100 days

Hello Everyone,

This week was a really a great one. Tuesday marked my 100th day as a missionary. On that day we helped a family plant corn. It was pretty fun especially since we were working with an elder who's family grows corn back home. The Filipinos really know how to plant their corn efficiently. 

Also on that day as we were coming home for the day I fell out of a Padyack (bicycle with a side car). I was sitting on the outside and my bag was on the same side so as we were rounding a bend I lost my balance. Luckily I was able to land my feet first and just ran along side it and just jumped back in it was quite exciting. 

Oh and this week I cooked some pasta primavera for the apartment. On Wednesday we took Elder Johnson up to Naga to get his new companion. This is his third child, we met him on Friday. He is a 6'4" Tongan. 

On Thursday we met with this awesome family, the Biens. They can't be baptized yet because they aren't married, but he expressed his desire recently to talk to the father to sign the marriage papers. We gave him a Book of Mormon stories book, then on Tuesday he wanted to give us a lesson on what he read. It was awesome. 

On Saturday we had a baptism for Brother Ulpina. It was all planned and prepared but someone had taken something important for the font so the font wasn't started when it should have been. Luckily it was ready on time, because Filipinos are opposite of Germans, they run like 10 minutes late then add on the mormon standard. So Elder Vicencio and I went to go get Brother Ulpina and he was still getting ready at like 2:30. So, the baptism didn't start till like 3 but it was fine. When it was time for the actual baptism, he got in the water tried plugging his nose and dunking himself. Once Elder Gilliam grabbed him, he was really excited to be baptized.

After that there was an Area conference where the Area presidency explained the new focus on missionary work for the whole Philippines. 

On Sunday we brought an old Tatay to church and brought the sacrament to another one. But, Brother Ulpina wasn't able to come to church because he was sick and puking so it was a little disappointing. 

Thanks for the continual love and support 

Elder Westenskow