A New Hope

Well the news arrived yesterday at 6:30 in the morning. I'm getting transferred! Finally getting out of Iriga, which it's been a great time, but I've been here for 10 months. I love the people here, but I'm tired of speaking Ricronoda (kase maoban no ako sadi). Anyway we'll find out tomorrow morning where I'm going and who my next companion is going to be. A whole other adventure, it should be exciting. Today is just packing though. 

This week was good though. We've tried on working on building our teaching pool in some other brangays, but we just ended up getting bashed by a lot of Jehovah's Witnesses and Baptists. We did find though a couple of cool people. Including this one guy who has the most disgusting wound on his leg I have ever seen. But he was interested in the BOM, so it worked out. We also of course just been going around and saying bye to people I've grown close with here. It's been a week of up and downs.

So not a whole lot to report to this week, just a lot of finding, interesting people, and packing. At least my companion is better. Well till next week!

All is Well

Elder Bills

1.After picture of the companionship. People have said we got really skinny. 

2. Fearless Zone Leader at his last District Council. 

3. The OG's 

4. Opa naman

Isaac is so excited to be transferred. He's been in the city of Iriga since he arrive in the Naga Mission last November 1. He served in an extremely rural part of the city in a province called San Ramon for 18 weeks and then in Iriga proper the past 24 weeks, so yes, he's ready for a change. 

He has LOVED serving with Elder Fa'aloto, though, and is sad he can't take him with him to his new area. Three of his companions have already returned home, and the elder in the second photo is a zone leader he has become close to, but he also (Elder Anderson) also goes home this week. We joked that he needs to ask missionaries how long they have left before he can become friends with them. He says it's hard to see missionaries go home. 

He has enjoyed being district leader as well, and will find out at the Transfer Meeting where he is going, who he will be with and if he'll continue being a district leader or not. He has loved the people of Iriga, but he also says it's been a difficult journey. His last two companions have been a godsend for him (and to us, as his parents back home). Father in Heaven answers prayers, for sure!

It's fun to listen to him on the phone call each week as he talks with other missionaries back and forth in Tagaloglish while he talks with us.  Sadie happened to get on for a minute last night and one of the elders from Sri Lanka asked Isaac about her. Isaac had also seen a photo of the Sri Lankan elder's sister, and they joked about having a double date with each other's sisters after the mission. :) I think that's when Sadie got embarassed and left the room. :)

This phone call each week has been a huge blessing for us. It's like we are living in the 1940s and waiting for the next installment of "War of the Worlds" to come on on the radio. The family gathers round and we just love listening to (and sometimes seeing) our missionary!