Dear Family and Friends,
This week has had a lot of changes as far Binalonan area is concerned. Let me start with the biggest one to me. I have a new companion, Elder Uri, he is also Filipino. He has been in the field only a transfer longer than I have so we are both relatively new to the mission . He is super funny and we get along very well, he has also helped me greatly with the language. Second big change happened in our kabahay (group of people in our house), everyone was pulled out, except for me. The Binalonan branch was closed, and now has been reopened with two new elders, Elder 'Emelio and Elder Mailata. It is official now that I am the only American in the house and my district now! Since I have a new companion I also has the challenge of leading my area. It has put me out of my comfort zone a little bit, but it has been fun as well!
Since this Friday I have also enjoyed being the house chef as I am the only one who can cook something besides eggs and oatmeal. They now have me go out and buy whatever ingredients I want for lunch for the next week, we split the bill, I cook, and they do the dishes! So its a good deal!
This week has had a lot of changes as far Binalonan area is concerned. Let me start with the biggest one to me. I have a new companion, Elder Uri, he is also Filipino. He has been in the field only a transfer longer than I have so we are both relatively new to the mission . He is super funny and we get along very well, he has also helped me greatly with the language. Second big change happened in our kabahay (group of people in our house), everyone was pulled out, except for me. The Binalonan branch was closed, and now has been reopened with two new elders, Elder 'Emelio and Elder Mailata. It is official now that I am the only American in the house and my district now! Since I have a new companion I also has the challenge of leading my area. It has put me out of my comfort zone a little bit, but it has been fun as well!
Since this Friday I have also enjoyed being the house chef as I am the only one who can cook something besides eggs and oatmeal. They now have me go out and buy whatever ingredients I want for lunch for the next week, we split the bill, I cook, and they do the dishes! So its a good deal!
This is me taking a nap in a Jeepney!
Now about the new uncle thing. We have been teaching a Part-member family for a while now and I have become really good friends with the family. In one of our visits we got to meet some of Tatay's (father in tagalog) nephews and since then they call me Uncle Johnson. So I feel like a part of the family now! This week I have also picked up a new nickname (not Beiber or alaska boy). Every week we have zone studies in the Binalonan chapel and so I have been entrusted with the keys to the ward (literal keys, not priesthood keys, haha that's a knee slapper). Since I am the one who opens the ward and locks it up, everyone in the zone calls me "Bishop". It has stuck since then and it's grown on me a little bit!
I also had the experience of finishing the Book of Mormon for the first time on my mission! It's really cool to look through all the markings and read through the notes! It has also been a real testimony builder for me. The things written in the Book of Mormon are really for this generation. If you haven't, please read it! And don't just read it, study it, take notes, mark them up a little bit. Make the experience personal for you, not just because someone told you to do it. I have found that reading the scriptures is a lot better then most people make it seem. I have also found that it is a lot easier and funner to read if you read it because you actually want to, not because its an assignment.
All in all everything is going great! I love being here. I love meeting new people! I haven't seen Rat-zilla in a while, so all is well!
Love you all! MAHAL KITA!!!
Elder Trevor Kent Johnson (TWMYK)