Transfer Day

Wednesday we found out that Elder Paano was getting transferred.  I was very happy to stay in Handumanan.  I am comfortable here and I have great relationships with the members.  I would be fine staying here for a lot longer if this is where I am needed!

My new companion is Elder Saure.  He is from Manila and is 21.  He has been on his mission three more months than me and is really kind.  He reminds me a lot of Elder Doane, but I don't think we will become as good of friends as Elder Doane and I.  He is 5'8" and weighs 180 pounds, so he is pretty big for a Filipino.  He kinda looks Samoan, and I think he will be closest I get to having a Polynesian companion--unfortunately!  He is exactly obedient, so we won't have any problems there.  This is his first time being a zone leader also, so we don't really know what we are doing.

Being a zone leader is pretty cool.  We are in charge of all the missionaries in the Bacolod South Stake.    It is one of the biggest as far as missionaries in the mission.  We are in charge of 18 missionaries, and 8 of them are sisters.  Sister missionaries are diligent and great, but are really needy!  They blow up my phone all the time with "Elder, I need this.... Elder, I need that," but it's all good.  The next biggest zone has 16 missionaries.  We only report to President Lopez and we present training for the missionaries two times every transfer and also during zone conference (in front of President Lopez).  I'm not too worried about that.  I am sure I can "fake it 'til I make it"--just like in high school!

We are working really hard on the Rescue right now!  We are trying to bring back less active members and we are having success with it right now!  We just returned a 50-something year old man who will be a great leader one day. I teach him in English and he is very smart.  he fell away and right now we are working on getting rid of his smoking issue, but he is doing well.  His name is Mike Exito.  I really like the guy and am blessed to have gotten to know him.  We have returned seven people in the last two weeks (to return they need to attend church four weeks in a row) and that includes two families! Now we need to get them to the temple!

Love you all!

Cole and Elder Saure