So last night's journal entry went a little something like this:
"11:30 PM - War with the Toko finally ends, in an Elders
Victory. Two stabs and one toss of a heavy stone and Patay na
ang Toko. I can finally sleep in peace."
So a Toko is a giant lizard that's body is probably like 8-10 inches
long and then it's tail is like another 6 inches itself. They aren't
the friendliest things in the world. When we got home the last couple
nights it has been on the wall inside our house. The other night we
just got it to move outside but yesterday it moved out and then came
back in. It was right in the center of our roof on a 2-by-4 that holds
up the roof. We knew it was up there but we couldn't actually see it.
We kept spraying it with permethrin to get it to move but it wouldn't
so then we take a piece of wood and taped a ruler on the end of it to
poke at it from the ground to get to move and it still wouldn't move.
Finally it moved far enough away from where we were putting the ruler
to where it's underbelly was exposed just enough for us to see it in a
gap of wood about 2 inches wide. I told Elder Orlanda to take the
stick and tape one of our sharp knives to the other end of it and just
stab the thing from the underside because it won't see it coming. So
that's what we ended up doing! We stabbed it once first in the back of
it's head and had it pinned but then he got free somehow and then we
stabbed him in the stomach this time he couldn't move because the
knife was pinned to the ceiling as well. It was crazy. When then
ended up taking it outside with it stuck to the knife still and we
stabbed it into a tree to try and fully kill it and then Elder dropped
the stick and it was still alive! it ran a few feet and then stopped.
Then I just said grab that giant stone over there and just dropped it
on it. So that's what we did! When he dropped the rock in it it's tail
came out and it's head got smashed. After that even though it was dead
an the tail was detached the tail kept moving and twitching. It was
crazy. But it was finally dead. So we could finally sleep without fear
of being attacked by the Toko. What a crazy night!
This past weekend we had our District Conference in Sipalay. Since
it's a district President Lopez presides and he and his counselors
were the speakers. Along with Elder Ramon C. Nobleza of the Seventy.
It was pretty awesome. I few quotes that I enjoyed were one from
President Santillan, 1st Counselor in the Phils. Bacolod Mission,
"Don't be part of every problem, but be part of every solution." Find
ways to be a blessing unto others and not a burden. It isn't always
easy but if we focus on ways be can bless the lives of others rather than
make them more difficult I know we can and that the Lord will help us!
I also enjoyed a quote from Elder Nobleza, he was referring to the
church buildings here in the Philippines which are the nicest
buildings in every town when he said "If you enjoy it, why not become
a part of it." Meaning if you attend church and enjoy it's beauty and
it's air con and the building, you should pay your tithing to become
part of it. That's one beauty of this Church. We can see where our
tithing goes. It doesn't go to the pocket of any individual person or
leader of the church. It goes directly to the church for the Building
of the Lord's Kingdom! it goes into building the wonderful churches
and temples of the Lord and to helping those who stand in need, not to
the leader of the church to support him for his service. Because if
that's where it goes, his service to his fellow men is no longer
service, it is a career. Life is about love and service to others, too
help each and every child of our Heavenly Father to return to him!
This is now the last week of Elder Orlanda's mission! We are going to
work every day and end his Mission on a good note! I can't wait to see
what is next for me!
I love all of you and hope that you are able to see the many blessings
in your life each and every day that our Heavenly Father has given to
you! May you always be full of thanks to him for his Love and Kindness
towards you!
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