My comp is amazing. He knows how he wants to end my mission and he is all in as well! We grew up in totally different situations tho. I will be the first one to admit that I have been so spoiled with my beautiful family! Elder Palzario didn't have that. His dad left him when he was 3 and his mom died when he was 11. So he separated from his brothers who are now on a totally different path. So he grew up with an uncle who was a member of the church! And because of that he is now here with me opening Boracay!!! We have so much fun and I really just love him. So proud of him!!! He owes 100% of his success to the Church and is one of the many people who has experienced a complete turn around because of the Restored Gospel!
Alright so this week we planned a bunch of things to keep the excitement up about having a new group!!!! So we planned an AWESOME group activity. Since people here are so used to world class white sand beaches we took them to my area of specialty:).....A River. Yup Ryker you know I caught a few grass hoppers and threw them in to test if any fish would take them. So ya we found a really cool river to hold an activity! It was perfect! We had some games, the members swam, we had a boodle fight (where you throw rice and food on a 5 or 6 bananas leaves and everyone just digs in with their hands!!! I was so excited for it! Like the night before I couldn't stay asleep I kept waking up and checking the clock because I was just so excited! I love my little humble group:) So ya it was a lot of work but it was a 110% success!
The Gaytano family is a family you will for sure meet when you get here! Alex Gaytano is the dad and he is one of the most humblest man I have seen here. But at the same time he one of the firmest. That's a great combination. He is a brand new member but wow does he have a powerful testimony. He spoke for the first time this Sunday and wow it was so cool to hear! We have been trying to teach his oldest son who has 2 kids of his own for 2 months now!!! He is just like his dad and has to be one of my favorite people I have met here. So humble but at the same time so firm. He would run away whenever we got there but after 2 months he finally let us teach him and his family and it was AWESOME! He pretty much just committed himself to get baptized and it was great!
Ha ha I was able to overcome one of my weaknesses this Sunday. So our primary teacher didn't come to church this week...but she was super nice to send her 10 CRAZY kids!!!! We had a teacher for the adults class teach about the Word of Wisdom which every adult needs right now so we had to take care of the Primary/Nursery so the adult class would be successful. I will be honest....that's a rough class. Elder Palzario usually takes it because he is just a stud but this week I finally felt bad and took one for the team. But I am proud to say that I survived!!!! Ha ha I totally should have videoed it!!!! I taught a small lesson, played the piano for them (once again thanks mom for making me take piano lessons), translated I Am a Child of God in Tagalog, and colored pictures!!! It filled up all the time with minimal fights and kids cry!!! SUCCESS!!!! This group has put me in so many uncomfortable situation that it has to be good for me!
Things are going great here! Its a lot of work tho!! Wow is it a lot of work! But I wouldn't want anything different! I have a purpose here. I have a mission to complete here in Caticlan! I am thankful for my family. I miss my family. I love my family!!!!
Love,
Elder Jackson Erik Craythorne
