Family!
This week..... we worked! As in, we
really, really worked. Do you remember that thing called "down
time"? - I don't. We really rocked it this week. And
there were so many rewards.
So here's the interesting things of the week:
Remember Mayon? The most perfectly formed volcano in the world, and
the 2nd most active (I think, at least it's the most active in the
Philippines)? We got home the other night and the office elders who live
right next to us were on their balcony and shouted at us to come up ASAP.
We get up there and scanned the area. It was no secret what they
were looking at..... Lava! Literally, there was lava coming out of
Mayon! What?! It was coming out of the the side though not the top
of the cone. Elder Madsen and I actually went there on Pday last week to
go to a touristy place half way up the volcano so we were glad we went when we
did. Anyways, nothing too crazy happened, the world will be okay.
We did here though (and it's I'm sure mostly rumors) that this is the
year Mayon is supposed to be more active than usual. I'll just let you
know if it ever blows (slash you'll watch in on international television).
Right, so the other great thing of the week was Sunday. After
church, the Nelsons (senior couple) invited us to eat dinner with them.
We got to there house at the end of a long day of work and guess what was
on the Menu... Mexican food! The best! It was just like Cafe Rio
(but better). The whole deal. Kumpleto. We sure love the
senior couples here. Couldn't say enough.
To return to what I started this with... we gave
our all this week. All of it. We almost taught the most
lessons for our whole mission despite all the planning and things we had to do
(we have mission tour next week - General Authority comes and trains the
mission)! Granted... most of those lessons were in other areas on
exchanges so it doesn't technically count, but, we sure worked hard. On
Tuesday, President announced that we had to go to Masbate (an island) the next
morning at 1am. We got there and went on exhanges with some elders.
Before we started, President talked to us and taught about faith.
Really, he told us things we already know and could just nod our heads in
agreement to, but with his conviction, he made us actually want to
do it. That is, work in faith. So we go out for pretty much an
entire day of tracting and I sure loved every minute (and rejection, and crazy
person that opened the doors, and getting laughed at, and being called random
things, etc.) of it. First of all, tracting isn't the most effective way
to find people to teach, but if there isn't any help from the ward, any
obedient, diligent missionary will still go out and make things happen.
Right so I'm with this Elder and we went to a house that they talked to
before and they weren't home but there was someone across the street just
sitting down. Hah somehow we were both a little not-so willing to talk to
them, but as I thought about faith somehow the words "If we have faith,
we'll go talk to that person" came out of my mouth. 20 minutes
later, new investigator, super interested. Then we walked down a street
and there was a guy working on his motor. Since he was obviously busy, I
was a little hesitant. This time, my companion was the fired up one and
he said we had to talk to him. We did. Then he let us in.
Then we talked to his wife. And met his kids. And taught
them. And they made the decision to be baptized. And we were happy.
As we walked out, the elder said to me that he had walked passed that
house several times and felt he should stop, but it wasn't until now that he
actually did. And what good came of it!
Right so that's my ramble for the week.
Sister Guanzon gave us a bunch of pictures she's taken of the mission
stuff over the last few months so I'll attach a few for you. Love you!
Elder Shane Brown
Pictures -
1-2. When we visited Mayon. ...Before it
had lava coming out!
Really can't see it in the picture, but
I promise the lava was real!
4. Construction. No safety ropes
what so ever. Just a guy, his paint, and some bamboo.
5. Elder Madsen and I simultaneously
became George of the Jungle as we swung across this bridge
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