Dear Family,
First and foremost congrats mom. That is so cool that you were able to get that part of your life done and now you can start working and doing what you love. Alright I know that you all want to hear the news, but I need to explain the week first and then I will spill the beans.
Alright so after district meeting on Tuesday we hurried back home and stopped by the Flores families house for lunch they were super sad that we were leaving and she made me a feast. After that we jumped on a bus and flew home for the Baptism of Glen Dalumpines. Larson went to Nanay Pes house to get ready for the baptism and me and Elder Bontoyan went to get Glen. When I asked him if he was ready, he said that all he felt was peace and that this was the right thing for him to do. When we were walking he told me that he wanted to serve a mission, I was speechless. When we got to the beach he had to have his interview and Elder Larson, did that and when they got done Larson gave the ok and we had an amazing Baptism. The waves were small and the breeze was to die for. I found myself without words and for all of those who know me that does not happen very much. After we had an FHE and Glen stayed for it. Man I dont want to leave this area, after all the sweat and tears it is finally progressing and I won't be here to see it. It's funny after all the complaining and now I would be happy to spend my whole mission here. The hardest part was saying goodbye to nanay LeLe. She is in my area and she has been my number one nanay since I got here. Cooked for me and always had a good place to nap if it was to hot to work. When we went there Wednesday evening she was crying her eyes out and I promise when I come back to this country she is the one person that I will be coming back to see. We asked her to say the closing prayer and I kid you not I have never felt the holy ghost so strong in my whole life. She asked that we be protected and guided for the rest of our mission and that the Lord might show us what and were to go.
Elder Larson and I got the call Wednesday night that we need to pack and head down to the mission home. After a long and sleepless night I found myself walking out of my first home and never last home. A piece of me was still in the apartment and it will never leave. I know that there is alot to look forward to but I feel like most of it is things that I look back on. So we arrive in all right and then its time for the all important meeting. When the APs read the names for Iloilo South zone I knew that I was heading to south. My area is Tigbauan A and well it is just like Bugasong the first day I got there. I have a Filipino comp named Elder Gionson. He is in the same batch as my Tatay Elder Olivar and they are just like twins haha. The Lord really wants me to work on patience these past few weeks and I think that it is time for me to start working.
I think the hardest thing is communication, he has not bothered to learn the language and he does not speak English so he is just Tagalog only and that has been super hard for me. He has also only had native comps so I am his first Foreign comp. The first few days of work have been hard for me because he just likes to Lagaw Lagaw which is just walk around. That is not me, I need to find people I need to talk to people and we need to baptize people.
That is really all for me right now, I think that the next few weeks are gonna be rough but I am really going to give it my all and try to make the best of it. Everything back home seems to be doing good and I really just want all of you to know that I love you and pray for you all the time.
Love your son Elder Swanton
