This is a picture of Elder Booth at Pizza Hut. He said: "That is pretty much my favorite place to eat at. It is just kind of expensive for the amount of money they give us." So he probably doesn't get to go there too often, I would imagine. Happy times!This is a letter from Elder Booth:
Surprising Transfer Meeting
June 14, 2009 9:36:06 PM PDT
Well hey everybody. This has really been an interesting week. Of course it was kind of exciting because it was transfer week. Tuesday was the day we found out where we would be going. To my surprise they did all of the announcements before they even started the lesson. They usually don't do that until after a long while so everybody starts to complain. I was even more surprised when they told me that I would be staying in my current area for another transfer. Oh, and they also told me I would become a senior in the companionship. So I guess there was a little change. Not very many missionaries have the chance to spend seven and a half months in the same area. It was an interesting feeling when they told me. I think everybody else was just as surprised as I was when they heard it. A lot of them had a pretty good laugh. Oh well, right. I will go where you want me to go, right?
The lesson after was fun, though. We played jeopardy with pmg and the bom. It's amazing how much you can learn from a simple game as long as it is spiritual. I don't really remember, but I think that my team won. I am not one hundred percent sure. It could have gone both ways. After the lesson there was another surprise announcement. They decided to tell us that the first transfer announcements were fake and they made them up. That's when they gave us the real one. I am actually not saying in my same area, but transferring to Silay. Don't get too excited though, it really is not all that far away from my current area. I am still right next to Bacolod. If you want to look at my area on google earth just find the air port in Silay City. You should be able to find it because that is the main airport. That is where we flew into when we came here. I still became senior though, and to my surprise I am also follow up training.
My companion has only been out for a month. His trainer was in his last transfer and went home. His name is Elder Sanchez. He is from Manilla. He is really Tagalog. His Ilango is coming along kind of slow. It is really weird when I am telling a Filipino words in their language. This is a really good area though. This is actually where my companion in the MTC got trained. So if I run out of things to say I can just ask if they know him.
The members here are awesome. I got really lucky again. We have a lot of people always working with us. I think my biggest problem is always being completely lost here. It is a lot harder to find your way around here than it was in my last area. I have no idea where I am most of the time. I am trying to learn as quick as possible, though. It really is a new experience being senior. I always had that crutch that if I didn't know what to do or understand something I could just count on my senior. I have to learn to walk on my own now, though. It has been a great learning experience so far, though. I am learning a lot in the language just because if I don't understand even one thing, I only have myself to ask now.
The work here is great, though. We really have some good investigators. I am having fun getting to know all of them. We actually already have a baptism planned for this Saturday. So I guess that is a big blessing with coming here. There is another that could be baptized right now but she needs to have an interview with the Mission President. I guess in the past she didn't have a baby when she should have. She is really nice though, and has the desire. I guess I will have to set that. It will be kind of hard right now though, since this is his last transfer before we get a new one.
The new one's name is President Tobias, if you are wondering. He is also from the Philippines. I guess I will just have to ask him about her. There is another investigator that is awesome. We just need to get rid of the WOW problem. He just can't get rid of the cigarettes. He is great, though, and is always reading in the Book of Mormon. Then there is another family that is pretty golden. I think they taught me more than I taught them with their testimonies they have already aquired. All in all, I am doing good. It was little stressful at first, but I think I am getting used to it. It's just no fun when something goes wrong and you don't have anybody else to blame. I guess that is life, though. At least I am still close to a lot of people in my batch. I'm actually in the same district as three of them. So that is fun. We all went senior this transfer accept for three. So ya, that is about all that is going on here.
I was happy to get some emails this week. It sounds like life is still exciting back home. It was kind of depressing last week when I did not get any. I was saying that I should not have told you that I would not be able to email. I guess you would have been pretty worried, though. President said last time he did there were some that did not tell and he had all of their parents calling him and asking what was going on. Well, I love you all and hope you all continue with the work back home. Thanks for everything.
Elder Booth
