Bowling in Amulung

What a week we had this week! Super fun and successful week in Amulung. Last Monday, after the net shop we met up with the youth in the ward and we went bowling! So the bowling isn't anything like the bowling back home. The balls are tiny so you could throw them way fast and put crazy spins on them so that was cool. Then down at the end there are kids that set the pins up and throw the balls back haha. Way different but it was still way fun! 

Tuesday we had district meeting but there was a lesson sent to the district leaders to teach so I didn't have to spend that much time preparing one which was nice. It was about commitments and following up. Lesson was good and so was the participation of the district again. For lunch we went to this place called Fatkids. They have super good burgers. There are like 2 places in the mission that foreigners love, Fatkids and Mrs. Bakers down near Bambang. So we might hit up Fatkids quite a few times while I am here. Hopefully it just doesn't make me more fat than I already am! 

I'm still loving the area and also the companionship. I still am having a hard time remembering the places we go and who lives there. This area is huge. My last area had 6 barangays to work in and this area has over 20 so there is a lot to learn. I love how big it is though and there are so many options of places we can go to work. This last week was the best week of work I've had in a long time! Maybe even my entire mission! Some days this week we changed up the schedule a little bit so we could work longer. We started going out at 10 and just work until we got hungry, eat lunch, then work until night. We both aren't that much a fan of language study so we just go out to work instead. This week we had a total of 31 lessons. That is my new record for my mission and I'm sure we will beat it while I'm here if not this week! 

I won't give a daily description of what we did this week but I'll highlight a few lessons that I liked this week. 

On Tuesday we had a lesson to a couple recent converts. They are youth but they are pretty intelligent and understand the gospel really well. One of them is named Jonothan. We planned to do reteaching to him but as the lesson went on it turned in to more of a testimony meeting. When he shared his testimony, I can honestly say the spirit came flying in. He is the only member in his family but he testified that even though his family are not yet members, he has seen the gospel bless him and his family. He has seen his family be more patient with each other and his home has become a more peaceful place. I haven't been here very long but I can already see his desire and love of the gospel. Every night he sends us texts of scripture quotes that he liked from his reading. 

Another lesson this week was kinda funny. He was just sitting on a bench so we went over to him. I guess Elder Gabelo had contacted him before so we asked him how his reading was in the pamphlet that they left him and stuff. Anyway, we ended up teaching him there on that bench. It was going okay. The kid isn't really all there but he's good enough to understand and respond to questions. While we were teaching, some old Tatay comes up and starts telling us he's a member of the Born Again church. We say it's okay and everything then Tatay starts asking a ton of questions. All of a sudden the other kid gets up and leaves and never comes back so we ended up just teaching Tatay instead but he wasn't all there either. Pretty weird lesson but oh well, probably won't follow up with that one! 

Last week I told you about sister Karen Requilino right? Anyway, we scheduled with President Rahlf to have him come on Sunday and interview her for baptism. We went to there house Friday night to do last preparations and make sure she was going to be at church. Anyway, she was there and President was able to do the interview. President said she his more than ready to be baptized! So her baptism is this coming Saturday along with two other investigators! We were super happy for Sister Karen. She was really worried going in to the interview but she was super happy when she finished. I can't wait for her baptism on Saturday. I know it's going to be amazing. 

That's the quick overview of the week this week. We were really happy with the work and the success we had this week! Hope everyone has a great week this week. Love you all! 

 

Love Elder Haacke

 Elder Gabelo and I on top of the area: