Week 83 - March 6, 2017

From: Jordan Mark Merrill <merrill.j@myldsmail.net>
Sent: Sunday, March 5, 2017 11:28 PM
To: Lauri Merrill
Subject:

Another great week has come and the memories have been made. :) We had a couple things we were looking forward to this week, and the first is our 2 newest members in Malilipot branch! We were able to baptize 2 Young Single Adults and give one of them the priesthood yesterday during sacrament. They are both strong and ready for the new road ahead of them. Also our Tabaco district held their Post-Valentines party here in Malilipot so YSA members from Tiwi, Cumon, Tabaco, St. Domingo, and here, all attended and we were invited to help in the games. I did one they all loved and I’m sure we’re all familiar with it at home, "Simon Says".  At first it took them a bit but then they loved it and it was all good and fun. :) The sad part we didn’t get to participate in was the dance. ;( But we got to see all our branch missionaries, who we’re pretty close with, dance with each other. ;) In a way a little awkward, but they enjoyed it, so all is well. So that’s that with us and that part of enjoyment. With our other part, President Kotter came and interviewed us and asked me a lot about my district and who will be a good next leader "IF" I transfer. He then said he doesn’t keep missionaries in an area longer than 6 months unless it’s a special reason, so I’m 6 months here and I’m sure I’ll be saying goodbye here in 16 days. But that’s missionary life, baga? I requested for the second time to train an American, but was yet again informed that the Americans in the Legazpi mission are dwindling, and this new batch coming in has no Americans. But it’s all good. I have 3 transfers left, I’ll have a Pinoy this next one, then a Kano my last 2. ;) But that’s just the desires of my heart!

As of our current work, we are mostly trying to help either single, unmarried, or “working on it”, type of mothers. That seems to be the majority of our investigators so we need a member holding the priesthood to work with us and we have one member that we’re basically forcing to work with us but he’s like a big brother and I spoil him so he doesn’t seem to mind. :) We still have the conflict of our investigator having her baptism on the 18th but her baby-in-the-belly is telling her otherwise.  She’s reading and keeping her commitments. Actually yesterday we were visiting her and right after I opened with a prayer we heard a big thud then a sound like dirt being poured out onto a table, when we looked in the kitchen, her little boy had crawled up the table and tipped over her knitted basket full of rice.  She had just finished cleaning the rice making it ready to cook and she lives pretty far from any big town so the rice is an important thing.  Usually in that case the mother separates by hand the shell of the kernel one by one. So ya, we saw the kid tip over their rice onto the table and the dirt ground, then the attack of the chickens followed. All the chicks and their mothers were the happiest chickens on the earth at that time. Luckily the majority of the rice fell onto the table and she swept it back into the basket. So imagine a 9 months’ pregnant women with 3 little kids running around in a 2 roomed bamboo house and us trying to teach her the plan of salvation. Where is the concentration? Ha-ha! But after it got settled we finally gave her the idea and helped her out. Her 7-year-old is super into spider fighting so were always on the look out to catch the champ spider who can beat this kid’s beast. OH and near a marsh next to her house we found a set of leaves growing from the ground that were almost as big as a car! Just one leaf!  I didn’t have my camera but next time:) She’s a cool lady.

But ya, that about sums me up! As I read the group emails from my friends they send to everyone I notice they’re like 1 or 2 paragraphs and a few pictures.  So be thankful for my effort every week on my emails and the great over exaggeration I used to take up more space to make it seem longer. ;) Love you all! 

**Elder Merrill**