Happy Easter

Dear Family,

All I have to say after this very spiritual Holy week is that the
Philippines really know how to celebrate the death of Jesus Christ.
For one whole week everything closes down and people get to marching
around our city. It was so much fun to see how other
religions observe this Holy occasion. I will do my best to describe the
events that lead up to the Sabbath day over here.

Wednesday was super fun because we got to go on some splits with our
Elders from Lapaz. I went with Elder Tolman and Elder Crichton went
with a new missionary. Elder Tolman and I went out and had a great
time at some less actives houses and then all of a sudden we both just
felt so sick like in the stomach. We came to the conclusion it must
have been from the street food we had just eaten. We spent the rest of
the day at the house taking turns in the bathroom but in the end it
was a great day because we got to talk about the zone and his area and
how to help it progress.

Thursday was the start of Holy week which means no jeeps, a small
problem for Elders that still have meeting with stake leaders across
the city. A long story short in the end we finally got a jeep and made
it to the office for our high council meeting. It went great and we
are so excited for the future of our zone here in central. We were
also able to have a talk with the aps about the upcoming transfers.
Its crazy the transfers over here we almost feel like we are drafting
missionaries into our zones to revive dead and closed areas.

Friday turned out to be the most ineffective day I have had in a good
long time. Every store, Every jeep and every person was not available
to listen to the Mormon Missionaries. After hours of being told how
wrong we were and how we would spend the next life in hell because of
our Beliefs. We headed back to the house and watched the crazy Idol
Parades outside our house. That night we had a big surprise dinner for
one of the sisters in our District that is going home tomorrow. Sister
Averion was one of the funnest sisters I have met in my mission, she
will be missed.

Saturday was a day at the beach literally. Mandurriao ward had our
Ward Party/Baptisms at Riverside Resort in Oton. I was the best day in
a while we were able to have a baptism in the ocean and also have so
much fun with the ward. We feel so much closer and the ward members
have more trust for us. All in all the best day in a while.

Sunday did not go as we planed but in the end it was good. Church we
had a good turn out and we were able to help out with some blessings.
Also the Soliman family was at church so it was just a way sweet
feeling to see the converts of all your hard work and to hear their
very strong and ever growing testimony.

This week was so much fun and me and Elder Crichton are doing great
and everyday is a new adventure. I am doing well just trying to work
off all these dang dinner appointments that we have. We are for sure
spoiled here in the wonderland of Mandurriao.

I love you all,
Elder Swanton