3rd Cycle

This was the first week of my third cycle out in the field. It wasn't really a full week either because of Christmas Conference. Overall, the week as been alright, but a little bit of an adjustment (as would be any new arrangement). I've been having to lead the area since I'm the one familiar with Ballesteros as well. That in itself has been a little difficult because as I'm trying to lead the area I've come to realize that my trainer and I went to the same places over and over again, so I don't know the area as well as I should. Also, there's a lot of regular missionary things that Elder Butler and I didn't know about that we're barely learning from our new companions. Not that our trainers were bad guys, they were nice people, but I don't think we were necessarily "trained."

Wednesday - 

Seeing as my last email was on Wednesday, I'll be starting out on Wednesday rather than Monday like usual. The day consisted of first of all preparing and doing our normal things in the morning, emailing (since our p-day was consumed by Christmas conference), and then lunch. After that, we started our day and I was busy trying to figure out where and who we should visit. It was alright and we ended up teaching two lessons. I mean it wasn't really a smooth day but it turned out alright.

Thursday - 

This day ended up being the first full day of leading the area. It was a little difficult and annoying to try and find activity to fill the whole day, but of course it was alright. We also started using the new proselyting schedule for the Cagayan province area given to us at zone conference. This basically means we go out and proselyte for a few hours in the morning, come home eat lunch and do companion or language study, take a 30 minute nap during the hottest part of the day, head back out and finish proselyting, and come back home at 7:00 to do our studies and prepare for bed. I really like this schedule because once it hits about 6:00 here everyone starts going to bed. In this schedule we waste way less time and get all 9 hours of proselyting in, while still being able to come home early and "chill." 

During planning I ended up packing the schedule with 7 lessons but we only ended up teaching 3 (one to a new investigator). It' alright though because it still seemed to be a productive day, and we also did have to do a lot of traveling. I also introduced elder Perez to a few members I know because he really wants to get a lot of dinner appointments.

Friday - 

On Friday we started with our weekly planning session. It went good and I learned how you're actually supposed to weekly plan instead of the shorthand version I previously was taught by my trainer. It ended up taking a lot longer, but we definitely seemed much more prepared which I like. After that, Elder Perez needed to do some laundry, so he did just enough to finish the week. Then we did our studies, some finding, and then introduced Elder Perez to more members. During the day we ended up teaching one lesson, finding of few people that we'll return to, and stumbling onto two love-makers near the beach.

Saturday - 

I planned for 8 lessons in the morning and we ended up have 3 of them. Sometimes the days just don't turn out as planned. Luckily, the 3 lessons we did have did go well though. Overall, the day did follow the Cagayan proselyting schedule very well which I liked. Also, the other companionship in Ballesteros, Elder Butler and Elder Vaea witnessed a motor wreck. Apparently, there was a mom, dad, and child on a moped/motorcycle (or motor as they're generally referred to here) and it just randomly flipped throwing all three of them off. The dad had a bunch of scratches on his arm, the little kid was screaming, and the mom was limp and not moving. Elder Vaea and the dad helped put the mom in the car, and that's all we know that happened so far. I later talked to a YSA member/ fellowshipper of ours and asked him about it. He ended up telling me that, that is a fairly regular occurrence here.

Sunday - 

We went to church, ate lunch, and then went back to the church. We went to the church to get a few things printed out by the clerk which included a member list, and an action list. Both of which we didn't have with our previous companions but all missionaries should have. Then we ended up doing a little work with our fellowshippers Dan and Rence and ended the day at the house of the De La Cruz (probably the most common last name here) family for a dinner appointment.

Pictures - 

a few pictures with my recent convert Joylene and our other investigator Renzlly, a blurry picture of my watch at 5:30 with a house full of sleeping people (everyone goes to sleep super early here), then some pictures at the Ballesteros park of some recreations of monuments people made for a Christmas competition, and then finally some pictures of a creepy but typical cemetery we walked past.