Wa'ay tawo...

Dear family and other people (I think)

Hello! So this week has been really really boring. Elder Suarez and I have had a seriously boring week... We suffered from wa'ay tawo... (No people). It's hard to teach people when they aren't there! That's pretty much all that has happened this week. So Domenick has mono (Or I think that's what he said) so he's been delayed a while, like 3 months I think? I'm not sure, I didn't deal with that :D They spelt her name wrong? It makes sense, it's hard. I cheated and used the Church Directory! :D Go copy and paste! So Christmas actually starts in September and lasts until the end of the year apparently... Or that's what I've been told. But It's literally only September 1 here, so nothing new (I'll just wait till tomorrow...)

How has your week been?

My week has been okay. Nothing hard.

Have you had any amazing or spiritual experiences?  

Just a funny week!

What is something funny that happened?

So yesterday at sacrament our investigator took the sacrament water and put the cup back in it's spot... The deacon had no clue what to do. Also, the investigator is 9 and she is from Manila (like literally just moved here) so I am learning Tagalog! :D And Cebuano, because why not! :D 

Do you eat with members yet?

Nope. Most of the members live in the sisters area. 

How is the membership where you are serving?

It's okay. It's wierd being in a ward again...

New families you are teaching?

not really, just the same ones. They just need to go to church!

I know you have baptisms coming up, or did they already happen?

We have some later this month.

How are your g's?  Time for new ones, or are they okay?

They're good! But if I need new ones, they are SUPER cheap here, so I'l just order them when I need them. :D

What about your socks?

Socks are okay. I think a few ran away, I literally have 7 pairs. 

What was the most useless thing you brought?

To me, the most useless thing that I brought was... I'm not really sure. I'll think about it.

What is something you wish you had brought?

Something I wish I had brought? Nothing. I think? I'll think about that one too.

How are your memory cards?  Where are you with filling those?

Memory cards are okay! I don't think I'll need any. 

So I got the package last friday! :D The SPK actually lasted this time... for a whole 4 days! :D All I need to do now is work on taking pictures. Right now (well, after this email) I'm going to be getting all my baptism pictures printed out! So that's going to be fun. :D 

I think I will end here so I can email my peeps. (Conner and Domenick)

Peace off

Elder Archuleta

Dear Dad,

How are you doing? 

Life is still the same, eat-work-pray-sleep.

How is you new area? Are you still near the beach?

It's hot and yes still the beach, I'll take pictures this week.

Have you talked in Sacrament or done other responsibilities in church?

I talked 2 weeks ago, and sometimes we do the sacrament.

Do you wash your clothes with permethrin or do you use the spray often, are the misquotes bad?

Nope. We pay a member to do our laundry, but I've never used permithrin. I've barely used the mosquito repellent I came with. 

Any new Filipino foods you like?

Nothing new yet, I'll let you know when that happens.

Did you get the last package Mom sent? She put the epoxy glue in the box for your scriptures.

Last Friday, I was so happy when I got it. 

Who is Brother Torgerson? Is he new to the ward or just to the YM? And Brother Melin? I don't know either of them. 

I will be working on pictures this week. I have been so caught up trying to get this area going really really good. We do exchanges with the member like every other day because it makes it easier for us! 

I will let you know how the glue works, and I think we have Zone Conference soon. 

Elder Archuleta

PICTURES!!

Planners!!  :D

This is called red egg... its just a hard boiled egg really, with purple dye on the outside. Except before they boil it, they let it sit in salt for like 2 weeks then boil it.

Clif bars!  (And proof he's gluing his scriptures like I told him to.)

Elder Suarez and Elder Archuleta 

Sisters baptism!

ONE MORE!!!!

THIS THING IS GIANT!! Literally like the size of my hand... 

This week on the other side of the world..

So this week has been a normal week for us here. I miss being up in the mountains, it was cold there! But I've been getting super tan here, and my area is the BEACH! :D But swimming is not allowed, so it's rather pointless. I can print pictures, so I will be doing that sometime later this week. Other than that nothing much new has happened. We will be leaving here shortly to go to Bago, the main city here in Bago zone. I will get pictures in a second.

Love you all,

Elder Archu-gwapo-leta

Which when I asked him what "gwapo" meant, he replied, "Me! It means handsome, good-looking, that kind of stuffs."  :) 

I have like either 485 days left or 478 days, depending on the new MP!  Which makes it either December 16 or December 23!  

Dear Dad,

How was stake conference? What did President Perez share? Mom accidentally said Lopez in her email to me earlier... Or at least I think it was accidental. I miss being home sometimes, but I know that the harder I work here, the more blessed you all are back home. How are the YM? Are they reading their PMG'S? And agian, I keep forgetting, what position is Jake for O and D?

PICTURES!!!

District Meeting picture.. So If I remember correctly, it's Elder Suarez, Me, Sister Hemi, Sister Zidek, Sister Tampos, and Sister Snow.

Our ward mission leader fell asleep during class, we didn't wake him up until after we took pictures of him.

Transferred, YET AGAIN!

Dear Mom and family peeps,

This week has been fun. I got transferred YET AGAIN! I'm probably going to stay here for a while. Elder Edem is training, and I'm with another Filipino... again.  So I have met Elder Minson, he is actually pretty funny. Although I don't think I'm going to tell him that YOU stalked him... Cuz that's just weird.  (Before Elder Archuleta left on his mission, we LOVINGLY followed missionaries serving in the Bacolod Mission.  We JOKINGLY called it blog stalking.  Just had to clear that up in case people think I am crazy.  :D. I am not (that) crazy.  Haha) 

What's up with Derek? He should be like brown compared to the rest of them. I'm already like that now. (I sent him a picture of Elder McKeon from his moms Facebook page with his siblings at the airport.) We just got a brand new Elder and Sister last week (also they are starting to go to the Manila MTC) and when I would talk to them I would have to think before I answered them (Meaning he would have to think of the English words.). I really want to train, but according to President Lopez last last week, You can only be a trainer now if you've been a Zone Leader. 

What has been the thing you have learned the most on your mission, as of now?

The one thing I have learned the most on my mission? Hmmmm... Discernment. Teaching according to needs. That kind of stuffs. :D

Do you write in your journal?

I write in my journal, like every other day. I've gotten a lot better at it. 

Who has been writing you?  The same people or different?  

The same people as always: You, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa 

Archuleta, Domenick, Alyssa (oops, forgot to write her back...), thats about it.

Pictures! I want pictures. Speaking of pictures I only have like one or two this week. Elder Suarez wasn't feeling too well so we were dealing with that, but we are all good here :D I don't need anything from home as of now, but things can change :D

Peace off. If you sneezed while reading this email, bless you. 

Elder Archuleta

So the first picture is how I got greeted to the area.. I like it :D The other is guess what, a Baptism! :D

Pictures on President Lopez' Facebook page this week:

Bago Stake Conference Saturday Session.  Elders Cancel, Suarez, Archuleta, Ramones, Wade, Minson and Racaza.

Elder Archuleta with his new companion, Elder Suarez

Where's Elder A.?  He he he

This is their church building.  

Beautifully manicured lawns on the church grounds.

Feeling Filipino

Dearest Family,

How are all of you? This week we have been just at work like usual. Nothing really new, I have a LOT of pictures to send, so I will get on those! :D I will also try to answer questions in my email to Dad.

Elder Archuleta

Dear Dad,

He's only 160?  That's not too bad.

Dad wrote: This week was a little busy with scouts, and football.  Jackson had the rain gutter regatta he had fun doing that. Jakob had a scrimmage against Del Oro Thursday he did well. Yesterday we had Jakob football jamboree at Woodland High School. That's where he does his official weigh in for the season and to verify his weight, he came in at 160.5 pounds.  They played against Woodland, Marysville and Yuba City, Jake did well with some great tackles, he sacked the quarter back a couple times, he is a starter on offense at full back and defensive end on defense, he will play a lot this year, he is excited.

Jake & Jack start school in one more week, it will be good for them to go back to school and get into a routine.

It's already almost school time? weird.

Dad:  Are you starting to feel like a Filipino?

I actually do. We have members and Investigators telling us that I'm a Filipino, it's pretty cool. Although my favorite is when they ask Elder Edem if I can speak/understand Ilonggo and I answer them (in complete and pure Ilonggo)! The look on their faces are priceless.

Dad:  Are you still busy teaching investigators?  Anything interesting this week?

Yes. We also have a few extra assignments from president while we are here.

Elder Archuleta 

PICTURES!!  He sent each one with a special name in the subject line.  Subject line is above the picture and underlined, description is below the picture.  I included them because they make me smile and because I miss his sense of humor.  :)

pictureses

This is the Zone!  :D

more pictures

Went on exchanges with the Zone Leader, Elder Mu (from Australia)

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Baptism! :D

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The member is wearing Pink (he is super funny) and the little girl is going to be baptized at the end of this month.

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Elder Edem and I eating some soup thingy. I really dont know what it is exactly but it is really really good.

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Dinner I made.  Yay!!!  :D (What is it? Mom asked). Tortang Talong with my special Adobo :D or for Americans, food with food with a side of food :D

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Mt. Canlaon. Apparently it is rare to see the top, since there are always clouds covering it. 

I ran out of smart-alec names

Hehehe... Outside :D (Mom: Love the sunglasses!) They is awesome, and cheap! :D But I can't wear them whilst proselyting.

Last but not least, in true Elder Awesome style...a totally random picture:

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I took a picture of someone taking a picture of me. Perfect timing!

There were also pictures of our Elder on President Lopez' Facebook page.  

Taken after the special sacrament meeting.  President Olivero (La Castellana Branch President) was with us.  There were 32+ people in attendance and 9 investigators came to attend church.

(Looking in the window!)

(I included this one just because he is smiling...even though you can't see him very well.)

Elder Edem (DL) and Elder Archuleta (Moises Padilia Missionaries).

Emergency Transfer

Dear Family,

So this week has been fun! I got "emergency transferred" (which basically means I got transferred not on transfer day). I have a NEW companion (new to me). Elder Edem! He is from Cebu, so he speaks Cebuano! He is really really funny. Nothing else has realy happened, but I do have PICTURES! Woo!

To answer dads questions, yes I do use and read my Ilonggo BOM, I use english because I fully understand it.

I will send pictures!

Elder Archuleta

Elder Edem and Elder Archuleta...NEW COMPANIONS!  LaCarlota District Conference

Selfie!

Mangosteen cut correctly.

Rambutan fruit

NEW AREA PHOTOS!

My area is called Moises Padilla (pronounced pa-dill-e-a)

We were also blessed with a few new pictures on President Lopez' Facebook page from their District Conference this weekend.  There was a video as well, but I can't figure out how to save it yet.

Elder Archuleta welcoming members and investigators.

Just a side glance, an accidental photo bomb.  He is smiling so I had to include it!

Elder Molina, Elder Sablan and Elder Archuleta and their baptisms for the weekend.

Just plain cute.