6 August 1999

Exactly seven months in the mission.

Today kind of sucked.  We went out searching for a CSP (Community Service Project), but couldn't find one.  Just as we were getting home, Sister Lopez walked up and told us that Pascual and Suzanna Honillas (two of the people who were supposed to get baptized tomorrow) were in the hospital in Naval.  Suzanna is nine months pregnant, and I guess she started having problems yesterday.  We went to the hospital and talked to them.  Apparently, the doctor says she needs a C-section.  And there's a chance that the baby is already dead.  I hope not.  That would be 0 out of 3 for them.  Anyway, this will all be very costly, and these are poor people.  We went to the president of Naval Branch (Almeria Group is part of that branch) and asked if the Church could help them in any way.  President Napoco said he would talk to them this evening.  I hope and pray that everything turns out.

We just got punted (missionary slang for stood up) and did a whole lot of nothing for the rest of the day.

Someone got a free ride on a jeepney today.  Elder Pfister said, "Free ride.  No fair!"  Then we laughed.  Get it?  (It was only funny because it was an unintentional pun.)

11 August 1999

I had a new experience in Filipino public transportation yesterday.  We were in the Lungsod (centre of town) just coming from Basud on foot, and we needed to go all the way out to Jamorawan.  A jeepney came along, so we decided to ride.  The inside was full, the racks on the back were crowded, and there was no more room to top-load (ride on the roof rack).  There was, however, a little ledge running along the side of the jeep.  It was one inch wide.  So I grabbed hold of the roof rack and stepped on the little ledge.  I rode all the way to Jamorawan like that.  It was kind of fun.  I felt like Indiana Jones.

There's a jeepney under that mass of people.  This is right after we got off in Jamorawan

14 August 1999

Well, we started our day out by leaving our house at 6:30 and taking a motorcycle (a common form of public transportation is motorcycles with extended seats) to Biliran, Biliran (the town of Biliran in the the province of Biliran) for a priesthood activity.  We went to a little island between Biliran and Leyte to a little private beach resort.  President Napoco (Naval branch president) presided over a fireside where three branch presidents from the Tacloban area spoke.  It was in four languages: English, Cebuano, Tagalog, and Waray-Waray.  After that, everyone hung out, then we ate lechon baboy (spit-roasted pig) and some fish.

Josephine's baptism was this afternoon at 4:00.  It went smoothly.  We held it at Bagongbong River.  It was a very peaceful spot, and very beautiful.  I performed the actual baptism.  it was the first time I have ever done that.  It was cool, and very spiritual.  The whole service was spiritual, and I'm not the only one who felt it.  We taught the third discussion to her sister right after, and when I asked her if she believed that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the only true church, she said, "Oo, dako akong pagtuo" (Yes, large is my belief) with a big smile on her face.

15 August 1999

Church just got over.  I taught the lesson in priesthood (duties of Teachers), taught the primary how to sing "Love One Another" and gave a little lesson about it, and in sacrament meeting, I confirmed Josephine a member of the Church and gave her the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

Five of the six people who are getting baptized on August 28 were at church today.  The only one missing was Lolito.  His wife just gave birth, so he didn't want to leave her.

There are three people named Josephine in Almeria Group now: Josephine Sabornado, the one who was just baptized yesterday; Josephine Berdida, a 19-year-old new member; and Josephine, a 13-year-old girl, otherwise known as Ephine.

I forgot to mention earlier that there was an earthquake today while I was teaching priesthood.  It was just strong enough to give the house a good shake.  It was cool.  I had never experienced an earthquake before.

16 August 1999

Today's P-Day.  We went to Naval this morning for a zone training.  After that, Calubian Zone and (get this) Merida District (Elder Surowiec and the gang) showed up to play football.  I was planning on playing with them, but I'm sick, so I didn't.  I went to lunch, got some pictures copied, did some grocery shopping, and came back here.  I wrote a letter to my family, washed my garments, and now I'm being very lazy.  I love it!

Well, I guess I have nothing else interesting to say.  Who am I kidding?  I didn't write one interesting thing today.

17 August 1999

Pascual and Suzanna are back from Naval.  She's still pregnant.  We scheduled them to be baptized on August 28.  That's eight now.  We started teaching one of Arlene's daughters and two of her nieces.  They'll probably be baptized with her.  That's 11 baptisms in one day.  Wow.  We're teaching Arlene's father, too.  If he wants to be baptized, it'll probably happen in September.  Holy cow, it's almost September.  My hump day is in two months.

We taught four discussions today: three fourths and a first.  I love Almeria!

This was included on this page of the journal.  It's a sample of Filipino advertising.  They're only chips, for crying out loud.

20 August 1999

We taught Nolasco and Lilia the fifth discussion after lunch.  It went very well.  I'm excited for them.  We're going to try to teach it to Lolito tomorrow.  He was working today.

After that, we took a little break at a tindahan (store) and drank Sprites.  A bunch of little kids that we made friends with yesterday gathered around and started talking to us.  They were really cute.  One of the kids bought something called "Superfun."  It was really crappy cheesies.  But then the kid reached in and pulled out a little plastic toy.  We bought about seven each.  We gave most of the food to the kids, but we kept the cool toys for ourselves.

We committed four children to baptism.  Arlene's children and nieces.  September 4.  We moved Arlene's baptism to the same date so that they could all be baptized at the same time.