You know it’s close when you check the flight plans and search the seating lay-out of a BOEING 767-300 and EMBRAER 175 to see if you're in a window or aisle seat :)

I had my last Sunday in Damortis yesterday, as long as I get permitted to visit one of my last areas on the Sunday before going home. I have been following my Mom's advice, and took more pictures this week than I have in entire areas before. We also did a ton of fun activities, mostly CSPs (Community Service Projects).

We planted rice in 3 fields on 3 different days. The first day was for a person we're teaching, and we were really bad, like we planted too much rice, our lines weren't straight and it was super slow. Sister Raquel Munar (add her on FB to see us :) ) came and took pictures of us and posted it to Facebook, so basically the Whole Barangay knows there’s 2 amerikanos who will plant rice for free (or a little snack afterwards). The second day was another small scale bukid but then Brother Oliver took us with him to meet his Mom, who lives probably 5 minutes away. We were able to teach her on Saturday and hopefully we'll be able to teach all of Oliver's uncles, titas and cousins. After the first time we met Oliver's Mom, they set us up with another rice planting gig in their clan's bukid (rice field). We told them we'd be happy to help and would come back the next morning at 8. We were a tiny bit late and had to be led across a hill, up a mountain, and down the other side to find where the 25 men were working on 2 bukids which were probably 40x50 yards, no joke, this was way bigger scale than we had experienced before. Like on Breaking Bad when he sells to a couple street guys then gets mixed up in an entire mafia. We went from helping a 45 year old lady, then a 24 year old man, to working alongside with 25 men who were insanely fast at planting, and their lines were super straight and uniform. I was thoroughly impressed. We are hoping that from showing people that we are willing to help alongside them, they will be more apt to accepting the messages we have, even if not from us, but from future missionaries. All-in-all it was a great time. 

 

 

 

 

 

After a lesson at the STA Cruz's house,something flew into the curtain from outside and started moving around. Elder Pettit and I thought it was a Toko, a type of lizard about 8 inches long. There’s one that lives in the upstairs and only comes down sometimes. I ran up, grabbed it (still wrapped in the curtain) and realized it was not scaly like a Toko, it was furry and soft. I told them it was a bat, they said it was a rat, Elder Pettit told me to grab it. SIs Mylene handed me a paper thin piece of cloth to grab it with haha. I asked if they had anything thicker so I didn’t get bit through the fabric. I finally got to it and saw it was a bird! Luckily sister Mylene had a spare bird cage we could put it in just long enough to take pictures. We let it go just in case it had babies or something.

I don’t know if I’ll be able to send an email next week, just know I'll be home soon and I love you all.

Everyone is welcome to come to my homecoming talk at church (3722 NE Going St, Portland, OR 97211) on the 22nd of July in Portland Oregon, It will start at 10 AM.

And we’re gonna have an Open House at my house the same day, beginning at 2 PM – come on over!

Elder Hennessey

 

(Just rain)

 

This is what snail eggs here look like @Torben (all along the wall)

 

We saw some frogs chillin in holes in a dirt bank; I took a  picture of the next hole checking if there was a frog in the way back, little did I know there was a massive spider camouflaged right next to the opening. 

Our friend Arman at 7-11 was on his last day, so he let us self-serve the soft-serve ice cream.

aso mo, kambing mo, itali mo "your dog, your goat, you tie it up".

About 18 months agoo I had scratched my name into a piece of bamboo. And now, 1.5 years later, it was still there haha It was a nice little throwback to my first area. 

 I also had a monkey climb on me, super cool experience, that’s the 2nd monkey I've held here :)

This week I was able to bear my testimony in the last Fast and Testimony meeting of my mission. It was nice, I don’t know if I'll be able to speak again from the pulpit here, so I was glad for the opportunity.  I have to say, of all the units I've been assigned in, Damortis is one of the most actively Involved in missionary work. They are always happy to work with us and to refer their family and acquaintances to hear the missionary discussions. 

On Thursday I was able to go on exchanges again with Elder Affleck to my old area Agoo Branch 3 in order for Elder Maners to interview Cindy Puzon for Baptism. While in Agoo, I showed Elder Affleck around to some of the people we had been teaching before, whom I felt could really progress/benefit from the blessing of the Gospel. We also were able to visit sister Dulce, a Nanay up in the Mountain of Santa Maria. About 18 months agoo I had scratched my name into a piece of bamboo, and now, 1.5 years later, it was still there haha. It was a nice little throwback to my first area. I also had a monkey climb on me, super cool experience, that’s the 2nd monkey I've held here :)

Saturday Cindy as baptized by Elder Pettit. Elder Fenn was allowed to come back to see the baptism since he was one of the missionaries who taught her. Normally this isn’t allowed but Elder Fenn was a special exception. The baptism was very nice; she gave a very nice testimony afterwards. We just need to make sure that she can have lots of support from the branch to help her become even stronger in the church. Anyone else who we are teaching will be baptized after I've already landed in America sooo thats wierd, but at the same moment Fine by me.

22 Days nalang ;)

Elder Hennessey