Hey Kids, can you rock and roll?

 [Sent by Elder Abbott 03/08/2011]

I can.

Dear Family and friends, I am in a good mood.

Why am I in a good mood? Because I'm a missionary lagi. [lagi means something like “of course” or “really”] And because Amado got baptized last Thursday and received the Holy Ghost last Sunday.  So naturally we are focusing on his wife. She isn't as quick on the uptake as Amado was. We showed her the Restoration DVD (In Cebuano! I reccomend listening to in Cebuano its totally dope.) and afterward the discussion was going really well and Elder Cabrera (my new comp, more about him later) shared about fruits of a prophet and she was like, “Oh yeah, Joseph Smith has fruits, those berries.” (In the first scene, Joseph picks some blackberries.) So we will just have to take it slowly.

On the plus side, I have a new companion. Elder Cabrera. He is my first companion not from Mindanao. (I nailed the spelling) So he speaks Tagalog. On the down side, he is really good at English, so sometimes it’s a temptation to speak in English, since he usually does. But I need to persevere. He's pretty funny. He's really bright, and he spent a transfer with a master Bible Basher, so he can use the Bible really, well but he doesn't bash which is great.

Elsewhere in Siaton, things are still just tumbling along. This is a tough area because it is HUGE and plete [“fare”, i.e. transportation costs] is a huge factor in coming to church. So he we have to like convert them before they come to church, which is a chore. We are working this old man pretty hard right now. We really want him because he is son of God, but also because he is a Seventh Day Adventist. And they are notoriously hard to baptize, ultimately, because Sunday worship isn't terribly clear in the scriptures. I mean it’s clear, but Saturday worship is more clear. He's great though since he reads the Book of Mormon, so we feel like his testimony will come around any time.

Also one of the best parts of Elder Cabrera is that he likes Balut. Elder Angeles never bought balut (or any foods), so it’s been a while since my last balut. But now we will eat balut all the time, and I will not regret it.

That story about Britta is incredible and there really isn't any way I'll be able to top Erika as favorite, which is disappointing. But ultimately I am just saying that the clock is now ticking for little Britta (Brits-town) to be able to say "I love you uncle Elder Nik!" So stop flaunting your new-born baby and get to work, Erika. Also, tell Sister Anderson that its totally cool to e-mail me Kaleb's letters. I just can't email him or her directly.

Well thats about it, Happy Birthday Day Mom!

Stay crazy.
Gugma Elder Abbott

P.S. The first photo is brother Amado's baptismal service (not at an ocean)

and second, are companionship photos of me and Elder Cabrera at the house last night. 

I really liked fried eggplant

[Sent by Elder Abbott 03/01/2011]

Dear friends and family,
This week has been pretty slow, not too much to report, except we are baptizing Amado tomorrow and he is really really really excited! He is a funny guy. We went to his house yesterday afternoon and we were like, "Where is he?" And then, SHOOF! he comes sliding down a coconut tree. So we drank coconut juice and filled out his baptismal record. He told us all about his plan to bring his family to church, so they can get baptized too.
Also, Elder Angeles found out he is getting transferred, so I'll have my fourth companion in as many transfers, so give a warm welcome to Elder Cabrera, I hear he is very nice.
We got a golden referral from Hong Kong (that's in China), so that was boss and its not just one middle aged lady, but two! So we are all very excited about that.
Aside from that not much to report.
Happy birthday Mom!!!!! 22 right?

I'm really not sure what else to write. Friday was my 6 month mark. That's really really crazy. I still feel really new.

As for Bishop Cherrington, my advice as far as physical preparations might be a little rough since we don't have conventional means to do a lot of things like laundry (it is all done by hand), and I have not had to sew anything yet. Usually cooking is pretty easy too. I learned how to cook rice, in or out of a rice cooker, and I usually just fry my food to go on top. I really like this stuff called corned beef and egg, fried up with soy sauce. 
But I do want to give some advice as far as cultural things go. If you go to a foreign country, don't act like an American. Eat whatever they give you. Eat like them, don't be a picky eater. Just do everything you can to be like them, I hear stories from the members of American missionaries that wouldn't eat fish or rice or something. Just eat it, you'll begin to like it. I promise, and the people will like you a lot more.
Spiritually, I don't really have any advice that won't sound cliche, except READ the Book of Mormon, everyday. I wasn't very good at it, and I wish I had started reading it sooner. It's incredible! Read Preach My Gospel, especially chapter 3. Eat it up! I learn new things every time I read it. Try and go on splits with the missionaries, if they are still in the ward. You will learn a ton from working with them. MOST IMPORTANTLY, dont wait - start saving now. And 4 months before you turn 19, turn in those papers! College can wait, work can wait. Trust me, you will be so glad you went because it is the most fun in the world! Last, but not least, try and get sent to the Cebu Philippines Mission, because it is the best!

I hope that helps. If I think of more stuff this coming week (I probably will), I will include it in next weeks letter.

I love you all. Be good. Does my niece have a name or is she still "that baby"?

Gugma Elder Abbott

Tagalog is different than Cebuano

Really different.

Dear Family and Friends, hey.

How are you? 

. . . 

That sounds marvelous. First and most important, CONGRATULATIONS! ERIKA AND CHRIS! She sounds great, she looks tiny and like a little alien, but most importantly I'm very proud for (of?) you two, you guys are great.

As for everyone else in the family; I'm sure you all had great experiences this week, but none of that beats a baby. My week included. 

Anyway, I'm going to try and make this interesting, but it probably will be boring. So like my title says I learned a really important lesson from one our new investigators. She is 25 and totally Tagalog, which is frustratingly difficult to understand. It feels like I'm in my first transfer again. Elder Angeles can understand Tagalog since he is Pinoy and it is universally understood here, but he can't speak it. So we both taught in a funky Bisayan/Tagalog/English mix and prayed that the spirit would carry the message to her heart. Which we feel like it did, she really enjoyed the lesson. And she is progressing pretty nicely. We're headed back there tonight so pray for me. But on the plus side I learned some Tagalog. I greeted her in Tagalog and she was very pleased. She asked if I knew Tagalog too, then I explained in Bisayan that I only knew Bisayan. But I can pick up the short things she says since almost everything written on billboards, on tv or the radio is Tagalog - you just pick some it up. 

Also, I got a couple of letters. First HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEXIS!!!! You’re totally 20, thats really old. 

Second, I really loved the Christmas cards that Jamison sent. They were hilarious. I was looking at the "Seasons Staircase" one and my District Laader (American) said me and my family took a picture like that once. He didn't understand it was a joke. 

Also, the Zoo was a blast last Wednesday. I'm sending pictures. The first is Elder Angeles and me holding a giant snake! 

 The second is me teaching a mermaid the Word of Wisdom. I was going to teach her the law of chastity, since she isn't wearing a top, but I settled with Word of Wisdom because that was the only pamphlet I could find in Cebuano. She didn't speak any English. I also taught a monkey and a reindeer the message of the restoration. 

The third picture is just a cool sign at the Zoo. 

And fourth is a Giant Alligator (crocodile?) It was like 10 feet long. The zoo guy was walking around in the cage right behind it. We totally thought they were going to wrestle. Nothing happened. 

Also this week I found out that there is a tree that grows mangoes in our yard. YES!

Also, we had a really boss coordination meeting with the branch that hopefully will increase the number of people that come to church and give us referrals. 

We ate some good food this week, but I have no time to explain since Elder Angeles is standing behind me waiting to go. 

Also we have a boss new Investigator. I'll tell you about him next week. 

I love all of you, you guys just keep doing awesome things. I love my friends and I'm grateful for my family. Be good and fly safe mom.

Gugma Elder Abbott.