Week 28

The 'remembrance' Angelyn made for Scott.

Hello Everyone!

I'm doing really well here today! It has been a slow week where the work just seemed to not progress. But we trudged on through and we are excited and rejuvenated for another week. I am thankful for each P day as we get to recharge and discuss how we can do better the next week. With transfer meeting we got a new District Leader! His name is Elder Farnsworth. He came from the office and is a way good missionary. I am excited to learn lots from him and to work closer with him. He is just one of those missionaries that is way bold. I have been trying to be more bold this last week and it has been working pretty well. It is easy to just be timid sometimes in a foreign land and when the language is still tough. But I have just been relying more on my help than on my personal abilities. So that is constantly demanding my time and efforts. It is tough but it really makes me apply myself and study all the harder. I have notices this week that I can REALLY get to introduce myself and get to know someone pretty darn well in Aklanon. These little kids always just get these confused looks and say, "Why do you know how to speak our language?" They really don't understand why someone who is English and white would take the time to learn their dialect. All they want to do is speak english.

Speaking of wanting to speak English! I am officially starting the English class on Thursday evening. I got to announce the class to everyone in the ward on Sunday. They were SO excited. Like people clapped and stuff. I was pretty surprised. But it really served as a testimony to me of just how BAD these people want to speak English. It is crazy to think. So we have our ward's support in this endeavor. I think it will really pay dividends to the work here in Banga. It will also be something I will take with me to other areas. I will prepare a little lesson for just basic English. Answer any questions and then they will be free to have little tutor sessions. Like all the university kids will bring projects I can help with. People were just overly excited for it.

We also get to MOVE TO OUR NEW APARTMENT. We move on FRIDAY! I can't even express how excited I am for this. I have the keys in my pocket right now and just waiting for Friday in order to move. So we have lots of work to finish this week in order to move out. It should be relatively easy. This house is honestly just in the perfect place for the missionaries. And the rat returned to our apartment. Or maybe his brother seeking revenge. He have gotten into my instant pancit packs (like ramen noodles). So I was short a breakfast two mornings this week. I swore a blood oath to find it and eat it with my rice one day... again, just joking (sort of). So a new house with hopefully zero rats or chickens in the roof will be a relief. And also I remember Krista one week telling me about Levi throwing unusual amounts of temper tantrums. All I have to say is this kid that live right by us right now is the KING. I mean like two to three a morning. This kid must drink a TON of water because he will cry for half an hour time periods and just scream. For literally no reason. I wake up at six to him crying. I study with him crying in the background. Then I cook and there he is just crying again. Oh new house... you can't get here fast enough.

Well I love you all and think of you regularly.

I got a letter today from Luke and Peru is a cool place it sounds like. Even though the Philippines (in my prejudice) the one and only dear to my heart. We will definitely have to go on a world tour when we are both residing in GA again. SO I can show the Philippines as well. That is way sweet about the France idea. We will make a trip like that together one day. How about herding in Siberia? That should be about right. I will only be fluent in one language when I get home... but have like two or three dialects. Just give me an email and I will write to your home address that should be good enough.

I love my mission and am way excited to get another week going. It is awesome to be able to do nothing but ask people about their lives and try to find out how our message will help them. It is really a unique and interesting opportunity and one I could get from no where else.

I love you all so much!

Elder Lowry