Another Soul Saved!

Most of these pictures are from a baptism, but I'm not quite sure if it's for the baptism that is talked about in the letter. This baptism happened on August 15th. I think it might be, but I'm not positive.

I have to say that Elder Scott and Elder Fordham look a lot alike. I was a little confused for a second. But I think I've figured it out. This is Elder Fordham:

Here is Elder Booth and Elder Fordham with the family of the little girl that was baptized (she does have two younger sisters, so it could be the one talked about below in the letter):

Here is the family themselves:

Again:

One more:

For these next pictures, Elder Booth said that the mom of the little girl getting baptized didn't have any of her youngest daughter, so Elder Booth decided to change that:

A closer one:

Another one:

One more:

Here is Elder Fordham with one of the ward missionaries (I think), or with a ward member:

I guess she was only ok with one picture getting taken!

He (her brother or another ward member) is ok with it, but she is done!

Ok, maybe not...

This last shot is of Elder Unsicker (I think that's the spelling). He was one of the Elders that came and stayed with Elder Booth and Elder Fordham for P-day activities the next day. Elder Booth mentioned that he's crazy...

Here's another letter from Elder Booth:

Subject: Another soul saved

Date: August 16, 2009 11:02:50 PM PDT

Well, the week has been a good one. I really have nothing to complain about. We had a lot of new people that are really good, plus we had a good baptism. It was a really cool event. I have been teaching this girl ever since I got here, so was really excited to finally get her into the water. She is so amazing as well. I think I might have mentioned her in my previous emails. She is the one that is going to be better than me at the scriptures pretty soon. Well, that is not saying much. She is going to better than most, that is to say. She is from a very very poor family as well so we wanted to make it a special one. We got the ward missionaries to cook some food for her and the family. Then Elder Fordham and I went down to the store and bought her some school supplies since she really does not even have a bag to go to school. I would have to say we picked out a pretty good bag as well. It was Strawberry Shortcake and really pink. I was kind of proud of our pick. It fit her pretty well. The mom actually told me she and a her two little sisters will probably use it. That just made me feel even worse about their situation. I just wish I could help more in that sense, but that is just not what the missionaries are there for.

The area is going great, though. We were able to get that whole girl problem figured out so I am not going to die from all the worry about having a girlfriend. I heard we are not allowed to do that, so I was kind of worried about breaking the rules. Plus, Elder Fordham is doing a lot better with the people. It was kind of a struggle at first with the whole language gap and stuff. He is getting better, though. It is kind of hard sometimes to be the mediator. Oh well, though, right? You just do what you have to do.

Oh, I do have some really good news, though, about one of our investigators. It's the one we have been trying to get to stop smoking forever. Well we gave him a date and as of the 12th he is completely clean. I was about to jump for joy when he said that. It was actually kind of a bad lesson since I was just overly excited the whole time. I really hope that I am still here for when he gets dunked. I will just have to pray that I don't get transferred. He just has to stay clean for another couple of weeks, and then he will be able to be baptized. We have some other really good investigators as well. We actually have a baptism this week again, so I am excited for that, of course. September is the big month here, though. That is when most, if not all, of our investigators are supposed to reach the waters.

Things have been well with my comp and the people, though. Although there is this one RM that worked with us. He told me all about how he would have become AP and stuff, but he turned it down because he wanted to train. We are kind of having problems with him trying to completely lead the lessons. Other than that, though, I really can't see too many other problems.

For my funny experience I will tell you about the lesson that I actually had just last night. So I was teaching about the Law of Chastity to all of these kids. They are a great group of kids that really want to become members of the church. They are already better at going to the activities than I was before me mission. Anyway, I came to the part where you teach about wearing bad clothes and stuff (modesty). So I actually asked one of the little girls what happens to a girl if she goes out on the street wearing that. She answered right away. She said that she would get pregnant right away. I really do not know what they are teaching their kids here, but that girl is only nine years old. She really should not know about that kind of stuff. We could not hold back in the lesson, though. I just stopped and sat there laughing. I love to teach kids and stuff, it's great. Well, that is about all that really happened this week. I will try and get some exciting stuff for next week. I love you all and would love to here from you all. Thanks for the support and everything you do to help me out over here.

Elder Booth

Another Boat Trip to Lantad...

Elder Booth made another trip out to Lantad. This time, it was with Elder Scott. He was coming to do an interview of the investigator (wil rose?).

Here are the ward missionaries (I think) on board:

Here's a couple of shots of Elder Scott on the boat:

These are the children of the investigator:

Here's a picture of Elder Scott and Elder Booth with a daughter:

Awesome Zone Conference!

This next post is of another Zone Conference. The Zone met and did skits and played games. They met in a big soccer stadium with pools (poor missionaries) and basketball courts. Here's Elder booth in a few shots out in the middle of the stadium:

Here he is with some other Elders from his Zone:




Here's a picture of the Zone all together:
(It looks like there are three Sisters)




Here are some shots of the missionaries getting
ready to participate in some of the skits:

A close up of Elder Booth:

Some of the missionaries doing the skits:

More missionaries getting ready to do skits:

Elder Booth said he had a really good time. Besides participating in and watching the skits they were able to play some Ultimate Frisbee. There was a video of the skit Elder Booth was in, but it was too big to load. Here's a letter from Elder Booth:

Subject: medyo nacoolbaan ako sangligad nga semana

Date: August 10, 2009 10:22:19 PM PDT

Hey! How is everybody doing? It sounds like there is a lot going on with people and travel and all that jazz. Sorry I am behind again. We had out Zone Activity for the transfer and again we were a little late, so I am doing it now. It was an awesome activity, though. We went to this big stadium called Pana-ad and played some basketball and some ultimate frisbee. I pretty much loved it. I am actually sore right now, which has not happened for a very very long time. I am loving every second of it.

Things here in the area are going pretty good. I just realized though just how stressful missionary work can be if you let it. I think it is getting to me. I think I can sometimes feel the acne getting worse as I stress about something. Maybe I will come home bald or something. Actually, the most stressful part of the week is finding out some girl in the ward liked me a little too much so I had to talk to her about it. Then there were tears and stuff. Yea. So hopefully that does not blow up in my face of something bad like that. I never really did like that crap. I never thought I would have to deal with it here, though. I guess you just have to expect the unexpected and then deal with it when it comes. I will let you know if I get emergency transferred or something because of it. Actually, it's not that big of a deal - it is just kind of stressful.

The investigators are doing very well here, though. We just had one that has been an investigator forever go interview with the President. She passed and can now be interviewed and baptized. She is actually scared about some stuff though, so we will have to figure that out before we can move on, though. I really hope it works out, though. She is awesome and has such a strong testimony. We will just have to work really hard for her. The other really good one that I love cannot actually be baptized because she can't ever make to church because of her job. It is hard to tell someone to not work for the money that it takes to get her kids to school. She is really great, though. We are just trying to find a way to change jobs. We just wish that we could make her our washing sister. I truly hate washing and am very willing to spend the hundred and fifty pesos a week. It's just too bad that it is not allowed. Maybe I will just have to talk to the area authority or something about it.

Elder Fordham and I are still getting a long so there is no complaint there. I am just having fun and trying to teach him everything that I know and some things that I need to know. We are doing great in the area, though. We just keep having people show up for church and then people just tell us to come and teach them. It really cannot get any easier than that. For some reason I don't think that that happens in Europe or something like that. I am pretty lucky, I guess.

I don't really have a funny story in mind. You might just have to give me another week to get one. It is just a lot harder after you start getting the language down. You don't make those funny mistakes anymore. Well, I better get going. I love you all and really hope for the best. The gospel is true.

Elder Booth

Out with new companion

This post is of a place called Lantad. The Elders had to cross a river to get there. The did some service and actually got some new investigators. Here is the river they had to cross. In the letter below, Elder Booth mentioned that it took them about 5 minutes or so to get across. Here's the river from the bank:

Here's a picture while crossing the river:

Here is Elder Booth and Elder Fordham with the ward missionaries, Shire and Somel (I think that's their names. I'm not sure which is which to put a "Sis." and "Bro." in front of them).



Here they are trying the coconut over there. Here's what Elder Booth had to say about eating the coconut: "All that coconut we ate was really good going in. It was just not pleasant coming out."

Elder Booth about to try the coconut:

Elder Booth drinking the coconut milk:

All of the coconuts:

Everyone eating the coconuts:

Elder Booth posing for a picture with the ward missionary:

Here's a letter from Elder Booth. This trip is mentioned, also.

Subject: Medyo wala bago pero sadya gihapon

Date: August 2, 2009 7:25:29 PM PDT

Hey everybody. It is crazy it has been another week. It's weird when your time doesn't really revolve around days, but you do different things on certain days. It really makes time kind of fly. I am having a blast, though. The work is really moving forward here in Silay. I really love this area. I would not care if I were here for a while longer. I don't know if that will happen though. Oh well. I will just think about that in four more weeks.

It sounds like everything is pretty much the same as it was last week. It's to bad I am not there to see dad act as super mom, though. I guess I will just have to imagine that one as hard as it may be. Nanay na si tatay. Oh, and I heard that Caden was bow legged. That just might be a sign he might go in the opposite direction and start to like horses or something. I really hope for his sake that does not happen. I wouldn't want him that different from the other boys in the family. I guess his grandma would like him to, though.

Things here really are going great, though. Me and my companion are getting along great. It's just kind of tiring having to do most everything on you own since your comp does not really know how to talk to people yet. We are really working on it, though. I just remember that it was me at one point. Well, that was every white person here at one point. It is still kind of hard because there are a lot of random words that I still do not know. I really need to build the vocab so I can be truly fluent in the language. I did teach in Tagalog the other day, though, and actually did better than I thought I would. I just had to switch over to the Tagolog mode and I was doing pretty well. The members were actually kind of surprised because they did not know that I was taught that in the MTC and they just assumed that I picked it up just by talking to my previous companion who was originally Tagalog. It was a way cool investigator, though. It was the first lesson with her. To get to her house we actually have to cross a river on a little boat. It is a really good sized river and takes about five minutes to cross. I am hoping to get more than one investigator out there because it is kind of expensive to get there and takes a good amount of time out of the day to go there. We went there with a bunch of ward missionaries and they had a blast. It just took forever.

The rest of the investigators are doing great, though. We just had trouble getting some to church this week since it was storming really bad. People really do not like the rain here. Which is a pain since it is always raining. We have one that can't come because her boss won't let her take Sunday off. So I took the information of the boss. I just might have to pay her a visit. If she is a member than there should not be to much of a problem getting Sunday off for the other person.

We have a new family that is doing really well. I will be the happiest if I get to baptize an entire family again. That is the best feeling ever. They are the nicest people ever. I just hope I get to stay here long enough to see them get in the water. I actually have a lot of stuff planned for after the next transfer day so I am kind of nervous the bad is going to happen and I will have to go to a far off place. Oh well, though. That is just how life goes.

As for a funny experience, I do actually have one. Of course my comp is new, so he is trying to learn new words all the time. Well some of the time. He did learn the word pregnant pretty well, though . He asked me and then I asked the ward missionary to tell him. The ward missionary told him and then said "hindi ka magpabusuong so iban samtang ara ka diri so" mission. This was right in the middle of a lesson so it was hard to keep the spirit after that. This translated is: "Make sure you don't cause another to be pregnant." He had absolutely no idea what was going on. I felt bad since everybody was laughing and he really couldn't. I don't know, maybe you had to be there. Well, that is about all can think of. I love you all and wish you the best with everything. Just remember that the Lord should be before everything in your life. Even others.

Elder Booth

It's a new companion... Elder Fordham!

Elder Booth has officially said good bye to Elder Sanchez :( He will be missed, but he has a new companion, named Elder Fordham. He is from California, and is eager to learn. Elder Booth will continue training and will also stay in the same area.

This is a picture of the new companionships after the transfers (maybe?):

This is Elder Booth with his new companion, Elder Fordham,

and Brother Romil and his cousin from the ward:

Here's another shot with them:

These next two are some pictures of a few ward members from Elder Booth's area:

This is another letter from Elder Booth talking about the new transfers:

Subject: Mayara na Bago nga missionario (medyo)
Date: July 26, 2009 8:28:52 PM PDT

Well it was great to hear about everyone. So I decided that if you wrote me (which I strongly recommend) I would just talk about it a little bit in the big letter so I would have time. It sounds like everybody is pretty busy with life. Mom and dad are spending a lot of time together, which is good. I guess they better get used to it since they have eternity to go. Wow. That really makes the whole wife thing crazy, no? Michele is still super woman so that has not changed much. Maybe some day we can all understand how it is really possible to do all that stuff and still be alive and smiling. I guess it helps out they are raising the next prodigies in sports and music. Mason and Caden sound like a blast as well. It's good they are taking out their fighting on each other. I really feel bad for the first kid who makes them both mad. They are some big boys. That would be a crazy little duo. I sure do miss all of that stuff. Oh well. It will still be there when I get back, I'm sure.

Things here have actually changed a little bit. I ended up staying in this area again, but I did get a new companion. I have the pleasure to follow up train again. Well follow up train, slash train. He is an American from California and has been here for a month. He really does not know any of the language and has not taught any of the lessons. Actually, his first time teaching was the first day with me. He is good, though. He just had a rough transfer with the trainer. He is ready to learn though, and I am ready to try and teach him all that I know, even if it is not that much. Oh, and his name is Elder Fordham. That's just if you wanted to know. So yea, that is the story with the transfers.

The area is doing really well. We had a great day at church and were able to get seven investigators there. There were just a couple that I was really disappointed about. Plus, I had another one of those experiences where a member walked up to me and said: "Here. He wants to be baptized, will you teach him?" So I did not waste any time and will actually be teaching him later today. We still have some of the coolest investigators in the world. I really love going to each and everyone of them. I got one to play basketball with us earlier today. He is my fave. We spent the fist five minutes laughing, then taught with the spirit, and then spent the last five minutes laughing again. He is the best. His parents just are not very supportive, which makes things kind of hard. I felt bad though when he got hit in the face and started to bleed everywhere. He was a champ though and just kept playing even though there was blood everywhere.

My funny experience was actually really not. For the first time I actually kind of got in a debate. I found out for the first time there really is not arguing with the Seventh-Day Adventist. They really stick to the belief. I ended up just telling them the only way to really know is pray and then I just left. I really hope they get the answer they are looking for. I will go back next week so I can give you all the details. Right now I am out 0f time so I will have to say good bye. Sorry. I love you all though, and hope the best. Thanks for the support.

Elder Booth