Letter #28 (Feb 15th, 2012)

Hey all,
To be honest this week has been tough...
Its hard... one evening we visited with a less-active family and I really felt the Spirit and the love I have for these people and realized why I am here. I realized that I have to continue to focus on the work everyday and make sure I always have the Spirit with me. Training is hard work, and fun at the same time. But this area is really difficult. There are some days we cant teach anyone because there isn't anyone... it's like everyone vanishes from the face of the earth until 4 o'clock in the evening.Then at about 6 o'clock in the evening everything closes and everyone goes home and by 7 there is no-one on the street. We accomplish most of our work at lunch time and in the afternoon when school starts to finish up. Those times are when everyone is out and about and when people are home with their families. We have been trying to focus on the 15 names in the branch and working with members. We have one member who is very diligent in helping us and comes with us at least twice a week. He has been a great help these last two weeks in helping us to learn the area and to meet the people.
The 12 week program is a great program for helping us to develop our teaching skills and see the areas we need to improve and I am learning things from teaching this program. My study has been focused on and around the fundamentals and has really helped to improve my skills as a teacher. I find I understand a lot more of the language now as my companion still is learning. We have this triangle that goes on were people will try to talk with Elder Tolentino, he'll ask me what they said and I'll end up replying to them in Visayan. Its quite funny to the Philippino people when they find out that I am more fluent than my companion in speaking Visayan.
The Strouds were very kind this week also to help us acquire the things we needed for our house and get us up and running in terms of being able to cook our own food in the house again. We are returning to the records of the Sisters from the area book to find more people to teach and we are going to be following up with their former investigators.
Yes, that sister has complained because we weren't over there every day... but she'll just have to realise thats the reality karon. Of course they celebrate Valentines Day... Bohol is the Catholic capitol outside of the Vatican City, I think ... they are the most dedicated catholics i have ever met.
Definitely chocolate and some real licorice... not the american crap that keeps getting sent here which tastes like plastic. Also i would really like so jerky... beef and kangaroo if you could get some. Terri here: I asked him what he wanted in his birthday package!)
Tell Reilly I wish him a happy B'day and all the best for his driving (be careful mum...) and dont take the corners like in the racing game.
I've included a picture of the area (it is bukid kaayo) and then of our balay (just of the kitchen and living room) which is really huge.
Enjoy your week and I'll try to enjoy mine a lot more than last week.
Always pray to have the Spirit...
Miss you and love you,
Elder Taylor Addison Cox


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