Fun fact for the day... did you guys know that they have yellow and purple watermelons here? The outside is the same color, but you never know what you're gonna get on the inside haha. The other day we found somebody that was selling some and there was a huge one - 17 kilos (37.5 pounds). So we bought it and split it open for a nice snack after the baptism on Friday. Was wondering if it was gonna be yellow or purple... it was red.
Exciting news for the week is about one of the members in our branch who applied for his mission last year. I check every once in a while to see where his papers are, and when I checked the other day, he had an assignment made, and his call is on the way! Also there are 2 or 3 others in the Branch that are getting ready to serve. So the branch is way excited for them.
On Saturday, we had a District YSA (young single adult) activity here in Santa Ana. The plan was that we would meet at a certain time and they would pick us up with all our YSA, then we would head up to Buacag Falls. So we were there at the meeting place on time. Ended up waiting 2 hours until they picked us up haha. filipino time. But the activity turned out fun. Lots of people came and went swimming in a little hidden river in the crevice of a mountain that also had some waterfalls and some place to cliff jump.
Sunday was a good day. It started out a little strange however. We got to the meetinghouse early to open everything up and get ready. But when people started arriving, everybody was coughing because it was so smoky. We looked around and somebody was burning their trash right next to the church, which was blowing tons of smoke right into the church. (There is no garbage man here to pick up your trash, so everybody just burns it right outside their house). Before I could go out and talk to the person and ask them to put it out, our other neighbor was already over there chewing her out. She was mad because she had just washed her clothes and hung them up, and now the smoke was making them smell bad. So they were out yelling at each other and making a ruckus right before Sacrament was supposed to start haha. We ended up getting her to put out the fire, and started Sacrament Meeting. We had a good meeting with 94 attendance, including 14 investigators. We had a full gospel principles class. The old Ilokano Tatay (Rodolfo) and his two granddaughters came to church. We are preparing for them to be baptized in a few weeks.
Even though sometimes I am disappointed with people failing to be obedient and committed, there are many times where I am overwhelmed with joy to see members with tough circumstances continue to be loyal and converted to the Lord. There was a member here who was robbed this last week and had 8000 pesos (about 152 US dollars) stolen from her. She has been working for almost a year now, trying to get enough money so she could go back to school and finish. She was so sad and discouraged. But on Sunday, she came to church and paid her tithing. Other members, even though their life is hard, they stop everything they are doing on Sunday and give time to the Lord. I have learned so many things from the filipinos, but one thing that will always stick with me is that when we put The Lord first in our lives, He will always provide for us.
Love you all, have a nice week!
-Elder Jenkins
Keep pluggin along & prepare the way for Mark Griffits who is coming to your same mission! Looking 4ward to your homecoming!!!
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