This week has been one of the most crazy/fun/exhausting/completely awesome week of my whole entire mission!!!  So last P-day as we were chilling by the beach looking at the waves crashing in we saw a bunch of Filipinos pulling on a HUGE rope that went out into the ocean, so we asked around about it and found out that a couple thousand feet out there was a net of fish.  So of course we decided to help them out!!! So we go and start pulling these ropes and after like 15 minutes the net was getting real close.  Then they saw this swordfish jump out of the net into the free water, so this guy ran into the water and somehow grabbed this swordfish so it wouldn't get away, then he ran back on shore and threw it on the ground, afterwhich a kid tried to take it and Elder Robinson heard him say "Hindi para sa mga foreigners yan!!"  then after they took in all the fish and they were distributing them to the people, then that same guy brought the swordfish with the 3 other biggest fish and threw them at our feet... This is the Filipino culture, they will give all, they are the nicest people ever, and even in their "hanap buhay" or finding food to put on their table at night, they will give some random foreigners the 4 Biggest fish!!!  This is one HUGE reason why I LOVE the Philippines, i LOVE the people, and I LOVE the culture, it amazes me how people can be so giving and Christ-like.  So we told them we couldn't take it and all we want is some pictures with the swordfish, then we gave it back to them.  But this literally is the Filipino people, and I am so grateful to be able to serve in such a beautiful land with such amazing people!!!

So if you think that was the only amazingly cool thing that happened, you are wrong:) To be short and to the point, we went to Borlongan and taught a Chieftan of a tribe, who also came to church on Sunday, and bore his testimony there in Dipaculao!!!  So this Chieftan was a referral of a member in Baler,and he had been given a Book of Mormon before we went last Thursday.  And this happened because we had exchanges with the Dipaculao Elders to go and teach this Chieftan.  He is an amazing man and is ready to receive the gospel, the only problem is that it is far away! Like way far!! Like we are pretty sure that we went the farthest any missionary has ever gone there while proselyting!! Also he told us not to work there, by going house to house, because he will just bring people for us to teach, so we just sit and he will bring them all, hopefully that happens soon, but this just shows how ready and willing these people, and especially this Chieftan is to be taught. So yes I can now say I have taught a Chief of a tribe;)

Also we had a baptism on Saturday, it was Tatay Jimmy Prado and he is from San Luis.  The cool thing about this is, that about 2 months ago our whole district worked in San Luis to help them out a bit... Then me and Elder Ismael found Tatay Jimmy!! We taught him the Restoration, and he has gone to church ever since!! Then I am now in a trisome with San Luis so I got to help baptize him!!! Which was an amazing experience, because all 3 of us got to baptize him!  He is crippled and has to us a wheelchair.  So my job in the font was to make sure he got all the way under, but when the time came for him to go under he couldn't grab his nose, so yes that became my job:) hahaha it was an AMAZING experience, and I am so happy and excited for Tatay!!!

So yes its been a crazy week, we have worked in 4 different areas this week, and will continue to do that until transfers where we hopefully get some more missionaries here in Baler!!!  Also Elder Ismael is recovering well, but he is still in Manila.  Maybe a week or two more then he will be back!!

Thanks for all the emails and prayers!!!

LOVE YA'LL!!!

Elder Alldredge