Daily Life

September, 2011

Daily life

Air conditioning day and night.  Except when there is a "brown-out", like yesterday at church.  (Lane almost fainted from the heat).  We wake up around 6 or 7 to daylight in our loft bedroom, looking out at the palm trees and greenery and listening to the roosters crowing, the rain on our tin roof, the yapping dogs next door, or the tricycles tooting to pick up someone nearby.  Study time, planning time, breakfast and working on our computers is next.  Then into the car and off to a far away place to find a priesthood leader.  In the evenings we reorganize our plans, watch some CNN international on our new TV, and check the Internet for family news.  We have learned that if we do not send, we do not receive.  But until a week ago, we did not have access to electronic communication.  Our I-phones now have a "jail-break" chip in them that allows them to function here.  The I-pad has 3G and we have a wireless Internet installed in the house.  But the ordeal to get this all done was another story you will probably never hear.  Suffice it to say we are connected. 

Carolyn loves to fix meals.  We have had a scrumptious chicken divan, spaghetti, shepherds pie, and lots of rice on various evenings.  A lot of American food is available for a premium in the stores.  The SM (Save More) Mall has a very nice grocery store but we have a hard time getting fresh milk and a few other things.  All fruits and vegetables get washed in chlorine water when we get home, whether they can be peeled or not.   (4 months into our mission we relax this quite a bit)

SM also houses a McDonalds, a KFC and a Pizza Hut (Carolyn's new favorite meal; a 'garlic-shrimp-mango-salad' and a mango shake).  All in all, we are not suffering, and certainly not sacrificing.  This whole experience is just like a party or a fun vacation.  We are so blessed.

Carolyn keeps saying we were prepared for this mission.  Living in Florida's climate, driving in Italy and driving on the "wrong" side of the road in England.  Driving here is like playing a friendly game of chicken.  You look for every opportunity to wedge your way into traffic, and if you get their first, you win.  Passing without regard to the double yellow lines.  Tooting your horn to let someone know you are coming around them, on the right or the left.  The streets are packed with "Jeepnies" (strange looking mini buses you climb in at the back or just hang onto the side), "Tricycles" (Motorbikes with covered sidecars), huge buses, trucks, pedal carts, motorcycles, armored vehicles and cars.  But especially tricycles.  And when you get directions, they often say, "Just follow the tricycles".  It works!  At first it is scary, and then it becomes more like a game.  But still, great care must be exercised.  I have driven too close to a tree branch and put a big scar from front to back on the passenger side.  My alternative was to side-swipe an oncoming truck on a road too narrow to be considered more than one lane.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 The Spiritual Side of Serving a Mission

• Prayer with your spouse in some of the remote places on earth.
• Attending a mission zone conference with 50 or 60 bright, shiny Elders and Sisters, most of which are miniature people -- running about 5 feet tall on average.  And then there is the occasional American elder.  We have one that is 6'8" and wow, does he stand out.  We have learned that Filipinos make up over 60% of the missionaries here.  They dress smartly and generally out-shine the Americanos in dress and grooming.  And according to the mission president, the Filipinos are frequently the most obedient and dedicated.  Go figure.  They come from poverty and have so little of life's amenities.
• Meeting with Elder T, the new pres of the area.  What a wonderful, warm, caring man.  And what an example to his people.  

 

• President P, our new Mission President who has been here for 6 weeks.  He tells the following story:  "I frequently ask a member to tell me of their conversion story.  This past week I interviewed a member who told me her husband just left her one day and never came back.  She was left with no income to take care of her 6 children.  After a short time her power was turned off.  And then the water.  And she was rapidly running out of her meager food supplies.  She was desperate and had no where to turn.  Her kids were crying a lot and showing signs of extreme hunger.  Feeling she could not bear to watch them starve to death, she determined she would take their lives, along with her own.  She obtained a bottle of poison, cooked a small bowl of their remaining rice and told the kids they were going on a picnic to the beach.  On the beach she prepared to slip the poison into the rice, but decided to pray to ask forgiveness for what she was about to do.  After she prayed, she looked up to see two young men in white shirts and ties.  They asked her if they could teach her about Jesus Christ and his church.  The spirit was so strong as they talked, she quietly buried the poison in the sand.  She went on to join the church with her family.  Knowing how to sew, she was asked by a woman to create a dress for her.  And then several dresses.  Today she owns a dress-making business and is building a dress shop with her own hands.  She has 2 employees and is able to look after her family.  And she was visiting with President P to renew her temple recommend.   

• We are here to serve the Lord, to show obedience to His prophet, and to serve His beloved children.

We are tired and ready for bed.  But not before wishing you all good health and happiness.   May you find joy in your journey.  Exercise faith in Jesus Christ and follow Him.  Be grateful.  Be thoughtful.  Be kind.  Be patient.  Amen & amen.

Love you forever!

Sister & Elder Howell

Mom & Dad

Carolyn & Lane