Back From The Sea!

Dear Family,
Wow! Halloween isn't really a holiday here, but lots of people went and lit candles and even slept over at their ancestors grave sites on "All Souls Day" (November 1). No candy!
Thanks so much for the letters -- I can't believe how busy dad is. Sounds like Rachel needs a nap. We've had a busy week here, and I need a nap too. We've been on the road since Tuesday morning and just got back here last night around 5:30 from Baler. Baler was beautiful. The fireflies were out at night and clustered in the trees, making them look like christmas trees. I loved the work and had a really uplifting time with the Elders there. Before lunch on our first day there we visited an "ukay-ukay" which is basically a Filipino DI where they sell all sorts of clothes. We found ties -- good ones, and my companion bartered them down from 35 to 15. for 150 pesos, 4 dollars of my support money, I got 10 ties. They've only been a district in Baler for a year now, there are 4 small branches. After the first hour in Dipaculao, almost all the members went home, leaving about 8 leaders standing around. They tried to stop them, but in the new branch the members had become accustomed to just one hour of church. The sunday school teacher did a great job for an hour, but after that they gave up and the rest went home at 11am. We were the last ones there! It was a wild experience -- the church is so new here! I took a lot of pictures but forgot my camera card! I'll send them next week.
I'm so tired! We'll head out again tomorrow morning for exchanges and get back on friday in time to start getting things ready for transfers, departures, and arrivals. We were supposed to have an appointment with brother sibal, but when we texted to tell him we were on our way his wife had the cell phone and she said he wasn't home and didn't seem very happy about us coming... hopefully we misread it, but I sure hope they're not going cold at all. Anyway, that's the news for the week, things have been going along just great. Heavenly Father is great about slowly showing us our weaknesses, one by one and helping us change, but He lets us try to do most of it, and it's hard. But progress comes line upon line! I love you all so much! Have a great week.
Love, Elder Loren Peck