Week #32 Welcome to the Office!

Hello family ko,

So this past week, hmm... we worked alot in the office. Even this week too. We're pretty much preparing for transfer week. We only got two lessons last week. We're suppose to have 32. Welcome to the office! Hehe. It's fine. I'm completely aware of what was going to happen to our work once we're in here. I get to serve in a different way though. Help other missionaries fulfill their purpose. So technically, we're helping other missionaries baptize. Totally indirectly!

So thanks for all the interesting news from back home. I was totally shocked when you told me President Jarvis is going to be released. Oh and tell Esa happy birthday for me!

So let's see if I could put some stories behind these pictures. So the one with the boxes and the cellphone is because we had special guests coming so we had to clean and I just received a big order of supplies that day. So that was fun. I also took pictures of the office.

 Being an office elder, especially supplies, everyone asks me if they have a package. One sister kept asking me every time so I told her I'll text her once she gets her package. And so it came. She sees it and it's not the one from her family. As soon as she left, her package came from her family! Terrible timing! But she came back and gave us chocolate and left a mess on the floor of the office. 

Then last night, we we're redoing our transfer board by making the names smaller so it could all fit. So there's pictures of us working. Especially with the lamination machine! That was fun!

I still can't get my driver's license. Hopefully today is the day. It's either with the translation or the visa is about to expire so we need an update. All we did last week is look at apartments, deliver furnishings, sign for apartments. That's basically what Elder Wood does. That's finance. That's what I'll be doing later on.

So we ran out of rice and water the past few days but we survived! We ended up cooking a lot of pasta. I basically experimented a lot with the sauces and they were delicious. We're also experimenting with no-bake cookies. They're so good. We just keep making random foods here since we can. Oh yeah, we also cooked kare-kare. It lasted mean and Elder Bulseco 4 meals. Try putting puso ng saging (banana heart?). It tastes really good with that.

Next week is going to be fun. It's transfer week. We'll be fed. We'll be sleeping late. We'll be waking up early. But the food makes up for it. It's almost like condolence meal. It's all good.

So that's the news. Can't think of anything else right now. Agannadkayon! Love you all!

Elder Morales

Week #31 - A Hair Fight , The DOG and The STINKY Fruit!!!

HELLO!!!

Naimbag a malem dagiti dakdakkelko! Diak ammo ti ilocano gapu ta narigat a maisuruan. So here's two nice pictures that I took last week. So we got a massive order of supplies and then we found out that Elder and Sister French were coming so President told us to clean. Especially the supplies room. I got it clean though.

So we had several meetings with President this week. We really work closely with President. But we get fed after the meetings. So we went to McDonald's the first time and then went driving around Laoag to deliver stuff for missionaries with President, Sister and the APs. That was fun. Then we went to San Nicolas to pick up durian from one of the sisters' apartment. It's President's favourite.... fruit? It stinks like poop! Well more like really rotten onions but it tastes like... I don't know. It's alright. Then we sere supposed to work on thursday but then we had surprise errands to do at night. We had to pick up chairs and foams. Then President and Sister took us out to dinner to a place called Papa Pau's. It was super delicious. Well everything is. Then yesterday night we had another meeting and ate at the mission home.

Then President asked us after the meeting if we wanted to see a hair fight. So he asked us to get a black hair and a blonde hair strand and he ran to the kitchen and put water in a dish then put the two hairs in it. So we watched closely and then President slammed his hand on the dish! And we were soaking wet! Especially Elder Oden! It's always fun with President.

One day, me and Elder Wood were proselyting in this really nice place called Northcrest division. Then we we're walking down this path and this dog seemed really angry and starting jogging down this long stretch of path. The dog wasn't even running fast but more like slowly running. We then started walking backwards getting ready to hit the dog with our bags. It was pretty weird. We also been committing baptismal dates here as much as we can. We have these eternal investigators and they have a baptismal date but the problem is that nanay wants to take care of the wedding all by herself. We finally helped her realized that she should be focused on temple marriage and getting married for her family than having this grand wedding. The ward is also willing to help them. So hopefully we get them baptized after 11 years!

So this upcoming week, I'll probably have like a million pictures because we're travelling down to Vigan again and then we're going up north to Lal-lo. We have around 30 missionaries coming in this transfer and we have nowhere to put them so all missionaries are apartment hunting. We're seriously in an exciting time being a missionary. I've got to experience the hastening of the work since the MTC. My batch was the first to experience the 6-week program at the MTC. We also had the age lowering at that time. And we have the hastening of the work here in the mission.

Anyways, take care all of you! Love you all

Elder Morales

Week #30 : Why aren't you updating my Blogs Mom???!!!

Hello family!

So everyone is saying update my blog. Because they want to know what is going on in my life.

Wondering why MOM isn't updating my BLOGS??!!! 

Anyways, we finally watched General Conference last weekend. It was great. Seems like the general theme was repentance. Also they kept saying how sin, even if man legalizes it, is still sin. Mainly repentance is our biggest focus here now as we teach. We had been taught that last zone conference. Also, in the office, we had a meeting with President and we are focused on helping leaders and families work with the missionaries. Since there's a hastening of the work, members are meant to shine with the missionaries. President Barrientos said that missionary work must start at the home.

Hmmm.. anyways, after the meeting, we went out to McDonald's. All of us. The APs, President and Sister Barrientos and all us office elders. It was pretty fun just to hang out with them. Then we drove around to different areas for deliveries. Then President made us eat durian. He says it smells like hell but tastes like heaven. And yeah.. it smells pretty bad! It does taste good though.

So last tuesday, we went to go get haircuts. We went to David's Salon. It's filled with baklas.(gays) So I got shampooing from a bakla. It's weird. After that, as I'm sitting on the chair, I get a back massage from a bakla. (Note that President referred us to this place cause that's where he goes). I look at Elder Wood and he's getting a massage so it's fine. But a bakla was giving a massage... it was weird. Then they gave me a picture book to pick a haircut. It was alright but as you get closer to the back of the picture book, it gets pretty gay. Almost naked men. So I asked for the Piolo Pascual haircut cause it was good enough. So now I have a Piolo Pascual haircut.

Anyways, I've went to Vigan several times already and keep hearing news. I actually met the fellowshipper for auntie Jean. They were in the mission office last week because their daughter was waiting to be sent to the airport to go serve. The Serapion family is there name. Brother Serapion told me that auntie Jean has a baptismal date alongside with kuya Julius. I'm still not sure who he is. Pray hard for them. Hopefully the rest of our family here will be open to the message. Ate Ria won't do much because her kuan... ummm her husband or boyfriend.. is never there.. so I need to find out his name and where he is so work can get started by the missionaries wherever he is. When they get baptized, I have permission to go baptize them. That'd be so cool. Anyways, wala nang balita dito. It's basically just office office office. We are considering turning our lives in the office into a tv show and calling it "The Office." Funny things just happen here. It's fun because we get to work closely with President. We're basically other APs but don't do as much as APs do.

Anyways, take care all of you!!

Elder Morales

Week #29 - Survived first week in the office and found a new Mom and DAD!

Hello family!

We're you able to translate my last email? Anyways, I survived my first week in the office. It was transfer week so it was pretty tough.

We had to sleep late, wake up early, eat late. But at least we got fed. We got free breakfast from the mission home. We got free meals from President and Sister Barrientos. We also had a office meeting and after that we had dinner. President kept making jokes all night. It was a good night. So office work is pretty tough. We're always here and we work less hours than normal missionaries. 5 hours lang bawat isang araw. Nais ko na magtrabaho pero ayos naman kasi ito ay ang pagkakataon upang na makapagsilbi sa mga ibang misyonero dito sa Laoag mission.

We get to travel to different parts of the missions doing deliveries. Basically we do what ever President asks us to do. Basically errands.

We see him and sister everyday and they take care of us. It's nice. It's like really having a mom and dad on a mission. We see president sometimes in regular clothes. It's so different but it's nice.

Oh mom, I went to Vigan! I took pictures of centro over there. It's a really nice place. Sister Kenfield took a video of me telling auntie to go to church already hehe. Hopefully she gets to see it. Hopefully she goes to church. Anyways, I don't know if you would recognize these places because it's been forever ago.

Visiting my Mom's birthplace was awesome!

Anyways, this past week, we've been in and out of the hospital taking care of a sick office elder. Nothing serious. I slept in the hospital last night on this really uncomfortable small couch. It's alright. I'm still alive.

We kept getting free food this week. Sister and President bought us pizza and KFC. That's nice. It's a blessing.

Oh and mom, I know how to cook the following, caldereta, menudo, apretada, dinengdeng, paksiw, pinakbet, adobo. That's it so far. No powders hehe. I'll cook for you when I get home. I enjoy cooking but it takes time. We're gonna try to cook Kare Kare again. I have Elder Bulseco with me in the apartment again so we're going to experiment on foods. Anyways, take care family ken agannadkayo!

Elder Morales

Week #28 - The Lord shows unto us our weaknesses to be blessed..... Transferred to the office to do finance!

Elder Morales letter below is all in tagalog and we apologize that we can't translate it all or at all! Lol! But fortunately, in miraculous way, the Lord also blessed us with understanding of the language. He is transferred and mentioned in his last email how he was not looking forward to the office especially doing what he's terrible at..finance but he does know its a blessing in disguise. Good luck reading.

Hello!!

Ito ang first day ko sa office. Walang p-day para sa amin kasi kailangan namin na gawin ang mga errand para kay President Barrientos. Ang bagong kasama ko ay si Elder Wood. Napansin ko... kung ang e-mail ko ay sa Tagalog... paano makakaunawa ang tagapagbasa ng mga sulat ko? Siguro, kailangan nyo na isalin ang sulat ko. hehe. Itong linggo, pupunta kami sa Vigan. Sobrang excited ko. Mag-pipicture ako diyan. Siempre si mommy, gusto niya na makita ang mga picture.

Ang darating linggo, may baguio. Kaya, walang trabaho sa sabado kasi sobrang lakas ang ulan at hangin. Hindi kaya magtrabaho. Kumakain kami sa lahat ng araw. Ang mga baguio ay hindi talagang scary. Kaya, don't worry. Kung may signal 2, huwag na magtrabaho daw. Pero, last week, gusto namin na magkaroon ng pagbibinyag sa dagat. Pero, yung baguio ay ang dahilan na walang baptism sa dagat. Sayang! Gusto ko talaga! Kasi walang dagat dito sa Laoag. Pero kung puwede, siempre, susubukan namin. Pero may isang pagbibinyag kahit may baguio. Exciting naman! Si Alexandra Litao ay nabinyagan. At pagkatapos ny pagbibinyag, kailangan ko na pumunta sa Laoag!

Sinabi ni Elder Wood, mahirap na mabinyagan dito sa Laoag kasi parte ng area namin ay magiging sisters' area. At ang area nila ay sa centro! Ayos lang. We'll survive. Pero, ito ibig-sabihin na kailangan namin na mag-find palagi. Sana, hindi ako maghahanap para sa 9 months... Oo.. magiging bale 9 months dito sa office. Matagal talaga! Pero magiging masayan pa rin. Si President Barrientos ay nandito siya palagi. Kaya, I'll be with him palagi. Ginagawa nila ang mga activity sa p-day kasama ni President daw. At minsan, o palagi, (hindi ko alam talaga) nagpapakain sila sa amin. Suwerte naman! Blessings ng mga office elder! So ang mga bagong office Elders ay sina Elders Pincock at Bulseco!

Hmm... wala talagang interesting last week except yung baguio. Magiging interesting this week dahil ng transfers. Ang daming misyonero itong transfer na papasok dito sa Laoag! Bale 25!

Paki-sabi kay Jordan at Alex na mag-email sa akin! At ano ang balita sa tahanan? Anyways, good luck sa pagbabasa ng sulat ko. Ingat kayo lagi at mahal na mahal ko kayo!

Elder Morales

Week #27: -First time writing to his Dad and this is his email! LOL!

Hi daddy,

Can you please put some money in my account? I'm going to Laoag on monday to go check for contact lenses. Apparently it's cheaper here daw so I don't know how much it will be yet. Thanks dad! Love you.

Elder Morales

some random photos on P-day

Week #26 - We're ALL Sick so I'm trying to fatten up a little!!!

Hello all,

So this past week, we all got lagnat this time. It was raining and raining all week. Most of our zone got sick. So it wasn't pretty fun. On thursday, we had interviews too. Elder Oden drove the car into a ditch so we had to find ways to get it out. I got to drive President Barrientos car to back it up. Now that was pretty cool. It was weird stepping into the driver's seat and turning on a car. Other than that, I'm 100% going to the office now. President kept telling me things about who's going where and I know that Elder Bulseco is going to the office too this upcoming transfer but he doesn't know that I know.

 hi from e larson 

Anyways, I'm right now in Laoag shopping for random stuff. I had to buy a nice big strong umbrella. And when I say big... I mean BIG!!! I'm tired of getting wet. I'm tired of getting sick. It's not fun being on medication a whole day. But we're all okay now. Anyways, we did a deep cleaning of our apartment today because.. it just needs to be cleaned, especially since everyone was sick.

As for the work in Bangui, it's slowing down unfortunately, but new investigators are turning up. We have two baptisms coming up on September 14. That should be fun, especially since we have a Branch FHE that night. This branch is really progressing now. It's really impressive. While we were in McDonald's today, we ran into other missionaries and they said that by next transfer, 30 new missionaries are coming in, so that puts us over 200 missionaries in the Laoag mission! Where do we put them!? Apparently President Barrientos is starting to put 3 pairs of missionaries in each area!

I'm just trying to think of all the interesting things that happened this week but there's really nothing. I just have 4 weeks left in Bangui. I'm looking forward to going to Laoag but at the same time I don't want to leave Bangui. Office work is extremely demanding. I'm going to be in finance and the funny thing is, I was never good with money. We'll see what happens. It's going to be fun going to church with President Barrientos.

So how is everyone doing? I miss having filipino breakfasts. We did have one for dinner last night. Rice, eggs, and longganisa. The longganisa here is different. It's nice sweet. It's garlic flavoured. I've actually seen them make it. Oh and mom, I had lanzones. It just tastes really bad when you eat the seed by accident. So that's what's up here. Agannadkayo! Ay-ayatenkayo!

trying to eat well to get better!

Elder Morales