Randy's Mission to the Philippines: Elder Booth is leaving our area??!!

So somewhere along the way, Elder Booth heard that he would probably be transferred in the next transfer. So he set up some FHE's and tried to go around and visit anyone he could to say goodbye and give some last minute advice. As you will read in the letter below, things did not go as he had anticipated and he ended up having a lot more time to say his goodbyes...

These pictures are of a Family Home Evening with one of the families Elder Booth wanted to say goodbye to:

This is Elder Booth saying goodbye to the good people who used to feed him, along with his companion, almost every Sunday. I guess he'll get a few more meals with them:

These are some invetigators that Elder Booth had for a little while. He had to stop coming after their grandma told them not to come back.

Left to right: Melody, John John,Elder Booth, Gary, Dexter, Elder

This next picture is one of Elder Booth's Zone eating at "21." It is a nice restaurant that "was very tasty," according to Elder Booth:

Here is the letter explaining all of the "happenings" of the transfer that didn't happen...

Date: May 3, 2009 8:56:09 PM PDT
Subject: Amogihapon

Yea, the subject means it's all the same. Transfer meetings on Tuesday were kind of a surprise. When they called me, they asked me what I thought would be happening to me. I said with a big smile that I would probably be transferring. Then I found myself sitting right back down with the smile wiped clean after hearing that I would be staying for at least another transfer. Oh, and the other elders that I live with would be getting white washed, which means I now live with three new people. Me and my companion really did not expect that since we had been preparing for me to leave. I already had had two family home evenings where I gave my little farewell speech and final advice. I guess they had to make last minute changes because some elder got sent home before he could leave the MTC. It's a good thing that I like my area or I think I would go crazy.

I am really getting close to the members here. This is really becoming my homeward. They were pretty shocked to here that I would be staying though, since we had pretty much told everybody that I would be the one to leave. I even signed all the Book of remberances and stuff. Oh yea, that is one thing they do here in the Philippines. Everybody had a little book/yearbook type thing. When they give it to you to sign, you just take a page and do whatever you want to like draw or just put a picture of yourself. Some of them are really cool. I just wish I could draw, or even write. I am going to be known for having the crappiest ones. Oh well. I really don't like doing them anyway. I actually hope the word will spread.

Well anyway, my new companion is really nice. His name is Elder Martanito. (Don't ask me if that is how you spell it. Just be glad that I actually remembered it). He is the exact opposite of my last companion when it comes to size. He is about the height of Ulma and might be even smaller. He is cool though. (See pictures below!) I don't know how I feel about the other two elders living with me. One is named Elder Hopper who is an American from some where over there. He is training a filipino from Manilla, I think. I can't remember his name, but he is pretty nice. Elder Hopper is just kind of not my type. I don't think I would have spent all that much time with him before the mission. Oh well. Just preparing to get another crappy roommate in college, I guess. I can't complain too much. He really isn't all that bad.

The hardest thing about this whole thing is having to lead. I am acting as the senior companion right now since he really does not know the area at all and I have been here my whole mission so I can at least tell him where to go. I am a little stressed though, because we are supposed to get 6 baptisms this month and I will feel like a failure if I don't get them all. I guess I will just have to put my trust in the lord and hope I am worthy for him to work through me because I don't think I can do it on my own. They should all work out though, as long as they all come to church.

We actually got up bright and early yesterday to go and get some kids. After waiting for them to all get ready and stuff, we ended up leaving the little area with four of them tagging along. All of their parents are members; they just don't come to church. I don't know if they ever will, either. I will just have to have faith that the spirit can change anybody's mind. The kids are a blast though. They are really good at reading and are really smart with the lessons. They made church fun too. Since all we had were kids there for investigators, we just sent them to Primary and decided to just go with them. I don't know if the teacher liked me there, but I had fun. The kids all decided to spend most of the time hanging on me and throwing stuff at me. I felt bad but I will just use the excuse that I was trying to get closer to the investigators. It actually worked well though. We were all pretty good friends by the end of the block. I just hope they will all come next week on their own. They all really want to be baptized. Now they just need to realize what they need to do first.

We actually have another investigator that just turned eight. She has been coming to church for a while so we thought it would be a piece of cake. We were actually just waiting for her to turn eight. However, we actually found a road block. She is really really shy. She will barely look at us during the lessons, let alone answer us. We kind of thought that would make the baptisimal interview kind of hard. We are actually playing games to get over that. The rest of our investigators are doing alright. They just have a couple of things in the way. Usually going to church is the biggest hurdle, though.

My kind of funny story took place on Saturday. It started while we were teaching one investigator kind of way out yonder. It started to really pour as in really, really pour. So we ran out and jumped on a motor(trike thing) and headed out on the high way. We were driving through mini rivers, but I was still not too wet. Then this stupid jeep decides to be funny and get the stupid white boy. He drove up right next to us and just completely drenched me. I came pretty close to swearing, but instead just shook my fist at him a lot.

We finally arrived at the church where there was an activity. They were playing games in the church. Here the cultural hall and the chapel are the same thing. They just have all chairs and no benches. So I got to watch them put on a fashion show in the chapel. It was not a normal one though. Instead of girls, it was boys in girl's clothing acting gay. I felt bad laughing at this in the chapel, but I was sitting next to the Bishop who was laughing a lot harder than I was. They borrowed my camera for it though, so I got most of it on video so you can see some of the activities here in the Philippines. Well, that's all I have to say about that.

I love you all and can't wait to talk to you on Mother's Day. Well, actually about that. They told us that it could take place any time in the month of May. What will probably happen is I will just have you call me here at my apartment. I would use those cards but I can't figure out how to use them here. Maybe I will try and if it does not work you can just call me. So yea. Just tell me when the best time is and everything. I will get the number to mom and stuff, but hopefully I will be able to figure out that card. Thanks for the support. Keep on trucking and have fun. I guess I don't have to say that since it sounds like you had a fun week as a family.

Elder Booth

Here are some pictures of Elder Booth with his new companion and the new companionship that will be sharing the apartment with him:

From left to right: Elder Booth, Elder Martanito, Elder Hopper, Elder Eslava