i have surpassed 100 days!

hi mama

i have surpassed 100 days!! i’ve been in the field longer then the MTC and also its been longer that i have been on my mission then the period of time between receiving my call and leaving. times much quicker out in the field. it is blowing me away. 

ok, so i decided the eager new dad look as fun as it might be, needs changing.  i found an exciting new approach to my new identity out here.  i’m going full blown bukid style!  bukid is farm in tagalog and they are the best people. the outfit consists of long pants in gum boots, w a super used machete around my waist, a hilarious Tshirt and another shirt wrapped around the face to hide the sun w an epic hat on top. i’ve mostly got into wrapping my face in the tshirt b/c on friday i got so burnt. super funny tho and pretty low pain so no worries. hopefully i can bring bukid style back home because its so sunny! 

also the kids here are kinda crazy. everyone loves to try speak english to me even though i tell them i don’t speak english. they usually don’t buy it. a common things to hear from the kids playing in the streets is "AMERICANO, AMERICANO!!" or the slightly more comfortable kids say "give me money!" and i even heard a "AMERICANO! UGLY! you ugly!" haters dont faze tho. also the high school girls are a bit of a concern here. they will just stare and whisper to each other and sometimes speak very quietly but just enough for me to hear in a really awkaward way. the girls say things like "i like your skin","i like your face" or "you have cute eyes". i’ll take it as a compliment tho. thanks ladies. 

super busy week w a low amount of work done in our area :/ splits in Bambang w the ZLs.  their apartments epic w a sweet view!! i had the opportunity to bless an extremely humbled excommunicated RM who wants to come back. amazing spirit there. made another 12 hour round trip to cauayan w again more great views! i met alot of seriously great missionaries and i’m becoming more and more familiar w the missionaries in the CAU. went to a Super mall!! theres one right beside the mission home and it blew me away. super high tech. alot of stores, super american. that was a glorious event. had KFC! very fun day w a 4am wake. 

then an epic service project on friday in Aritao. thats when i got burned. went to the river to fill a jeepney up w sand and then bring that sand to someones house and scoop it out. did that like 3 times. very strenous but super fun. the river was identical to waipourous! super homey. we then cooled down in the river before leaving, jeans and all! it wasnt swimming tho. 

saturday was a huge district wide family event. fun games and bonding were had w the bambang district. made more friends and memories! very sunny event where alot of investigators and less actives attended. 

sunday was a big day as my small humble branch moved to the Del Norte chapel. sacrament meeting in a chapel with a piano felt so so so good. the spirit was there. this move is very beneficial to the branch. we can have the appropriate classes we need and also operate like a branch of this church should be. the next couple weeks we are going to work closely with the district presidency to make sure everything goes well and to code. this move is acting like a fresh start to this branch and it is very exciting to be a missionary here right now because of this. we dont really have the numbers to esthablish a fully operating branch so we are calling in some big guns from the neighbouring branch of Dupax Del Norte. the dupax del sur and dupax del norte branchs are like family. its seriously great!! #DupaxProud 

i’m trying not to be an annoying missionary who just blabs so i kept it short and sweet. i hit the key details and hope you enjoy. alot happens in a week for a missionary. it’s next to impossible to mention it all and also fully explain it. alot happens! my journal entries are getting pretty huge and time is flying! lifes good out here. looks like we are going to have a hard working week this week which will be appreciated. 

oh and i probably have my first baptism saturday. 

christmas is becoming bigger. i’m seeing more christmas ties at church, more christmas trees in homes and i’ve heard its an insane event down here! welcome to the -ber months. 

life is good

work hard, pray hard,

Elder Kearl