October 6th--Roberto's baptism

Dear Friends and Family,

ALOHA

How is everyone back in the USA? With the USU loss to BYU, I'm feeling a bit down, if USU is going to lose to anyone, it shouldn't be BYU. But rather than being the typical BYU fan and trying to make excuses, I'll just say, well played and move on. Even though Keeton did hurt his knee... I won't even bring that into the picture. Well played BYU. 

Roberto Magante is now baptized and confirmed into the true church on the earth! It was pretty cool. When we got to the church there was no water in the font, so that was scary, but luckily Elder Ellis is super awesome and knows how to go outside to the pump and get water into the font. I had to do this in Mabini, so that was good. This week has been weird, I feel like we didn't work much, but we have some pretty high numbers, so it's been pretty cool. I'll start into my week I guess.

Roberto Magante

Baptism of Roberto

Monday we did all our p day stuff pretty quick. After emailing we ate at Jollibee, have I told you what that is? It's like the fast food of the Philippines. It's like the McDonalds of the Philippines. McDonalds is super expensive here and actually a little bit more high class. After that we just took off to go to Bacolod because we needed to get some stuff. Some Elders asked if I could pick them up some shoes there, so I did, and I bought myself a pair as well. Just the rubber shoes that are cheap. They just gave me money and I bought them all. We ate at Pizza Hut, which is super expensive here, so I don't think I'll be doing that again. I can't eat there on my missionary support money. Which goes to show you how much money we actually have for missionary support... We slept at the missionary apartment in Bata. The same one that we usually stay at where we killed a huge rat the intruded in the night.  It was bloody and super smelly, so that was not the best part, but it was still good.

Tuesday we had our MLC training and it was good. Just learned more about how we can get weekly baptisms. Also there's a new stress thing that the missionary department is putting out and it's also a new thing about adjusting to the missionary work. We went over that and how as leaders in the mission we need to be aware of other missionaries, mostly just the new ones because they tend to be stressful and depressed and we've gone through it already so we need to help them. It's cool because every missionary needs to go through that process of just adjustment, so it's cool that they're coming out with this awesome helping guide for us. After the training there is always ice cream, which honestly, is my favorite part, I know it should be the training, but no... it's the ice cream. And we just get to talk to other missionaries and things and see what's going on the mission and just socialize. It's called, "Ice Cream Social" for a reason, so that was nice. We traveled back and got home at about 8pm I think and then just planned for our next day training that we were giving to the zone. We were wasted tired too. 

Elder Pulsipher & Ellis

Wednesday we did our zone training. It wasn't as well as I think it was. Usually at the MLC they print off the power point and give it to us, but this time they said we were in charge of doing our own notes and so while they're talking I'm too busy trying to make notes, so yeah, it's a terrible idea and it makes the training worse, so I'm going to bring that up. But it was still an okay training. After that Elder Wilstead and I had exchanges. He worked with me in San Carlos area because I wanted to see if I could lead the area, which I can. After 4 weeks I know it all pretty well. So it's good. I'm just going to say that was the most fun/ joyful day I've had on my mission. Being able to speak straight up English to my companion all day long and him to understand it all was a great experience, one that I have not experienced until this week. Our teachings were great and he's only been speaking Cebuano for 4 weeks and he's doing great at it! We found a new investigator too that's actually a husband of a member and he's been coming to church the past 2 weeks too. They have a daughter who is 6 months old, but they're not yet married. So we're going to explain that we have someone that can marry them and see what they're plan for that is. I think it'll be great. So yeah, we had a great exchange and I learned tons of things just like, new teaching skills that I can use. He's got some really good opening BRT or building a relationship of trust, is what we call it. So that was a good experience. We ate dinner at Pres. Dellomes house and taught Sister "Yaya" or Crisencia is her real name, but Yaya is a lot easier. It's her nickname. 

My Zone

San Carlos

Thursday we exchanged back and that was sad. Just cause we're really like the same person. So we studied in the morning and then at 12 headed up to Canlaon and then at 2 came back down to the mountain. Got home at 4 and then Elder and I just did our work. We taught a less active family, the Maremla family that just randomly started coming back to church the past 2 weeks so when we visited them, they're just like, yeah, we want to come back to church. SO that was awesome actually. They were there this Sunday as well. Then we went to Roberto's house to explain to him what's going to happen at his baptism because we had to move it to Friday because i was needed in Bacolod on Saturdayfor fingerprinting.

Friday we taught 3 less active families because we didn't focus on less actives this week. I've really just started focusing on investigators and if we get punted or we have no initial plan, then we go to the less active family. So I don't know if that's terrible, but we're trying to get weekly baptism and teaching a less active family isn't really going to help with that, so I've moved them to my secondary plan. We then had Brother Roberto's baptism. It was great and all went well. I baptized him. And he wanted to come up out of the water early and so I had to dip my whole right leg bended and crank the dude under that water and i was all wet. Usually I'm fine. After the doors to the font were closed and Roberto went to the bathroom to change... I hadn't swam in over a year... so... no I'm just kidding, I didn't swim in the font! haha. It was a thought though. That night we went to Pres. Dellomes house again and taught Sister Yaya and ate tuna. That was good. I don't mind tuna like other fish. It's pretty good and yummy.

Saturday I woke up and we all met at the terminal at 8am to go to Bacolod. All the American missionaries only. That was the most fun bus ride ever. There were 5 of us on the bus, one is weird, but the others are totally awesome. We took some cool pictures and just made the most of the journey. We went to Bacolod and did our fingerprinting. I got a package from Grandma and Grandpa thank you so much! I got 3 letters from Courtney, holy cow letter take forever, I think it's mostly the missions fault because they were sent 3 different weeks. I think the mission just gathers them and keeps them and waits till someone comes out here to San Carlos. Anyway, we were heading back when our bus just stops and we all get off. There was a semi that flipped on a bridge and blocked the whole thing and we couldn't get past. There was cliffs on both sides and it's only a 2 lane bridge... every road here in only 2 lanes. So yeah, we couldn't get through. So we just chilled up on the mountain top for 3 hours and took some way cool pictures and talked. We had a dad come up and ask us to take a picture with his 10 year old daughter. Not everyday you see 4 super good looking Americans in the mountains of the Philippines. We got home too late for them to get back to their areas so with our 2 bed that we have we made a way for 5 of us to sleep on the 2 beds and with our chair cushions. That was a terrible sleep because I ended up on the tile. However, the tile was cold, so it was a bit nicer actually! Anyway, I woke up the next morning to a jacked up back. 

Photo shoot

Only looking forward....

Sunday was great. We had 5 investigators at church. Roberto was confirmed a member. Then we taught the gospel principles class, even though there is a teacher she just doesn't like teaching of something... it's called, "Magnifying your calling" not just give all the crap to the Elders. But, we can't say no, so we taught the class. We didn't have any interviews or anything to go to, so we stayed and had our branch council meeting. We just brought up all this stuff that we needed help with. We had a new BML (Branch Mission Leader) called last week and so that was good and he's an RM. Just returned from being less active, long story... haha. Then we went home and studied then worked. We taught some other less actives and then taught Roberto about the Priesthood because we think he'll be interviewed soon for it. So we needed to teach him about it first. I think he already knew the what, I just think he didn't know the how or why or the deeper what. So it was a good Sunday.

So this week was pretty good. With the baptism and everything, it was great of course! This weekend we're not sure if we're going to continue Wishley's baptism. We didn't have many chances to teach her last week because of my Bacolod trip, so we're going to push it back to next week we're thinking. So that should still be a good experience. It's good that the investigators are better prepared for baptism and understand the why and what they're doing, rather than just fast fast fast and get them baptized. 

A Tuku, which will rip your skin right off with its teeth!

I love this work and I'm missing America. Especially since it's the upcoming Christmas season, there's tons of stuff out now and music from the Christmas stuff. A lot of Tagalog Christmas actually that I heard last year that are pretty cool. It's all good though. We have a goal to have a baptism on Christmas Day this year, so that's going to be super awesome. Elder Anderson is coming on November 2, still none of us are sure why, but it's going to be awesome. So the time is flying by super fast right now. We've got exchanged with the AP's tomorrow actually, so I will be going to Bacolod again! Food is so expensive there! So yeah, we're working with the AP's tomorrow and Wednesdaymorning. Should be a good experience. Elder Doane is one of the AP's, so I guess we'll see what's up with him. Thanks for everything y'all are doing for me back home and for all the prayers. They are greatly appreciated. I love you so much! Till next week!

Love,
Elder Ellis