This week I found out that one person I baptized in Pozorrubio is planning on going on a mission.  I also found out that she was recently called as Young Women's President.  It's exciting to learn of the progress of recent converts.  I also got to work a day with my old companion and trainee Elder De Jesus.  It was really fun because I can see how much he has grown as  a missionary.  

       This week President Mortenson attended our district training.  It was really fun, but when I learned about it I was just a little intimidated.  I realized I would just have to do what I had planned to do and it turned out to be great.  Afterwards he gave us a presentation about how the Mapandan and Mangaldan districts are doing with their goals.  He gave us a lot of help. (President Mortenson is the first councilor in the mission presidency and is amazing.)

       My companion, Elder Marafina, has holes in his shoes right now.  He isn't very happy about having holes in shoes but is dealing with it until P-day (today).   Well if you have holes in your shoes it isn't very fun to walk in water.  Yesterday as we were leaving the apartment the clouds were very dark and it very much looked like it was going to rain.  We prayed that it would not rain and then took our umbrellas with us as we went to work.  Well the clouds remained dark and we had a great day.  We got home at night said a prayer and started our nightly planning and then it started to rain.  So my companion didn't have to deal with  walking through water because it didn't rain while we were walking.  We also had a little 8 year old girl pray at the end of one lesson and she prayed for God to keep the missionaries (us) safe from biting dogs.  I am happy to report no one here has been bitten by dogs recently.  Little kids give great prayers.  

        Right now we have 2 children who are investigators.  We have Jeffrey (10) and Olivia (9) in 2 different part member families.  It is an interesting experience teaching to children.  Sometimes you think they don't understand or won't understand what they need to but they seem to get just as easily as anyone else.  We thought Olivia didn't pay very much attention, but on our return visit she had a notebook and I noticed inside she had written all the scriptures we had shared to her as well as the word of wisdom.  They are both very intelligent children.  Jeffrey loves to make jokes.  No lesson is boring.  He says very funny things but at the same time is neither rude nor vulgar.  It is fairly exciting to be teaching those 2 part member families.  We have another less active family with 7 children.  The Parayno family came to church for the first time yesterday with their children.  We were so excited to see them, it was also fun to see that they took up an entire row in Sacrament meeting.  

           We are doing well in Mapandan right now.  

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                                                                           Elder Nathaniel J. Merrill

                                                                         Philippines Baguio Mission