My son, we have work to do

Crazy week, like absolutely just insane. I don't know how i'm going to be able to put it all into words, I guess we'll start at the beginning. The first day of this week was of course transfer day. The night before we had a total of 8 Elders at our apartment. 3 of which were going home. Lets just say it was an extremely trunky night. Nobody got to bed until like 11. And then we got up at 2 and all attempted to shower out of the one bucket we have. We made it though, and got a bus for 3 hours, where I kept falling asleep on the person next to me. Fun ride. 

We got to Naga, and dropped off Elder De Jesus. It wasn't the most emotional goodbye, but a goodbye nevertheless. Our trainees though don't arrive till Wednesday, so we just waited around for our meeting while everyone else just filtered out. We had a good Trainer's meeting, where I got to see again my beloved companion Elder Fa'aloto, who is also training in our old area of Iriga. 

 

I was eventually assigned though to work in the San Fernando area for the day, with the smallest Elder in the Philippines Naga Mission. Elder Sorolio. He's a full 3'8 tall, and a super cool dude. San Fernando is also the training area of my other beloved companion, Elder Lougee. I was able to meet his converts, and see some of the places he told me about. Visit his old stomping grounds as he put it. It was a cool experience. We worked there with another pair of Elders, who were also training, and we established the temporary San Fernando district. It was a fun night. 

 

We woke up the next morning just to find out that we wouldn't receive our trainees until 3 o'clock, so we proceeded to work again in San Fernando. We eventually made it to the mission office, after a couple of detours, and sat in a room for 3 hours waiting for "training". Which we didn't receive, but we were given a little instruction. We went into another room, where I met my "anak", Elder Shepherd from Kaysville, Utah. Fresh Greenie from the MTC. It was cool to experience to see the Philippines through a new missionaries eyes. The shock and the wonder, and the fear. And sudden realization of what you've gotten yourself into. It was a fun first day. 

 

This past week though has been busy indeed. Our teaching pool was so low, we just started picking spots and just talking and declaring to everyone we could about Jesus Christ. It felt good to start doing that again. We've met some super cool people, and this next week is loaded with people who said we could come back. Hopefully we'll have another opportunity to be able to teach them. It's a little more difficult, of course, because Elder Shepherd doesn't know Tagalog yet, so I have to do a lot of the talking. He is a super fast learner though. And is already better at Tagalog then I was after my training. He'll be just fine. 

 

Crazy week, crazy work. I finally was able to dust off my "light saber" and wear out a little more. A couple floors along with it. It's been a fun week, and I'm super excited. Changes are happening! And we'll be where they go. 

 

All is Well 

Elder Bills

 

1. Daet 2B 2. Our District (with some Members) 3.Our Fearless Zone Leaders 4. God Bless America! (we're looking that Direction)

 

 

So, in mission speak, the person you are training is your "son" and the person who trained you is you "dad". I think that is where the title of this week's email is coming from. 

Isaac is so, so glad to have a new companion and to be training! He is glad to be district leader again, too. He's a happy missionary and loves his new companion. We talked to Elder Shepherd for a couple of minutes last night. He seemed a little awe-struck, but we told him he'd be just fine and to take one day at a time.Isaac isn't the tallest in the mission anymore, either. :) Incidentally, Elder Shepherd went to the junior high at which Bekah now teaches. Small world. He's a Davis Dart alumnus.

Isaac loves the Book of Mormon and he loves his Savior. That is all he talks about each week. This boy of ours is on fire and loves being a missionary. Eleven months to go. He says it's not enough time. There are too many people to share the message of the Savior's Restored gospel with, he says.

He was SO EXCITED about the Northwest Arkansas Temple that was announced this past weekend. Our family will definitely take a road trip during the open house and dedication of that temple! He was thrilled that he'll be home in order to see it be dedicated, etc. 

 

I think it's funny that even the Filipino missionaries are saluting toward the USA. :)