elder Brown"). The whole
time there really was a pleasure. We not only got to go to caves and
waterfalls, but we got to visit all the different missionary apartments and
work a little bit with the missionaries in their own areas. But even with
that, by Friday, I was ready for our vacation, I mean trip, to end. It's
funny how badly I just wanted to go back to the normal schedule of studying in
the morning then working for a few hours, lunch + study and work until night.
You really come to love it after a while.
Okay, I'm saving the
best for last. Also, this is the last thing that happened having to do
with the island venture - the way home. The several hours boat ride home.
Hah, here it goes: First, it was windy. So, so windy. A
result, they said, from the super typhoon traveling just north of the
Philippines. If you can imagine poor Elder Brown locked in a boat getting
tossed around by the sea, it wasn't fun. Nor was in fun when I sat in
fright of the the large, standing A/C unit threatening numerous times to tumble
over me. What really made this picture for me though was when I was
finally drifting off to sleep until I heard some rustling on the ground then a
good shriek from Alldredge - "RAT!" Boy! - if I wasn't freaked out
earlier, I was really on edge now with this little (massive!) guy sitting
behind the air con for the entire rest of the way home! And when I say
"on edge", I mean I was as far from the edge of my seat as possible
for the duration of the ride. ...You'd understand it more had you been
there...
Life continues here in
this beautiful part of the Philippines. Although we had almost no time to
work in our area this week, we still had 45 people come to church in our once
little group! (: That's a record! We want to try and get 50 before
Alldredge leaves in two weeks. We are truely being blessed here. I
feel it. And I sure see the fruits of it.
I wish I could share
with you all my experiences. The perfect excuse though is just as true as
ever - I couldn't put it into words. Thanks for everything, and have a
holly, jolly Christmas (Christmas music is in full-force here)!
Love, Elder Shane Scully
Brown
Pictures -
1. On the boat.
"Jack, Jack! I'm flying Jack!"
2. Deeper into the
cave!
3. On a bridge
4-16. More
Catanduanes adventures
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