Last week was great, and it was hard to beat -- but it took a back seat to this week's adventures. . . because I got to go back to Paniqui on Friday! The week was again full of interviews, workshops, and exchanges with zone leaders. We left home on Tuesday morning again and got home on Saturday evening. During week 3 and 4 of the transfer, we live on the road. It's been interesting as an assistant, because nothing has happened twice yet. How do I figure out our schedule when it's always changing?
Cabayaoasan, Paniqui was heaven when I left, and it just keeps getting better! Elder Magsino and I split up the area, and I was devestated to see that Elder Tarronas and Elder Magsino would be going to Nancamarinan and visiting the Patricio families. It was solace that on my schedule were the Vergara and Bala families. I wrote a note to the Patricios and told Elder Magsino to get pictures of the new baby. Grabe, I wanted to see them so bad! I'll be back in October, I suppose. On our side of the area, we taught 9 lessons, and didn't get to visit everyone we wanted before 9:30. And the bad news was, it's the rainy season now, and the only way to get to the Bala's home is to trudge about 30 feet through knee deep water. Unless you have a water buffalo to ride across on, and we had none. I would've done it anyways, but last night the Melempec residents found, caught, and ate a 7 foot long snake close to the crossing. Brother Arnold Gonzales (Ronald's dad) skinned, cleaned, and cooked it. Adobo. It was dark when we arrived there, so we didn't make it to their home. The Elders say they haven't missed a Sunday yet, even though financially they are really struggling. I'll have to write them soon. On Saturday, Sister Bala's sister was baptized, someone that Elder Tarronas and I were teaching before I left. Another of our investigators has been to church 3 times now. It was great to see the members and investigators again, I really felt like I'd come home. I wanted so badly to stay, it was so hard to drive out of the area without seeing the Patricios and everyone else.
But Elder Magsino did get the pictures (I'll try to send them next week), and a message from the Patricios. Guess what the name they chose was? Sarah. And that's really rare here, I've never seen a Sarah with an "h". Can't tell you how great it was to work in Paniqui again.
We've officially got a house in the Bulaon area, and missionaries will move in on October 17th. In Magalang, attendance rose to more than 40 locals yesterday, with 13 investigators in attendance. The home did not fit everyone, and there were people literally out on the street listening. Amazing, right? A meetinghouse has been decided on and will be in use next week, and as soon as possible, they'll be made a branch. Things have been moving rapidly there, it's progressing faster than anyone thought. The bad news is, Elder Smith and Elder Pajela will probably move out this week. We've enjoyed our last preparation day, we played tennis for 2 hours this morning, and basketball, and frisbee. When we got to the hiking trail to the waterfalls just 5 minutes from the mission home, they said we needed permission to enter. So we decided to run home instead, in front of the van. I made it about one city block, and then I was toast. Very, very out of shape.
This week we have two meetings, one in Cabanatuan and one in Tarlac, for President to teach the new MTC curriculum coming from the first presidency. After that we'll be working in Bulaon and getting things ready for transfers.
I'm learning so much, about things that I didn't really think very much about in the day to day work. President Puzey sometimes shares things about how he approaches transfers, choosing leaders in the mission, and he involves us a little bit in the whole process. He teaches a lot of principles, and it's prompted me to study a little about revelation, what role a counselor plays, and some other things. That's about 1% of what happened this week! I'm not even going to try to write anything else -- there's just too much! I love you so much and I'm glad everyone had a good (busy) week. Thanks, family!
Love, Elder Loren Peck
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