Anything but routine

Dear Family,

Ok, well this will be a good one for starters, its sounds like things
back home are getting back into the routine of how they should. My
week however has been anything but routine.

Tuesday we had our zone training and it went really well. We showed
the missionary broadcast that we all watched when we did mlc two weeks
ago.The message that we wanted to get across got there and it went
good. After we headed out and taught sister Tess and her family.  We had
a great lesson with them about the plan of salvation and how if she
uses the gospel she can go back to live with her father in heaven.

Wednesday was our day over in Buliloa and Bakaw. It turned out to be
one of the best days in my mission lesson wise. These people are
progressing and they are becoming truly converted to the Gospel of
Jesus Christ. The Solimon family wanted to learn how to pay tithing
and they are not even members yet, so our lesson was on how tithing
and fasting can help to call on the powers of God. He is also working
on beating a horrible addiction to smoking. I have watched the spirit
work wonders with this family and it really makes me want to be the
best missionary that I can. Not for me but for all the people that we
teach and meet everyday.

Friday turned out to be a big day for us in so many different ways.
Early in the morning we got a call from the APs that later that day
they would call about transfers. In our mission we will no longer have
transfer day, president will transfer people when ever and were ever
he gets the inspiration. We went out and had a great day of finding
and teaching new people all over the slums of our area. But the
tension was in the air for transfers. Right before the APs called us
our phone died and we were so far away from the apartment, so we
jumped onto a jeep and raced home. When we got home we called and
found out that Elder Robertson would be transferring to Sigma, Roxas
and that means right back into the Mountains. My new comps name was
Elder Crichton a big old Australian. He would be coming down from
Kalibo witch means he speaks Tagalog and not very much illongo so I
will be taking the lead until we both feel comfortable with the
teaching.

Sunday we really had a good turnout for the second time we had 8
investigators come to Church and it was so fun to have the ward
fellowship them and make them feel like family. For the first time in
my mission I feel like the work is really come full circle and we are
doing what the lord really called us here for. The ward loves the
people that we keep finding and teaching and then we can just keep
finding more and the circles never end.

I am so pumped to pick up my comp later today and see what crazy times
we can have together in this crazy awesome area. I know that the Lord
wants us to really help this ward become the best in the Mission here.
Just know that we will do all we can to get the job done and have fun
at the same time.

I love you all,
Elder Swanton

Elder Swanton with Elder and Sister Robinson