Last Week's Letter

Sorry my email didn’t go through last week. It came back with an error this week. Here you go.


February 1, 2011
Family,
I am so happy to hear that all went well with baby Eleanor and that the Wood family is doing great. I’m glad you got to spend so much time over there mom. Your emails from your phone did come through, all of them, so I got the same email from you 3 times. But that’s alright. I am just happy I got them.

Dad, how’s your back doing after ice caving? You need to learn to let the boys do the work. :) Sorry I wasn’t there. It’s been cold here too! I actually got cold yesterday. Of course I was wet and wearing flip flops, shorts, and a t-shirt riding on the outside of a tricycle coming home from our service project, but I got cold. That doesn’t happen very often here, but lately it has been cold. We had a typhoon come though on Monday night and everything is all muddy here. It has been raining for about the last week straight and on and off for about a week before that. The only difference the last few days is that the wind has picked up a little. First time I’ve felt that in the Philippines. On the way home from the service project we were waiting for something to ride, preferably a mulitcab. Cheap and fast. Elder Chastane, an American from California saw a Philippines Army truck full of soldiers go by, so he waved like we wanted a ride, just as a joke. They stopped about 50 yards down the road, then they started to back up to us. Elder Chastane looked at me and said "oh crap now they are going to come and shoot us!" A bunch of Americans! When they got back to us they yelled "Get in." but of course in Bisaya. We grinned at each other and the 6 of us scrambled into the back of a Filipino Army truck with 10 soldiers in the back in full camo with rifles. That was a lot of fun! We got some pictures and taught them a little about the gospel. And it was a free ride! SWEET! Saved us each 7 pesos!

I did get my package mom, about 3 hours ago when we went to Cebu to go to a temple session. That is always nice. I am so glad that there is a temple here.

Dennis, I am glad to hear you are planning on running a marathon. That’s great! Don’t make Diane look too bad.

I have been learning a lot this week about teaching with the spirit. I have felt D&C 84:85 come into play in my life when it says that we will be given in the very moment what to say. That is so true. I have been led to scriptures and know exactly where to find them. Then I come up with what I think is a good idea and it bombs. So listening to the spirit is soo much more effective. I found out that the scripture that says that if you don’t have the spirit you shall not teach is really true. They don’t learn anything. But through the spirit you can help change lives. I love doing that.

Well I love you all and pray for you!
Love,
Elder Schenk