Dear Rachel,
no kiwis.
Dear Family,
A little bit of follow up on those pictures I sent. That food picture is squid, cooked as adobo. After I got used to it, it tasted pretty good. Those tentacles just looked too wierd. . . and I'll tell you, that does not taste like chicken. I got your package this week, and it's great! Thanks especially for the letter. I've been thinking a lot about what you wrote, mom -- you're right, the package is just as good as the letter! I'm trying to think of the best way to use the pie-filling. We might make a cobbler. We've been baking corn-bread and other things lately -- it sure is something to have an oven. . . and a microwave. Here are some of the things that happened this week.
Monday (formerly known as P-Day): played ping pong and frisbee in the morning, then was up until 11:40 that night getting everything ready for Zone Leaders Council.
Tuesday: Woke at 5:40AM to pick up all the zone leaders from bus terminals. Helped out at ZLC and helped give a workshop. The best part about zone leaders council was that Elder Thorn was there this time -- he's been assigned in Cabanatuan. We had a great time catching up.
Wednesday: ZLC again, we introduced the BIG changes in the mission, a change in schedules, and President Puzey is just about to re-introduce standards of excellence, and some other big things. There was a lot of discussion, but we all came out of the meetings feeling good and everyone was happy in the end. President Puzey is amazing at helping missionaries "buy into" these plans and get excited. He is so respected by the missionaries, it's great.
Thursday: Went on splits with zone leaders in Bongabon. Had a great day, and I realized just how much I missed being out in the field every day. That's truly where things happen, and it's hard not to have our own investigators and members. It's hard to step out of the daily teaching in one area. But getting to go on these splits lets me learn a lot from these other missionaries.
Friday: Drove to Tarlac and split again. Another good day, and I'm going to learn so much because every missionary's style differs and so does their area.
Saturday: After returning home, we had little to do, because President and Sister Puzey were gone to the Paniqui District Conference. So we went to an area that recently had missionaries taken out (after a robbery/assault), and taught their investigators. The area is still doing surprisingly well. Even with no missionaries, some of the investigators are still going to church, and branch missionaries have taken over some of the teaching. In October there will be new elders in the area, called Bulaon. We've found an apartment, and are getting the contract worked out. Saturday wasn't the best day of the week, because I put the first dent and scratches in the van. The streets there are crazy and there are soooo many people. We have to fold the side mirrors in to get the van to squeeze through most of the streets and weave through parked cars, jeepneys, trikes, and wheelers. I scraped into a parked jeepney on the right side. Thank goodness, the owner wasn't too upset (didn't have much reason to be, that jeep was a rusty, ancient thing). But. . . I haven't really had a chance to tell President about the scracthes and dent, and I'm still trying to figure out what the best way is to bring that up. It's a little comforting that the left side is scratched up much the same, and that President was the one that put those scratches in. But I'll just wait for the right moment.
Sunday: We attended church in Bulaon at 9-12. They had 2 investigators there. After that, we drove over to the newly opened area in Magalang. Their service was just one hour, and was their first meeting -- ever. It was held in a member's home, and a nearby bishop, from Mabalacat, presided. There were 39 people total, and 19 that belonged to the new group. 4 melchizedek priesthood holders. It was incredible hot in the big room, but it was dead silent and the spirit was strong as they talked about being pioneers and the fathers from local families stood up and bore their testimonies. Many of them simply could not afford to pay for fare for them and their family every sunday to go to church in Mabalacat because it's so far. It sure was exciting to see the beginning of a group, and it looks like it will quickly grow.
It's Monday again! We went with the district to a Museum here on Clark. This week will be zone conferences and more splits with the missionaries. There's so much to do every day, and it's exciting work. Thanks so much again for the package and your letter. Way to go Sarah on the tennis matches! I love you all!
Love, Elder Loren Peck
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