Rain and Adidas

10/6/13
Hey Family!
I am doing so great here. The power or fasting and prayer is so incredible. I never realized how amazing it really can be. We fasted like normal but had a really hard week. Pouring rain all day, every day... bah. Everyone was sleeping all day it seemed like we were not able to meet with anyone... on Sunday we really had a reason to fast. We were blessed so much! Every appointment on Sunday went super smooth and none of them fell through. We had the spirit with us and we were able to set some really good commitments. There is REAL power in fasting and prayer.

I didn't get to tell you much about my companion last week, he was reading over my shoulder... haha. So he is from Isabella, Gamu an area in the mission where Taylor served. (Taylor is Connor's cousin) He was baptized just over a year ago and has such strong faith. I teach every lesson right now and he gives a short testimony at the end. I had no idea how much Tagalog I could speak before he got here. Tagalog isn't too big of a deal now. I can speak it alright, I just need to learn more words. So that is going pretty good. I am learning words super fast now because I understand how I can use them. That is definitely encouraging. I can really see how my desire to teach better is motivating me to learn it faster. I am loving being a missionary here.
Okay, I am going to send this email with these pictures.,... you may get some more too later

Crocodile farm Near Puerto Princesa

Ahhh, here are some stories. We were working Saturday with a member, 3 people, 2 umbrellas and Filipinos think if they get wet from the rain that they will die from a sickness called pasma... so it rained, like rained rained... and I let them use the 2 umbrellas. I got a little wet.... and we had to cross a rising river at the same time. haha.., I was soaked! so soaked! Never thought I would get that wet in church clothes before.

oh! What is going on with the US government!? partial shutdown????? People kept asking me what it meant cause I'm American. Please let me know what is going on.

Love,
Elder Schroeder


10/13/13
Hi Family!!!
Wow! those costumes look great! Disneyland looked like fun, you guys really went all out! Wish I could have gone, but being here in the Philippines is much better:) Phew, thanks for filling me in on the government shutdown. Ahh, I miss Idaho a little bit. Snow and stuff cause I don't think it is going to snow here any time soon. It is funny seeing all the Filipinos in sweatshirts now because it is "winter time here"... still super hot!
So I saw the biggest worm ever this week, probably almost 2 feet long and we found a millipede while walking so we took some pictures with it for you. super cool. Ate some chicken feet this week, called "paa ng manok" or Adidas for short. Yes, the Filipinos named it after the shoes. No joke, that is their nickname for chicken feet here, pretty funny. I will hopefully be able to send pictures about all of this.
So the work here has been going okay. It's has been hard work.... I am trying to get my companion to open up some more. He is awesome though and we always have so much fun together.
The investigators we have are doing ok. They're reading and praying but they NEVER EVER EVER go to church. They are not going to get baptized if they don't do that.... bah. so I am really working hard on trying to get people to go to church. If not, we have to drop them. That's basically it. It's not very fun because we see these people with such a great desire to change their lives, but they don't do all that they need, to be able to actually change their lives. so that's that. Drop find, find drop and if we get a golden one, we baptize:) And the gold ones are always from member referrals. It is a challenge because of past disobedient missionaries. Sometimes we meet former investigators or less actives, and they say something like "we stopped going to church because after Elder ____ left, we stopped getting centrum from the Elders" or "can't you give us money for fair like Elder ____ did?" Bahhhh. Just shows how one persons disobedience can really hurt others down the road. We are working hard here and trying to fix past mistakes.
We got to watch conference this Sunday. Super super good, we listened all of Saturday and Priesthood in English and Sunday in Tagalog on very very hard chairs. I sure do miss being able to watch conference at home, but it was uplifting and great nonetheless. I think I am getting sick right now. I have been working harder than I ever have before and I am just so run down. Oh well, the work must go on. Love you guys!

Love, Elder Schroeder

p.s. the computer I am using stinks. the pictures aren't uploading. So next week for those pictures. Also, the Palawan Binturong (bear cat) isn't too heavy, maybe 20 or 30 pounds. Like a very very large cat.