Travels, Interviews and Transfers..

Week 23

04th May 2015

So this week we only had a half week of missionary work...we had Zone Interviews with President Mangum on Friday, and Oriental Mindoro District Conference on Saturday and Sunday.

Friday, we travelled to Victoria to have our interviews with President Mangum.  I first spoke to Sister Mangum, and we talked about the power of prayer, and matching the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Then it was my turn to have my interview with President Mangum... the last part of the interview is the part that I will share with you... So in the last few years, in all of the Philippines Missions, as well as San Pablo, the Polynesian missionaries have gained a reputation of being not as obedient as they should be. Or as President Mangum put it bluntly... they take their missions as a vacation and any missionary work they do is just a bonus. 

He told me, as he told all the other Polynesian missionaries, that most of the missionaries that got the "disobedient" tag have returned home or are going home. That this was the time to turn the tables, and change the reputation of Polynesian missionaries in the San Pablo Mission. He also spoke about how the Mindoro zone is known as a zone where missionaries become most disobedient, and that he wants us as Polynesian missionaries to change the culture of Mindoro while changing our reputation. 

Despite the fact that I am only a half-cast, I have been put in the Polynesian missionary category, and will be part of the change, both on the island of Mindoro and the reputation of Polynesians.

Saturday and Sunday was our District Conference. We stayed in Victoria, and President Mangum was asked to be there at the conference as a speaker as well. It was a good conference, and the messages that were shared by President Mangum, the District President, and the presiding Area Seventy were very good, and what the district needed to hear.

In Victoria most little places where you eat, they have small TV's so I was able to watch some NBA, and see what's up with the NBA playoffs! Not too sure if that was a good thing, but I was happy so yeah...

We stayed in Calapan last night, and this morning we went and visited a beach. It wasn't that great beach to be honest.. but we had a good time. Some of us Elders decided to have a little game of held, and we played for a little while with the occasional big shoulder charge... before we stood in the water and relaxed.

In other news, this will be my first transfer that I won't have a new companion. Elder Erickson and I  will be together for another transfer. For my first 3 transfers.. I had 3 different companions, but really happy that now I will be with Elder Erickson for a while. We're in a 3-way transfer with Elder Nikau because his companion is at the mission home preparing to return home.

Our Branch is doing well. The positive attendance from last week flowed onto this week.  On a good week we have about 50 people at church.  Hopefully we'll be able to keep the area going strong.

My Tagalog has improved...have learnt enough to get around now.