Splits with the AP's

We couldn't see or hear Elder Holmstead, but he could see and hear us.  He typed back and forth with us.  The Mills family were staying with us so he got to see them too.  Here are some highlights:

• Elder Buan and I travelled to Tacloban this week and did splits with the AP's.  Elder Ababa and I killed it in his area.  It was fun being with my step-son again. I sat in the front seat of the van again so I didn't get car sick.  We stayed with the AP's in Tacloban.  They just got a new apartment.  It's so nice and clean.
• We got 2 new referral families to teach.  The Estay family was a referral from one of our investigators.  The Cabangisan family was a referral from the second counselor in our branch presidency.
• Ricky and Gemmalyn came to church and are still on schedule to be baptized in June.  May Ann is on schedule to be baptized July 6th but we may have to push it back so she can be baptized with Francis.
• Transfers are this week.  I'm 50% sure that Elder Buan will be transferred and I probably will stay here in Borongan.  It's crazy that this is my last transfer!
• Travis asked him if he dreams in English or Waray-Waray. Good question...I actually dream in Waray Waray.  Elder Tabalisma said when I was with him that I slept talked in Cebuano and recited the First Vision. :)
• I have a hard time talking in English to Americans.  For some reason it freaks me out.  I can talk in English to other American missionaries but not to Americans that we meet in the streets.  The last American that we met was a 55 year old man who had a 21 year old Filipino wife.  I see that all the time here.
• Everyone's vote money is pretty much gone so things are getting back to normal around here.  One family that we are teaching got cement floors for their house so they don't live on dirt any more. The election was for governor and local offices.  The Presidential election is in 2021 and I do not want to be here for that.  It will be crazy!
• We asked him what he is looking forward to when he gets home.  I am looking forward to hot showers, swimming in our pool and sleeping in a bed.  I'm still sleeping on a mattress on the floor but it's all good.
• We deep cleaned our apartment this morning so it's the cleanest it's ever been.
• Am I getting released the same day that I get home?  (Yes)  I emailed Elder Dorius and we are planning on being companions until we get released since we are both getting home the same day.
• Matt Morgan gets home this week.  He emailed me and invited me to his Open House this Sunday - haha!
• I have pictures but this computer won't let me send them.:(

Love you all!

Elder Holmstead

Vote Money

Highlights from our video chat with Elder Holmstead:

• Last week was elections so everyone got their "vote money" from all the candidates who literally bought people's votes.  It's totally illegal here but everyone does it.  People just sit outside and wait for their vote money.  "That the crazy world I'm living in here." Direct quote from Elder Holmstead Sadly no one offered to give us poor Elders money...we probably would have taken it. :)
• Loveit, our new investigator, came to church so that was good.  Gemmalyn and Ricky did not come to church because they got vote money and are busy spending it.  Hopefully they will come next week and will stay on track to get baptized in June.
• From mom: I asked Wade what they spend their vote money on.  He said that the Capones bought electricity for their house...and a new TV.  Priorities!
• We went on exchanges last Wednesday with Elder Spencer and Elder Nuan who live in our apartment with us.  I went with Elder Spencer.  It's fun being with another American because everyone wants to talk to us.  They don't think we can speak their language and it's always fun to see the surprised look on their face when they realize we can speak Waray Waray.
• We did a service project this week with some Sisters in our branch.  We helped a Nana clear her yard so she can plant a garden (see pics below).
• A new member moved into our branch and we love her because she feeds us a lot.  She even had Lindor truffles that she brought from Canada and they tasted soooo good!
• I was struck down hard this week.  One of our members, who recently got out of jail, asked us if we would try to find his ex-wife because he thought she got baptized while he was in jail.  We said sure and we went looking for her.  We asked around and we finally found her.  She said that she wasn't interested.  And that's about as bad as rejection gets around here.  She probably thought we were the police because everyone thinks we are the police.  It's hilarous!
• We have exchanges with the AP's this week in Tacloban and I'm excited to work with Elder Ababa.  I haven't worked with him since we were companions.  Should be a good time.

Love you all!  Have a great week.

Elder Holmstead

Service project with the Sisters for Nana

Working hard - pulling weeds

Making some progress

Elder Buan's "carpet roll"

The view from the field we worked on clearing.  Another beautiful day in the Philippines!

Me and Elder Spencer with "King LeBron".  We actually call him LibLib.  He's awesome!

Happy Mother's Day

Here are some highlights from our video call with Elder Holmstead:

• Happy Mother's Day! It's crazy to think this was going to be our last call before I get home but we still have 8 more calls.
• We went to Catbalogan this week for Zone meetings.  We traveled about as far west as we can go in our zone.  It was another long, bumpy trip.  We pretty much went up one mountain and down the other side to get there.  I sat in the front seat this time so I didn't get car sick.  We almost couldn't find any buses back to Borongan.  Me and Elder Buan were running around the bus terminal trying to find a bus that could take us and our entire zone back.  Luckily we found one so it all worked out.
• I had my last interview (before my final exit interview) with President Argana this week.  He asked me to start setting goals of what I want to accomplish when I get home.  That's kind of weird to think about so I haven't started that list yet.  But I'm going to work on it.
• I set a goal to read the Book of Mormon one more time before I go home.  I am in Alma so I'm getting there.  I love Alma 5 and reading about the battles that Alma the Younger fought in.  I am also still reading the Old Testament.  I'm in Deuteronomy so that's going good too.
• It's election week in Borongan so we have a curfew at 6:00pm tonight and 5:00pm tomorrow.  Elections here are crazy.  People will stand on the corner and literally give people money to vote for them.  This election shouldn't be too crazy, but you never know in the Philippines.
• We had one of our investigators at church yesterday so that was good.  Ricky and Gemmalyn weren't able to make it because Gemmalyn had to work.  But they let us know beforehand that they could't make it so that was good.  They are still progressing and we are hopeful they will get baptized in June.  We also found 2 new investigators (Danica and Loveit) so please add them to your prayer list.
• My trainer, Elder Roth, is coming back to our mission this month so it will be fun to see him.  He is actually coming back to see his girlfriend so that's interesting.

Side note from Wade's parents: We got Elder Holmstead's flight plans last night.  He will be flying home July 10th, arriving in the Cedar City airport at 6pm.  He actually leaves Manila on July 10th at 8:10am, travels for over 24 hours and gets to Cedar that same day at 6:00pm.  That's going to be the longest day of his life!  We are so excited for his return, but are enjoying every last minute that he has in the Philippines.

Thanks for all your love and support!

Zone training in Catbalogan

Matching ties and watches

On our way to Zone Training in Catbalogan.

Posing with our matching watches at a local restaurant.  They had the biggest and best burgers around!

MLC in Tacloban

Here are some highlights from our video chat with Elder Holmstead:

• MLC was the best!  We did some fun games including a trivia challenge of the Missionary Handbook which my team won.  It's always a good time seeing Elders from my batch and past companions.
• While I was in Tacloban we went shopping and I got a sweet machete.  I'm hoping it will make it on the airplane ride home.
• I got sick on the bus ride back to Borongan but I'm feeling great now.
• Ricky and Gemmalyn came to church again this week so that was awesome.  We are going to teach them this week about tithing which has been a hard concept for them so we are hoping it goes better this time.  They are still on track to get baptized in May.
• I have been studying the Old Testament lately and I'm enjoying it.  The mission has definitely taught me how to study.
• Fast and testimony meeting is interesting here.  If anyone talks for more than 2 minutes, a member of the bishopric will tap them on the back which means time is up.  They will also tap someone if their story or scripture does not relate to testifying of Christ.
• For p-day this morning we had a fun adventure.  We traveled to a village, crossing the bridge in Borongan, (see pics below) and picked coconuts.  We mixed the coconut milk with sweetened condensed milk - it's so good!
• This is going to be a busy week.  We have Zone Conference and interviews with President Argana.  It's my last interview before my exit interview. WHAT!?

MLC with the AP's, Zone Leaders and STL's

MLC with President and Sister Argana

Elders from my batch.  We are all going home together.

Elder Murphy, Elder Laitenen, Elder Ababa and Elder Holmstead

Borongan District

More pics of Borongan District

Kids of a family we are teaching.  They are the best!

Birthday dinner celebration Filipino style

The Capones family.  Their kitchen is on the right behind them.

A random vehicle burning down as we drove by.  No one was there to stop us - we could have walked right up to it.

Bridge we crossed going to the village to pick coconuts.

Another beautiful day in the Philippines.

...and another!

On the back of the trike as we headed into the village to pick coconuts.