When you are in the office, every week is insane (5/5/13)

Dear Family and Friends,

What an insane week it has been! I've discovered that when you are in the office every week is insane. There is always so much to do and never enough time to get it all done it feels like. There are only two weeks left until the transfer, and I have been in the office for a month. Crazy! 

So the reason that the office is so insane is that we think we know what we have to do everyday but then we actually get to the office and find out that there is much more to do. And we have extra stuff to do like errands and what not. On Tuesday we went to the Land Traffic Office and Elder VB and I got our drivers licenses. It took about four hours but it wasn't too bad. We also moved some of the sisters to their new apartment in the morning, so it was a long day. We had a nice breakfast with Elder and Sister Eddington, the couple missionary here in Laoag. 

Wednesday was another hectic day. We had a mini transfer, since there is much moving to be done in preparation for the split in July. It was also Elder O's birthday, so we surprised him in the morning in his apartment and then had breakfast, lunch and dinner with President and Sister Barrientos. I don't think I'll be losing much weight anytime soon. Saturday we traveled up to Aparri to look at some new apartments. That was an adventure. I got to spend the night in Lal-lo, which is a very large apartment with nice cold water.

Al is doing awesome. He and his family attended all three hours of Church this Sunday and they love it. The ward in Batac is super supportive of them. They don't actually live in Laoag, but we teach Al here at the mission home. He is progressing really fast and the whole family is doing great, though I have not met them yet. One of our other investigators, M, moved to Manila, which is really sad. She was very sincere and wanted to raise her child in the Church. We are going to try to get her information to refer her to the missionaries in Manila. We are still chipping away at N Si's fears about marriage. We still have really no idea what they actually are, which is a problem and she is not opening up about it. We need to think a bit more out side the box.

I want to wrap this email up with my testimony that the Lord is watching over all of us and he has a plan for us. We may not know why things are the way they are some times, but everything is for a reason. Our Heavenly Father knows exactly what each of us needs to in order to return to live with him and his will give us all of it. Experiences, friends, trials, that are part of his plan and will mold us into the people he intends for us to become. Thank you for all of your prayer for all of the missionaries around the world. We really feel them. Mahal kita! Mabuhay kayo lahat!

Elder Ryne Warrren Wood