Week 77: Duck, Duck, Goose!

AJ was in and out at the computer store this week, plus had some sending probs, but here is the short conversation we had:

AJ: Hey, how's it going? Are you still awake? (about 1 a.m. In Utah)

DAD: Yeah, still up, how ya been? Seems like my email is screwed up, u there?

AJ: I am pretty sure it's our email that is not working very good.

DAD: Mine seems pretty funky too. Anyway, the Shaners wrote some nice stuff about you on their blog.

AJ: Do you have any pics?

DAD: (Sent some family pix) Didn't know you remembered Duck Duck Goose!
AJ: Yeah, I taught it to the Filipinos – they didn't know that game, but they loved IT!

DAD: Cracks me up to think about you trying to chase down those short fast little Philippine dudes ;{)
AJ: Surprisingly, they aren't that good at Duck Duck Goose. They always wear flip-flops, too, hehe. I gotta go though!!!

DAD: K, love you son!

AJ is the Goose!

[Excerpt from Elder and Sister Shaner's blogs – Sis. Shaner is doing the writing]

Duck, Duck, Goose.........how many of us remember this game??? I remember playing it in the snow on the playground during recesses in Nebraska in the 50's...now THAT was a lifetime ago! I bet most of my grandchildren and children have never played, but Elder Griffin must have picked up the rules somewhere along the line because at our Branch Farewell Party last week, he got the whole group involved! It was so fun to watch these people learn a new game and enjoy themselves so much – they are game people for sure! The party was in honor of our beloved Zone Leader Elder Rausa, who headed home after serving an honorable two year mission, and two young men, Elder Emerson Ulep and Elder Mark Prince Munoz, who left last week for the MTC in Manila to start their two year missions.

Roxas Zone Leaders Elder Velez and Elder Griffin

[Excerpt No. 2 from Shaners blog]

With Elder Rausa's release and his return home, we had a transfer meeting last week and Elder Velez joins Elder Griffin as our new Zone Leader. I teased Elder Griffin that 'this one won't fit in your pocket as well as Elder Rausa did!' Elder Griffin is VERY tall and most Filipinos are not, so the height difference is always noticeable with his companions. I think you all remember the pictures I have posted in the past of Elder Griffin and Elder Rausa. Elder Velez is a little taller in body and equally tall in spirit. We are very lucky to have his leadership in our district and look forward to learning from him for the next few months.

AJ's WEEKLY LETTER

Dear Family,
Wow, it was a Scorcher this week!!! The sun has been cooking us. It was definitely the hottest week of my mission since Tuguegarao – might have been hotter than this back in the day in Tug.

So this week we had our zone meeting. It was about the divine companionship and we also had quarterly interviews with President Carlos.



AJ's shot of a Philippine sunset.



The interview with President was good as always and we just talked about how whenever we do something especially for the Lord it's always JUST about the Savior, not about us or anything else. Example: it's not really important how many baptisms a missionary has or what he has done in the mission, but it's a lot more important who he has become and for sure if he/she was converted.

So this week our investigator Sister Feyma passed her interview and is excited to be baptized on the 21st. We have really seen a huge conversion in her life (and really fast too) as after she got the answer to her prayer she has been different ever since. And awesome as well. Her brother Brian has been working with us and is fairly newly returned after being inactive for a long time – just got his mission call to Cagayan De Oro (Rausa's hometown) and he leaves on May 19!!!

We had a day or two this week where everything just seemed to keep falling through, even though we thought we had made the right plans. We were led to where we needed to be, though. Sometimes days here in the mission just go like that and all the people you want to teach are not there or for whatever reason you can't teach them, but we almost always are led to something else – and it is amazing.

Well today, is gonna be kind of a short letter, but I love you. I was just thinking about how awesome you are Mom and Dad (and of course my brothers and sisters). I am so thankful to have been born of goodly parents. A lot of people in the world were not. I know the gospel. I know my Savior lives and I am so grateful to have been called to the Philippines Cauayan Mission. I love the people here!!!

LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AJ