MALIGAYANG BATI!!-4th Area-5th Transfer-

Hiya Ma! :D

Hahaha, thanks for all the Birthday wishes!  I had almost forgot how fun birthdays were and was just planning on having it be another day of work but now I might hafta do something epic! :)  I also almost forgot our fam's happy bday song! :O  Here they just say Happy Birthday like 50 times to the tune! (They say Happy Birthday instead of dear      )  It was good to hear that from y'all :)

I have been transferred.... BACK TO CALOOCAN!.......

Just kidding :o)  I'm in BALIWAG ZONE! :D  I am officially a genius and a few of ya got it right.  Good work! :)  It took almost 2 hours to get from the transfer meeting to our area.  My area (San Ildefonso Branch) is about 85 km from the mission office.  We're the second farthest area in the mission and part of our area borders the Angeles Mission.

 

It's kinda sorta freaking BEAUTIFUL out here!  My first 3 areas were deep city but Baliwag Zone is a completely different story, you could say a fresh breath of air :)  I finally saw all the things that I thought I would see in the Philippines when I first opened my mission call.  Rice fields everywhere, carabao(water buffalo?) with HUGE horns pulling carts full of veggies and stuff, and beautiful views.  I think there's a volcano that I can see but it might just be a really cool mountain :)  Basically, it's completely different (in a good way) and it's freaking amazing :D



Carabao!



Lately there's been a big problem in our mission with people being pasaway(disobedient).  President and Sister Sperry both gave pretty firm talks about it at Transfer Meeting and there were A LOT of changes in the mission.  The Valenzuela Zone has been split to make a new Meycauayan Zone :)  Elder Calinog (MTC Companion) and...... Elder Sidillo (Trainer) are the ZL's there hahaha :)  SO cool to see old comps and areas connected :)  Elder Cloward (MTC Companion) was also made a ZL and so were Elder Taulelei and Elder Day from the MTC.  Pretty cool stuff! :)  Elder Compao was transferred to Panghulo (my 1st area) haha

I was made a DL! :D  WooHoo :)  I'm pretty excited about this transfer because everyone here is super obedient and excited about the work.  There are 4 elders in my apartment, in our District, 2 sisters, and the ZLs.  Last transfer almost the whole Zone became pasaway and so it seems that President has sent in good missionaries to fix it.  So everyone in my district has already improved their areas even though we've only been here 5 days.  WOOT! :)

  

Elder Blotter



My new comp is... an American??  Weird. haha :)  Elder Blotter is my new companion.  He's from Woods Cross, Utah and has been in the field for 5 months.  He's SUPER hard-working, kinda strict, and I'm really excited to get to work with him.  He's a really good singer and played Enjolras in Les Mis in High School. Cool :)  Our Branch is.... a Branch haha :)  That means there aren't very many people that go to church (about 50 a week), not too many Priesthood holders, and there's a lot of work to do.  I actually like the idea because there is SOOOO much room and potential for growth.  I'll be able to watch as we actually build the kingdom here :)  Pretty excited.

The other Elders in our apartment are Elder Hicken (5 months in from Roosevelt, UT) and Elder Miller (6 months in from Oregon/Utah).  I'm gonna hafta thank Aunt Katie here.  Elder Miller is a HUGE Pink Floyd fan and was raised on the music haha.  He's basically my "Dude" side taken to the next level hahaha :)  Really cool and funny.  We've been singin songs and talking about Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, The Hobbit movie comin out, and all sortsa stuff from my dude/nerdy side hahaha :)

It was pretty sad to leave Batasan 2nd but I'm excited to kick pwet in San Ildefonso :)  As we went around saying goodbye to people one of the sisters even cried haha.  I loved the people in that area, it's been my favorite so far, even though I was only there one transfer.



Monreal Family

    

Here's the link to my new house.  It's the long red one below the trees and tennis court.  It's actually 3 apartments and we're in the middle.  Just copy and paste it. http://goo.gl/maps/oX8L



 

  Thanks so much for the bday wishes!  I love and miss you all like crazy! :)
Be Excellent to each other and party on dudes! :)
Elder Powell

 

Hangin' With the Monreal Kids

P.S.
Thanks for the awesome advice mom, I totally agreed with it all and loved it! :)  Pretty cool thing I noticed was that Ammon's approach to missionary work is a lot like what I've learned to do haha.  Rather than attacking people with the gospel, loving them and finding similarities in our beliefs.  It was pretty cool to read your email and realize that.  ALMA and the Sons of Mosiah are SO COOL! :)

P.P.S.
Thanks a bunch to you, Chelsey, Gma and the whole fam for the Box O' Sunshine hahaha, it was great :)  Thanks for always bein so good to me and sending me your love :)  Just make sure and take care of yourselves too eh?  Don't spend too much on me, I'm doin good out here :)
Tell all the Smiths and everyone out there hi for me :)  I love y'all!
Keep sendin those pictures!  Keep me updated on that Hunter kid's first State Tourney! :)  Is he pitching?

  

Loads of Fun in the Sun!
WOOT!! WOOT!!