January 23, 2012

silly scripture of the week is Judges 14-16

well this week has been pretty uneventful. we had zone conference (we have zone conference every other transfer) where i got a few packages from home. thank you all for the support that you've given. i read the letters but i forgot to bring them to the internet cafe so i won't reply right now. but i will say that a good idea for a package is to fill a box full of letters. everyone always says that packages are better than letters but i always tell them that i receive a lot of packages but absolutely no letters. and that i would prefer to get just a package full of letters and pictures ( i still only have a few family and friend pictures even though i asked everyone to send them over a year ago, next week i will include picture ideas). also, thank you all for the letters and candies. i am munching on most of them. some i had to slurp... meaning they melted. in the Philippines, they don't believe in air conditioning. and it's hot, like phoenix in summer hot only humid and a few degrees lower. be careful what you put in the box because a bag or two might get broken in transit because they are not very careful with things.


also, if anyone needs reminding, and to avoid confusion, DON'T USE POUCH meaning don't ever send anything to the pouch address, it will literally never get to me because it WILL be sent back to you.

THIS IS THE POUCH ADDRESS: don't use it. as a matter of fact, it should be erased from my blog entirely. if you ever sent anything to me at this address, it never got to me and never will.

(WRONG ADDRESS)
Elder Alexander Lee Johnson
Philippines Bacolod Mission
POB 30150
Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0150

This is the address where things will actually be sent to me. in order to actually send a letter to me, you need to buy an international stamp first and then send it to this address. this address also works for packages.

(CORRECT ADDRESS)
Elder Alexander Lee Johnson
Philippines Bacolod Mission
PO Box 660
Bacolod City
6100 Negros Occidental
Philippines

if you have a hankering to use pouch, please be sure to follow the criteria for pouch. meaning; 1 piece of paper (no envelope) folded and taped. with the address written on the outer folded side. now that that's over with (hopefully i won't have to remind anyone again) let me continue.

useful things for a future missionary:
get a small collapsible umbrella with handle that curves so you can hang it on your...
shoulder bag, probably camel back or anything as long as it's not a backpack. it's too hot here for that.
at the MTC, get a second journal for a book of remembrance
get your ward list printed out before you leave
get stickers with your address and your families address printed out for letters
get a fabric pen to write your name on your clothes
get a plastic hard case luggage with built in locks (when you move, you sometimes stand out in the street waiting for a bus, and it may rain. also people are sometimes thieves so you have to be careful)

well i've also noticed that they make beautiful decorations out of things like capri sun bags or straw or cans. they recycle things and make them into good looking decorations rather than buy new ones at the store and throw them away after one use. something they could do in America for ward parties as long as they aren't having delusions of grandeur.