Week 53: Treason Day with the Canadians

This week was a pretty weird one for my ~feelings~. For those of you with negative patriotism, this last Thursday was the 4th of July, otherwise known as the anniversary of the coolest act of treason ever. And every year, we watch the hotdog eating competition, and go to Boston to go watch a bunch of explosions over a river. It's awesome, but this year, I did not do that. On the 4th, I got up at 4 AM, and took a Bus to Cauayan because we had --meetings--

So I spent the 4th of July in a meeting with my brand-spankin' new mission president and some other missionaries. Did I mention that the new mission president is Canadian? Because he is. We don't hold it against him though, because he had us sing America the Beautiful as the opening hymn. And I respect that. He's also really funny and taught us about receiving revelation, and what it actually means to "study it out in your mind" (D&C 9:8) He talked about some of his past experience as a stake president and how helpful it is to write out our thoughts before asking the Lord about them.

After the meeting, we stayed in Cauayan and worked in some other Elders' area and stayed there for the night, and had a mini Treason Day celebration:

It was just about the most American I've felt in a year. The next morning, we left and took a bus back to Bambang, and we were informed that because it was the 4th, we could call home, so I got thought the process to load my phone with international calling, and talked to my parents for a little bit, which was great. Then, just because I was feeling a little homesick, when the bus stopped in front of Dunkin' Donuts, I made a purchase:

Nothing makes this east coast boy feel more at home than a Boston Cream doughnut from Dunks and an "Orange Icy Cooler," which is not a menu option back east, but if you're wondering, it's just Orange Tang with ice in it.

I'd say that it was a pretty good 4th of July, all things considered, but I am pretty glad I'll be back in Boston for the next one.

Love,

Elder Menzie

Tagalog Twisters:

tayo tayo -- we stand

pictures from the aforementioned meeting:

Week 52: Baptisms and an Extremely Small Pineapple

This was a week that kinda stressed me out, but it's all good because there were blessings and stuff.

This week Elder Salas had his departure activity, because he's leaving soon. Everyone who is leaving with him went with the Banaue rice terraces, which appear in Avengers: Infinity War, but there's at least one person reading this who hasn't seen that movie yet, so I'm not gonna spoil it. Elder Salas said it was really nice there, but the hike was pretty hard.

While Elder Salas was there, I stayed in Bambang and worked with Elder Marchant on Wednesday and then Elder Blackwell on Thursday. They're both really cool, hardworking missionaries, and Elder Marchant is also from the east coast. He's from Pennsylvania, but I don't hold it against him.

On Saturday one of the people we've been teaching since I got here got baptized! Sister May is awesome. She's married to a member of the Church, and he used to have a problem with Alcohol, but he says that now he just reads the book of Revelation. He's awesome. They're expecting a lil baby, which I hope I'm around to see. The time leading up to the baptism was extremely stressful though. We got there in the morning to clean up:

After that, we went out to work for a little bit, and then, we went to May's house to pick her up for the baptism. She wasn't there. This is where it gets stressful. Her mother in law tells us that May's gone to her grandparents house to try and get them to come to the baptism, which is great, except for the fact that the baptism was supposed to start in a half hour, and they were far away, and hadn't even started to get ready. Also Rhendon (her husband) was nervous about baptizing her, and they were trying to get me to do it. I don't have a problem with baptizing people, but I really wanted him to baptize his wife.

So after that we went home, and I got my baptizing clothes just in case, and we headed to the church, and got there right when the baptism was supposed to start. We waited 20 minutes for the branch president, and ten more minutes for May and Rhendon. 

It was actually super nice when everyone got there, and I didn't have to use my baptismal clothes, which was nice.

also I held a very small pineapple later that day:

Love,

Elder Menzie

Usually Tagalog, but this time English:

Genuflection -- to bend the right knee in respect